Will Sampson

Birthday: 1933-09-26
Deathday: 1987-06-03
Birthplace: Okmulgee, Oklahoma, USA
Gender: Male
Owned By: Unowned

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Will Sampson (September 27, 1933 – June 3, 1987) was an American actor and artist. Sampson, a Native American Muscogee (Creek), was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma and was an imposing 6' 5" (1.96 m) tall. Sampson's most notable roles were as "Chief Bromden" in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and as "Taylor the Medicine Man" in the horror film Poltergeist II. He had a recurring role on the TV series Vega$, as Harlon Twoleaf and starred in the movies Fish Hawk, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and Orca.

Sampson appeared in the production of Black Elk Speaks with the American Indian Theater Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where David Carradine and other Native American actors like Wes Studi and Randolph Mantooth starred in stage productions.

Sampson competed in rodeos, his speciality riding bucking broncos, for about twenty years. He was on the rodeo circuit when the producers of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Saul Zaentz and Michael Douglas, were looking for a large Native American to play the role of Chief Bromden. A rodeo announcer told them about Sampson, and after lengthy efforts to find him, they hired him on the strength of an interview. He had never acted before.

Sampson was also an artist. His large painting depicting the Ribbon Dance of his Muscogee people is in the collection of the Creek Council House Museum in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. His artwork is currently displayed online by The Kvskvnv (“kuskuna”) Association.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Will Sampson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Credits

Year Title Character
1987-01-01 The Gunfighters Train Passenger
1986-11-21 Firewalker Tall Eagle
1986-05-26 Roanoak Wingina
1986-05-23 Poltergeist II: The Other Side Taylor
1986-01-01 Johnny Appleseed Chief
1985-08-02 Insignificance Elevator Attendant
1984-05-20 The Mystic Warrior Wambli
1980-11-05 Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story Clarence's Father
1980-01-25 Fish Hawk Fish Hawk
1978-01-21 Standing Tall Lonny Moon
1977-11-28 The Hunted Lady Uncle George
1977-09-14 Relentless Sam Watchman
1977-07-22 Orca Umilak
1977-05-01 The White Buffalo Crazy Horse/Worm
1976-06-30 The Outlaw Josey Wales Ten Bears
1976-06-24 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson The Interpreter (William Halsey)
1975-11-19 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Chief Bromden
1975-06-01 Crazy Mama Indian at Trading Post