William Sampson Jr. (September 27, 1933 – June 3, 1987) was a

Muscogee The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language), are a group of related indigenous (Native American) peoples of the Southeastern Woodlandspainter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...

, and

rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaq ...

performer. He is best known for his performance as the apparent deaf and mute Chief Bromden, the title role in ''

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest may refer to: * ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (novel), a 1962 novel by Ken Kesey * ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (play), a 1963 stage adaptation of the novel starring Kirk Douglas * ''One Flew Over the ...

'' and as

Crazy Horse Crazy Horse ( lkt, Tȟašúŋke Witkó, italic=no, , ; 1840 – September 5, 1877) was a Lakota war leader of the Oglala band in the 19th century. He took up arms against the United States federal government to fight against encroachment by w ...

in the 1977 western '' The White Buffalo'', as well as his roles as Taylor in '' Poltergeist II: The Other Side'' and Ten Bears in 1976's '' The Outlaw Josey Wales''.

Life and career

William “Will” Sampson Jr., born in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma to William "Wiley" Sampson Sr. (1904–2001) and Mabel Sampson (née Lewis, 1899–1997), was a member of the

Muscogee The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language), are a group of related indigenous (Native American) peoples of the Southeastern WoodlandsSoutheastern Woodlands Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands, Southeastern cultures, or Southeast Indians are an ethnographic classification for Native Americans who have traditionally inhabited the area now part of the Southeastern United States and the n ...

. Sampson Jr. had at least five children: Samsoche "Sam" and Lumhe "Micco" Sampson (of the Sampson Brothers Duo), actor Timothy "Tim" James Sampson, Robert Benjamin Sampson. The Sampson Brothers Duo are known for their traditional fancy and grass dances, and often perform with Frank Waln, a notable Lakota hip-hop artist. His son Robert was murdered in Tulsa in 2013.

Rodeo performer

Sampson competed in rodeos for about 20 years. His specialty was bronco busting, and he was on the rodeo circuit when producers Saul Zaentz and

Michael Douglas Michael Kirk Douglas (born September 25, 1944) is an American actor and film producer. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the AF ...

— of ''

'' — were looking for a large Native American to play the role of Chief Bromden. Sampson stood an imposing 6'7" (2.01 m) tall. Rodeo announcer Mel Lambert mentioned Sampson to them, and after lengthy efforts to find him, they hired him on the strength of an interview. He had never acted before.

Actor

Sampson's most notable roles were as Chief Bromden in ''

'' 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 The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only extant species in the genus '' Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black-and-white ...

''. Sampson appeared in the production of ''

Black Elk Speaks ''Black Elk Speaks'' is a 1932 book by John G. Neihardt, an American poet and writer, who relates the story of Black Elk, an Oglala Lakota medicine man. Black Elk spoke in Lakota and Black Elk's son, Ben Black Elk, who was present during the tal ...

'' with the American Indian Theater Company in

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region wit ...

, where

David Carradine David Carradine ( ; born John Arthur Carradine Jr.; December 8, 1936 – June 3, 2009) was an American actor best known for playing martial arts roles. He is perhaps best known as the star of the 1970s television series '' Kung Fu'', playi ...

and other Native American actors (such as Wes Studi and

Randolph Mantooth Randolph Mantooth (born Randy DeRoy Mantooth, September 19, 1945) is an American actor who has worked in television, documentaries, theater, and film for more than 40 years. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, he was discovere ...

) have appeared in stage productions. He also played

in '' The White Buffalo'' with

Charles Bronson Charles Bronson (born Charles Dennis Buchinsky; November 3, 1921 – August 30, 2003) was an American actor. Known for his "granite features and brawny physique," he gained international fame for his starring roles in action, Western, and wa ...

Artist

Sampson was a visual artist. His large painting depicting the Ribbon Dance of the Muscogee (Creek) is in the collection of the Creek Council House Museum in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. His artwork has been shown at the Gilcrease Museum and the Philbrook Museum of Art.

Death

Sampson suffered from scleroderma, a chronic degenerative condition that affected his heart, lungs, and skin. During his lengthy illness, his weight fell from to , causing complications related to

malnutrition Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. Specifically, it is "a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients" which adversely affects the body's tissues ...

. After undergoing a heart and

lung transplant Lung transplantation, or pulmonary transplantation, is a surgical procedure in which one or both lungs are replaced by lungs from a donor. Donor lungs can be retrieved from a living or deceased donor. A living donor can only donate one lung lobe. ...

at Houston Methodist Hospital in

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 ...

, he died on June 3, 1987, of post-operative

kidney The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blo ...

failure. Sampson was 53 years old. Sampson was interred at Graves Creek Cemetery in Hitchita, Oklahoma.

Legacy

Will Sampson Road, in Okmulgee County (east of Highway 75 near

Preston, Oklahoma Preston is an unincorporated community located in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, United States. The post office was established December 13, 1909. It was named for an Okmulgee oilman, Harry Preston. First known as Hamilton Switch, and now unrecogni ...

), is named after him. During the filming of '' The White Buffalo'', Sampson halted production by refusing to act when he discovered that producers had hired white actors to portray Native Americans for the film. In 1983, with assistance from his personal secretary Zoe Escobar, Sampson founded the "American Indian Registry for the Performing Arts" for Native American actors. He also served on the registry's Board of Directors.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

Genie Award The Genie Awards were given out annually by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to recognize the best of Canadian cinema from 1980–2012. They succeeded the Canadian Film Awards (1949–1978; also known as the "Etrog Awards," for sc ...

1980: Nominated, "Best Performance by a Foreign Actor" – ''Fish Hawk''

Notes

Bibliography

* Escobar, Zoe (2009). ''Beyond the Cuckoo's Nest: the Art and Life of William 'Sonny' Sampson, Jr., the Muscogee Creek Indian Cowboy, Painter and Actor'' Girldog Publishing, Issaquah, Washington. ISBN 978-0-615-18164-6

External links

*
Will Sampson interviews''Will Sampson: Documentary Ensures Actor is Remembered''. The Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AMMSA)
*
''The Great Spirit within The Hole'', Twin Cities PBS

Liutova, S. N. Beyond Cuckoo's Nest, or Composing one's book (In Russ.)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sampson, Will 1933 births 1987 deaths People from Okmulgee, Oklahoma American male film actors American male television actors Native American male actors Native American painters Male actors from Oklahoma Muscogee people Deaths from kidney failure Artists from Oklahoma 20th-century American male actors 20th-century Native Americans Native American actors