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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
June 2, 1877
Died
July 6, 1967
Place of Birth
Buffalo, New York, USA
Also Known As
- Chief Big Tree
Chief John Big Tree
0.2 Popularity
Biography
Chief John Big Tree was born on June 2, 1877 in Buffalo, New York, as Isaac Johnny John. He was an actor, known for She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) and Devil's Doorway (1950). He died on July 6, 1967 in Onondaga Indian Reservation, New York. One of three men who posed for artist James Fraser for the profile which became the famous "Indian head nickel" or "buffalo nickel" minted 1913-1938. The other two were Chief Two Moons (of the Cheyenne) and Chief Iron Tail (of the Lakota Sioux). The image was reused for a special commemorative $50 gold piece in 2006--the USA's first 24k (pure gold) coin. Big Tree was a member of the Seneca Nation.
Known For
7.0
Thundercloud
Devil's Doorway
1950
6.9
Chief Pony That Walks
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
1949
5.5
Indian
Las Vegas Nights
1941
6.0
Chief Spotted Horse
Western Union
1941
6.2
Chief
Hudson's Bay
1941
6.3
Blue Owl (uncredited)
North West Mounted Police
1940
5.7
Chief
Too Many Girls
1940
4.4
Big Elk
Brigham Young
1940
🎬
0.0
Chief
Maintain the Right
1940
7.2
Indian in Saloon (uncredited)
Destry Rides Again
1939
Credits
Devil's Doorway
as Thundercloud
1950
7.0
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
as Chief Pony That Walks
1949
6.9
Las Vegas Nights
as Indian
1941
5.5
Western Union
as Chief Spotted Horse
1941
6.0
Hudson's Bay
as Chief
1941
6.2
North West Mounted Police
as Blue Owl (uncredited)
1940
6.3
Too Many Girls
as Chief
1940
5.7
Brigham Young
as Big Elk
1940
4.4
🎬
Maintain the Right
as Chief
1940
0.0
Destry Rides Again
as Indian in Saloon (uncredited)
1939
7.2
Drums Along the Mohawk
as Blue Back
1939
6.5
The Oregon Trail
as Spotted Elk
1939
8.0
Susannah of the Mounties
as Chief (uncredited)
1939
6.3
Stagecoach
as Indian Scout (uncredited)
1939
7.6
The Girl of the Golden West
as Indian Chief in Prologue
1938
4.6
Prairie Thunder
as Indian (uncredited)
1937
3.5
Hills of Old Wyoming
as Chief Big Tree
1937
0.0
Lost Horizon
as Porter (uncredited)
1937
7.0
Maid of Salem
as Indian Man (Uncredited)
1937
5.9
The Bold Caballero
as Tavern Indian (uncredited)
1936
5.7
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
as Indian John
1936
4.0
Custer's Last Stand
as Medicine Man
1936
4.5
The Singing Vagabond
as Chief White Eagle (uncredited)
1935
7.0
The Farmer Takes a Wife
as Indian
1935
6.1
Wheels of Destiny
as Chief War Eagle
1934
3.0
King of the Arena
as Circus Indian
1933
0.0
The Telegraph Trail
as Indian Chief (uncredited)
1933
4.7
The Golden West
as Indian (uncredited)
1932
4.0
The Last of the Mohicans
as Huron Warrior (uncredited)
1932
6.0
Red Fork Range
as Chief Barking Fox
1931
0.0
The Big Trail
as Indian (uncredited)
1930
6.7
Sioux Blood
as Crazy Wolf
1929
0.0
The Overland Telegraph
as Medecine Man
1929
0.0
Spoilers of the West
as Red Cloud
1927
0.0
Painted Ponies
1927
0.0
The Frontiersman
as Grey Eagle
1927
0.0
Winners Of The Wilderness
as Chief Pontiac
1927
7.5
The Desert's Toll
as Red Eagle
1926
0.0
Mantrap
as Indian (uncredited)
1926
5.9
The Frontier Trail
as Chief Gray Wolf
1926
0.0
The Iron Horse
as Cheyenne Chief (uncredited)
1925
6.6
The Red Rider
as Indian Chief
1925
0.0
The Huntress
as Otebaya
1923
0.0
The Primitive Lover
as Chief Johnny Bluebottle
1922
5.9
A Fight For Love
as Swift Deer
1919
5.0
The Spirit of '76
as Gowah
1917
0.0