Will Sampson - wikipedia Will Sampson This article is about Native American actor and artist Will Sampson. For people named William Sampson, see William Sampson ( disambiguation ). This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( March 2013 ) Will Sampson Will ( Sonny ) Sampson ( 1933 - 09 - 27 ) September 27, 1933 Okmulgee, Oklahoma, U.S. June 3, 1987 ( 1987 - 06 - 03 ) ( aged 53 ) Houston, Texas, U.S. Occupation painter, actor Years active 1975 -- 1987 William `` Will '' Sampson, Jr. ( September 27, 1933 -- June 3, 1987 ) was a Native American painter, actor, and rodeo performer. He is best known for his performance as the apparent deaf and mute native American Chief Bromden in the Academy Award winning film, One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest, as well as for his role as Taylor in Poltergeist II : The Other Side and Ten Bears in the Clint Eastwood 1976 classic The Outlaw Josey Wales. Contents 1 Life and career 2 Rodeo performer 3 Actor 4 Artist 5 Death 6 Legacy 7 Filmography 8 Awards and nominations 9 Notes 10 Bibliography 11 External links Life and career William `` Will '' Sampson, Jr., also known by his childhood nickname, `` Sonny, '' a full blooded Muscogee ( Creek ), was born in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma to William `` Will '' Sampson, Sr. ( 1904 - 2001 ) and Mabel Sampson ( née Lewis, born 1899. ) Sampson is the father of Samsoche `` Sam, '' Lumhe `` Micco '' Sampson of the Sampson Brothers Duo and Destiny Sampson. They are known for their traditional fancy and grass dances, and often perform with Frank Waln, a notable Lakota hip - hop artist. Rodeo performer Sampson competed in rodeos ( his specialty being bronco busting ), for about twenty years. He was on the rodeo circuit when producers Saul Zaentz and Michael Douglas -- of One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest -- 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, hired him on the strength of an interview. He had never acted before. Actor 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 ( such as Wes Studi and Randolph Mantooth ) have appeared in stage productions. He also played in The White Buffalo with Charles Bronson. Artist Sampson was an 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. In 1983 he founded and served on the board of directors of the American Indian Registry for the Performing Arts. Death Sampson suffered from scleroderma, a chronic degenerative condition that affected his heart, lungs, and skin. During his lengthy illness, his weight fell from 260 pounds to 140 pounds, causing complications related to malnutrition. After undergoing a heart and lung transplant at Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, he died on June 3, 1987, of post-operative kidney 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 ), is named for him. Filmography Film Year Film Role Other notes Crazy Mama Indian at Trading Uncredited Role One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest Chief Bromden 1976 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull 's History Lesson The Interpreter / William Halsey The Outlaw Josey Wales Ten Bears 1977 The White Buffalo Crazy Horse / Worm Orca Umilak 1978 Cowboysan Indian Chief Short film 1979 Fish Hawk Fish Hawk 1985 Insignificance Elevator Attendant 1986 Poltergeist II : The Other Side Taylor Firewalker Tall Eagle Television Year Title Role Notes 1977 Relentless Sam Watchman CBS TV - Movie The Hunted Lady Uncle George NBC TV - Movie 1978 Standing Tall Lonny Moon NBC TV - Movie 1978 -- 1979 Vega $ Harlon Two - Leaf 6 episodes 1979 From Here to Eternity Sgt. Cheney Not to be confused with the 1980 spinoff 1980 Alcatraz : The Whole Shocking Story Clarence 's Father NBC TV - Movie 1982 Born to the Wind Painted Bear 1983 -- 1984 The Yellow Rose John Strongheart 7 episodes 1984 The Mystic Warrior Evan Freed ABC Miniseries 1985 Wildside Fake Sitting Bull Episode : Buffalo Who ? 1986 Roanoak Wingina Miniseries Tall Tales & Legends Chief Episode : Johnny Appleseed The Gunfighters Train Passenger TV - Movie, ( final film role ) Awards and nominations Genie Award 1980 : Nominated, `` Best Performance by a Foreign Actor '' - Fish Hawk Notes ^ Jump up to : Actor Will Sampson to be Honored at Checotah Art Market ; April 23, 2015 ; Cathy Spaulding, Phoenix Staff Writer ; Muskogee Phoenix ; retrieved November 2015 Jump up ^ Sampson Brothers ; official webpage ; retrieved November 2015 Jump up ^ `` Will Sampson, 53, Portrayed An Indian in ' Cuckoo 's Nest ' '' Jump up ^ Dick Kleiner, Will Sampson 's Acting was Instinctive In ' Cuckoo 's Nest ' ; by Newspaper Enterprise Association ; ( in the Ocala Star - Banner ) ; August 29, 1976. Jump up ^ Will Dies After Transplant Herald - Journal ; June 4, 1987 ; retrieved November 5, 2012. Bibliography Escobar Zoe. Beyond the Cuckoo 's Nest : the Art and Life of William Sonny Sampson... Seattle : Girl Dog Publ., 2009. ( Ill. ) External links Will Sampson on IMDb Will Sampson interviews Will Sampson : Documentary Ensures Actor is Remembered. The Aboriginal Multi-Media Society ( AMMSA ) Will Sampson at Find a Grave Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Will_Sampson&oldid=801242370 '' Categories : 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 renal failure Artists from Oklahoma 20th - century American male actors Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from March 2013 All articles needing additional references Pages to import images to Wikidata Articles with hCards Find a Grave template with ID same as Wikidata Talk Contents About Wikipedia Català Dansk Deutsch Español فارسی Français Galego Italiano Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Русский Suomi Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 18 September 2017, at 15 : 13. 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Question: who played the chief in one flew over the cuckoo's nest
Answer: William "Will" Sampson, Jr.