Jay Silverheels - Biography - IMDb Jay Silverheels Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (2) | Spouse (2) | Trivia (13) | Personal Quotes (2) Overview (4) 6' (1.83 m) Mini Bio (2) Jay Silverheels was born on Canada's Six Nation's Reserve and was one of 10 children. He was a star lacrosse player and a boxer before he entered films as a stuntman in 1938. He worked in a number of films through the 1940s before gaining notice as the Osceola brother in a Humphrey Bogart film Key Largo (1948). Most of Silverheels' roles consisted of bit parts as an Indian character. In 1949, he worked in the movie The Cowboy and the Indians (1949) with another "B movie" actor Clayton Moore . Later that year, Silverheels was hired to play the faithful Indian companion, Tonto, in the TV series The Lone Ranger (1949) series, which brought him the fame that his motion picture career never did.

Silverheels recreated the role of Tonto in two big-screen color movies with Moore, The Lone Ranger (1956) and The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958). After the TV series ended in 1957, Silverheels could not escape the typecasting of Tonto. He would continue to appear in an occasional film and television show but became a spokesperson to improve the portrayal of Indians in the media. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Tony Fontana <tony.fontana@spacebbs.com> Familiar Canadian Indian actor who shot to fame as Tonto, the faithful Indian companion of the masked man on the US television series The Lone Ranger (1949). A member of the Mohawk tribe of Canada's Six Nations Reserve, Silverheels excelled at wrestling, horse racing, football, boxing, and hockey, and became a renowned lacrosse player. With the help of actor Joe E. Brown ,Silverheels obtained work as a stuntman and extra in Hollywood films. Following military service in World War II, Silverheels returned to film and landed small, often stereotypical roles as Indian warriors in Westerns.

John Huston cast him as one of the fugitive Osceola brothers in Key Largo (1948), and Silverheels followed with the two roles that would define his career, Tonto and the Apache leader Geronimo, whom he would play several times beginning with the Western classic Broken Arrow (1950). Silverheels' enormous fame as Tonto overshadowed everything else, although it did not prevent him from playing other prominent roles. Even after completing The Lone Ranger (1949)series, Silverheels continued to reprise Tonto for commercials, comic guest spots, and spoofs. Silverheels became an outspoken activist for Indian rights and a respected teacher within the Indian acting community. He appeared on talk and variety shows performing his own poetry. In later years, he began a second career as a harness racer. His health failed in the 1970s, and he died of a stroke in 1980, a beloved figure to the Baby Boom generation America. His son, Jay Silverheels Jr. has acted in television as well.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net> Spouse (2) (1946 - 5 March 1980) (his death) (4 children) Bobbie (? - 1943) (divorced) (1 child) Trivia (13) On The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962), Silverheels told Johnny Carson that he had married his Italian wife to "get back at Christopher Columbus". They called their children "Indalions". U.S. government records give Silverheels' birthdate as 26 June 1912, though virtually all cinema reference works disagree, giving instead the 1919 date listed here. Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1993. Was an avid horse-racer when not acting. When asked if he ever thought about running Silver or Scout (who portrayed the steeds of the Lone Ranger and Tonto, respectively) in a race, Silverheels laughed: "Heck, *I* can beat Scout." Father of Jay Silverheels Jr.

Was a full-blooded Mohawk Indian, one of 11 children of A.G.E. Smith, who had served as a decorated officer in the Canadian forces in WWI. Of the nearly 200 TV and film appearances Silverheels made with Clayton Moore , the actors co-starred in just 4 features where they did NOT play Tonto and The Lone Ranger: Perils of Nyoka (1942), The Cowboy and the Indians (1949), Cyclone Fury (1951) and The Black Dakotas (1954). Resided in Canoga Park, CA, and used to take walks around his neighborhood. Daughter attended and graduated from Canoga Park High School. Adopted the nickname 'Silverheels" during a very brief boxing career, which saw him compete as a middleweight in a Golden Gloves bout in New York City's Madison Square Garden. Was said to have \"despised" his show-business portrayal of an Indian. Reportedly beat out 35 other actors to win the Tonto role in the initial radio version of "The Lone Ranger", which he had been invited to audition for based on his appearance in Key Largo (1948).

While filming The Lone Ranger (1949) in 1955, he suffered a heart attack. He didn't appear on the show for eight weeks while he recuperated. Stuntman Chuck Courtney , as the Lone Ranger's nephew Dan Reid, replaced him until he was well enough to return;. Suffered a stroke in 1976. Personal Quotes (2) [re his signature character] He's stupid. The Lone Ranger treats him like some kind of servant, and this seems to suit Tonto fine. [re his lacrosse days] I was so scared, I was weak. I'd walk out on the floor shaking, thinking I can't do it, I can't, I can't. Then the whistle would blow, and I'd play in a fury. Happened every time. See also Jay Silverheels (Actor) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Jay Silverheels Male Born May 26, 1912 Jay Silverheels was a Canadian Mohawk First Nations actor. He was well known for his role as Tonto, the faithful American Indian companion of the Lone Ranger in a long-running American television series.

related links Lone Ranger's Code Is What Made Him Great Daily Breeze Google News - Aug 28, 2011 'Nor was <mark>Jay Silverheels</mark>, <mark>Jay Silverheels</mark>, aka the Indian companion, Tonto. Born Harold J. Smith, this son of a Canadian Mohawk tribal chief was nicknamed Silverheels because of his speed on the lacrosse field. Still, out of this fiction within fictions' Did Budget Unseat Depp's 'lone Ranger'? Washington Post Google News - Aug 19, 2011 '(AP) - Actors <mark>Jay Silverheels</mark>, left, as Tonto, and Clayton Moore in the title role of &#39;The Lone Ranger&#39; are shown in a scene from the western television series in 1951. The Walt Disney Co.

pulled the plug on the &#39;The Lone Ranger&#39; starring Johnny Depp' A Not So Hearty Hi Yo Silver Macon Telegraph (Blog) Google News - Aug 15, 2011 'The project, based on the original radio series that later became a TV series starring Clayton Moore and <mark>Jay Silverheels</mark>, had people excited as a classic property that had potential to be re-told in the modern age. Think &quot;Mask of Zorro&quot; (and hopefully' Stan Freberg, Year 85: The Tv Commercials Pittsburgh Post Gazette Google News - Aug 05, 2011 'Jeno&#39;s Pizza Rolls, and yes, that&#39;s the real Lone Ranger (Clayton Moore) and Tonto (<mark>Jay Silverheels</mark>). Like all great satirists, Freberg, even as a commercial producer, never lost sight of the fact that the more authentic a spoof (or funny commercial)' Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Jay Silverheels. CHILDHOOD 1912 Birth Born in 1912.

TWENTIES While playing in Los Angeles on a touring box lacrosse team in 1937, Jay Silverheels impressed Joe E. Brown, with his athleticism. … Read More Brown encouraged Silverheels to do a screen test, which led to his acting career. Read Less Silverheels began working in motion pictures as an extra and stunt man in 1937. … Read More He was billed variously as Harold Smith and Harry Smith, and appeared in low-budget features, westerns, and serials. He adopted his screen name from the nickname he had as a lacrosse player.

From the late 1940s, he played in major films, including Captain from Castile starring Tyrone Power, I Am an American (1944), Key Largo with Humphrey Bogart (1948), Lust for Gold with Glenn Ford (1949), Broken Arrow (1950) with James Stewart, War Arrow (1953) with Maureen O'Hara, Jeff Chandler and Noah Beery, Jr., The Black Dakotas (1954) as Black Buffalo, Drums Across the River (1954), Walk the Proud Land (1956) with Audie Murphy and Anne Bancroft, Alias Jesse James (1959) with Bob Hope, and Indian Paint (1964) with Johnny Crawford. He made a brief appearance in True Grit (1969) as a condemned criminal about to be executed. He played a substantial role as John Crow in Santee (1973), starring Glenn Ford. One of his last roles was a wise white-haired chief in The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (1973).

Read Less THIRTIES 1945 33 Years Old Married in 1945, Silverheels was the father of three boys and a girl FORTIES 1960 48 Years Old When The Lone Ranger television series ended, Silverheels found himself firmly typecast as an American Indian. On January 6, 1960, he portrayed an Indian fireman trying to extinguish a forest fire in the episode "Leap of Life" in the syndicated series, Rescue 8, starring Jim Davis and Lang Jeffries. … Read More Eventually, he went to work, as a salesman, to supplement his acting income. He also began to publish poetry inspired by his youth on the Six Nations Indian Reserve and recited his work on television. Read Less FIFTIES 1966 54 Years Old In 1966, he guest-starred as John Tallgrass in the short-lived ABC comedy/western series The Rounders, with Ron Hayes, Patrick Wayne, and Chill Wills. 1969 57 Years Old Despite the typecasting, Silverheels in later years often poked fun at his character.

In 1969, he appeared as Tonto without The Lone Ranger in a comedy sketch on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. … Read More The sketch was featured on the 1973 record album Here's Johnny: Magic Moments From The Tonight Show. "My name is Tonto. I hail from Toronto and I speak Esperanto." Read Less 1970 58 Years Old In 1970, he appeared in a commercial for Chevrolet as an Indian chief who rescues two lost hunters who ignored his advice in that year's Chevy Blazer.

… Read More The William Tell Overture is heard in the background.<br /><br /> Silverheels hilariously spoofed his Tonto character in a famous Stan Freberg Jeno's Pizza Rolls TV commercial opposite Clayton Moore, and in The Phynx, opposite John Hart, both having played The Lone Ranger in the original television series.<br /><br /> He appeared in three episodes of NBC's Daniel Boone, starring Fess Parker as the real life frontiersman.<br /><br /> His later appearances included an episode of ABC's The Brady Bunch, as an Indian who befriends the Bradys in the Grand Canyon, and in an episode of the short-lived Dusty's Trail, starring Bob Denver of Gilligan's Island.<br /><br /> In the early 1960s, Silverheels supported the Indian Actors Workshop, where American Indian actors refined their skills in Echo Park, California. Today the workshop is firmly established.<br /><br /> Jay Silverheels raised, bred and raced Standardbred horses in his spare time.

Once, when asked about possibly running Tonto's famous paint horse Scout in a race, Jay laughed off the idea: "Heck, I can outrun Scout!" Read Less LATE ADULTHOOD JAY SILVERHEELS Biography - Actors and Actresses JAY SILVERHEELS Biography - Actors and Actresses Born: 26 May 1912 Six Nations Indian Reserve, Brantford, Ontario, Canada Died: 5 March 1980 Woodland Hills, California, USA Jay Silverheels (May 26, 1912 â March 5, 1980) was a Canadian Mohawk Indian actor. Born Harold J. Smith on the Six Nations Indian Reserve, in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, Silverheels excelled in athletics and lacrosse as a boy before leaving home to travel around North America, appearing in boxing and wrestling tournaments. He lived for a time in Buffalo, New York. In 1938 Silverheels placed second in the middleweight section of the Golden Gloves tournament. Silverheels began working in motion pictures in 1937.

During the early years of his screen career, he was billed variously as Harold Smith or Harry Smith, and appeared in low-budget features, westerns, and serials. From the late 1940s he played in more prestigious pictures, including Captain from Castille starring Tyrone Power, Key Largo with Humphrey Bogart, (1948), Broken Arrow (1950) with James Stewart, War Arrow (1953) with Maureen O'Hara, Jeff Chandler and Noah Beery, Jr., Walk the Proud Land (1956) with Audie Murphy and Anne Bancroft, Alias Jesse James (1959) with Bob Hope, and Indian Paint (1964) with Johnny Crawford. Silverheels was best known for his appearances as the Lone Ranger's friend Tonto. In addition to starring in the Lone Ranger television series from 1949 to 1957, Silverheels appeared in the films The Lone Ranger (1956) and The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958). Following the end of the Lone Ranger television series, Silverheels found himself typecast as Tonto and had trouble finding further acting work.

Silverheels was also hindered by a changing attitude, as some felt that the Tonto character was equivalent to a Native American Uncle Tom. Subsequently, Silverheels was forced to work as a salesman to supplement his acting income. He also began to concentrate on writing poetry influenced by his youth on the Six Nations Indian Reserve and appeared on television reciting his poetry. But despite the typecasting, Silverheels had a tendency to poke fun at his character in later years. In the late 60s, he appeared playing Tonto in a comedy sketch on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. In the sketch, Tonto decided he wanted a temporary change of scenery and seek other employment from The Lone Ranger (whom Silverheels referred to in the sketch only as Kemo Sabe). An audio copy of this sketch appears on the 1973 record album Here's Johnny: Magic Moments From The Tonight Show. In the early 1960s he helped to establish the Indian Actors Workshop in Echo Park, California as a place where Native American actors could develop their acting skills. It is still active.

Jay Silverheels - 必应 Sign in Jay Silverheels Jay Silverheels (born Harold John Smith, May 26, 1912 – March 5, 1980) was a First Nations actor. He was well known for his role as Tonto , the faithful American Indian companion of the character The Lone Ranger in a long-running American western television series. Jay Silverheels Early life Silverheels was born Harold John Smith on the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation, near Brantford, Ontario, Canada, one of 11 children of a Canadian Mohawk tribal chief and military officer, Major George Smith. Silverheels excelled in athletics and lacrosse before leaving home to travel around North America. In the 1930s, he played indoor lacrosse as Harry Smith with the "Iroquois" of Rochester, New York in the North American Amateur Lacrosse Association. He lived for a time in Buffalo, New York, and in 1938 placed second in the Middleweight class of the Golden Gloves tournament. Films While playing in Los Angeles on a touring box lacrosse team in 1937, he impressed Joe E. Brown with his athleticism.

Brown encouraged Silverheels to do a screen test, which led to his acting career. Silverheels began working in motion pictures as an extra and stunt man in 1937. He was billed variously as Harold Smith and Harry Smith, and appeared in low-budget features, westerns, and serials. He adopted his screen name from the nickname he had as a lacrosse player. From the late 1940s, he played in major films, including Captain from Castile starring Tyrone Power, I Am an American (1944), Key Largo with Humphrey Bogart (1948), Lust for Gold with Glenn Ford (1949), Broken Arrow (1950) with James Stewart, War Arrow (1953) with Maureen O'Hara, Jeff Chandler and Noah Beery, Jr., The Black Dakotas (1954) as Black Buffalo, Drums Across the River (1954), Walk the Proud Land (1956) with Audie Murphy and Anne Bancroft, Alias Jesse James (1959) with Bob Hope, and Indian Paint (1964) with Johnny Crawford.

He made a brief appearance in True Grit (1969) as a condemned criminal about to be executed. He played a substantial role as John Crow in Santee (1973), starring Glenn Ford. One of his last roles was a wise white-haired chief in The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (1973). Television Silverheels achieved his greatest fame as Tonto on The Lone Ranger. The fictional story line maintains that a small group of Texas Rangers, except for The Lone Ranger, were massacred. The Lone Ranger and Tonto then ride throughout the West to assist those challenged by the lawless element. Their expenses and bullets are provided through a silver mine owned by The Lone Ranger, who also names his horse "Silver". Being irreplaceable in his role, Silverheels appeared in film sequels: The Lone Ranger (1956) and The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958). When The Lone Ranger television series ended, Silverheels found himself firmly typecast as an American Indian.

On January 6, 1960, he portrayed an Indian fireman trying to extinguish a forest fire in the episode "Leap of Life" in the syndicated series, Rescue 8, starring Jim Davis and Lang Jeffries. Eventually, he went to work as a salesman to supplement his acting income. He also began to publish poetry inspired by his youth on the Six Nations Indian Reserve and recited his work on television. In 1966, he guest-starred as John Tallgrass in the short-lived ABC comedy/western series The Rounders, with Ron Hayes, Patrick Wayne, and Chill Wills. Despite the typecasting, Silverheels in later years often poked fun at his character. In 1969, he appeared as Tonto without The Lone Ranger in a comedy sketch on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. The sketch was featured on the 1973 record album Here's Johnny: Magic Moments From The Tonight Show. "My name is Tonto. I hail from Toronto and I speak Esperanto." In 1970, he appeared in a commercial for Chevrolet as an Indian chief who rescues two lost hunters who ignored his advice in that year's Chevy Blazer.

The William Tell Overture is heard in the background. Silverheels hilariously spoofed his Tonto character in a famous Stan Freberg Jeno's Pizza Rolls TV commercial opposite Clayton Moore, and in The Phynx, opposite John Hart, both having played The Lone Ranger in the original television series. He appeared in three episodes of NBC's Daniel Boone, starring Fess Parker as the real life frontiersman. His later appearances included an episode of ABC's The Brady Bunch, as an Indian who befriends the Bradys in the Grand Canyon, and in an episode of the short-lived Dusty's Trail, starring Bob Denver of Gilligan's Island. In the early 1960s, Silverheels supported the Indian Actors Workshop, where American Indian actors refined their skills in Echo Park, California. Today the workshop is firmly established. Jay Silverheels Legacy In 1993, Silverheels was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was named to the Western New York Entertainment Hall of Fame, and his portrait hangs in Buffalo, New York's Shea's Buffalo Theatre.

He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6538 Hollywood Boulevard. First Americans in the Arts honored Jay Silverheels with their Life Achievement Award. In 1997, Silverheels was inducted, under the name Harry "Tonto" Smith, into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in the Veteran Player category in recognition of his lacrosse career during the 1930s.

Gas House Kids Go West (1947) Unconquered - Indian (uncredited) (1947) Key Largo (film) - Tom Osceola (uncredited) (1948) Trail of the Yukon (1949) Laramie - Running Wolf (uncredited) (1949) Broken Arrow - Geronimo (uncredited) (1950) "Red Mountain" - Little Crow (1951) Brave Warrior - Tecumseh (1952) The Legend of the Lone Ranger - Tonto (1952) The Pathfinder - Chingachgook (1952) The Lone Ranger Rides Again - TV Movie - Tonto (1955) Walk the Proud Land - Geronimo (1956) The Lone Ranger - Tonto (1956) The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold - Tonto (1958) Alias Jesse James - Tonto (uncredited) (1959) Smith!

- McDonald Lasheway (1969) True Grit - Condemned Man at Hanging (uncredited) (1969) The Phynx - Tonto (1970) The Lone Ranger - 217 episodes - Tonto (1949-1957) Wide Wide World - episode - The Western - Himself (1958) Wanted: Dead or Alive - episode - Man on Horseback - Charley Red Cloud (1959) Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color - episode - Texas John Slaughter: Apache Friendship & Texas John Slaughter: Geronimo's Revenge - Natchez (1960) Gunslinger - episode - The Recruit - Hopi Indian (1961) Wagon Train - episode - Path of the Serpent - The Serpent (1961) Rawhide - episode - The Gentleman's Gentleman - Pawnee Joe (1961) Laramie - episode - The Day of the Savage - Toma (1962) Daniel Boone - episode - Mountain of the Dead - Chenrogan (1964) Daniel Boone - episode - The Quietists - Latawa (

1965) Branded - episode - The Test - Wild Horse (1965) Daniel Boone - episode - The Christmas Story - Sashona (1965) Gentle Ben - episode - Invasion of Willie Sam Gopher - Willie Sam Gopher (1967) The Virginian - episode - The Heritage - Den'Gwatzi (1968) The Brady Bunch - episode - The Brady Braves - Chief Eagle Cloud (1971) The Virginian - episode - The Animal - Spotted Hand (1971) Cannon - episode - Valley of the Damned - Jimmy One Eye (1973) CHiPs-episode-Poachers (1980) ^ "Official website, Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Canadian First Nations League of Nations".

Retrieved 2013-07-23. ^ Archived September 7, 2013 at the Wayback Machine ^ "His job in Hollywood was to help his partner, "The Lone Ranger" stop the devious plots of hardened outlaws." (PDF). Heroinyou.ca. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ "Silverheels played the role during the entire period from 1949 to 1957, even when Clayton Moore was replaced one season by John Hart". Findagrave.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ Klein, Jeff Z. (31 August 2013). "A Sidekick’s Little-Known Leading Role in Lacrosse". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 September 2013. ^ "His father, Major George Smith, was the most decorated Native Canadian soldier in World War I.". Lonerangerfanclub.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21.

^ a b Quinlan, David (1985), Quinlan's Illustrated Directory of Film Character Actors (1995 revised ed.), Great Britain: The Bath Press, p.319, ISBN0-87000-412-3 ^ "Jay Silverheels Biography (c. 1918-1980)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2015-03-08. ^ "In the 1930s he played lacrosse with the Rochester, NY "Iroquois" of the North American Amateur Lacrosse Association". Brantsportshall.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ "He finished second in the Eastern Square finals of the Golden Gloves boxing championshipin Madison Square Garden.". Nimst.tripod.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ Klein, Jeff Z. (2013-08-31). "A Sidekick's Little-Known Leading Role in Lacrosse". The New York Times.

^ "Silverheels, an accomplished boxer, wrestler and lacrosse player, capitalized on this athletic prowess to break into the movie business, starting as a stuntman and extra". Ammsa.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ "He worked as a stuntman and extra before landing bit parts in the early 1940s, almost always credited as simply "Indian" or "Indian Brave".". Canadaka.net. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ "he was in four serials at Republic when he was still going by Harry Smith, before he changed his name". B-westerns.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ "Changing his name to Jay Smith Silverheels, a nickname from his uncle due to his running style". Haudenosauneeconfederacy.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ "he became noted for the white running shoes he wore. He was so swift that his feet were streaks". Lonerangerfanclub.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21.

^ "Tonto via Toronto: The Rise and Fall of Jay Silverheels by Kliph Nesteroff - WFMU's Beware of the Blog". Blog.wfmu.org. 2009-03-15. Retrieved 2015-03-08. ^ The 16 minute film, I Am an American, was featured in American theaters as a short feature in connection with "I Am an American Day" (now called Constitution Day). I Am an American was produced by Gordon Hollingshead, written and directed by Crane Wilbur, and featured Humphrey Bogart, Gary Gray, [[Gordon Hart (actor)|]], Dick Haymes, Danny Kaye, Joan Leslie, Mary Lee Moody, Dennis Morgan, Knute Rockne, and Jay Silverheels. See: I Am An American at the TCM Movie Database and I Am an American at the Internet Movie Database. ^ Billy Hathorn, "Roy Bean, Temple Houston, Bill Longley, Ranald Mackenzie, Buffalo Bill, Jr., and the Texas Rangers: Depictions of West Texans in Series Television, 1955 to 1967", West Texas Historical Review, Vol.

89 (2013), p. 103 ^ "In addition to starring in The Lone Ranger television series from 1949 to 1957, Silverheels appeared in the films The Lone Ranger and The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold.". Walkoffame.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ "Leap of Life, Rescue 8, January 6, 1960". Internet Movie Data Base. Retrieved January 29, 2013. ^ "with his career no longer sufficient to support his family, he began working as a salesman.". Amoeba.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ "Silverheels as "Tonto" in Jimmy Carson's Late Night Show (film)". Youtube.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ "Silverheels was a spokesperson for Indian actors and in 1963 founded the Indian Actors Workshop.". Infoplease.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21.

^ "He founded the Indian Actors' Workshop in 1966 with Will Sampson and offered free classes for Native Americans". Famouscanadians.net. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ "He formed the Indian Actors Workshop in Echo Park in the late 1960s". Celebhost.net. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ "He later founded the Indian Actors Workshop, which he devoted enormous amounts of time and resources to. It still exists today.". Jessicacrabtree.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ "In the 70's he became a harness racing driver and bred horses.". Tv.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ "married, wife's name: Mary; children: Marilyn, Pamela, Karen, Jay Anthony". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2011-11-21. ^ a b Cheryl Petten. "Jay Silverheels: TV star paves way for Indian actors". Archived from the original on 2015-03-08.

Retrieved 2015-03-08. ^ "Jay Silverheels suffered a stroke in 1974 and passed away on March 5, 1980 after several years of ill health". Theloneranger.tv. Retrieved 2011-11-21. Bibliography Lamparski, Richard (1970). Whatever Became Of...? 3. New York: Ace Book. OCLC8977472. Misiak, Zig (2013). Tonto: The Man in Front of the Mask (Biography). self published. p.128. ISBN978-0981188065.

Check date values in: |year= / |date= mismatch (help) Iroquois Indian Actor Jay Silverheels - firstamericans.org firstamericans.org Iroquois Indian Actor Jay Silverheels The Iroquois Indian Tribe is one that is very well known in the American culture and there are a few other well known Native American tribes in addition to this but the Iroquois Native Americans are some of the only ones that live in what is now the State of New York. The Iroquois Native Americans are comprised of what is referred to as the 5 civilized tribes in America. These tribes include the Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, and the Seneca tribes. Iroquois Indian Jay Silverheels has been in a few movies and this Iroquois actor is one that put the Iroquois Indians in the spotlight through his role in movies such as Dances with Wolves and others. Jay Silverheels was a native of Canada and he was born to a Mohawk Chief. In addition to this he was also a star lacrosse player as well as a boxer before he got his start in films and television.

When he started acting he appear in films as a stuntman in the year 1938. He was in many films before he hit the big time and did Key Largo which was a film by the famous Humphrey Bogart. Many of this Iroquois Indian’s roles were as a native American including his role as Tonto in the hit American Series the Lone Ranger. Jay Silverheels played Tonto for quite some time on the series The Lone Ranger and in this role he could show up in places where the star character, The Lone Ranger, could not and bring justice to villains and at times he would be shot or beat up for this. He would play this character in his long career until he suffered a heart attack. After he suffered a heart attack he was replaced by the actor John Hart in the television show but he played the part again in the Lone ranger films. After the shows cancelation the actor had few other oppurtunities as he would always be remembered as Tonto. He then became a spokesperson for the improvement of how Indians were portrayed on TV and the big Screen.

Jay Silverheels - IMDb IMDb 18 January 2017 5:37 PM, UTC NEWS Actor Jay Silverheels was born on Canada's Six Nation's Reserve and was one of 10 children. He was a star lacrosse player and a boxer before he entered films as a stuntman in 1938. He worked in a number of films through the 1940s before gaining notice as the Osceola brother in a Humphrey Bogart film Key Largo (1948). Most of Silverheels' roles consisted... See full bio » Born: Share this page: Related News a list of 37 people created 09 Dec 2011 a list of 49 people created 05 Feb 2012 a list of 38 people created 11 Sep 2013 a list of 35 images created 18 Jan 2015 a list of 40 people created 26 May 2015 Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of Jay Silverheels's work have you seen?

User Polls 1974 Dusty's Trail (TV Series) Indian Chief Jimmy Wolf 1972 Love, American Style (TV Series) (segment "Love and the Test of Manhood") 1971 Cade's County (TV Series) Chief Wild Horse 1971 The Brady Bunch (TV Series) Chief Eagle Cloud 1971/II Cat Ballou (TV Movie) Indian Chief 1971 The Psychiatrist (TV Series) Medicine Man 1968-1971 The Virginian (TV Series) Spotted Hand / Den'Gwatzi 1967 Gentle Ben (TV Series) Willie Sam Gopher 1966-1967 Pistols 'n' Petticoats (TV Series) Great Bear 1966 The Rounders (TV Series) John Tallgrass 1964-1965 Daniel Boone (TV Series) Sashona / Latawa / Chenrogan - The Test (1965) ...

Wild Horse 1962 Laramie (TV Series) 1961 Wagon Train (TV Series) The Serpent 1960 Rescue 8 (TV Series) Charlie 1958 Wide Wide World (TV Series documentary) Himself 2000 The Canadians (TV Series) Tonto Personal Details Other Works: Played Tonto in a TV commercial for Aqua Velva Aftershave with Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger (1970s) See more » Publicity Listings: 1 Print Biography | 1 Article | See more » Alternate Names: Did You Know? Personal Quote: [re his lacrosse days] I was so scared, I was weak. I'd walk out on the floor shaking, thinking I can't do it, I can't, I can't. Then the whistle would blow, and I'd play in a fury. Happened every time. See more » Trivia: U.S. government records give Silverheels' birthdate as 26 June 1912, though virtually all cinema reference works disagree, giving instead the 1919 date listed here.

See more » Star Sign: Jay Silverheels - TV.com Jay Silverheels 5/26/1912, Six Nations Reservation, Brantford, Ontario, Canada Died EDIT JAY was the son of a Mohawk Chief. He excelled in sports such as lacrosse and amateur boxing. He then entered HOLLYWOOD in 1938 as a stunt man.

He usually played "Indian" parts, but became famous when he co-starred with actor CLAYTON MOORE as TONTO, THE LONE RANGER'S… more Credits S 5: Ep 39 Outlaws in Grease Paint 6/6/57 S 5: Ep 34 Mission for Tonto 6/2/57 S 5: Ep 38 Blind Witness 5/30/57 S 5: Ep 37 The Angel and the Outlaw 5/23/57 S 5: Ep 36 The Banker's Son 5/16/57 S 1: Ep 26 Pechango Berries 3/12/74 S 3: Ep 14 Valley of the Damned 12/5/73 S 1: Ep 6 Gray Wolf 10/31/71 S 3: Ep 3 The Brady Braves 10/1/71 S 1: Ep 5 The Longer Trail 2/24/71 S 1: Ep 6 Invasion of Willie Sam Gopher 10/15/68

 S 6: Ep 194 June 1, 1967 6/1/67 S 12: Ep 194 May 30, 1974 5/30/74 S 10: Ep 227 July 27, 1971 7/27/71 S 1: Ep 6 Don't Buffalo Me 10/4/66 S 2: Ep 14 The Christmas Story 12/23/65 S 1: Ep 20 The Quietists 2/25/65 S 1: Ep 3 The Test 2/7/65 S 1: Ep 11 Mountain of the Dead 12/17/64 S 3: Ep 23 The Day Of The Savage 3/13/62 S 4: Ep 11 The Gentleman's Gentleman 12/15/61 S 1: Ep 6 The Recruit 3/23/61 S 4: Ep 20 The Path of the Serpent 2/8

/61 S 2: Ep 7 Geronimo's Revenge 4/4/60 S 2: Ep 6 Kentucky Gunslick 2/26/60 S 2: Ep 5 Apache Friendship 2/19/60 S 2: Ep 14 Man on Horseback 12/5/59 Become a contributor Important: You must only upload images which you have created yourself or that you are expressly authorised or licensed to upload.

By clicking "Publish", you are confirming that the image fully complies with TV.com’s Terms of Use and that you own all rights to the image or have authorization to upload it. Please read the following before uploading Do not upload anything which you do not own or are fully licensed to upload. The images should not contain any sexually explicit content, race hatred material or other offensive symbols or images. Remember: Abuse of the TV.com image system may result in you being banned from uploading images or from the entire site – so, play nice and respect the rules! Choose background: Indianz.Com > Doug George-Kanentiio: Mohawk actor Jay Silverheels was more than famous 'Tonto' role Jay Silverheels, whose given name was Harold Smith and whose Mohawk name was Sohahiio, was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, shortly before his passing in June 1980. Photo by JGKlein Jay Silverheels: Mohawk Actor Was More Than Tonto By Doug George-Kanentiio He was Jay Silverheels the most famous Native person of the 1940's and 50's as the result of playing Tonto to the Lone Ranger.

Silverheels was born Harold Smith on the Six Nations territory west of Hamilton, Ontario on May 26 1912, the son of Major George Smith, the most decorated Native Canadian soldier in World War 1. He as a gifted athlete excelling in the sports of wrestling,boxing and lacrosse. As a young man he was recruited to play for the Rochester, NY all Native team then moved on to a Canadian all star team before fans across the continent. That Canadian team had is rosters of stars but the most talented was my uncle Angus George. Angus's Mohawk name was Sohahiio which meant "Shining Path" which became 'Shine". He was six feet tall and 220 pounds of muscle and strength, his powerful shot developed from his years as a lumberjack in the Adirondacks. The game flowed from him as he took to the floor. He was the most formidable adversary to opposing teams from Vancouver to Montreal then moved into the US where he promoted box lacrosse in New York. He had an eye for talent and when he saw Harry Smith play he brought him on to the team.

What impressed my uncle most was Smith's fighting abilities which he had taken to New York State's Golden Gloves tournament where he placed second in his division. Smith was selected to join the all star Native Canadian lacrosse team which attracted large crowds particularly along the west coast. In Los Angeles the contests drew movie stars and celebrities one of whom was the comedian-producer Joe E. Brown. Brown approached my uncle and made him an offer. He would arrange for Shine to get into the movie business as an extra and stunt man in western films. he liked my uncle's size and fierce demeanor which he thought would be ideal for the violence of the we tern genre. My uncle though about it for a moment. He told Brown he had to turn down his offer and return to Akwesasne to care for his mother and siblings. Brown asked him if he would suggest another team member for the business which he said required nothing more than to ride on horses and when the director said to fall off he was to do so on cue. Jay Silveheels in his most famous role as Tonto. Photo from ABC Television Simple, just fall off a racing horse.

Again, my uncle said no but, he told Brown, there was a young man who could do this easily and he pointed to Harry Smith. "Why him?" asked Brown. "Because," my uncle said, "he does not know how to ride a horse!" Brown made the offer to Smith which he accepted but as his move career gradually developed the Mohawk actor realized "Smith" would not carry him very far. He had, as a lacrosse player, earned the name "Silverheels" from an ancestor and because of his speed and Jay was a natural extension of Harold J. Smith. As the years went by Jay earned greater roles, finally breaking into a speaking part as Tom Osceola in the move "Key Largo" with Humphrey Bogart. He also had a significant role with Tyrone Power in Captain of Castille. In 1949, after a dozen years of near anonymity he was selected to play Tonto on the Lone Ranger series at the birth of television. Silverheels as Tonto was often qualified in speech but Jay remained positive, even slipping a few phrases of Mohawk in what was a western cowboy and Indians world.

From 1949-1957 Jay Silverheels was America's perception of the civilized Indian. But once the series ended he could not break into roles other than as an Indian. He had small parts in movies int he 1960's and on TV shows in the 1970's before he suffered a stroke in 1975. He died in Los Angeles in 1980, was cremated and brought back to Six Nations where he was selected as a member of the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. A founder of the American Indian Workshop, which promoted Native actors, he was awarded a star on the Walk of Fame shortly before his death. Doug George-Kanentiio is an Akwesasne Mohawk currently residing on Oneida Territory with his wife Joanne Shenandoah. More from Doug George-Kanentiio: Hollywood Indians | The Huffington Post Jay Tavare Actor, Writer, Humanitarian Hollywood gets credit for a lot of things, both good and bad, and rightly so. It's undeniable that films influence the way the world views history and other cultures.

I have heard many of my Elders say that Hollywood's portrayals of American Indians are responsible for the shallow perception most folks have of their people. It's hard to not see their point when you consider that in early films, American Indians were depicted as nothing more than bronzed, half-clothed savages, sporting the stereotypical double braids, screaming Ayyyyaaaayayaaaaa as they got shot off their horses by the White heroes. It's almost comical now, but that is the only Hollywood image of American Indians I recall from growing up, until the mid- to late-1970s; and that is the image we exported to the entire world. In early Hollywood Westerns, most of the background Indians were real Navajo people. There was a colony of Navajo Indians, living traditionally in a camp in Malibu, who were on studio pay. When Indians of any tribe were needed for a western, a bus would pull up and load up for their background work. That is why in all those films, most of the time the language you hear spoken is "Dine," one of the Athapascan dialects of the Navajo and Apache people.

The major speaking roles for American Indians would still go to non-Native actors like Burt Lancaster and Charles Bronson; but thankfully, progress has been made since those days and filmmakers and audiences have become more educated. Progress has been gradual, but somewhat steady. Jay Silverheels -- a native of the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve near Ontario, Canada -- was perhaps the first legitimate Native American television star. From 1949 to 1957, he entertained TV audiences as Tonto, the Lone Ranger's dependable -- albeit stereotypical -- Indian sidekick. The real Silverheels, though, was not limited by the stereotype. He recognized that fellow Native American actors needed to truly be masters of their craft in order to compete in the unforgiving film industry, so he founded the American Indian Actors Workshop in Echo Park, Calif., as a place where they could do that. In 1956, John Ford's film, The Searchers , earned praise for its more balanced depiction of American Indians. But "balanced" had a different meaning back then . The Navajos in Monument Valley who worked on The Searchers -- as extras, consultants or other staff -- were payed less than their white counterparts.

At that time, too, they were not even allowed to leave the reservation without written permission from the government; so the fact that they were happy to have the work must be viewed in that light. But Ford's efforts were progressive for his day and laid the groundwork for some of the more truly balanced movies to come. It was in the 1970s that we really started seeing Indians portrayed more authentically and more prominently in film story lines. I remember seeing Little Big Man with Dustin Hoffman and noticing how director Arthur Penn showed the Cheyenne people actually laughing and crying, like real human beings rather than the predictably stoic and unemotional Indians we'd seen in Hollywood features. The Indians in his film were just like any other people -- some good, some not so good. They were not demonized just because they were Indian, as Hollywood custom had been before. Chief Dan George was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award, making him the first Native American to receive the honor. In 1975, Will Sampson delivered an inspired performance as Chief Bromden , one of the most pivotal characters in One Flew Over Cuckoo's Nest.

But instead of crediting Sampson's acting skill and talent for his indelible depiction of the character (whom he made absolutely unforgettable while having almost no lines!), Hollywood press diminished his skill and talent to simply "acting Indian." Explaining why Will Sampson was overlooked for an Academy Award nomination, one director was even quoted as saying, "Why should an Indian receive an award for playing an Indian?" That is how, in the eyes of many directors, Sampson's performance became a pattern for the big silent Indian. Sampson was typecast and did not have access to a wider range of roles that would have let us enjoy even more of his talent... a great loss for us. But Will Sampson was determined to make change , one way or another. He went on to be one of the founders of the American Indian Film Institute , producers of the American Indian Film Festival. There were other noteworthy films in the 1970s, like A Man Called Horse . But then we had to wait until the early 1990s for Kevin Costner's Dances with Wolves , that had a modern take on American Indian people and how the Lakhota people of the plains might have lived.

Some claim Kevin's story showed the Indians as too uniformly benevolent and white folks as simply evil. After all, though in real life Indian nations suffered much ill treatment at the hands of the government, not all real white people were bad and not all real Indians were angelic. But the overall message of the movie was a good one. Graham Greene, with his brilliant performance as Kicking Bird, joined the ranks of Oscar nominees with a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Hollywood also had Iron Eyes Cody . His ancestry became the center of some controversy when it became known that he was actually Italian by birth. But he did not just work as an Indian in Hollywood in the 1950s and '60s; he truly lived his life as an Indian. He can be credited as the most famous Indian in the world during that time. Even though he was not born an Indian, we should not forget that Iron Eyes Cody raised awareness for the American Indian people and also of the importance of environmentalism ( Keep America Beautiful Public Service ad campaign) in a way that no one else was able to do at that time. Nowadays, most producers do their best to hire actors that are from American Indian descent, or at least to some degree.

But the issue is still a sensitive one. There is much bickering and infighting about who should get the available roles in Hollywood A-list films. There have been mixed reactions to Johnny Depp playing the lead role of Tonto in the upcoming Lone Ranger movie; some people insist they must know, does he have Indian blood, and is it enough? The beautiful Q'Orianka Kilcher landed the lead role of Pocahontas in Terrence Malick's The New World , but some in the Native community were not pleased that she was of Peruvian and German descent. Rudy Youngblood, aka Gonzales, endured the same intense scrutiny when he got the lead role in Mel Gibson's film Apacalypto . But we don't hear much fuss about Jake Gyllynhall playing the Prince of Persia, Mel Gibson playing a Scot in Brave Heart or Anthony Quinn playing Zobra the Greek when In fact he was Mexican and Irish. Some debate... if a Native from Canada can play an American Indian why can't an Indian from south of the border get the same shot? Makes you wonder, why do we insist on drawing lines between who is or is not allowed to play a role according to boundaries on a map?

Add to this the irony that these boundaries are for the most part established by European settlers or modern day governments, and the dispute becomes even more complex. These sorts of jealous conflicts between ethnic or national groups can happen anywhere. The city of Beijing banned the film Memoirs of a Geisha when both the Chinese and Japanese were offended by Chinese actresses playing traditional Japanese geishas. The actresses, Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi, were called traitors by both Japanese and Chinese people. I somehow think this reaction had little to do with the quality of their performances. At some point, when the fight begins to be political and not creative, maybe we have to step back from interfering with the artists -- the writers, directors and actors -- and allow them to make their art according to their vision. After all, it's called acting for a reason. Actors are supposed to become other people in their roles. The most important thing is that we do not let our American Indian stories become lost in the debate. If instead we concentrate our efforts on making sure these too long ignored stories make it to the screen, there will be more opportunities for great American Indian actors like Graham Greene, Wes Studi, Adam Beach, Raoul Trujillo and many more, to shine.

And as audiences become more discerning about authenticity, there will naturally be more chances for young Native actors to get a foot in the door. A great step in that direction is that today, more American Indian film makers are finding ways to tell their stories from their unique perspectives. A superb forum for these films is The American Indian Film Festival , headed by the tireless and talented Michael Smith, which has been running for almost 40 years. It's the oldest and largest festival of it's kind in the world. Another encouraging change is that some of our greatest non-Indian film makers are giving us a more authentic look at American Indian characters. From first hand experience I know that Anthony Minghella, Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Spike Jonze are a few who put a high priority on portraying American Indians with historical accuracy and as interesting people we can relate to. For weeks before filming began, Ron Howard had the leads in his film The Missing study the Chiricahua dialect of Apache language. We need to see more of this sort of character development. Film and television are in the business of make believe, but at the end of the day we actors must be realistic.

We only harm ourselves if we do not give credit to the producers and directors who take risks to broaden the cultural spectrum of modern film making, even if they don't always get it exactly right. And acting jobs will always be very limited, so we actors will survive only by accepting good roles when they happen to come along. To stay in business, Hollywood must cast stars based mostly on their ability look the part, play the character, and generate box office dollars. After all, mere ancestry or DNA percentage does not always produce the best performance. But this is not all bad from the perspective of an American Indian actor. Won't so many more roles be opened up to us if we're also allowed to play other races if we can look authentic and pull it off? Personally, it is what I bank on. I am a man of mixed blood and I have been extraordinarily blessed to be able portray many people from all over the world in my films. This is why I love what I do... I get to walk a thousand paths. (All photos by permission as noted. All rights reserved.

From top to bottom: -Jay Tavare as Swimmer in Cold Mountain, © Stephan Berkman 2002 Jay Silverheels - Happy American Indian Heritage Month at the Amoeblog Posted by Eric Brightwell , November 24, 2010 02:00pm | Post a Comment Jay Silverheels was a Kanien'kehá:ka actor born Harold J. Smith on May 26th, 1912. He was born on the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation reservation, the most populous First Nation in Canada , and the only nation in which all six Iroquois nations live together. He was the third of eleven children born to Major George Smith, the most decorated Native American soldier in the Canadian Army, who served in World War I. Harold began going by the name Jay and was given the nickname Silverheels when he played on the lacrosse team, the Mohawk Stars, at sixteen. He later moved across the Niagara River to play lacrosse on the North American Amateur Lacrosse Association team, the Rochest er Iroquois. He also boxed and in 1938 placed second in the middleweight section of the Golden Gloves tournament.

He lived for a time in Buffalo, where he had his first son, Ron, with Edna Lickers. The previous year he'd begun working in film, as an extra in the musical comedy, Make a Wish. He married his first wife, Bobbi, and they had a daughter named Sharon. They divorced in 1943. Over the next few years he appeared, usually uncredited, as a stuntman or extra in The Sea Hawk, Too Many Girls, Hudson's Bay, Wester Union, Jungle Girl, This Woman is Mine, Valley of the Sun, Perils of Nyoka, Good Morning, Judge, Daredevils of the West, The Girl from Monterrey, Northern Pursuit, The Phantom, I Am an American, Raiders at the Border, Passage to Marseille, The Tiger Woman, Haunted Harbor, Lost in a Harem and Song of the Sarong. In the latter half of the 1940s, he began acting in more prestigious films, including Captain from Castile (1948) and Lust for Gold (1949).

In 1949, he was cast in the role that would bring him both his greatest fame, and stifle him with typecasting, as Tonto, the faithful friend of the Lone Ranger. Tonto had previously been portrayed, on the Old Time Radio program by a white English actor, John Todd. The TV series became ABC's highest rated program and gave the network its first hit, six years after its initial broadcast. It also made Silverheels the most famous Native American of the era, and the first Native American TV star. In addition to starring in the Lone Ranger television series, Silverheels appeared in the films The Lone Ranger (1956) and The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958). During that time he continued film acting, appearing in Broken Arrow (1950), War Arrow (1953), Drums Across the River (1954) and Walk the Proud Land (1956 ). In 1954, he married again, this time Mary DeRoma. After the Lone Ranger series ended in 1957, Silverheels' career stalled. Hollywood was only interested in him playing variations of Tonto.

On the other hand, he was also dismissed as an Uncle Tom by many who felt his portrayal of Tonto amounted to selling out an entire people. Although he appeared uncredited in Alias Jesse James (1959), with his career no longer sufficient to support his family, he began working as a salesman. On the side, he turned to poetry as his main creative outlet, much of which focused on his childhood on the reservation. In the 1960s, he continued to find occasional work on TV, almost exclusively in Western series including Rescue 8, Walt Disney 's Wonderful World of Color, Wagon Train, Gunslinger, Frontier Circus, Rawhide, Laramie, Branded, Daniel Boone, The Rounders, Pistols 'n' Petticoats, Gentle Ben and The Virginian. In 1969, he had an uncredited role in True Grit. In 1966, he established the still-extant Indian Actors Workshop in Echo Park . One of his pupils was Michael Horse, who played Tonto in 1981's flop The Legend of the Lone Ranger and (more memorably) Deputy Hawk in Twin Peaks.

In the 1970s, he acted in more westerns as the genre declined and appeared on an episode of The Brady Bunch as an Indian chief who befriends the Bradys in the Grand Canyon. His final role was on 1974's Dusty's Trail, as an Indian chief. A stroke in 1975 ended his acting career. He died in 1980, at 67, in Calabasas, California and was cremated at Chapel of the Pines Crematory. His ashes were returned home to Six Nations Indian Reserve.

Question: Actor Jay Silverheels is famous for playing which fictional television American Indian?
Answer: Tonto