Eddie Little Sky (August 15, 1926 â€" September 5, 1997), also known
as Edward Little, was an Indigenous North American actor of the Oglala
Lakota tribe. He had parts in 36 feature films and over 60 television
shows, mainly westerns in the role of a Native American. He was one of
the first Native American actors to play Native American roles such as
his performance in the 1970 film A Man Called Horse.Little Sky was
born as Edsel Wallace Little on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in
Shannon County, South Dakota to Oglala Lakota parents Wallace Little,
Sr. and Wileminna Colhoff. He attended the Holy Rosary Indian Mission
school as a child. After leaving the United States Navy where he had
served in the Pacific during World War II, he began working the rodeo
circuit as a bull rider and bareback rider.Following his work on the
1955 film Chief Crazy Horse, Audie Murphy encouraged Little Sky to
become a professional actor; thus Little Sky, along with Jay
Silverheels and Chief Dan George became one of the first Native
Americans to play Native American roles in films. Hollywood normally
used white actors wearing black wigs and dark make-up to play the
parts of Native Americans. His first television role was in 1957 on
the series Cheyenne in the episode titled The Iron Trail.From that
time onwards, Little Sky had numerous roles in many Western television
series such as Gunsmoke, Bat Masterson, The Rifleman, The Virginian,
"The Men From Shiloh" (rebranded name of The Virginian), Bonanza,
Daniel Boone and The High Chaparral.
as Edward Little, was an Indigenous North American actor of the Oglala
Lakota tribe. He had parts in 36 feature films and over 60 television
shows, mainly westerns in the role of a Native American. He was one of
the first Native American actors to play Native American roles such as
his performance in the 1970 film A Man Called Horse.Little Sky was
born as Edsel Wallace Little on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in
Shannon County, South Dakota to Oglala Lakota parents Wallace Little,
Sr. and Wileminna Colhoff. He attended the Holy Rosary Indian Mission
school as a child. After leaving the United States Navy where he had
served in the Pacific during World War II, he began working the rodeo
circuit as a bull rider and bareback rider.Following his work on the
1955 film Chief Crazy Horse, Audie Murphy encouraged Little Sky to
become a professional actor; thus Little Sky, along with Jay
Silverheels and Chief Dan George became one of the first Native
Americans to play Native American roles in films. Hollywood normally
used white actors wearing black wigs and dark make-up to play the
parts of Native Americans. His first television role was in 1957 on
the series Cheyenne in the episode titled The Iron Trail.From that
time onwards, Little Sky had numerous roles in many Western television
series such as Gunsmoke, Bat Masterson, The Rifleman, The Virginian,
"The Men From Shiloh" (rebranded name of The Virginian), Bonanza,
Daniel Boone and The High Chaparral.
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