Will Sampson
{{Short description|American actor (1933–1987)}}
{{About|the actor and artist|people named William Sampson|William Sampson (disambiguation)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Will Sampson
| image = Willsamson.jpg
| birth_name = William Sampson Jr.
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|9|27}}
| birth_place = Okmulgee, Oklahoma, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1987|6|3|1933|9|27}}
| death_place = Houston, Texas, U.S.
| nationality = Muscogee Nation
| height = 6 ft. 7 in. (2.01 m)
| resting_place = Graves Creek Cemetery, Hitchita, Oklahoma
| years_active = 1975–1987
}}
William Sampson Jr. (September 27, 1933 – June 3, 1987) was a Muscogee Nation painter, actor, and rodeo performer. He is best known for his performance as the apparently mute Chief Bromden in the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and as Crazy Horse 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. and Mabel Sampson (née Lewis),{{cite news |last=Spaulding |first=Cathy |date=April 23, 2015 |title=Actor Will Sampson to be Honored at Checotah Art Market |work=Muskogee Phoenix |url=http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/actor-will-sampson-to-be-honored-at-checotah-art-market/article_e71e2dee-0152-5cda-8ec5-31f5c5c958a2.html |access-date=November 1, 2015}} was a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, a tribe from the Southeastern Woodlands. Sampson Jr. had at least five children: William Lance Sampson Junior who died after driving drunk on the reservation. Samsoche "Sam" and Lumhe "Micco" Sampson (of the Sampson Brothers Duo), actor Timothy "Tim" James Sampson,{{cite news|url=https://www.opb.org/artsandlife/article/tim-sampson-revives-his-fathers-role-in-cuckoos-nest/|title=Tim Sampson Revives his Father's Role in 'Cuckoo's Nest'|first= Geoff |last=Norcross|date=March 17, 2011|work=Oregon Public Broadcasting|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403051310/https://www.opb.org/artsandlife/article/tim-sampson-revives-his-fathers-role-in-cuckoos-nest/|archive-date=April 3, 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-30-ca-150-story.html|title=Big Footsteps to Follow|first=John|last=Wilson| date=September 30, 1989|work=Los Angeles Times}} and Robert Benjamin Sampson. The Sampson Brothers Duo are known for their traditional fancy and grass dances. His son Robert was murdered in Tulsa in 2013.{{cite news|url=https://www.fox23.com/news/breaking-news/tpd-homicide-west-tulsa-murder-solvable/254144077/|title=TPD Homicide: West Tulsa murder 'solvable'|date=March 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181029065632/https://www.fox23.com/news/breaking-news/tpd-homicide-west-tulsa-murder-solvable/254144077/|archive-date=October 29, 2018|work=KOKI-TV|access-date=March 26, 2023}}
Rodeo performer
Sampson competed in rodeos for about 20 years. His specialty was bronco busting, and he was on the rodeo circuit when One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest producers Saul Zaentz and Michael Douglas were looking for a large Native American to play the role of Chief Bromden. Sampson stood {{convert|6|ft|7|in}} tall.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/04/obituaries/will-sampson-53-portrayed-an-indian-in-cuckoo-s-nest.html |title=Will Sampson, 53, Portrayed An Indian in 'Cuckoo's Nest' |date=June 4, 1987|work=The New York Times}} 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.{{cite news|author-link=Dick Kleiner|first=Dick|last=Kleiner |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o8wwAAAAIBAJ&pg=7115%2C6612318 |title=Will Sampson's Acting was Instinctive In 'Cuckoo's Nest'|publisher= Newspaper Enterprise Association|work= Ocala Star-Banner |date=August 29, 1976}}
Actor
Sampson's most notable roles were as Chief Bromden in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and as Chief Ten Bears The Outlaw Josey Wales and 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, 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 Crazy Horse in The White Buffalo with Charles Bronson and the archetypal Elevator Attendant in Nicolas Roeg's 1985 film, Insignificance.
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. Sampson created a series of paintings entitled: Escape of the Winged Mind that depicts life on the American Frontier. One painting in particular is called: Buffalo Kill;[https://wingedmind.tumblr.com/post/42149894602/series-of-paintings-by-will-sampson#notes Series of Paintings by Will Sampson. Escape of the Winged Mind. Notes.] and can be found featured in the book Beyond Cuckoo's Nest: The Art and Life of William Sampson, Jr. His works have sold in auction houses and galleries, including the Pierson Gallery.[https://piersongallery.com/will-sonny-sampson.html Pierson Gallery. Will (Sonny) Sampson, (1933-1987) Muscogee Creek.]
Death
Sampson suffered from scleroderma, a chronic degenerative condition that affected his heart, lungs, and skin. During his lengthy illness, his weight fell from {{cvt|260|lb}} to {{cvt|140|lb}}, causing complications related to malnutrition. After undergoing a heart and lung transplant at Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, he died on June 3, 1987, of post-operative kidney failure. Sampson was 53 years old.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19870604&id=Ui8sAAAAIBAJ&pg=4082,953509 |title=Will Sampson Dies After Transplant|work=Spartanburg Herald-Journal|date= June 4, 1987|access-date= November 5, 2012}} He was interred at Graves Creek Cemetery in Hitchita, Oklahoma.{{Citation needed |date=October 2022}}
Legacy
Will Sampson Road, in Okmulgee County (east of Highway 75 near Preston, Oklahoma), is named after him.{{Citation needed |date=March 2023}}
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.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/06/06/archives/he-refuses-to-be-an-ughtonto-indian.html |title=He Refuses to Be an 'Ugh‐Tonto' Indian |last=Lichtenstein |first=Grace |date=June 6, 1976 |work=The New York Times|access-date=July 22, 2020 }}{{cite book |last=Escobar |first=Zoe |date=January 1, 2011 |title=Beyond Cuckoo's Nest: The Art and Life of William Sampson, Jr. |url=https://www.abebooks.com/9780615450322/Beyond-Cukoos-Nest-Art-Life-0615450326/plp |publisher=GirlDog Publishing |isbn=9780615450322}}{{Cite news |last=Trammell |first=Robby |date=April 19, 1984 |title=Indian Philosopher's Words Will Come to Life in Play |pages=228 |work=The Daily Oklahoman |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/452413113/ |access-date=April 5, 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Bender |first=Ron |date=June 8, 1984 |title=Films still stereotype Indians, actor says |pages=27 |work=Rapid City Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/350846142/ |access-date=April 5, 2022}} He also served on the registry's board of directors.{{cite news |last=Robb |first=David |url= https://deadline.com/2014/11/bob-hicks-native-american-filmmaker-paved-way-in-hollywood-dead-at-80-1201285461/ |title=Bob Hicks, Filmmaker Who Paved Way For Native Americans In Hollywood, Dead at 80 |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=November 15, 2014 |access-date=August 19, 2019}}{{Cite news |date=December 9, 1987 |title=Festival Dedicated to Will (Sonny) Sampson |pages=11 |work=Okmulgee Daily Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/750166316/ |access-date=April 5, 2022}}
Sampson's son Tim Sampson appeared on the FX show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season four episode "Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack". The episode pays homage to Sampson's work as Chief Bromden in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; Tim plays "Tonto" after Frank (Danny DeVito) is mistaken as mentally incompetent and placed within a facility.{{Citation needed |date=March 2023}} Tim made a similar appearance in an elaborate Cuckoo's Nest parody set in a restaurant kitchen in the second series of the British sitcom Spaced.
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortablr" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2"|1975
| Indian at Trading | Uncredited role |
| One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
| |
| rowspan="2"|1976
| Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson | The Interpreter / William Halsey | |
| The Outlaw Josey Wales
| |
| rowspan="2"|1977
| Crazy Horse / Worm | |
| Orca
| Umilak | |
| 1978
| Cowboysan | Indian Chief |
| 1979
| Fish Hawk | |
| 1985
| Elevator Attendant | |
| rowspan="2"|1986
| Poltergeist II: The Other Side | Taylor | |
| Firewalker
| Tall Eagle | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortablr" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2"|1977
| Relentless | Sam Watchman |
| The Hunted Lady
| Uncle George | NBC television movie |
| 1978
| Standing Tall | Lonny Moon | NBC television movie |
| 1978–1979
| Vega$ | Harlon Two-Leaf | 6 episodes |
| 1979
| Sgt. Cheney | Not to be confused with the 1980 spinoff |
| 1980
| Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story | Clarence's Father | NBC television movie |
| 1982
| Painted Bear | Main character in summer series |
| 1982
| The Great Spirit within the Hole | Narrator |
| 1983–1984
| John Strongheart | 7 episodes |
| 1984
| Evan Freed |
| 1985
| Wildside | Fake Sitting Bull | Episode: "Buffalo Who?" |
| rowspan="2"|1986
| Roanoak | Wingina | Miniseries |
| Tall Tales & Legends
| Chief | Episode: "Johnny Appleseed" |
| 1987
| Train Passenger | Television movie; final film role |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Association ! Category ! Nominated work ! Result |
|---|
| 1980
| Best Performance by a Foreign Actor | {{nom}} |
Notes
{{Reflist}}
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
- {{IMDb name|0760225}}
- [http://lyutichee.narod.ru/WSlinks.html Will Sampson interviews]
- [http://www.ammsa.com/content/will-sampson-documentary-ensures-actor-remembered Will Sampson: Documentary Ensures Actor is Remembered. The Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AMMSA)]
- {{Find a Grave|4387}}
- [https://www.tpt.org/great-spirit-within-the-hole/video/great-spirit-within-the-hole-19249 The Great Spirit within The Hole, Twin Cities PBS].
- [https://voplit.ru/article/vne-kukushkina-gnezda-ili-sochinyaya-svoyu-knigu/ Liutova, S. N. Beyond Cuckoo's Nest, or Composing one's book (In Russ.)]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sampson, Will}}
Category:People from Okmulgee, Oklahoma
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:Native American male actors
Category:Native American painters
Category:Male actors from Oklahoma
Category:Muscogee (Creek) Nation people
Category:Deaths from kidney failure in Texas
Category:Artists from Oklahoma
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:20th-century American artists
Category:20th-century Native American artists