April 7th Rare Autographs, Manuscripts and Sports Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/7/2022
A fantastic scrap book from his estate sale showing over 40 photos and ephemera many signed by Iron Eyes on back with descriptions written by him as well. These start from as far as back as the 30’s through the 1960’s. Cody appeared in over 200 films starting in the 1920’s and over 100 commercials. One of them which was his most memorable was "Crying Indian" in the "Keep America Beautiful" public service announcements (PSA) in the early 1970s. Amazing binder full of his life in photos.
Iron Eyes Cody (born Espera Oscar de Corti, April 3, 1904 – January 4, 1999) was an American actor of Italian descent who portrayed Native Americans in Hollywood films, famously as Chief Iron Eyes in Bob Hope's The Paleface (1948). He also played a Native American shedding a tear about litter in one of the country's most well-known television public service announcements from the group Keep America Beautiful Living in Hollywood.
Cody began acting in the late 1920s. He worked in film and television until his death. Cody claimed his father was Cherokee and his mother Cree, also naming several different tribes, and frequently changing his claimed place of birth. To those unfamiliar with Indigenous American or First Nations cultures and people, he gave the appearance of living "as if" he were Native American, fulfilling the stereotypical expectations by wearing his film wardrobe as daily clothing—including braided wig, fringed leathers and beaded moccasins—at least when photographers were visiting, and in other ways continuing to play the same Hollywood-scripted roles off-screen as well as on.
Iron Eyes Cody Binder from his Estate full of photos and letters
Click above for larger image.