Skip to content
balasaur
Chief John Big Tree

Chief John Big Tree

Actor · 1877–1967 · Buffalo, New York, USA

IMDb

Biography

Chief John Big Tree was born on June 2, 1877 in Buffalo, New York, as Isaac Johnny John. He was an actor, known for She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) and Devil's Doorway (1950). He died on July 6, 1967 in Onondaga Indian Reservation, New York. One of three men who posed for artist James Fraser for the profile which became the famous "Indian head nickel" or "buffalo nickel" minted 1913-1938. The other two were Chief Two Moons (of the Cheyenne) and Chief Iron Tail (of the Lakota Sioux). The image was reused for a special commemorative $50 gold piece in 2006--the USA's first 24k (pure gold) coin. Big Tree was a member of the Seneca Nation.

Acted in 47

1940s

  1. 1949

    She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

    Chief Pony That Walks

    79
  2. 1941

    Las Vegas Nights

    Indian

  3. Western Union

    Chief Spotted Horse

    68
  4. 1940

    Hudson's Bay

    Chief

  5. North West Mounted Police

    Blue Owl (uncredited)

    63

  6. Too Many Girls

    Chief (uncredited)

  7. Brigham Young

    Big Elk

1930s

  1. 1939

    Destry Rides Again

    Indian in Saloon (uncredited)

  2. Drums Along the Mohawk

    Blue Back

  3. The Oregon Trail

    Spotted Elk

  4. Susannah of the Mounties

    Chief (uncredited)

  5. Stagecoach

    Indian Scout (uncredited)

    85
  6. 1938

    The Girl of the Golden West

    Indian Chief in Prologue

  7. 1937

    Prairie Thunder

    Indian (uncredited)

  8. Hills of Old Wyoming

    Chief Big Tree

  9. Lost Horizon

    Porter (uncredited)

    79

  10. Maid of Salem

    Indian Man (Uncredited)

  11. 1936

    The Bold Caballero

    Tavern Indian (uncredited)

    58

  12. The Adventures of Frank Merriwell

    Indian John

  13. Custer's Last Stand

    Medicine Man

  14. 1935

    The Singing Vagabond

    Chief White Eagle (uncredited)

  15. The Farmer Takes a Wife

    Indian

  16. 1934

    The Cat's-Paw

    Chinese Guard (uncredited)

  17. Wheels of Destiny

    Chief War Eagle

  18. 1933

    King of the Arena

    Circus Indian

  19. The Telegraph Trail

    Indian Chief (uncredited)

  20. 1932

    The Golden West

    Indian (uncredited)

  21. The Last of the Mohicans

    Huron Warrior (uncredited)

  22. 1931

    Red Fork Range

    Chief Barking Fox

  23. 1930

    The Big Trail

    Indian (uncredited)

    79

1920s

  1. 1929

    Sioux Blood

    Crazy Wolf

  2. The Overland Telegraph

    Medecine Man

  3. 1927

    Spoilers of the West

    Red Cloud

  4. Painted Ponies

    Movie

  5. The Frontiersman

    Grey Eagle

  6. Winners of the Wilderness

    Chief Pontiac

  7. 1926

    The Desert's Toll

    Red Eagle

  8. Mantrap

    Indian (uncredited)

  9. The Frontier Trail

    Chief Gray Wolf

  10. 1925

    The Iron Horse

    Cheyenne Chief (uncredited)

    71

  11. The Red Rider

    Indian Chief

  12. 1923

    The Huntress

    Otebaya

  13. 1922

    The Primitive Lover

    Chief Johnny Bluebottle

  14. 1921

    The Avenging Arrow

    Modoc

1910s

  1. 1919

    A Fight For Love

    Swift Deer

  2. 1917

    The Spirit of '76

    Gowah