Reel West: The Vast Career Of Will Sampson
Actor, rodeo performer, artist, activist — Will Sampson was much more than the big mute Indian in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.
In , One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. But for all the acclaim the film’s star, Jack Nicholson, received for the contrarian antics of R.P. McMurphy, and the career-defining performance of Louise Fletcher as the evil Nurse Ratched, perhaps the moment audiences best remember is when McMurphy offers a stick of gum to Chief Bromden (Will Sampson), and the “deaf and dumb Indian” responds, “Mmmmmm, Juicy Fruit.”
“If anyone could steal a scene from Jack Nicholson, Sampson is the man,” wrote The Nation in its review.
Cuckoo’s Nest was not just Sampson’s first film. It was the first time he tried acting. The Oklahoma native — a full-blooded member of the Creek Nation from Okmulgee — was bronco-busting on the rodeo circuit when producers Saul Zaentz and Michael Douglas were searching for a large Native American to play Bromden. Rodeo announcer Mel Lambert suggested the year-old, 6-foot-7 Sampson, who was hired after one interview.
The film’s success brought
Will Sampson was born on November 10, , in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. He was a Native American painter and actor. Sampson was best known for his roles in the movies One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The Outlaw Josey Wales. He died on June 3, , in Seattle, Washington, at the age of Want to more about Him? In this article, we covered Will Sampson’s net worth, wiki, bio, career, height, weight, pics, family, affairs, car, salary, age, facts, and other details in . Continue reading to discover who is Will Sampson.
Will Sampson Biography
Do you wanna know the Will Sampson’s full Biodata? Will Sampson, also known as William Sampson Jr. was a Native American Painter. He was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, U.S. on 27 September, He was 54 years old. Take a look at the following table for more information.
| Name | Will Sampson |
| Nickname | William Sampson Jr. |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of Birth | Sep |
| Date of Death | 3-Jun |
| Aged | 54 |
| Birth Place | Okmulgee, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Country | United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 6′ 5″ ( m) |
| Weight | Weight |
| Profession | Native American Painter |
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Skip to main contentMuscogee (Creek),BiographyWill Sampson, – , was a Native American painter, actor, and rodeo performer.
William Sampson, Jr., a full blooded Muscogee (Creek), was born in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma. Sampson competed in rodeos (his specialty being bronco busting), for about twenty years. He was on the rodeo circuit when producers Saul Zaentz and Michael Douglas—of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest—were looking for a large Native American to play the role of Chief Bromden. Sampson stood an imposing 6' 5" tall. Rodeo announcer Mel Lambert mentioned Sampson to them, and after lengthy efforts to find him, hired him on the strength of an interview. He had never acted before. Sampson's most notable roles were as "Chief Bromden" in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as "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, The Outlaw Josey Wales, 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 have appeared in stage productiAn actor, William "Will" Sampson was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, on September 27, , to Wylie and Mabel Lewis Sampson, who were full-blood Muscogee (Creek) Indians. A multi-talented child, Will Sampson was interested in nearly everything around him. Self-taught, he began painting at an early age and ultimately became a successful painter of Western art. Fascinated by the rodeo world, he made many friends among the cowboys while he worked at becoming a capable, competitive bull rider. During service in the U.S. Navy he had an opportunity to learn to fly a plane, but he was never officially a Navy pilot. He also tried oil field and construction work, but it was Sampson's art that was to drastically change his life. At a height of six feet, four inches, he presented an imposing figure that was difficult to ignore. He was noticed at an art show and offered the role of Chief Bromden in the Academy Award–winning film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (a role reprised on stage in by his son, Tim). His performance earned recognition and acclaim, and the respect of the film-making community.
Sampson's career lasted only twelve years, but during that short period he played in several maj
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