Chief Dan George

Native American character actor who made his mark in features late in life with several memorable performances. Chief Dan George first came to prominence with his Oscar-nominated supporting role as the philosophical tribesman who adopts Dustin Hoffman in Arthur Penn's offbeat, time-spanning saga "Little Big Man" (1970). Over the next decade he made half a dozen other feature appearances, often in sizable roles, and he also played Old Sioux in the memorable TV miniseries epic "Centennial" (1978-79).

Sometimes his presence signified a bland kind of Hollywood liberalism ("The Bears and I" 1974), but he did provide a handful of memorable cameos ("Harry and Tonto" 1974) and a hilarious turn as Clint Eastwood's bumbling traveling companion in the superior "The Outlaw Josey Wales" (1976). Chief Dan George also made several small films in his native Canada and often added a dignified strength and depth to his roles in his brief but impressive career.