Chief Yowlachie
Biography
Chief Yowlachie was a Native American actor who belonged to the Yakama tribe and spent a long career in supporting parts and bit roles, mostly in Westerns. Born Daniel Simmons on the Yakima Indian Reservation in Washington and educated at the Government Indian Trade School, he took the title role in his film debut, Tonio, Son of the Sierras (1925), and appeared in a dozen films, nearly all of them Westerns, through 1930. A bass-baritone, he studied opera under Pasquale Amato and spent the 1930s singing on radio and on stage, including with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and he performed at the White House. He returned to films in 1940, adding more than thirty Westerns and two serials over the next fifteen years. His best-known role was Two Jaw Quo in Red River (1948), and he played Geronimo in the serial Son of Geronimo: Apache Avenger (1952). He also appeared on television. He died in 1966.
74years old at death
- Born Yakima
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
Movie Career
- Films
- 8
- Career span
- 17 years1942 to 1959
Genres
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Beyond film
Yowlachie, a bass-baritone, trained in opera with Pasquale Amato. From 1931 through 1939 he performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and sang on radio and stage, and he appeared at the White House for both Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt.
Beyond film
Yowlachie had a musical background, yet he never sang in any film he acted in. His voice did appear in a recorded prologue for a silent film from 1926, which was the nearest he got.
First role
From 1925 through 1930, Yowlachie appeared in 12 films, 11 of them Westerns. His first film was Tonio, Son of the Sierras, in which he played the title part.
Chief Yowlachie movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Worked with
Chief Yowlachie shares two films with Iron Eyes Cody, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Iron Eyes Cody's page
John Wayne's page
Paul Fix's page
Harry Carey Jr.'s page
Morris Ankrum's page
George Chandler's page
Arthur RossonDirector, 1 film, 1948
All films by Arthur Rosson
All films by Howard Hawks
Norman Z. McLeodDirector, 1 film, 1948
All films by Norman Z. McLeod
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.