Iron Eyes Cody
He became the weeping face of environmentalism on TV, a symbol built on a contested Native American identity he crafted for himself.
1904–1999 (age 95)·American actor·Birthday: April 3·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Born Espera Oscar de Corti in Louisiana to Sicilian immigrant parents, the man who would become Iron Eyes Cody fashioned himself into one of Hollywood's most recognizable Native American figures. Moving to California as a young man, he found steady work in the film industry from the 1920s onward, playing Indigenous characters in hundreds of westerns. His sharp cheekbones and long braids became a stock image, but his true legacy was cemented in 1971 with the 'Crying Indian' PSA for Keep America Beautiful. Dressed in traditional regalia, his single tear at the sight of litter became an indelible cultural moment. For decades, Cody lived the part off-screen, vehemently asserting his Native heritage and becoming an advocate for Indigenous causes, a claim his family later contested. Regardless of the debate over his origins, his image remains a powerful, complicated symbol of both ecological conscience and cultural appropriation.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Iron was born in 1904, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Iron Was Born
The biggest hits of 1904
Iron's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1904Born
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1909Started school
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1917Became a teenager
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Could drive
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1922Could vote
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1925Turned 21
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1934Turned 30
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1944Turned 40
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1954Turned 50
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1964Turned 60
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 70
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 80
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1999Died at 95
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
Key Achievements
- Appeared in over 200 films, often as a Native American character, including a notable role in 'The Paleface' (1948).
- Starred in the 1971 'Crying Indian' public service announcement for Keep America Beautiful, one of the most famous TV ads in American history.
- Authored two books about Native American culture and his life, further solidifying his public persona.
- Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1983 for his contributions to motion pictures.
Did You Know?
His birth name was Espera Oscar de Corti, and he was of Italian descent, not Native American.
He served as a technical advisor on films to ensure authentic depictions of Native American customs.
He married a woman of Osage and Cherokee descent, and they adopted two sons of Native American ancestry.
The 'Crying Indian' PSA was directed by film auteur Michael Cimino, years before he directed 'The Deer Hunter'.
“I have always tried to portray the Indian with dignity.”
