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Marlon Brando

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Jan 1964

Marlon Brando interview

Interview0 Comments

Brando is interviewed at an International Press Conference in New York with National Indian Youth Council‘s President Mel Thom.

I’m amazed with the ignorance I see concerning the Indians.

Marlon Brando from NIYC and Onward with Indians

6 Dec, 1968

Marlon Brando interview

Interview0 Comments

Brando does a eulogy at the funeral of 17-year-old Black Panther member Bobby Hutton.

I’m not going to stand up here and make a speech because you’ve been listening to white people for 400 years.

Marlon Brando eulogizes Black Panther Bobby Hutton (1968) - from the EDUCATION ARCHIVE

27 Mar, 1973

Refuses Oscar

Oscar0 Comments

Brando wins the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Don Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. Brando is not present at the ceremony, and instead, Littlefeather (aka Marie Cruz) refuses the award for him and gives a speech about the mistreatment of Native Americans by the Hollywood film industry. Liv Ullmann and Roger Moore present the award, but Littlefeather refuses to accept the statuette.

Hello. My name is Sacheen Littlefeather. I’m Apache and I am president of the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee. I’m representing Marlon Brando this evening and he has asked me to tell you in a very long speech, which I cannot share with you presently because of time but I will be glad to share with the press afterwards, that he very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry – excuse me – and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee. I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening and that we will in the future, our hearts and our understandings will meet with love and generosity. Thank you on behalf of Marlon Brando.

1975

Marlon Brando interview

Interview0 Comments

Brando talks about the treatment of Native Americans.

We were building a land on the blood and bones of you people.

Marlon Brando Actor Activist with host John Kauffman on "Survival" (1975)

1 Jul, 2004

Marlon Brando dies age 80

Death0 Comments

Brando dies from lung failure, age 80, at UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles. Once asked if he was afraid of death, Brando quoted Marc Antony, whom he played in a film of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar:

Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, it seems to me most strange that men should fear; seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come.