Jay Silverheels (born Harold Jay Smith; May 26, 1912 – March 5, 1980) was an Indigenous Canadian actor and athlete. He was well known for his role as

Tonto Tonto is a fictional character; he is the Native American (either Comanche or Potawatomi) companion of the Lone Ranger, a popular American Western character created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker. Tonto has appeared in radio and tele ...

, the Native American companion of the

Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in ...

in the American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...

''The Lone Ranger''.

Early life

Silverheels was born Harold Jay Smith in Canada, on the Six Nations of the Grand River, near

Hagersville, Ontario Hagersville is a community in Haldimand County, Ontario in Canada. Location and airports *Hagersville is approximately southwest of Hamilton, Ontario, southwest of Caledonia, Ontario, and northeast of Port Dover, Ontario. *Hagersville's neares ...

. He was a grandson of

Mohawk Mohawk may refer to: Related to Native Americans * Mohawk people, an indigenous people of North America (Canada and New York) *Mohawk language, the language spoken by the Mohawk people * Mohawk hairstyle, from a hairstyle once thought to have been ...

Chief A. G. Smith and Mary Wedge, and one of the 11 children of Captain Alexander George Edwin Smith, MC, Cayuga, and his wife Mabel Phoebe Dockstater, maternal Mohawk, and paternal Seneca. His father was wounded and decorated for service at the battles of Somme and

Ypres Ypres ( , ; nl, Ieper ; vls, Yper; german: Ypern ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality c ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, and later was an adjutant training Polish-American recruits for the Blue Army for service in France, at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

Athlete

Silverheels excelled in athletics, most notably in

lacrosse Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensiv ...

, before leaving home to travel around North America. In 1931, owners of

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

's franchises in Toronto and Montreal created indoor lacrosse (also known as "box lacrosse") as a means to fill empty arenas during the summers, and playing as "Harry Smith", Silverheels was among the first players chosen to play for the Toronto Tecumsehs. Along with his brothers and cousin, Russell (Beef), Sid (Porky), and George (Chubby), he also played on teams in Buffalo, Rochester, Atlantic City, and Akron throughout the 1930s on teams in the North American Amateur Lacrosse Association. He lived for a time in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from Sou ...

, and in 1938, placed second in the middleweight class of the

Golden Gloves The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States, where they are awarded a belt and a ring. And the title of nations champion is awarded. The Golden Gloves is a term used to refer to the Nation ...

tournament. Silverheels was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame as a veteran player in 1997.

Actor

Films

While playing in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

on a touring

box lacrosse Box lacrosse, also known as boxla, box, or indoor lacrosse, is an indoor version of lacrosse played mostly in North America. The game originated in Canada in the 1930s, where it is more popular than field lacrosse. Lacrosse is Canada's officia ...

team in 1937, Silverheels impressed

Joe E. Brown Joseph Evans Brown (July 28, 1891 – July 6, 1973) was an American actor and comedian, remembered for his friendly screen persona, comic timing, and enormous elastic-mouth smile. He was one of the most popular American comedians in the 19 ...

with his athleticism. Brown encouraged him to do a

screen test A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an actor or actress for performing on film or in a particular role. The performer is generally given a scene, or selected lines and actions, and instructed to perform in front of a came ...

, which led to his acting career. Silverheels began working in motion pictures as an

extra Extra or Xtra may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film * ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film Literature * ''Extra'' (newspaper), a Brazilian newspaper * ''Extra!'', an American me ...

and stuntman in 1937. He was billed variously as Harold Smith and Harry Smith, and appeared in low-budget features, Westerns, and serials. He adopted his screen name from the nickname he had as a lacrosse player. Jay Silverheels was cast in a short feature film, ''I Am an American'' (1944). From the late 1940s, he played in major films, including ''

Captain from Castile ''Captain from Castile'' is a historical adventure film released by 20th Century-Fox in 1947. Directed by Henry King, the Technicolor film stars Tyrone Power, Jean Peters, and Cesar Romero. Shot on location in Michoacán, Mexico, the film include ...

'' starring

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James'', ' ...

(1947), ''

Key Largo Key Largo ( es, Cayo Largo) is an island in the upper Florida Keys archipelago and is the largest section of the keys, at long. It is one of the northernmost of the Florida Keys in Monroe County, and the northernmost of the keys connected by ...

'' with Humphrey Bogart (1948), ''

Lust for Gold ''Lust for Gold'' is a 1949 American Western film directed by S. Sylvan Simon and starring Ida Lupino and Glenn Ford. The film is about the legendary Lost Dutchman gold mine, starring Ford as the "Dutchman" and Lupino as the woman he loves. ...

'' with

Glenn Ford Gwyllyn Samuel Newton "Glenn" Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006) was a Canadian-American actor who often portrayed ordinary men in unusual circumstances. Ford was most prominent during Hollywood's Golden Age as one of the biggest box-offi ...

(1949), '' Broken Arrow'' (1950) with James Stewart, '' War Arrow'' (1953) with Maureen O'Hara,

Jeff Chandler Jeff Chandler (born Ira Grossel; yi, יראַ גראָססעל; December 15, 1918 – June 17, 1961) was an American actor, film producer, and singer, best remembered for playing Cochise in '' Broken Arrow'' (1950), for which he was no ...

and Noah Beery Jr., ''

The Black Dakotas ''The Black Dakotas'' is a 1954 American Technicolor Western spy film directed by Ray Nazarro and produced by Columbia Pictures. Set during the American Civil War and filmed at the Iverson Movie Ranch, the film stars Gary Merrill as a cold-bloode ...

'' (1954) as Black Buffalo, ''

Drums Across the River ''Drums Across the River '' is a 1954 American Technicolor Western film directed by Nathan Juran and starring Audie Murphy, Walter Brennan and Lyle Bettger. Plot Gary Brannon, is a peaceful homesteader living a quiet existence with his father S ...

'' (1954), ''

Walk the Proud Land ''Walk the Proud Land'' is a 1956 CinemaScope Technicolor Western film directed by Jesse Hibbs and starring Audie Murphy and future Academy Award winner Anne Bancroft. Filmed at Old Tucson Studios, it recounts the first successful introduc ...

'' (1956) with

Audie Murphy Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor and songwriter. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. He received every military combat award for valor available from t ...

and

Anne Bancroft Anne Bancroft (born Anna Maria Louisa Italiano; September 17, 1931 – June 6, 2005) was an American actress. Respected for her acting prowess and versatility, Bancroft received an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two ...

, ''

Alias Jesse James ''Alias Jesse James'' is a 1959 American Western comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and starring Bob Hope and Rhonda Fleming.''Harrison's Reports'' film review; March 21, 1959, page 46. Based on a story by Robert St. Aubrey and Bert Lawre ...

'' (1959) with

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and ...

, and '' Indian Paint'' (1964) with

Johnny Crawford John Ernest Crawford (March 26, 1946 – April 29, 2021) was an American actor, singer, and musician. He first performed before a national audience as a Mouseketeer. At age 12, Crawford rose to prominence playing Mark McCain in the series ' ...

. He made a brief appearance in ''

True Grit True Grit may refer to: Fiction * ''True Grit'' (novel), a 1968 novel by Charles Portis ** ''True Grit'' (1969 film), a film adaptation by Henry Hathaway, starring John Wayne ** ''True Grit'' (2010 film), a film adaptation by the Coen Brothers, ...

'' (1969) as a condemned criminal about to be executed. He played a substantial role as John Crow in ''

Santee Santee may refer to: People * Santee Dakota, a subgroup of the Dakota people, of the U.S. Great Plains * Santee (South Carolina), a Native American people of South Carolina Places * Lake Santee, Indiana, a reservoir and census-designated place * ...

'' (1973), starring

. One of his last roles was a wise, white-haired chief in ''

The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing ''The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing'' is a novel written by Marilyn Durham first published in 1972. Plot The novel is set in the American West in the 1880s, but is not written in a genre style. It is the story of Jay, a man of the West, and his offbe ...

'' (1973).

Television

Jay Silverheels achieved his greatest fame as Tonto on ''The Lone Ranger'' (1949–1957). Silverheels appeared in the film sequels: ''

The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in ...

'' (1956) and ''

The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold ''The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold'' is a 1958 American Western film in Eastmancolor released by United Artists. The second of two theatrical features specifically based on and continuing the TV show ''The Lone Ranger'' it stars Clayto ...

'' (1958). When ''The Lone Ranger'' television series ended, Silverheels continued to be typecast as a Native American. On January 6, 1960, he portrayed a Native American fireman trying to extinguish a forest fire in the episode "Leap of Life" in the syndicated series, ''

Rescue 8 ''Rescue 8'' is a syndicated American action adventure crime drama series about Los Angeles County Fire Department Rescue Squad 8. It premiered in 1958 and originally ran for two seasons with syndicated reruns continuing for almost a decade th ...

'', starring Jim Davis and fellow Canadian

Lang Jeffries Lang Jeffries (June 7, 1930 – February 12, 1987) was a Canadian-American television and film actor. Biography From 1958 to 1960, Jeffries starred as Skip Johnson in the adventure television series ''Rescue 8''. He starred in several American ...

. Silverheels appeared in an episode of the TV series '' Love, American Style'', in which two tribe members try to talk a young White man who wishes to marry a girl from their tribe into enduring the tribe's "test of manhood," a barbaric ritual of surviving in the wilderness. No matter how she pleads and begs, using all her womanly wiles, he refuses, thus passing the tribe's true "test of manhood." ''Love and the Bachelor Party/Love and the Latin Lover/Love and the Old-Fashioned Father/Love and the Test of Manhood'' (Release Date: February 11, 1972). Eventually, he went to work as a salesman to supplement his acting income. He also began to publish poetry inspired by his youth on the Six Nations Indian Reserve and recited his work on television. In 1966, he guest-starred as John Tallgrass in the short-lived

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

comedy/Western series '' The Rounders'', with

Ron Hayes Ronald G. Hayes (February 26, 1929 – October 1, 2004) was an American television actor who, as an activist in the environmental movement, worked for the establishment of the first Earth Day, observed on April 22, 1970. He was a member of t ...

Patrick Wayne Patrick John Morrison (born July 15, 1939), better known by his stage name Patrick Wayne, is an American actor. He is the second son of movie star John Wayne and his first wife, Josephine Alicia Saenz. He made over 40 films, including eleven w ...

, and Chill Wills. Despite the typecasting, Silverheels in later years often poked fun at his character. In 1969, he appeared as Tonto without the Lone Ranger in a comedy sketch on ''

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...

''. The sketch was featured on the 1974 record album '' Here's Johnny: Magic Moments from the Tonight Show''. "My name is Tonto. I hail from

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

and I speak Esperanto." In 1970, he appeared in a commercial for Chevrolet as a Native American chief who rescues two lost hunters, who had ignored his advice, in that year's Chevy Blazer. The

William Tell Overture The ''William Tell'' Overture is the overture to the opera '' William Tell'' (original French title ''Guillaume Tell''), whose music was composed by Gioachino Rossini. ''William Tell'' premiered in 1829 and was the last of Rossini's 39 operas, a ...

is heard in the background. Silverheels spoofed his Tonto character, opposite

Clayton Moore Clayton Moore (born Jack Carlton Moore, September 14, 1914 – December 28, 1999) was an American actor best known for playing the fictional western character the Lone Ranger from 1949 to 1952 and 1953 to 1957 on the television series of the sa ...

, in a Stan Freberg Jeno's Pizza Rolls TV commercial, which was set to the music of

Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards ...

's '

," and in ''

The Phynx ''The Phynx'' is a 1970 American comedy film directed by Lee H. Katzin about a rock and roll band named The Phynx and their mission in foreign affairs. The group is sent to Albania to locate celebrity hostages taken prisoner by Communists. This ...

'', opposite John Hart, both having played the Lone Ranger in the original television series. He appeared in three 1964/5 episodes of NBC's ''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

'', starring

Fess Parker Fess Elisha Parker Jr. (born F. E. Parker Jr.;Weaver, Tom.Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers p. 148 (McFarland 2012). August 16, 1924 – March 18, 2010),(March 18, 2010Daniel Boone Actor Fess Parker Dies at 85" ''CBS ...

in the title role. His later appearances included an episode of

's ''

The Brady Bunch ''The Brady Bunch'' is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family with six children. The show aired for five seasons and, afte ...

'', as a Native American who befriends the Bradys in the Grand Canyon, and in an episode of the short-lived ''

Dusty's Trail ''Dusty's Trail'' is an American Western/ comedy series starring Bob Denver and Forrest Tucker that aired in syndication from September 1973 to March 1974. The series is a western-themed reworking of Denver's previous series '' Gilligan's Island'' ...

'', starring

Bob Denver Robert Osbourne Denver (January 9, 1935 – September 2, 2005) was an American comedic actor who portrayed Gilligan on the 1964–1967 television series ''Gilligan's Island'', and beatnik Maynard G. Krebs on the 1959–1963 series ''The Ma ...

of '' Gilligan's Island''. In the early 1960s, Silverheels supported the Indian Actors Workshop, where Native American actors refined their skills in

Echo Park, Los Angeles Echo Park is a neighborhood in the east-central region of Los Angeles, California. Located to the northwest of Downtown, it is bordered by Silver Lake to the west and Chinatown to the east. The culturally diverse neighborhood has become known f ...

. Today, the workshop is firmly established.

Personal life

Silverheels raised, bred, and raced Standardbred horses in his spare time. Once, when asked about possibly running Tonto's

paint horse The American Paint Horse is a breed of horse that combines both the conformational characteristics of a western stock horse with a pinto spotting pattern of white and dark coat colors. Developed from a base of spotted horses with Quarter Hors ...

Scout in a race, Jay laughed off the idea: "Heck, ''I'' can outrun Scout!" Married twice, Silverheels had two sons (Steve, with his first wife; Jay Anthony Jr., who followed his father into acting) and four daughters (Marilyn, Gail, Pamela, and Karen).

Death

Silverheels suffered a stroke in 1976, and the following year, Clayton Moorehis co-star on ''The Lone Ranger''rode an

American Paint Horse The American Paint Horse is a breed of horse that combines both the conformational characteristics of a western stock horse with a pinto spotting pattern of white and dark coat colors. Developed from a base of spotted horses with Quarter Hors ...

in Silverheels' honor in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. Silverheels died on March 5, 1980, from stroke, at age 67, in

Calabasas, California Calabasas (from Spanish ''calabazas'' "gourds") is a city in the southwestern region of the San Fernando Valley, between the foothills of the Santa Monica and Santa Susanna mountains.Chapel of the Pines Crematory Chapel of the Pines Crematory is a crematory and columbarium located at 1605 South Catalina Street, Los Angeles, in the U.S. state of California, in the historic West Adams District a short distance southwest of Downtown. It is beside Angelus- ...

, and his ashes were returned to the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario.

Legacy

In 1993, Silverheels was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...

, Oklahoma. He was named to the Western New York Entertainment Hall of Fame, and his portrait hangs in Buffalo, New York's Shea's Buffalo Theatre. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6538

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

First Americans in the Arts First Americans in the Arts (FAITA) is a non-profit organization based in Beverly Hills, California. According to its website, the organization was created "to recognize, honor and promote" Native Americans in the United States Native Ame ...

honored Silverheels with their Life Achievement Award. In 1997, Silverheels was inducted, under the name Harry "Tonto" Smith, into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in the Veteran Player category in recognition of his lacrosse career during the 1930s. A fictionalized version of Silverheels appears in the ''

Thrilling Adventure Hour ''The Thrilling Adventure Hour'' was a staged production and podcast in the style of old time radio that was held monthly at Largo, a Los Angeles nightclub located in the former Coronet Theatre. The show ran from March 2005 to April 2015. Each ...

'' serialized segment "Tales from the Black Lagoon". His friend

Milan Smith Milan Dale Smith Jr. (born May 19, 1942) is an American attorney and jurist serving as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Smith's brother, Gordon H. Smith, was a Republican U.S. Senator f ...

promised himself that he would name a horse after Silverheels. The horse was named, "Hi Ho Silverheels".

Selected filmography

* '' Make a Wish'' (1937) – Indian Guide (uncredited) * ''

The Sea Hawk ''The Sea Hawk'' is a 1915 novel by Rafael Sabatini. The story is set over the years 1588–1593 and concerns a retired Cornish seafaring gentleman, Sir Oliver Tressilian, who is villainously betrayed by a jealous half-brother. After being ...

'' (1940) – Native Lookout (uncredited) * ''

Kit Carson Christopher Houston Carson (December 24, 1809 – May 23, 1868) was an American frontiersman. He was a fur trapper, wilderness guide, Indian agent, and U.S. Army officer. He became a frontier legend in his own lifetime by biographies and ...

'' (1940) – Indian (uncredited) * '' Too Many Girls'' (1940) – Indian (uncredited) * '' Hudson's Bay'' (1941) – Indian (uncredited) * ''

Western Union The Western Union Company is an American multinational financial services company, headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1851 as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company in Rochester, New York, the company cha ...

'' (1941) – Indian (uncredited) * ''

Jungle Girl A jungle girl (so-called, but usually adult woman) is an archetype or stock character, often used in popular fiction, of a female adventurer, superhero or even a damsel in distress living in a jungle or rainforest setting. An alternate depiction i ...

'' (1941, Serial) – Lion Man Guard hs. 2–3, 15(uncredited) * '' This Woman Is Mine'' (1941) – Indian Marauder (uncredited) * ''

Valley of the Sun A valley is an elongated low area often running between Hill, hills or Mountain, mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers ...

'' (1942) – Indian (uncredited) * ''

Perils of Nyoka ''Perils of Nyoka'' is a 1942 Republic serial directed by William Witney. It stars Kay Aldridge as Nyoka the Jungle Girl, a character who first appeared in the Edgar Rice Burroughs-inspired serial ''Jungle Girl''. Plot Nyoka, with help from La ...

'' (1942, Serial) – Tuareg (uncredited) * '' Good Morning, Judge'' (1943) – Indian (uncredited) * ''

Daredevils of the West ''Daredevils of the West'' is an American Western movie serial consisting of 12 chapters, released by Republic Pictures in 1943 starring Allan Lane and Kay Aldridge. The plot involves a gang of land-grabbers who try to prevent safe passage o ...

'' (1943, Serial) – Kiaga h. 8–9(uncredited) * ''

The Girl from Monterrey ''The Girl from Monterrey'' is a 1943 American film directed by Wallace Fox starring Armida Vendrell as PRCs version of the Mexican Spitfire. The film is also known as ''The Girl from Monterey'' (American alternative spelling). Plot summary In ...

'' (1943) – Fighter Tito Flores * ''

Northern Pursuit ''Northern Pursuit'' is a 1943 American World War II film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Errol Flynn as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) who tries to uncover a Nazi plot against the Allied war effort. The film was set in ...

'' (1943) – Indian (uncredited) * ''The Phantom (serial), The Phantom'' (1943, Serial) – Astari Warrior (uncredited) * ''Passage to Marseille'' (1944) – Sailor Crewman on Boat Deck (uncredited) * ''The Tiger Woman (1944 film), The Tiger Woman'' (1944, Serial) – Native at Shack Shoot-Out [Ch. 7] (uncredited) * ''Call of the Jungle'' (1944) – Native (uncredited) * ''Haunted Harbor'' (1944, Serial) – Native [Chs. 11–12] (uncredited) * ''Lost in a Harem'' (1944) – Guard at Execution (uncredited) * ''Tahiti Nights'' (1944) – Lua (uncredited) * ''Song of the Sarong'' (1945) – Spearman (uncredited) * ''Romance of the West'' (1946) – Young Bear (uncredited) * ''Singin' in the Corn'' (1946) – Indian Brave * ''Gas House Kids Go West'' (1947) – Kingsley's Henchman (uncredited) * ''Northwest Outpost'' (1947) – Indian Scout (uncredited) * ''Unconquered (1947 film), Unconquered'' (1947) – Indian (uncredited) * ''The Last Round-Up (1947 film), The Last Round-up'' (1947) – Sam Luther (uncredited) * ''The Prairie (film), The Prairie'' (1947) – Running Deer * ''

'' (1947) – Coatl (uncredited) * ''The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (film), The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'' (1948) – Indian Guide at Pier (uncredited) * ''Fury at Furnace Creek'' (1948) – Little Dog (uncredited) * ''

'' (1948) – Tom Osceola (uncredited) * ''Singin' Spurs'' (1948) – Abel * ''Family Honeymoon'' (1948) – Elevator Boy (uncredited) * ''The Feathered Serpent (1948 film), The Feathered Serpent'' (1948) – Diego (uncredited) * ''Yellow Sky'' (1948) – Indian (uncredited) * ''Song of India (film), Song of India'' (1949) – Villager (uncredited) * ''Tulsa (film), Tulsa'' (1949) – Creek Indian (uncredited) * ''Laramie'' (1949) – Running Wolf (uncredited) * ''

'' (1949) – Deputy Walter (uncredited) * ''Trail of the Yukon'' (1949) – Poleon * ''Sand (1949 film), Sand'' (1949) – Indian (uncredited) * ''The Cowboy and the Indians'' (1949) – Lakoma * '' Broken Arrow'' (1950) – Geronimo (uncredited) * ''The Wild Blue Yonder (1951 film), The Wild Blue Yonder'' (1951) – Benders * ''Red Mountain'' (1951) – Little Crow * ''The Battle at Apache Pass'' (1952) – Geronimo * ''The Half-Breed'' (1952) – Apache (uncredited) * ''Brave Warrior'' (1952) – Tecumseh * ''The Story of Will Rogers'' (1952) – Joe Arrow (uncredited) * ''Yankee Buccaneer'' (1952) – Lead Warrior * ''The Pathfinder (1952 film), The Pathfinder'' (1952) – Chingachgook * ''The Legend of the Lone Ranger'' (1952) –

* ''Last of the Comanches'' (1953) – Indian (uncredited) * ''Jack McCall, Desperado'' (1953) – Red Cloud * ''The Nebraskan'' (1953) – Spotted Bear * '' War Arrow'' (1953) – Satanta * ''Saskatchewan (film), Saskatchewan'' (1954) (with Alan Ladd) – Cajou * ''Drums Across The River'' (1954) (with Audie Murphy) – Taos * ''

'' (1954) – Black Buffalo * ''Four Guns to the Border'' (1954) – Yaqui * ''Masterson of Kansas'' (1954) – Yellow Hawk * ''The Lone Ranger Rides Again'' (1955, TV Movie) –

* ''The Lone Ranger Story'' (1955) – Tonto * ''The Vanishing American (1955 film), The Vanishing American'' (1955) – Beeteia * ''

'' (1956) –

* ''

'' (1956) – Geronimo * ''Return to Warbow'' (1958) – Indian Joe * ''

'' (1958) –

* ''

'' (1959) –

(uncredited) * ''Indian Paint (film), Indian Paint'' (1965) – Chief Hevatanu * ''Smith!'' (1969) – McDonald Lasheway * ''

'' (1969) – Condemned Man at Hanging (uncredited) * ''

'' (1970) –

* ''In Pursuit of Treasure'' (1972) * ''One Little Indian (film), One Little Indian'' (1973) – Jimmy Wolf * ''

'' (1973) – The Chief * ''

'' (1973) – John Crow

Television

* ''The Lone Ranger (TV series), The Lone Ranger'' – 217 episodes – Tonto (1949–1957) * ''Wide Wide World'' – episode – The Western – Himself (1958) * ''Wanted Dead or Alive (TV series), Wanted Dead or Alive'' – episode – Man on Horseback – Charley Red Cloud (1959) * ''Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color'' – episode – Texas John Slaughter: Apache Friendship & Texas John Slaughter: Geronimo's Revenge – Natchez (1960) * ''Gunslinger (TV series), Gunslinger'' – episode – The Recruit – Hopi Indian (1961) * ''Wagon Train'' – episode – Path of the Serpent – The Serpent (1961) * ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'' – episode – The Gentleman's Gentleman – Pawnee Joe (1961) * ''Laramie (TV series), Laramie'' – episode – The Day of the Savage – Toma (1962) * ''Daniel_Boone_(1964_TV_series), Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)'' – Chenrogan - S1/E11 "Mountain of the Dead" (1964) * ''Daniel_Boone_(1964_TV_series), Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)'' - Latawa - S1/E20 "The Quietists" (1965) * ''Branded (TV series), Branded'' – episode – The Test – Wild Horse (1965) * ''Daniel_Boone_(1964_TV_series), Daniel Boone (1964 TV series)'' – Sashona – S2/E14 "The Christmas Story" (1965) * ''Gentle Ben'' – episode – Invasion of Willie Sam Gopher – Willie Sam Gopher (1967) * ''The Virginian (TV series), The Virginian'' – episode – The Heritage – Den'Gwatzi (1968) * ''

'' – episode – The Brady Braves – Chief Eagle Cloud (1971) * ''The Virginian (TV series), The Virginian'' – episode – The Animal – Spotted Hand (1971) * ''Cannon (TV series), Cannon'' – episode – Valley of the Damned – Jimmy One Eye (1973) * ''CHiPs'' – episode – Poachers (1980)

Notes

References

External links

The Rise and Fall of Jay Silverheels
at WFMU
Jay Silverheels tribute site
*

Screen Legends

AMC article on Western Sidekicks

Jay Silverheels Biography;Tonto: The Man in Front of the Mask
{{DEFAULTSORT:Silverheels, Jay 1912 births 1980 deaths 20th-century Canadian male actors Canadian people of Native American descent Canadian Mohawk people Canadian expatriate male actors in the United States Canadian male film actors Canadian male television actors First Nations male actors First Nations sportspeople Iroquois nations lacrosse players Lone Ranger Male Western (genre) film actors Male actors from Ontario People from the County of Brant Western (genre) television actors

Early life

Athlete

Actor

Films

Television

Personal life

Death

Legacy

Selected filmography

Television

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links