Charles Leon Soldani (June 1, 1893 – September 10, 1968) was aNative American film and television actor. He appeared – often uncredited – in dozens ofWestern movies andtelevision series, usually playing anIndian warrior or chief. He went by "Chief Soldani" starting in his college days.^[1]

Soldani was born inPonca City, Oklahoma, on June 1st, 1893. His father was Anthony "Godance" Soldani, anOsage farmer, and Katherine Fronkier, aKaw woman, both originally fromKansas.

He attended theUniversity of Notre Dame, where he played tackle on a football team^[2] and performed in staged productions.

After serving inWorld War I where he achievedsecond lieutenant,^[1] he worked as a car salesman and married Madeline Montgomery inIndianapolis, whom he eventually divorced.

After moving toLos Angeles, Soldani encountered success in amateur golf championships.

He got his acting debut playing an Indian inWar Paint, a 1926silentWestern directed byW.S. Van Dyke. He eventually transitioned totalkies and obtained his first credit in 1939 inThe Pioneers, directed byAlbert Herman. His credit as "Chief Soldani" became his nickname inHollywood.

Soldani became one of the industry's go-to actors to portrayNative Americans from various tribes, either in an uncredited part or in a speaking role, along with the occasional portraying of a "native" inSouth Seas genre productions.

Starting in the late 1950s, most of Soldani's work focused on television, appearing in multiple episodes ofWestern television series likeThe Adventures of Rin Tin Tin,Zorro,Bonanza,Laramie,Maverick,The Wild Wild West orDaniel Boone.

Soldani remarried in 1934 to Joice L. Gardner inYuma, Arizona, whom he lived with in the Los Angeles area until his death in 1968.

He was an avid billiard player and kept playing golf well into his 70s.^[3]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toCharles Soldani.

• Charles Soldani atIMDb
• Charles Soldani atFind a Grave

• 1893 births
• 1968 deaths
• People from Ponca City, Oklahoma
• University of Notre Dame alumni
• American military personnel of World War I
• Native American male actors
• Native American people from Oklahoma
• 20th-century Native Americans
• American people of Osage descent
• Kaw people
• Male actors from Oklahoma
• American male film actors
• 20th-century American male actors
• Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)
• Male Western (genre) film actors

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