Will Sampson
Born	William Sampson Jr. (1933-09-27)September 27, 1933 Okmulgee, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died	June 3, 1987(1987-06-03) (aged 53) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Resting place	Graves Creek Cemetery,Hitchita, Oklahoma
Occupation(s)	Painter,actor
Years active	1975–1987

William Sampson Jr. (September 27, 1933 – June 3, 1987) was aMuscogee Nationpainter,actor, androdeo performer. He is best known for his performance as the apparently muteChief Bromden in the 1975 filmOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and asCrazy Horse in the 1977 westernThe White Buffalo, as well as his roles as Taylor inPoltergeist II: The Other Side and Ten Bears in 1976'sThe Outlaw Josey Wales.

William "Will" Sampson Jr., born inOkmulgee County, Oklahoma to William "Wiley" Sampson Sr. and Mabel Sampson (née Lewis),^[1] was a citizen of theMuscogee Nation, a tribe from theSoutheastern Woodlands. Sampson Jr. had at least five children: William Lance Sampson Junior who died after driving drunk on the reservation, Samsoche "Sam" and Lumhe "Micco" Sampson (of the Sampson Brothers Duo), actor Timothy "Tim" James Sampson,^[2][3] and Robert Benjamin Sampson. The Sampson Brothers Duo are known for their traditional fancy and grass dances. His son Robert was murdered in Tulsa in 2013.^[4]

Sampson competed in rodeos for about 20 years. His specialty wasbronco busting, and he was on the rodeo circuit whenOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest producersSaul Zaentz andMichael Douglas were looking for a large Native American to play the role of Chief Bromden. Sampson stood 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m) tall.^[5] Rodeo announcer Mel Lambert mentioned Sampson to them, and after lengthy efforts to find him, they hired him on the strength of an interview. He had never acted before.^[6]

Sampson's most notable roles were asChief Bromden inOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and as Chief Ten BearsThe Outlaw Josey Wales and Taylor the Medicine Man in the horror filmPoltergeist II. He had a recurring role on the TV seriesVega$ as Harlon Twoleaf, and starred in the moviesFish Hawk, andOrca. Sampson appeared in the production ofBlack Elk Speaks with the American Indian Theater Company inTulsa, Oklahoma, whereDavid Carradine and other Native American actors (such asWes Studi andRandolph Mantooth) have appeared in stage productions. He also playedCrazy Horse inThe White Buffalo withCharles Bronson and the archetypal Elevator Attendant in Nicolas Roeg's 1985 film,Insignificance.

Sampson was a visual artist. His large painting depicting the Ribbon Dance of the Muscogee (Creek) is in the collection of theCreek Council House Museum in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. His artwork has been shown at theGilcrease Museum and thePhilbrook Museum of Art.^[1] Sampson created a series of paintings entitledEscape of the Winged Mind that depicts life on the American Frontier. One painting in particular is calledBuffalo Kill^[7] and can be found featured in the bookBeyond Cuckoo's Nest: The Art and Life of William Sampson, Jr.^[8] His works have sold in auction houses and galleries, including the Pierson Gallery.^[9]

Sampson suffered fromscleroderma, a chronic degenerative condition that affected his heart, lungs, and skin. During his lengthy illness, his weight fell from 260 lb (120 kg) to 140 lb (64 kg), causing complications related tomalnutrition. After undergoing a heart andlung transplant atHouston Methodist Hospital inHouston, he died on June 3, 1987, of post-operativekidney failure. Sampson was 53 years old.^[10]

Will Sampson Road, inOkmulgee County (east of Highway 75 nearPreston, Oklahoma), is named after him.^{[citation needed]}

During the filming ofThe White Buffalo, Sampson halted production by refusing to act when he discovered that producers had hired white actors to portray Native Americans for the film. In 1983, with assistance from his personal secretary Zoe Escobar, Sampson founded the "American Indian Registry for the Performing Arts" for Native American actors.^{[8][11][12][13]} He also served on the registry's board of directors.^[14][15]

Sampson's son Tim Sampson appeared on the FX showIt's Always Sunny in Philadelphiaseason four episode "Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack". The episode pays homage to Sampson's work as Chief Bromden inOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; Tim plays "Tonto" after Frank (Danny DeVito) is mistaken as mentally incompetent and placed within a facility.^{[citation needed]} Tim made a similar appearance in an elaborateCuckoo's Nest parody set in a restaurant kitchen in the second series of the British sitcomSpaced.

• Escobar, Zoe (2009).Beyond the Cuckoo's Nest: the Art and Life of William 'Sonny' Sampson, Jr., the Muscogee Creek Indian Cowboy, Painter and Actor Girldog Publishing, Issaquah, Washington. ISBN 978-0-615-18164-6

• Will Sampson atIMDb
• Will Sampson interviews
• Will Sampson: Documentary Ensures Actor is Remembered. The Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AMMSA)Archived February 15, 2018, at theWayback Machine
• Will Sampson atFind a Grave
• The Great Spirit within The Hole, Twin Cities PBS.
• Liutova, S. N. Beyond Cuckoo's Nest, or Composing one's book (In Russ.)

• 1933 births
• 1987 deaths
• People from Okmulgee, Oklahoma
• American male film actors
• American male television actors
• Native American male actors
• Native American painters
• Male actors from Oklahoma
• Muscogee Nation people
• Deaths from kidney failure in Texas
• Artists from Oklahoma
• 20th-century American male actors
• 20th-century American artists
• 20th-century Native American artists
• Bronc riders
• Muscogee male artists
• Muscogee artists
• Native American people from Oklahoma

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