Skip to main content
Chief John Big Tree

Chief John Big Tree

Actor · 1877 – 1967 · Buffalo, New York, USA

Chief John Big Tree was born on June 2, 1877 in Buffalo, New York, as Isaac Johnny John. He was an actor, known for She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) and Devil's Doorway (1950). He died on July 6, 1967 in Onondaga Indian Reservation, New York. One of three men who posed for artist James Fraser for the profile which became the famous "Indian head nickel" or "buffalo nickel" minted 1913-1938. The other two were Chief Two Moons (of the Cheyenne) and Chief Iron Tail (of the Lakota Sioux). The image was reused for a special commemorative $50 gold piece in 2006--the USA's first 24k (pure gold) coin. Big Tree was a member of the Seneca Nation.

Movies24

  • Movie7.6

    Stagecoach

    1939 · 1.3K votes

  • Movie6.9

    She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

    1949 · 421 votes

  • Movie6.5

    Drums Along the Mohawk

    1939 · 133 votes

  • Movie6.4
  • Movie7.2

    Destry Rides Again

    1939 · 205 votes

  • Movie6.9

    Lost Horizon

    1937 · 254 votes

  • Movie6.0

    Western Union

    1941 · 88 votes

  • Movie4.6

    Brigham Young

    1940 · 17 votes

  • Movie6.8

    The Big Trail

    1930 · 138 votes

  • Movie6.5

    Susannah of the Mounties

    1939 · 17 votes

  • Movie6.9

    Devil's Doorway

    1950 · 53 votes

  • Movie6.3

    The Cat's-Paw

    1934 · 20 votes

  • Movie5.3
  • Movie6.2

    The Farmer Takes a Wife

    1935 · 10 votes

  • Movie6.8

    The Iron Horse

    1925 · 81 votes

  • Movie5.0

    Hills of Old Wyoming

    1937 · 2 votes

  • Movie5.3

    Custer's Last Stand

    1936 · 3 votes

  • Movie5.9

    Too Many Girls

    1940 · 14 votes

  • Movie5.7
  • Movie8.5

    King of the Arena

    1933 · 2 votes

  • Movie6.2

    Mantrap

    1926 · 13 votes

  • Movie8.0

    The Spirit of '76

    1917 · 1 votes

  • Movie7.7
  • Movie7.0

    Spoilers of the West

    1927 · 1 votes