John War Eagle Explained

John War Eagle aka John Henry St. Pierre
Birth Date:24 September 1901
Birth Place:Yankton Indian Reservation, South Dakota, United States
Death Place:California, United States
Occupation:Actor
Years Active:1932 - 1977

John Henry St Pierre, a.k.a. John War Eagle (8 June 1901  - 7 February 1991) was a Yankton Sioux film and television actor. He was born September 24, 1901, in Wagner, Charles Mix, South Dakota.[1] He was of the Sioux people, and was raised on the Yankton Indian Reservation in South Dakota.[2] [3] [4]

Career

Between 1932 and 1977 - sometimes credited as Chief John War Eagle, Chief John Eagle or John Wareagle - he appeared in twenty-eight films, mostly in uncredited roles, and twenty-six television productions.[5]

His roles include appearing as Red Cloud in the historical western-drama film Tomahawk (1951) starring Van Heflin, a role he reprised in 1953 in historical western-drama film The Great Sioux Uprising starring Jeff Chandler. He also played Chief Sitting Bull in the Disney family adventure western-drama film Tonka (1958), the story of a young Sioux boy, played by Sal Mineo on the brink of adulthood who tries to tame a wild stallion to prove his courage and strength.

War Eagle also appeared as Wolf's Brother in the Disney western-drama film Westward Ho, the Wagons! (1956) and in “The Jeremy Dow Story” (S4E14) as revengeful “Chief Iron Hand” in the TV Western Wagon Train (1960).

Notes and References

  1. Registration Card, World War II, John Henry St. Pierre, Serial No. 702, Ancestry.com and Rapid City Daily Journal [SD], 28 May 1950, p. 20
  2. News Report, collected issues 66-97, p. 6, University of South Dakota Institute of Indian Studies, 1976, p. 6
  3. The Indian Historian, collected volumes 11-13, American Indian Historical Society, 1978, p. 53
  4. San Pierre, John H., U.S. Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940, Yankton Sioux Agency, South Dakota, 30 June 1913
  5. [Database]