Will Sampson: biography, filmography. Paintings by Will Sampson

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:45

Will Sampson was born on September 27, 1933. He is known as an American film actor and artist. Few people know that Will was actively involved in rodeo in his youth. However, we will learn about the most interesting moments in the life of this amazing actor and artist from our article.

Childhood and youth

Sampson was born in Oklahoma, near the town of Morris. Will is a purebred Muscogee (the self-name of the Creek Indian people). Sampson's first Native American name is Cascana, which means "left-handed" in Muscogee. It is known that Will received an eight-year education at a local school, then went to serve in the American Navy. When Sampson returned home, everything that could bring at least some income became his occupation.

Rodeo Rider

When Will was 14 years old, he became seriously interested in rodeo. A real Indian cowboy won the competition more than once. It should be noted that he did his favorite thing until the age of 40.

Will Sampson preferred bullriding, the most dangerous category of rodeo. This sport is aboutyou can linger on the angry bull for a longer time or jump from the horse onto his back, trying to knock him to the ground.

The result of such an unusual hobby was a serious injury to the arm, then back. The latter led to surgery. This ended the career of the famous rodeo master.

Artist

From early childhood, Will Sampson, whose photo can be seen in our article, was fond of painting. It should be noted that the future actor led a wandering lifestyle. But this did not stop him from showing his paintings at various exhibitions. Thanks to this, Will achieved universal recognition.

At the beginning of his career, Sampson worked everywhere and on everything that came to hand. Most often, images of his native Muscogee, as well as various historical events and traditions of this Indian people, poured into his paintings. It is worth saying that Will Sampson had a photographic memory. He could easily render some of the rodeo scenes that were exactly true to reality.

It is known that Will carried out the orders of Oklahoma Governor George Nye himself. The artist also illustrated publications such as Arizona Highways, Quota Horse, Highline High-Lights, etc.

In 1951, Will Sampson received his first award as an artist. It was presented at the Philbrook Art Center. And in 1969 he was awarded the Okmugli Cultural Foundation award in the nomination "Artistic and Performing Arts". Will also receivedmultiple awards as the most popular artist.

It should be said that Sampson was allowed to create within the walls of the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, the Eamon Carter Museum, the Council House of the Creek Nation in Okmulgee, and the Philbrook Center for the Arts.

In 1960, Will became vice president of the Oklahoma Union of Artists and director of the Chiefs Art Gallery in Okmughley.

Movie star

In 1975, by coincidence, Will gets to the casting of the American western "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". There he gets the opportunity to play a leader named Broadman. For this role, Sampson should have been nominated for an Oscar. But at the last moment, the judges changed their mind. The nominee then became Billy Bibbit.

Will Sampson, whose films were watched by millions of viewers around the world, was not upset then, because an even brighter film future awaited him ahead. Unfortunately, the film "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was allowed to be viewed only 12 years after its release. At that time, the actor had already gone to another world. But Soviet viewers have already managed to enjoy Will's talent thanks to other interesting films - "Death Among Icebergs" and "Indian Hawk".

Fame

Fame came to the actor at the age of 45. It should be said that Will Sampson, whose height was 196 cm, was skeptical of his popularity, because he believed that not a single film in which he starred had reached the level of his favorite painting “One Flew Over the Nestcuckoo. In addition, he considered only painting to be his true recognition.

Rumors

There are still legends around the actor and the artist. Rumor has it that Will had magical powers. Rumor has it that Sampson died precisely because he was killed by the evil forces with which he fought, saving the actors of the film "Poltergeist". The picture, as the press then claimed, took the lives of several people, including the main character, a 12-year-old girl.

Private life

Will Sampson's personal life has always been in the spotlight. It is known that the actor and artist had 9 children from different marriages. It is worth saying that Will has always taken an active part in the education of everyone without exception.

Tim, Sampson's eldest son, was raised by his aunt and grandmother away from his parents. It is known that the young man tried his hand at stunt work. From his father, the guy inherited the ability to create. Tim also loves to play acoustic guitar.

After leaving school, the young man returned to his father. He, in turn, attached him to work in the background in some films. Subsequently, with the help of his father, Tim built his film career.

Will Sampson, whose wife is still unknown to anyone, has always been proud of his children.

Death

It is known that in the last 10 years of his life, Sampson suffered from scleroderma (inflammatory lesions of small blood vessels throughout the body). This disease led to serious problems with the heart and lungs. Unfortunately, after the operation to transplant these organs, Sampsondied. It happened on June 3, 1987 in the state of Texas, the city of Houston. The actor was buried at an Indian cemetery in Oklahoma.

A few years after Sampson's death, he was given an award that Will was posthumously awarded for his contributions to the cinema as well as for creating unusual images on the screen.

In 2008, the memory of the actor was immortalized on the Walk of Fame in Tulsa. The ceremony was led by the governor of Oklahoma and second chief of the Muscogee Nation. In 2009, Escobar published a biography of Will Sampson. The book was illustrated with paintings and graphic works of the artist.