Gertrude Chorre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gertrude Chorre
Gertrude Chorre, from the 1938 film, Flaming Frontiers
Born	Gertrude Martinez April 30, 1885 La Jolla Indian Reservation, California
Died	September 3, 1972 Riverside, California
Occupation	Actress, talent scout

Gertrude Chorre was an American actress and talent scout. She was born on April 30, 1885, and passed away on September 3, 1972. Gertrude lived and worked in southern California, often helping to find other Native American actors for movies.

Gertrude Chorre's Early Life

Gertrude Martinez was born in southern California. Her parents were Estefano Martinez and Regina Guassac. She was a member of the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians. This means she was officially recognized as part of this Native American tribe. Gertrude also spoke the Luiseño language very well. Her mother's family, the Guassacs, were known for raising cattle.

Acting and Talent Scouting Career

Gertrude Chorre appeared in many films from the 1920s to the 1950s. She often played small roles in Western movies. Some of her films include In Old California (1929) and Frozen Justice (1929). She also appeared in War Paint (1926), Western Frontier (1935), and Call of the Wild (1935). Later films included Ramona (1936), Flaming Frontiers (1938), and The Sea of Grass (1947). On television, she made an appearance in The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (1958).

Finding Actors for Hollywood

Gertrude Chorre was known as a "capable scout." This meant she was good at finding other Native American actors for Hollywood movies. She sometimes worked with famous athlete Jim Thorpe to find actors. A report from 1936 said that Gertrude and Jim knew where to find "all the Indians hereabout who work from time to time in pictures." She even worked with her own children in some films.

Later Life and Language Work

Later in her life, Gertrude helped a French language expert named André Malécot. She helped him study the Luiseño language. Malécot remembered that Gertrude "loved to regale you with stories of her people." He also said that Gertrude and her sister were among the few who still spoke the Luiseño language fluently back then. Gertrude was also active in the American Indian Woman's Club in Los Angeles.

Gertrude Chorre's Family Life

Gertrude Martinez married Andres Moro. Later, she married Joseph C. Chorre, who was a butcher. Joseph had attended the Sherman Institute. Gertrude had several children. Her daughter, Marie, appeared in the film White Fang (1936). Her son, Bennie, was in Boys Town. Another son, Joseph, was known as "Sonny." He later became a wrestler named Suni War Cloud. Gertrude Chorre passed away in 1972 in Riverside, California, when she was 87 years old. She is buried in Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery in Santa Monica.