Red Wing (actress) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Red Wing
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Who's Who in the Film World (1914)
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Lilian Margaret St. Cyr
February 13, 1873 or February 13, 1884 Winnebago Reservation, Nebraska, United States
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| Died | March 13, 1974 (aged 101) or March 13, 1974 (aged 90) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1908 – 1921 |
| Spouse(s) | James Young Deer (1906-19??) Joe Eaglefoot (1925-1929) |
Red Wing (born Lilian Margaret St. Cyr; February 13, 1873 or 1884 – March 13, 1974) was an American actress. She was famous during the time of silent films. These were movies without spoken words, where actors showed emotions through their actions.
Red Wing and her husband, James Young Deer, were a very important couple in early Hollywood. Many people called them one of the first Native American "power couples" in movies. Lilian St. Cyr was born on the Winnebago Reservation in Nebraska.
Early Life and Family
Lilian St. Cyr went to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. This school welcomed students from many different Native American tribes. After school, she moved to Washington, D.C.. There, she worked for a senator from Kansas, Chester I. Long, and his wife.
In Washington, D.C., she met James Younger Johnson. He was also known as James Young Deer. They got married on April 9, 1906. James Young Deer was from the Nanticoke tribe. He had also served in the US Navy.
Starting a Career in Movies
After they got married, Red Wing and James Young Deer performed together. They had a Western-themed act. They showed their act in different places around New York City and Philadelphia.
In 1908, Red Wing started acting in movies. Her first film was The White Squaw. The next year, in 1909, she appeared in The Falling Arrow. She and James also helped with two other films. They gave advice on Native American culture. These films were The Mended Lute and Indian Runner's Romance. Both were directed by D. W. Griffith.
Red Wing also acted in Red Wing's Gratitude. In this movie, she played a character called "Princess Red Wing." Around this time, she and James also worked for Bison Films. This company later moved to Edendale, California.
Becoming a Film Star
Red Wing is best known for her main role in the movie The Squaw Man. This film was released in 1914. It was directed by Cecil B. DeMille and Oscar Apfel. The movie starred famous actors like Dustin Farnum.
Before The Squaw Man, another Native American actor, Jesse Cornplanter, had a main role in a film called Hiawatha in 1913. After The Squaw Man, Red Wing acted with cowboy star Tom Mix. They were in a movie called In the Days of the Thundering Herd (1914). She also appeared in Fighting Bob (1915).
In 1916, Red Wing had a small part in the movie Ramona. This film was about Native Americans and Spanish settlers in early California. Red Wing played Ramona's mother.
From 1908 to 1921, Red Wing acted in over 35 short Western films. She stopped acting in the 1920s. She then moved back to New York City. Red Wing passed away on March 13, 1974. She was buried in a cemetery near the Winnebago Reservation in Thurston County, Nebraska.
See also
In Spanish: Red Wing para niños
