Jay Silverheels
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Canadian Mohawk actor best known for playing Tonto, the Lone Ranger's faithful companion, in the television series from 1949 to 1957. Born Harold J. Smith on the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve in Ontario in 1912, he was a lacrosse player and boxer before turning to acting. He appeared in numerous Western films in the 1940s, often typecast as Native American characters, before landing the role of Tonto. His portrayal, while reflecting the limited opportunities available to Indigenous actors in mid-century Hollywood, made him one of the most recognizable Native American faces on American television. After the series ended, he founded the Indian Actors Workshop in Los Angeles to train Native American performers for film and television.
