---
name: "Will Sampson"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/will-sampson"
fi1m_id: "will-sampson"
imdb_id: "nm0760225"
tmdb_id: 68301
wikidata_id: "Q537322"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "26 September 1933"
died: "3 June 1987"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-24T06:50:33.860476+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Will Sampson

## Identity

Will Sampson

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/will-sampson
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** will-sampson
- **IMDb ID:** nm0760225
- **TMDB ID:** 68301
- **Wikidata ID:** Q537322
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Sampson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q537322, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0760225/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/68301

Actor. Born 26 September 1933 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, USA. Died 3 June 1987.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 26 September 1933, Okmulgee, Oklahoma, USA
- **Died:** 3 June 1987
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Sampson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q537322, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0760225/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/68301

## Biography

Will Sampson was a Native American actor, painter and rodeo performer. A member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, he was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, on 27 September 1933 and died in Houston, Texas, on 3 June 1987.

Sampson worked on the rodeo circuit for about twenty years, specialising in bronco riding, before making his acting debut as Chief Bromden in *One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest* (1975). He had no previous acting experience. His other film roles included Ten Bears in *The Outlaw Josey Wales* (1976), Crazy Horse in *The White Buffalo* (1977), Umilak in *Orca* (1977) and Taylor in *Poltergeist II: The Other Side* (1986). He also appeared in the television series *Vega$*.

Sampson was an artist whose painting of the Ribbon Dance is held by the Creek Council House Museum in Okmulgee. He died from complications following heart and lung transplant surgery.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, nytimes.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest* (1975), Fi1m 86, as Chief Bromden — [page](https://film.one/film/one-flew-over-the-cuckoos-nest.md)

## Complete filmography (28)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Completely Cuckoo* (1997), Actor
- *The Gunfighters* (1987), as Train Passenger
- *Firewalker* (1986), as Tall Eagle
- *Johnny Appleseed* (1986), as Chief
- *Roanoak* (1986), series, as Wingina
- *Poltergeist II: The Other Side* (1986), as Taylor
- *Tall Tales & Legends* (1985), series, as Chief
- *Insignificance* (1985), as Elevator Attendant
- *Wildside* (1985), series, Actor
- *The Mystic Warrior* (1984), series, as Wambli
- *The Yellow Rose* (1983), series, as John Stronghart
- *The Great Spirit Within the Hole* (1983), as Narrator
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Wingina, Wangina
- *Born to the Wind* (1981), series, as Painted Bear
- *Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story* (1980), as Clarence's Father
- *Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story* (1980), series, as Clarence's Father
- *From Here to Eternity* (1980), series, as Sgt. Cheney
- *Fish Hawk* (1980), as Fish Hawk
- *From Here to Eternity* (1979), series, as Cpl. Cheney
- *Standing Tall* (1978), as Lonny Moon
- *The Hunted Lady* (1977), as Uncle George
- *Relentless* (1977), as Sam Watchman
- *Orca* (1977), as Umilak
- *The White Buffalo* (1977), as Crazy Horse/Worm
- *The Outlaw Josey Wales* (1976), as Ten Bears
- *Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson* (1976), as The Interpreter (William Halsey)
- *One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest* (1975), as Chief Bromden — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/one-flew-over-the-cuckoos-nest.md)
- *Crazy Mama* (1975), as Indian at Trading Post

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/will-sampson