Oscars apologises to Native American woman booed off stage nearly 50 years ago

[RandySF]

The Oscars has apologised to a Native American woman who was booed off stage nearly 50 years ago when she appeared to refuse an award that Marlon Brando won for The Godfather.

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures said that it will host Sacheen Littlefeather, 75, for an evening of “conversation, healing and celebration” on September 17.

The event will feature a formal apology to the actress who suffered decades of abuse within the industry following the actress’s appearance at the 1973 Oscars.

Littlefeather famously took to the stage to decline Brando’s best actor award at his request.

Instead, she gave a 60-second speech regarding the stereotypes and mistreatment of Native Americans in the entertainment industry, and the 1973 Wounded Knee protest in South Dakota.



https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/sacheen-littlefeather-oscars-apology-native-american-marlon-brando-godfather-john-wayne-b1018780.html

[Mike Nelson]

1. At first...

... I thought I was disagreeable with this story. When you take the stage, you hope people applaud cheerfully - but sometimes they don't like what you're doing... You are not guaranteed applause.

... then, I read the line, "...suffered decades of abuse within the industry." That's awful! Marlon Brando wasn't abused, was he? He seemed, to me, to be doing okay... I had no idea Littlefeather was abused.

[LizBeth]

2. That was when manly man John Wayne publicly wanted to beat up the little woman, wasn't it?

[hlthe2b]

3. Yup... Wayne threated to pull her offstage and had to be restrained by security guards.

The "manly" Rethugly of his time (who never served 10 seconds in the military* though letting everyone think otherwise) wanted to go rough her up.

*those who actually did serve and were not given the same respect that Wayne did: Jimmy Stewart, Director John Ford, Mickey Rooney, Henry Fonda, Johnny Carson, Leslie Howard, Humphrey Bogaart, Tony Bennett, Mel Brooks, Bea Arthur (yes, Bea Arthur)... and many more.

I will sometimes watch his old westerns because of John Ford's incredible scenery, cinematography, or the other actors, but Wayne is not deserving of his reputation. Hell, I can scarcely stand to watch him ride a horse. He was awful--especially in his later years, riding like he was in a lazy boy recliner and jerking the horse's head around to the point their poor mouth had to be one big sore... The damned wrangler on those sets should have jerked him off and made him watch his counterparts, who largely COULD ride. Maybe he was better in his much younger, (far lighter) years, but by midway into his career, it just hurts to watch.