Knott's Berry Farm had the occasional prospector to pose with, although I haven't seen too many images of him. But if you wanted a photo with a "genuine" Indian chief, then you were in luck. The kid in this 1958 photo looks like he just stepped out of an episode of "Leave it to Beaver". And let's face it, the chief would look weird with a big grin. He is stone-faced just the way he should be.
Now for a color image from approximately the same time (maybe even earlier?), with the Bottle House behind our chief. He's working with props this time, a tom-tom and a plastic-tipped spear. The ladies in the background are a little intimidated by his proud gaze.
These last two are from 1966, and our chief's face is more heavily lined, and his expression is somehow even more stony than before. But he is kind to babies, like this one wearing the beaded headband.
I wonder if he just autographed that postcard? "To Bob - Don't take any wooden nickels! Love, the Chief".
I believe that is Chief Red Feather in all four photos. I especially like the one of him handing out the postcard of himself. It looks like he is standing in front of the old Print Shop in that pic. My brother and I both had "Wanted" posters from that shop with our names on them. I still have mine and I've been wanting to post it...it's on my long list of "future posts."
ReplyDeleteAt second glance, I don't think that is the print shop...just a facade with wanted posters tacked up. It could be the facade that had the water pump in front of it???
ReplyDeleteJeez, I should have mentioned that it is Chief Red Feather, huh? I posted something about him before... not sure why I zoned out.
ReplyDeleteSomebody else is going to have to chime in with the Print Shop info, since I don't know!
Wonderful pictures. Bygone day.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
JG
I never know how to take pictures of Amusement Park Indians. I hope that they are real Indians, but my spider sense tells me that they are Sicilian taxi cab drivers working a better gig.
ReplyDeleteExcept for that one photo you posted of Red Feather in front of the Bottle House, the other photos have him stationed on the porch of the Covered Wagon Bar that used to be in-between the Gold Trails Hotel and the General Store. I met him quite a few times. Here's the lowdown on the good chief:
ReplyDeleteChief Red Feather (real name, Jim Urban Brady), joined Knott's Berry Farm in 1948 and became the most popular street performer in its history, posing for pictures on Ghost Town’s Main Street for 35 years, mostly in front of The Bottle House and next to the statues of Marilyn and Cecelia, where he sang and danced and played the tom-tom in full regalia. Before joining the farm, Red Feather worked as a boxer, marshal, dishwasher, laborer, rodeo rider and actor (where he appeared in 18 motion pictures with some of the top Western stars). As a deputy U.S. marshal, Red Feather had the responsibility of transporting the notorious “Pretty Boy” Floyd from Texas to an Oklahoma prison. Born in Shiprock, New Mexico in 1902, Red Feather's father, Dahu, was of the Sioux Nation and his mother, Maria Urban, a Navajo. He was given his Indian name, Chief Red Feather, in an impressive tribal ceremony when he was 32. Before coming to the farm, he worked for seven years for the “20 Mule Team Borax” plant in Wilmington, North Carolina. He retired from the farm in 1983 and died a few short years later in 1987 at the age of 85.
Thanks for the awesome reminder of the Knott's characters. I haven't been back to Knott's for years. (Last time we took the kids to SoCal, we only spent a couple of days and did it all at DIsney).
ReplyDeleteI have great memories of the immersive environment that Knott's created. I really need to get back there.
Jay: thank you for the fantastic post!
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for all of the great info about Chief Red Feather, Jay!
ReplyDeletevery interesting!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures - and thanks for all the detailed info on Brady, Jay.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty cool that you got to meet him several times!