Dave Bald Eagle

David William Bald Eagle (April 8, 1919 – July 22, 2016^[3]), also known as Chief David Beautiful Bald Eagle, was a Lakota actor, soldier, stuntman, and musician. He is perhaps best known for his appearance in the film Dances with Wolves (1990), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.^[3]

David Bald Eagle
Waniyetu Opi[1]
A photo of David Bald Eagle in 2003 By Phil Konstantin
Lakota leader
In office 1996–2016
First Chief of the United Indigenous Nations of The Americas[2]
Personal details
Born	David William Beautiful Bald Eagle (1919-04-08)April 8, 1919 Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, South Dakota
Died	July 22, 2016(2016-07-22) (aged 97)[3] Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, South Dakota
Resting place	Black Hills National Cemetery 44.370389°N 103.474356°W / 44.370389; -103.474356
Spouses	Penny Rathburn[4] Josée Kesteman[4]
Relations	White Bull (grandfather)[4] White Feather (grandfather)[4]
Mother tongue	Lakota
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Army
Years of service	1936–1944
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	4th Cavalry (1936–1941) 82nd Airborne (1941–1944)
Battles / wars	World War II: Battle of Anzio Normandy Beach
Awards	Silver Star medal (Anzio) Purple Heart medal

Life and work

Dave Bald Eagle was born in a tipi on the west banks of Cherry Creek, on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation in South Dakota.^[5]

Bald Eagle first enlisted in the Fourth Cavalry of the United States Army and served out his enlistment. During World War II, he re-enlisted in the 82nd Airborne Division ("All American Division") where he fought in the Battle of Anzio, being awarded a Silver Star, and in the D-Day invasion of Normandy at which time he received a Purple Heart Medal when he was wounded.^[6][7]

After the Second World War, Bald Eagle worked in a number of occupations including drummer, race car driver, semi-pro baseball player, and rodeo performer before beginning a career in Hollywood films. He was the grandson of famous Lakota warrior White Bull.^[6]

Selected filmography

• Dances with Wolves (1990) as technical advisor and extra^[8][9]
• Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee (1994) as Old man at HQ
• Skins (2002) as Old Soldier
• Into the West (2005) episode "Wheel to the Stars" as Two Arrows
• Imprint (2007) as Medicine Man
• Rich Hall's Inventing the Indian (2012) (TV Movie documentary) as himself
• River of Fundament (2014) as Norman III
• Neither Wolf Nor Dog (2016) as Dan