[28] She said her mother and two sisters were subject to their father's rage and beatings. [2][3], Littlefeather was born Marie Louise Cruz on November 14, 1946, in Salinas, California. She wore a buckskin dress and moccasins. The Alcatraz Island occupation was two years in the past by March of 1973. [42] In an interview published just before her Academy Awards appearance, she stated that she had helped send two Indian nurses to Wounded Knee and that she had relinquished her United States citizenship, along with seven Native Americans. [63][64][65][66][67] This claim has since been disputed by film historian Farran Nehme and biographer Scott Eyman. [87][88] Contemporary accounts of the founding of the Red Earth Performing Arts Company by Nez Perce actor and playwright John Kauffman, Jr in 1974 do not mention Littlefeather. [5][101] In 1991, Littlefeather was reported to be recovering from radical cancer surgery. Gilio-Whitaker, Dina. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. In June, the. "For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. [118], In November 2019 she received the Brando Award, which recognizes individuals for their contributions to the American Indian, from the Red Nation International Film Festival. Some may not realize that Brando was not only a great actor but also an activist and had been highly involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Liv Ullmann and. However, Littlefeather admitted that the praise was bittersweet. Marlon Brando Jr. (Omaha, Nebraska, April 3, 1924-Los Angeles, California, July 1, 2004) was an American film and theater actor. As Brando clearly explained to Dick Cavett, while he understood that not everyone would share his opinion, he wished that they would take the time to listen to what Littlfeather had to say. Tyler Perrys Inspiring Oscars Acceptance Speech Denounces Hate, Zendaya Makes Emmy Awards History and Sets Two Records in One Night, Chlo Zhao Makes History as First Woman of Color To Win Oscar for Best Director, Natalie Portman Wore Cape Embroidered With Names of Women Directors Snubbed by Oscars. [4] She said she chose the name Sacheen because that was the name her father called her before he died, and Littlefeather came from the feather she always wore in her hair. [56] In 1974, she stated that Marlon Brando sent her to a doctor when she was in a lot of pain and helped her recover, so she made the Oscar speech to repay him. Market data provided by Factset. Entertainment | She is a member of the Colville Confederated Tribes. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry, she said as the audience began to boo, and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee.. Her research, which included records going back to 1850, uncovered no ties between the Cruz family of Mexico and the White Mountain Apache and Yaqui tribes. She couldnt have been more Native, said Neconie, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Acoma of New Mexico and former UC Berkeley assistant director of undergraduate admissions. In one of the most memorable moments in Oscars history, Littlefeather took the stage in his place and spoke out about Hollywood's negative treatment of Native Americans. [25] In 1988, she stated that her parents lived next door to her maternal grandparents, Marie and Gerold "Barney" Barnitz, while she and her two younger sisters lived with those grandparents. [15], While she attended California State College at Hayward (now California State University, East Bay) and studied dramatics and speech, she continued to cultivate a Native American identity. [121] In the piece, a character from Orange's novel There, There writes to Brando about what it meant to see Littlefeather at the Oscars. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Sacheen Littlefeather was giddy as she hung up the phone in her San Francisco apartment in March of 1973. This Spring, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Are Going on Tour Together, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Welcome Their Fourth Child, Brendan Fraser Surprises Fans and Gets Warm Reception at a Screening of The Mummy. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. [applause][60], Moore escorted Littlefeather off-stage, past several people critical of her, and towards the press. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group), Chief Phillip Whiteman Jr., Rebecca Brando, Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Louise Cruz, 1946 - 2022) and Christian Bale attend the Red Nation Film Festival And Awards Ceremony at Laemmle's Ahrya Fine Arts Theatre on November 15, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. In his original speech as printed by the New York Times, Brando said: True to his political sensibilities, Brando also minced no words about America's treatment of American Indians: Sacheen Littlefeather received phone calls from Coretta Scott King and Cesar Chavez as a result of her intervention at the Academy Awards, congratulating her for what she'd done. Bettmann via. She made this man out to be a monster. She was 75 years old. Fox News Flash top headlines for October 2, Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves take bumpy second flight after 'CHAOS' on Lufthansa plane: 'Wish me luck', Kelsey Grammer wont apologize for the 'difference' that Jesus has made in his life, Person roaming in 'Scream' Ghostface costume prompts multiple police calls, Kelsea Ballerini kisses Chase Stokes after criticizing ex amid nasty divorce, Why Kevin Bacon refuses to share the secret to his 35-year marriage to Kyra Sedgwick. [20] In 1970, as "Sacheen Littlefeather of Alcatraz", she was named Miss Vampire USA, a promotion for House of Dark Shadows. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Sacheen Littlefeather on stage at AMPAS Presents An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on September 17, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. Brando's speech addressed the stereotypes of Native Americans in films long before the subject would be taken seriously in the industry. She had been instructed by Brando not to touch the Oscar and, rather, read an eight-page statement. But the next night, Orlandi watched on live TV as Sacheen stoically ascended the Oscars stage in a buckskin dress and told a global audience of 85 million that she was Apache. [7] She said in a 2021 interview that the cancer had metastasized to her right lung and that she was terminal. [27] A 1999 article stated she had developed colon cancer in the early 1990s. [4][5] She later said that she "learned early in life that there was probably a place for me in the dramatic art field, acting if you have a parent who's deaf, you naturally have to act out messages to them," referring to communicating with her father. FILE - Sacheen Littlefeather, a Native American activist, tells the audience at the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, March 27, 1973, that Marlon Brando was declining to accept his. My mom was a very sweet, kind person, Orlandi said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images), It was mortifying, said Cruz, of Lake County, Montana, of the Oscars appearance. [50] In 2016, the 88th ceremony of the Academy Awards drew criticism for lack of diversity in nominations; actress Jada Pinkett Smith, who boycotted the ceremony, cited Littlefeather as inspiration to do so. [5], Littlefeather joined the audience minutes before the award for Best Actor was announced. On Sunday, the Academy tweeted a quote the activist made about her legacy. In an email to The Times, Littlefeather's family confirmed her death, saying she died peacefully, surrounded by . [73] Brando and Littlefeather's protest was generally considered inappropriate for the awards ceremony. Littlefeather has long been an accepted and highly respected member of the Native American community despite lingering speculation about her identity. Marlon Brando on The Dick Cavett Show in 1973 (Photo: Sipuede7 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0). She has previously reported or edited for Bay Area news and lifestyle publications, including Walnut Creek Patch, and Diablo, Oakland and Alameda magazines, as well as The Nation in Bangkok, Thailand and The Economist. [56][57][58] Koch recalled that he permitted her to stay and make her speech after she promised not to make a scene. Her speech made her famous literally overnight and her fame would be exploited by Playboy magazine. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry excuse me and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee," she said, referencing the Wounded Knee Occupation of 1973. [38] "I was distressed that people should have booed and whistled and stomped, even though perhaps it was directed at myself," Brando later told Dick Cavett. [103] Littlefeather also described herself as one of the original teachers in St. Mary's Traditional Indian Medicine program,[5][104] which consisted of a series of conferences held between 1984 and 1990 and was coordinated by Comanche medicine man Edgar Monetathchi, Jr, who worked for the Indian Health Service and was the first medicine man to be employed full-time by a Catholic hospital. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Legal Statement. The statement was read in full at An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather on September 17, an event honoring Littlefeather and featuring a conversation between her and producer Bird Runningwater (Cheyenne/Mescalero Apache/N.M. In 1973, riding high off the success ofThe Godfather, actor Marlon Brando used his platform to give a voice to Native Americans. Updated Oct. 2: Sacheen Littlefeather has died at the age of 75. Sacheen Littlefeather is the subject of a new documentary titled 'Sacheen: Breaking The Silence. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. [93][94], As a staff member of the American Indian Center, Littlefeather participated in a conference about American Indians in media at the Hotel San Franciscan in 1978. Orlandi grew up with her sister Maria Cruz, the woman who would later become famous as Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the news on its social media accounts. They also said that their father, who was born in Oxnard, California, was of Spanish-Mexican descent and had no tribal ties. or redistributed. Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. [95] As the director of the First Nation Education Resource Center in San Francisco, Littlefeather commented on a letter from two American Indians in Oakland that was handed to Nelson Mandela, stating that the letter outlined problems facing American Indians, including healthcare and unemployment. Sacheen Littlefeather gets apology for abuse by John Wayne, others at 1973 Oscars. ', (Photo by Beck Starr/FilmMagic/Getty Images), Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for April 25, Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves take bumpy second flight after 'CHAOS' on Lufthansa plane: 'Wish me luck', Kelsey Grammer wont apologize for the 'difference' that Jesus has made in his life, Person roaming in 'Scream' Ghostface costume prompts multiple police calls, Kelsea Ballerini kisses Chase Stokes after criticizing ex amid nasty divorce, Why Kevin Bacon refuses to share the secret to his 35-year marriage to Kyra Sedgwick. [59], The Best Actor award was presented by Norwegian actress Liv Ullmann and British actor Roger Moore. [5] While traveling, she became interested in the food of other cultures and noted similarities between foods such as Spanish buuelos and American Indian fry bread as well as Russian pirozhki and the meat pies made by her Kiowa friends. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images), LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 20: Activist Sacheen Littlefeather (L) and producer of the movie Christina Fon (R) attend the Q&A at the SAG President's National Task Force For American Indians & NBC Universal Premiere Screening Of "Reel indian" & "American Indian Actors" At LA Skins Fest on November 20, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. He had also participated in the March on Washington in 1963 and he supported the work of Dr. Martin Luther King. Sacheen Littlefeather addressing the 45th Academy Awards in October 1973, declining Marlon Brando's Oscar for best actor on his behalf. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. [53] Before the ceremony, Brando decided thatas the favorite to win[52]he would boycott as a protest led by AIM against the ongoing siege at Wounded Knee and his views on how Native Americans were represented in American films. Consequently, Littlefeather alleged she was "blacklisted" by Hollywood and never worked again. Dina Gilo-Whitaker is a lecturer of American Indian Studies at California State University San Marcos. Since Littlefeathers death in Novato on Oct. 2 at age 75, Orlandi, 72, and another sister, Rosalind Cruz, 65, have ignited an uproar in Native American circles by alleging their estranged activist sister spent 50 years faking an identity as White Mountain Apache and Yaqui. Littlefeather, who appeared nervous during her speech and was booed by a few attendees, received both harassment and praise after the event. Then came Marlon Brando to bring it all to center stage quite literally. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, [20] She claims to have participated part-time in the occupation of Alcatraz in 1970, though this claim has been disputed. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The lawyer's letter claimed that Cruz was her married name. [101] Although St. Mary's Hospital and Health Center did receive an Achievement Citation from the Catholic Health Association of the United States in 1986 for Traditional Indian Medicine's Role in the Carondelet Health System,[102] an article about the award only mentions the initiator of the program, Apache nurse Belinda Acosta, and the program coordinator, Ann Hubbert. Littlefeather represented Marlon Brando at the 45th Academy Awards in 1973, where she on Brando's behalf declined the Best Actor award that he won for his performance in The Godfather. And Brando had decided to cast the 26-year-old aspiring actress as his Oscars proxy to reject the award, denounce the negative stereotyping of American Indians in entertainment and bring attention to the Wounded Knee Occupation protest in South Dakota. When we think today about his words and what representation meansespecially to childrenone can't help but applaud his willingness to speak out in a time when it wasn't popular to do so. [132], Roger Ebert had disputed Littlefeather's Native American ethnicity in 2004 in an obituary for Marlon Brando, stating that after her attendance at the Oscars she was "identified as Maria Cruz, an actress who was not an Indian". Demanding a regime change from the U.S.-backed tribal government that had been mistreating the reservation's residents for years, the occupiers found themselves in a 71-day armed battle against the FBI and the U.S. Entertainment | [37][112] Obituaries for Littlefeather's father and maternal grandmother do not mention a biological son in the family, only Littlefeather and her two younger sisters. Legal Statement. [52] For the performance he was nominated for Best Actor at the 45th Academy Awards, which were presented on March 27, 1973, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. The History of the American Indian Movement (AIM), Indian Citizenship Act: Granted Citizenship but Not Voting Rights, The Native American Ghost Dance, a Symbol of Defiance, Top 10 Classic Films With a Social Message, Indian Reorganization Act: A New Deal for American Indians, 5 Common Indigenous Stereotypes in Film and Television. "I later learned six security guards had to hold back John Wayne, who was in the wings and wanted to storm on the stage and drag me off," she claimed. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Littlefeather passed away on Oct. 2 at the age of 75. The activist, who also worked as an actress, changed her name from Marie Louise Cruz to Sacheen Littlefeather after rediscovering her Native American heritage and becoming active in protests as a young woman. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. ACADEMY APOLOGIZES TO SACHEEN LITTLEFEATHER NEARLY 50 YEARS AFTER REJECTING AN OSCAR ON MARLON BRANDO'S BEHALF, At the 1973 Academy Awards, Sacheen Littlefeather refused the Academy Award for Best Actor on behalf of Marlon Brando who won for his role in The Godfather. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images), Trudy Orlandi shows off a metallic boot sign that her father used at his shop in Salinas, Calif., during an interview at her home in Marin County, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. [23] She played the role of Paleflower in Winterhawk, filmed in Kalispell, Montana. [2], In 1974, Littlefeather attended classes at the American Conservatory Theater, studying acting, yoga, fencing, Shakespeare, dancing, and other various skills for her acting career. [21] Around this time she adopted the name Sacheen Littlefeather. [92] She served as an advisor to PBS's Dance in America: Song for Dead Warriors (1984), which earned its choreographer, Michael Smuin, an Emmy Award. The money raised was never donated to any campaign. Sacheen Littlefeather died Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at her home in Marin County, Calif. She was 75. Its one of the biggest hoaxes certainly the biggest hoax since Iron Eyes Cody, said Dina Gilio-Whitaker, a Cal State San Marcos lecturer of American Indian Studies who was commissioned at one point to ghostwrite Littlefeathers memoir. Indian children seeing Indians represented as savages, ugly, nasty, treacherous, drunkthey grow up only with a negative image of themselves and it lasts a lifetime.. Brando, Littlefeather, and the Academy Awards. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, [133] However, on her official website, a response to Ebert's article contradicts the lawyer and states that she was born Marie Cruz. He had actually written a 15-page speech explaining his reasons, but Littlefeather later said that she had been threatened with arrest if she attempted to read the entire speech. Littlefeather and a handful of other Native American women had posed for Playboy in 1972, but the photos were never been published until October 1973, not long after the Academy Awards incident. Sacheen Littlefeather made history in 1973 when she turned down the Academy Award for Best Actor on behalf of "The Godfather" winner Marlon Brando.Almost 50 years later, Indigenous activist . (AP Photo/File), Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Louise Cruz, 1946 - 2022) on stage at AMPAS Presents An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on September 17, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. When Brando was announced as the winner, Littlefeather took the stage dressed in full native regalia. He instead sent Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Cruz), a young Apache/Yaqui activist who had participated in the Alcatraz Island occupation. Bettmann/Getty Images Sacheen Littlefeather declining Marlon Brando's Oscar in 1973. ", CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER. Sacheen Littlefeathers work on famed San Francisco ballet among suspect claims. Marie Louise Cruz (November 14, 1946 October 2, 2022), better known as Sacheen Littlefeather, was an American actress, model, and activist on behalf of Native American civil rights. Market data provided by Factset. I never saw my sister being beaten by my dad. After Littlefeathers sisters learned about her death, they went public with their fraud allegations because, they said, their sisters lies maligned their parents, Manuel and Geroldine Cruz. "It was the first Oscars ceremony to be broadcast by satellite all over the world, which is why Marlon chose it. No one was without an opinion and some Hollywood stars are remembered for the stands they would take, even if they were unpopular and controversial. [2][3], Aspiring to become an actress, Littlefeather picked up several radio and television commercial credits and joined the Screen Actors Guild. She had no legal recourse to contest their publication because she had signed a model release. Academy Apologizes to Sacheen Littlefeather for 'Mistreatment' Upon Turning Down Marlon Brando's Oscar Littlefeather was asked by Best Actor winner Brando to turn down the award in 1973. "[48], A 1974 article about a Littlefeather interview stated that she was working for a San Francisco radio station when she applied for work with Coppola and that he then referred her to Brando, "knowing Brando's interest in the Indian". She also recorded an episode for the Academy Museum's podcast and a visual history for the Academy Oral History Projects. Since the Native American hasnt been able to hear his voice heard or have his voice heard anywhere in the history of the United States, he shared, I felt that it was a marvelous opportunity for an Indian to be able to voice his opinion to 85 million people and I felt that he had a right to in view of what Hollywood has done to him.. Entertainment | She committed herself to other health education work as well and worked with Mother Theresa doing hospice care for AIDS patients. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. In a speech that shocked the country at the time, the 26-year-old Apache activist began by introducing herself and explaining that she was representing the "Godfather" actor. Related Articles Littlefeather's family asked mourners to make donations to American Indian Child Resource Center in Oakland, California. The allegations emerged into public view in October when Native American journalist Jacqueline Keeler published an investigation into the Mexican ancestry of Littlefeathers California-born father, Manuel Cruz. Rather, he sent Apache activist Sacheen Littlefeather in his stead to reject the . Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/sacheen-littlefeather-academy-awards-2477981. ", Sacheen Littlefeather is the subject of a new documentary titled 'Sacheen: Breaking The Silence.' Canby has started an oral history project with Native American elders in Marin County. Russell Means contended that "Marlon Brando and Sacheen Littlefeather totally uplifted" the lives of those at Wounded Knee. However, Littlefeather claimed she felt "abandoned" by Brando when she was faced withthe intense backlash. Meanwhile, the Vietnam War showed no end in sight despite massive protests. [1], Littlefeather died at her home in Novato, California, on October 2, 2022, at the age of 75. Sacheen Littlefeather Has Died. [68][69] At a later press conference, Littlefeather read to journalists the speech that Brando had prepared; The New York Times published the full text the next day. She delivered a short speech on behalf of Brando declining acceptance of the award. After Liv Ullmann and Roger Moore announced that Marlon Brando won Best Actor for his performance as Vito Corleone in "The Godfather", Littlefeather surprised audiences by walking on stage in his place. Market data provided by Factset. https://www.thoughtco.com/sacheen-littlefeather-academy-awards-2477981 (accessed March 4, 2023). Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American actress and activist who declined Marlon Brando's best actor Oscar in 1973, has died, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Sunday night. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. She had been battling breast cancer since 2018, and the disease metastasized to other parts of her body. So, effectively what we hear at the podium is an improvised speech by the activist. When Brando was announced as the winner, Littlefeather took the stage dressed in full native regalia. All rights reserved. She was 75. Native American people were in the bottom strata of all socioeconomic indicators, and it was clear to American Indian youth that change was not going to happen without dramatic action. [36] A year later in October 1973, after her Academy Award appearance fame, they ran the photographs of Littlefeather as a stand-alone feature. And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industryexcuse me [booing and applause] and on television in movie re-runs, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee. Gilio-Whitaker, Dina. En marzo de 1973 la actriz y activista indgena Sacheen Littlefeather se present en la gala de los Premios scar y declin sostener la estatuilla que haba ganado Marlon Brando por su papel de Vito Corleone en El Padrino . "I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening, and that we will in the future, our hearts and our understandings, will meet with love and generosity," she added. The Native American actor and activist has died of breast cancer at age 75. Subsequently, she wrote Brando a letter, asking about his interest in Native American issues. [2] According to Liza Black, an Associate Professor of history and Native American and Indigenous studies at Indiana University, and a citizen of Cherokee Nation, "Keeler proves Littlefeather was a troubled woman who made the stories of others her own". Still, in the short time she did have, Littlefeather made her voice heard. By 1949, they had moved to Salinas and opened up their own business, Cruz Saddlery. [73][100], A 1987 profile of Littlefeather stated that she was a recipient of the 1986 Traditional Indian Medicine Achievement Award for her participation in the Traditional Indian Medicine Program at St. Mary's Hospital in Tucson, Arizona. Later that night, before she announced the Best Actress winner, Raquel Welch said, "I hope the winner doesn't have a cause. In an article in the San . Instead, she was given 60 seconds. Sacheen Littlefeather holds a written statement from actor Marlon Brando refusing his Best Actor Oscar on stage at the Academy Awards, Los Angeles, California. Littlefeather represented Marlon Brando at the 45th Academy Awards in 1973, where she - on Brando's behalf - declined the Best Actor award that he won for his performance in The Godfather. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group), A 1957 snap shot of Geroldine Cruz shows her with her three daughters (l-r) Marie (who later become famous as Sacheen Littlefeather), Rosalind and Trudy during their days living in Salinas, Calif. (Photo courtesy Trudy Orlandi), Activist Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Louise Cruz, 1946 - 2022) attends teh Q&A at the SAG President's National Task Force For American Indians & NBC Universal Premiere Screening Of "Reel indian" & "American Indian Actors" At LA Skins Fest on November 20, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. Thank you on behalf of Marlon Brando. As the 50th anniversary of Littlefeathers Oscars moment approaches, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences continues to showcase Littlefeather as an icon of diversity in its glittery new museum in Los Angeles, where she is featured in an exhibit about iconic moments in the award ceremonys history. She delivered a short speech on behalf of Brando declining acceptance of the award. After giving brief remarks and announcing the five nominees, they declared Brando as the winner. Littlefeather said her father was of Apache and Yaqui ancestry[1] and her mother was of European descent. Sacheen Littlefeather stunned Hollywood when she was sent on behalf of Marlon Brando to reject his 1973 Oscar for best actor in "The Godfather." She can rest assured that no one will take her bravery that night for granted; and long after her passing, she will continue to be a shining example for others. Famous Last Words: Fictional Characters, Books and Plays, Biography of Charlie Chaplin, Legendary Movie Comedian, M.A., American Studies, University of New Mexico, B.A., Native American Studies, University of New Mexico. She lives in San Francisco. [5][27] She reported having tuberculosis at age four and received treatment in an oxygen tent while hospitalized. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images). He'd also supported Native American causes for years. [70][7], The incident drew remarks from others at the same ceremony. [45] She continued to pursue acting opportunities, such as touring with the "Red Earth Theater Company". One of the most shocking moments in Academy Awards history came in 1973, when Marlon Brando won Best Actor for his role in The Godfather. [5][37] Littlefeather was personally criticized for what was seen as exploitation of her fame,[38] but she explained that it was "strictly a business agreement" to earn the money needed to attend the World Theater Festival in Nancy, France. [5], In 1972, Brando played Vito Corleone in The Godfather, which many critics consider one of the greatest films of all time. Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanityfrom the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.