If you watched television in the early 70’s, you’ve seen
Iron Eyes Cody. He was the crying Indian in the “Keep America Beautiful” ad. The
PSA won two Clio awards, started a flurry of community clean-up campaigns, and
supposedly reduced litter by 88% across 38 states. It might surprise you to
learn the ad was paid for by the American Can Company, Owens-Illinois Glass Company,
the Dixie Cup Company, and Coca-Cola, hoping to shift blame for pollution away
from industries and on to consumers. But the most surprising thing about the
crying Indian ad was the Indian himself. "Iron Eyes Cody" appeared in hundreds of
movies and television shows wearing beaded moccasins and buckskin, braids and feathers.
Cody dressed as an Indian in his private life, too. At various times he claimed
membership in several different Native American tribes. After his death, it was
revealed his real name was Espera Oscar de Corti, born in Louisiana to Italian
immigrant parents.
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