She Was The First Native American Actress To Star In A Silent Film And Was A Pioneer For Women In Film Too

Jade - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only
Jade - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only

There are so many remarkable women who have made history in the film industry. One of them was Lilian St. Cyr, best known under her stage name, Red Wing.

She was the first Native American actress to star in a silent film and was a pioneer for women in film.

Lilian was born in 1884 on the Winnebago Reservation in Nebraska. She had many family members who were involved in the arts and had five siblings. Lilian attended boarding school at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania and graduated in 1902.

After graduating, Lilian met James Young Johnson, who changed his name to James Young Deer. They married in 1906 and began performing as a duo act in Wild West theatrical productions around New York and Philadelphia.

During this time, Lilian and James began catching the attention of film directors and getting jobs on film sets.

Lilian’s first professional film job was appearing in a short film, “The White Squaw,” made by The Kalem company in 1908. In 1909, Lilian and James were hired as technical consultants and extras for two D.W. Griffith films, “The Mended Lute” and “Indian Runner’s Romance.”

That same year, she received her famous stage name after playing the character of Red Wing in “Red Wing’s Gratitude.”

A major turning point in Lilian’s career was when she appeared in Cecil B. DeMille’s 1914 film, “The Squaw Man.” Lilian played a leading role, a woman from the Ute tribe who fell in love with an Englishman.

She received much praise and critical acclaim, making her role in this film a big and historical moment for Native American women in the entertainment industry.

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Lilian performed in several more Western films throughout the early 1900s before retiring from her acting career in 1925. She separated from James and moved to New York City with her sister.

She began dedicating much of her life to activism and building unity within the city’s Native American community. Lilian helped establish the American Indian Community House, which was an excellent resource for Native Americans in the tri-state area.

Lilian continued performing skits on the Upper West Side and became an educator and costume designer. She would design and create Native American costumes for the FAO Schwarz and the Eaves Costume Company and sometimes perform at the toy store as an entertainer.

After years of educating as many people as she could on Native American culture, Lilian passed away in New York City in March 1974. She not only paved the way for other actresses but took pride in her culture and dedicated many years to show people the beauty of it.

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