Johnny Trailfeather (Actor)

Johnny Trailfeather (c. 1926? -- June 19th, 1974) was a Native American actor.

Murder
On the night of June 19th, 1974, at approximately 11:30 at night, in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City, the actor known as Johnny Trailfeather was apparently standing alone on a street corner. Though it is not known why he was specifically standing there, police later found several baggies of marijuana on his person which has led to speculation that he may have been attempting to sell the drugs.

According to witnesses, a 1969 Ford Thunderbird pulled up to the corner. When Trailfeather approached the car, four gunshots rang out. As the car sped off, Trailfeather slumped to the ground. He was dead before police could even reach the scene.

Despite a widely publicized investigation, police have never been able to make any arrests or name any suspects in Trailfeather's murder, though they did theorize that the murder was the result of Trailfeather selling drugs on another dealer's corner. Though the case is still officially open, it is no longer being actively investigated. Anyone with any information concerning the case is asked to contact Detective Steve Grabowski of the New York Police Department.

Stanley Hopper Is Alive And Well North Of The Border
Johnny Trailfeather's only known screen appearance was a major supporting role in the 1972 movie, Stanley Hopper Is Alive And Well North Of The Border. In the film, he played a character known as The Native Son. A stoic, frequently silent Indian, the Native American helps the main character (Stanley Hopper, played by Alan Farrell) learn how to survive in the wilderness of Canada. He is later shot and killed by the film's antagonist, the mysterious Man (played by Elmore Page). After his murder two years later, some news stories drew comparisons between the shooting of the Native Son and the actual death of the actor who played him.

Reportedly, Johnny Trailfeather was cast at the suggestion of the film's writer, Max Beckwit. Beckwit would later write, in an article for The Village's Other Voice, that he would frequently see Trailfeather wandering around the streets of New York and that, when he was first offered the role, Trailfeather was making a living by performing in live sex shows at a theater located on 42nd street. According to Beckwit, Trailfeather kept to himself on the set of the film and did not get along with the movie's director, Norman Mortirmer. In a later article, Beckwit admitted to initially suspecting that Mortimer was responsible for Trailfeather's shooting but, upon further investigation, discovered that Mortirmer had an alibi.

Personal
According to Beckwit, Trailfeather claimed to have been born on a reservation in Arizona in 1926. Trailfeather often said he was a member of the Cherokee Tribe but would occasionally claim to be Apache or Sioux.