Actor. A member of the Onondaga Indian Tribe of the Seneca Nation, he will be best remembered for playing the character roles of Indian braves, Indian chiefs, historical figures, medicine men, Huron warriors, porters, and Indian scouts, usually in classic western films. He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Chief Pontiac' in the historical war film drama, "Winners Of The Wilderness" (1927). The film which was directed by W.S. Van Dyke, which was written for the screen by Marian Ainslee, Josephine Chippo, and John T. Neville, and which also starred Tim McCoy, Joan Crawford, Edward Connelly, and Will Walling, tells the story of able wilderness fighter Colonel Sir Dennis O'Hara loves Rene Contrecoeur, daughter of the commander of the French forces during the French and Indian War. The Indians, under Chief Pontiac, kidnap Rene Contrecoeur. Colonel Sir Dennis O'Hara hopes to rescue and wed her. He was born as Isaac Johnny John in Buffalo, New York, to Lewis Johnny John and his wife Lucy Johnny John on June 2, 1877, and later took the name of Chief John Big Tree for his acting career. He made his actual film debut playing the role of an 'Indian Brave' in the adventure film, "The White Scar" (1915). The film which was directed by, written for the screen by, and which also starred Hobart Bosworth, which was also directed by Ulysses Davis, and which also starred Anne Lehr, Norval McGregor, Jane Novak, Seymour Zeliff, Frank Newburg, Chris Willow Bird, and Minnie Devereaux, tells the story of Wenonah relates to her charge, a boy of twelve and the son of Na-Ta-Nan-Gan, a name which means, in the Indian tongue, "great trapper," a story of his father's early life. Na-Ta-Nan-Gan is a great trapper and a friend of the Indians. Wenonah, a young Indian girl, has a deep affection for him. At the Hudson Bay trading post, where Na-Ta-Nan-Gan goes to dispose of his skins, he meets Janet, the daughter of Mackintosh, the factor, and a mutual attraction develops at the sight of each. It has been decided, however, that Janet is to marry Henri, a French Canadian, who has coveted her with a primitive passion which has held the girl in awe at times. Henri steals the skins hid by Mackintosh, and gives them to Red Pete, a renegade, to hide. The factor misses the skins, and Robert, his son, voices his suspicions. Henri hears that he is being accused, and to get revenge places the stolen property in the mailbag which Robert is to take out. Mackintosh accuses Henri, who transfers the charge to Robert. The skins are found in the bag, and Mackintosh decrees that his son must be dealt with according to the law of the North. He is forthwith given La Longe Traverse, which means that the lawbreaker shall be sent for three days into the wilderness without means of sustenance. Na-Ta-Nan-Gan learns of the incident and sacrifices his reputation for the sake of the brother of the girl he loves by declaring that he put the skins in the mailbag. He is imprisoned, but late that night is released by Janet and her brother Robert, who had been called back. At the suggestion of Robert, Janet and Na-Ta-Nan-Gan then hasten away and are married. The Indian friends of Na-Ta-Nan-Gan, learning of his sacrifice, set out to find him and eventually come upon him and his bride and offer assistance. A child is born to the pair and he is known to the Indians as "Starlight." Back at the post, Red Pete makes a dying confession that Henri is the real culprit, and Mackintosh, seeing his error, sends his men to locate Na-Ta-Nan-Gan and Janet. Henri is sent on La Longe Traverse, and days later he is found in an exhausted condition by Wenonah. He tells her that Red Pete made a confession before his death that he (Red Pete) committed the crime, and that he was sent in search of Na-Ta-Nan-Gan and Janet. Believing his story to be true, Wenonah directs him to the hut wherein lives the missing couple, and to them, Henri tells the same story. Days later, when Henri and Na-Ta-Nan-Gan are on a trapping expedition, the old covetousness of the former's nature to possess Janet comes to the surface, and he throws his benefactor over a cliff. Henri tells Janet that her husband met his death by accident, and pleads with her to let him protect her. Believing that it will be the best for her child, Janet consents, and they leave the vicinity. Wenonah discovers Na-Ta-Nan-Gan and nurses him back to health. Hearing what his wife has done, he believes that she is unfaithful to him, and vows to kill both Henri and Janet. Meanwhile, Mackintosh's searching party comes upon Na-Ta-Nan-Gan and learns the sad news from him. Instead of taking Janet back to her father, which he had promised to do, Henri stops for several days at a distant trading post. Janet is heartbroken by a letter purporting to come from her father which Henri shows her and which denounces her. She agrees to marry Henri, and just as the ceremony is about to take place, they are confronted by Na-Ta-Nan-Gan, Wenonah, and Robert, who had started out in search of them. Henri is about to kill Na-Ta-Nan-Gan when Wenonah throws herself in front of him and receives a bad wound. Na-Ta-Nan-Gan kills the criminal and hearing the story in full, he realizes the innocence of Janet. Back at the post, old Mackintosh, bent low with years, awaits the return of his beloved. Joyous indeed is the meeting. As the story ends, Wenonah solemnly points to the white scar upon her neck and tells her little charge that it was made by the knife of Henri when she was willing to give herself so that his father might live. Besides, playing the role of an 'Indian Brave' in the adventure film, "The White Scar" (1915), and playing the role of 'Chief Pontiac' in the historical war film drama, "Winners Of The Wilderness" (1927), his many other film credits include, "Author! Author!" (1915), "The Cactus Blossom" (1915), "The Spirit Of '76" (1917), "A Fight For Love" (1919), "The Avenging Arrow" (1921), "The Primitive Lover" (1922), "The Huntress" (1923), "The Iron Horse" (1924), "The Red Rider" (1925), "Ranson's Folly" (1926), "The Frontier Trail" (1926), "Mantrap" (1926), "War Paint" (1926), "The Desert's Toll" (1926), "The Outlaw Breaker" (1926), "The Frontiersman" (1927), "Painted Ponies" (1927), "Spoilers Of The West" (1927), "Wyoming" (1928), "The Overland Telegraph" (1929), "Sioux Blood" (1929), "The Big Trail" (1930), "Red Fork Range" (1931), "Fighting Caravans" (1931), "The Last Of The Mohicans" (1932), "The Golden West" (1932), "Telegraph Trail" (1933), "King Of The Arena" (1933), "Massacre" (1934), "Wheels Of Destiny" (1934), "The Cat's-Paw" (1934), "Wake Up And Dream" (1934), "The Miracle Rider" (1935), "The Farmer Takes A Wife" (1935), "The Singing Vagabond" (1935), "Custer's Last Stand" (1936), "The Adventures Of Frank Merriwell" (1936), "Daniel Boone" (1936), "The Bold Caballero" (1936), "Maid Of Salem" (1937), "Lost Horizon" (1937), "Hills Of Old Wyoming" (1937), "The Painted Stallion" (1937), "Prairie Thunder" (1937), "The Girl Of The Golden West" (1938), "Flaming Frontiers" (1938), "Hawk Of The Wilderness" (1938), "Stagecoach" (1939), "Susannah Of The Mounties" (1939), "The Oregon Trail" (1939), "Drums Along The Mohawk" (1939), "Destry Rides Again" (1939), "Maintain The Right" (1940), "Brigham Young" (1940), "Too Many Girls" (1940), "North West Mounted Police" (1940), "Hudson's Bay" (1940), "Western Union" (1941), "Las Vegas Nights" (1941), "Unconquered" (1947), and "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" (1949). His last film role was playing 'Thundercloud' in the western romance film, "Devil's Doorway" (1950). The film which was directed by Anthony Mann, which was written for the screen by Guy Trosper, and which also starred Robert Taylor, Louis Calhern, Paula Raymond, Edgar Buchanan, Marshall Thompson, and James Millican, tells the story of after the Civil War, a highly decorated Shoshone Indian veteran plans to raise cattle in Wyoming but white farmers plan to grab fertile tribal lands by pitting the whites against the Indians. He retired from acting shortly thereafter. He passed away on the Onondaga Indian Reservation in Indian Village, New York, on July 6, 1967, at the age of 90, and he was buried in the Onondaga Nation Cemetery in Indian Village, New York. He was married to Cynthia Johnson Big Tree (1887-1971), a suffragist, and artist whose accomplishments included Indian crafts and skills, miniatures, and life-size corn husk dolls. He was also married to Clara T. Jimerson Big Tree and was the father of Birdie Johnny John. On an interesting note, according to an episode of "I've Got A Secret" (1952), he was the model for the famous James Earle Fraser sculpture "End of the Trail." He also posed for the cover of Esquire Magazine commemorating the Indian Head Nickel in March of 1964. He was one of three men who claimed to be the model including, Chief Two Moons of the Cheyenne and Chief Iron Tail of the Lakota. The image was reused for a special commemorative $50 gold piece in 2006--the US' first 24k pure gold coin.