1973 Oscars: Marie Cruz aka Sacheen Littlefeather refuses Marlon Brando's Oscar

Marlon Brando won the best actor Oscar for his role in "The Godfather" 1972. He didn't attend the 1973 ceremony to pick up his Academy Award. He sent Sacheen Littlefeather instead to refuse his Oscar with a 15 page letter. Howard W. Koch (Producer) told her that if she spoke more than one minute. She would be arrested. Brando also told her not to touch the award. His full letter was read backstage to the world-wide press. He protested the mistreatment of Native Americans in movies. Sacheen reiterated what he said in her short speech. She received "Applause" & "Boo's" from the audience.

Sacheen received praise from minority leaders such as Coretta Scott King (Widow of Martin Luther King Jr.). Native American activists have long since admired her. She also received backlash when Hollywood blacklisted her as an actress. Sacheen even claims that John Wayne had to be held from physically pulling her off stage during the ceremony. Critics outed her real name as Marie Cruz. (Her mother is French-German-dutch & her father is White Mountain Apache-Yaqui).

Littlefeather refuses Oscar from Roger Moore & Liv Ullmann.

(Click photo for Newsweek article on Oscar history)

Sacheen's acting career never got off the ground. If she wasn't exploited as a Native American. She was exploited as a woman. She posed for "Playboy" magazine in 1972 with 9 other Native women called, "10 Little Indians." It was scrapped, but after she appeared at the Oscars. Her lone nude photos were published in that magazine. She appeared in "B" films including, "The Trial of Billy Jack" 1974. She was gang raped by 5 white men & her breast's were exposed in "Johnny Firecloud" 1975.

Sacheen Littlefeather (Marie Cruz) today.

(Click photo for Entertainment Weekly Oscar History)

The Academy Awards no longer lets people accept Oscar's for Winner's by proxy after Sacheen's appearance in 1973. Roger Moore kept Brando's Oscar until years later, when the Academy sent an armed guard to his home to get the award. Marlon Brando passed away in 2004. Littlefeather is now writing a memoir & fighting cancer. Each & every year when the Oscars approach. She is interviewed and/or an article is written about her 1973 Oscar minute.