"All it took was 90 seconds for her dream of a Hollywood career to go up in smoke.

On March 27, 1973, Sacheen Littlefeather earned her place in Academy Award history by representing Marlon Brando and refusing the Oscar for his role in “The Godfather.” She also ensured the end of her acting career.

“It cut my career short. If it weren’t for that I’d probably have a going career. I worked for radio, for television, I was in the Screen Actor’s Guild…” she said shrugging her shoulders.

The newspaper articles printed afterwards, she said, were “just horrible. No one ever asked me my side of the story.”

“We have Indians over here at Wounded Knee who are going to be sent to a place like Guantanamo Bay at any second by the FBI, out of sight, out of mind. Something’s got to be done about them, right? So these were the things that I was saying,” she said.

“I was boycotted (by the film industry); somebody had to pay the price.”"

Get the Story:
Lisa Snell: Part II: What would Sacheen Littlefeather say? (The Native American Times 11/1)

Related Stories:
Lisa Snell: In northern California hills with Sacheen Littlefeather (10/25)