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Will Sampson

Will Sampson

Actor · Died June 3, 1987, aged 53 · Okmulgee, Oklahoma, USA

Will Sampson (September 27, 1933 – June 3, 1987) was a Native-American businessman, entrepreneur, rodeo performer, actor and painter/artist. He was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma and was an imposing 6' 7" (2.01 m) tall and also wore size 18 4E shoes. Sampson's most notable roles were as "Chief Bromden" in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and as "Taylor the Medicine Man" in the horror film Poltergeist II. He had a recurring role on the TV series Vega$, as Harlon Twoleaf and starred in the movies Fish Hawk, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and Orca. Mr. Sampson appeared in the production of Black Elk Speaks with the American Indian Theater Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where David Carradine and other Native-American actors like Wes Studi and Randolph Mantooth starred in stage productions. Mr. Sampson competed in rodeos, his speciality riding bucking broncos, for about twenty years. He was on the rodeo circuit when the producers of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Saul Zaentz and Michael Douglas, were looking for a large Native American man to play the role of Chief Bromden a 6’8”, 300 lb, Native-American/European-American man. A rodeo announcer told them about Sampson, and after lengthy efforts to find him, they hired him on the strength of an interview. He had never acted before. Mr. Sampson was also an artist. His large painting depicting the Ribbon Dance of his Muscogee people is in the collection of the Creek Council House Museum in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. His artwork is currently displayed online by The Kvskvnv (“kuskuna”) Association.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 26, 1933
Died
June 3, 1987 (aged 53)
From
Okmulgee, Oklahoma, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
11 on MovieCove · 28 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 20% in 30 days

What are Will Sampson's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
21%
Survival
20%
Self
15%
Bonds
12%
Society
11%
Power
11%
Ideas
11%
Survival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGuilt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 2 · Serious 1 · Dark 5

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 4 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 3 · Intense 4

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 1 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 3 of 4 analyzed roles.

Mentor
3 of 4
Threshold guardian
1 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Contemplative
3
Dread
3
Hopeful
3
Melancholic
2
Other
5

How their films linger

Thought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Will Sampson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 11 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Will Sampson's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

28 credits, 11 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Completely Cuckoo(1997)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Gunfighters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Train Passenger

  • Firewalker(1986)

    as Tall Eagle

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Johnny Appleseed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Chief

  • Roanoak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 3 episodes · as Wingina

  • Poltergeist II: The Other Side(1986)

    as Taylor

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Tall Tales & Legends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Chief

  • Insignificance(1985)

    as Elevator Attendant

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Wildside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Mystic Warrior (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · as Wambli

  • The Yellow Rose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 22 episodes · as John Stronghart

  • The Great Spirit Within the Hole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Narrator

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 2 episodes · as Wangina · as Wingina

  • Born to the Wind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Painted Bear

  • Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story(1980)

    as Clarence's Father

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 2 episodes · as Clarence's Father

  • From Here to Eternity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 12 episodes · as Sgt. Cheney

  • Fish Hawk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Fish Hawk

  • From Here to Eternity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 3 episodes · as Cpl. Cheney

  • Standing Tall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Lonny Moon

  • The Hunted Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Uncle George

  • Relentless (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Sam Watchman

  • Orca(1977)

    as Umilak

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The White Buffalo(1977)

    as Crazy Horse/Worm

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Outlaw Josey Wales(1976)

    as Ten Bears

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson(1976)

    as The Interpreter (William Halsey)

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest(1975)

    as Chief Bromden

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Crazy Mama(1975)

    as Indian at Trading Post

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 92nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 28 titles from 1975 to 1997; peak year 1976.

Biggest box office

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

$109M worldwide

Highest rated

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

19751997

Peak 1976 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting28 of 28: 28 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score46th

By decade

1970s10 · acting1980s17 · acting1990s1 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 8 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Will Sampson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 46th percentile, the median of all 11; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 11 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th1
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

None of their 11 titles divides audiences: 3 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed3

Most loved · actor

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Will Sampson's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 60 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles13–37 · median 20 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 43 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 33 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 85 · severeMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Will Sampson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Will Sampson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; J. Lee Thompson shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Producers

Mixed roles