Ralph Moody

A significant portion of Ralph Moody's resume is filled with roles as Native American chiefs, shamans, scouts, and warriors on both film and television. His swarthy looks and rounded features unfortunately left him pigeonholed into playing stereotypical ethnic roles throughout his long career, but an actor could do worse than to work steadily in the entertainment industry for over 20 years in the twilight of his life. He came late to acting, landing his first role as a villager in the adventure "Man-Eater of Kumaon" at the age of 61. For the next 10 years, he appeared in numerous Westerns as cowboys and Indians alike, on both film and TV. His feature film appearances began to wane throughout the 1960s (his latter roles went mostly uncredited), and he focused exclusively on television for the remainder of his career. He had recurring roles on both incarnations of Jack Webb's "Dragnet," "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin," "The Rifleman" with Chuck Conners, and "Bonanza." He continued working until his death in 1971.