Person Biography:
Victor Daniels, also known as Chief Thundercloud, was a Native American actor who gained fame in the early 20th century. Born on April 12, 1899, in Arizona, he was the eldest of nine children to Jesus Daniels and Tomaca Daniels. Despite his vague background, Daniels identified himself as Cherokee and was given the honorary title of "Chief".
Raised on a ranch in Arizona, Daniels claimed to have been educated at the University of Arizona, although the Office of the Registrar found no attendance record for him. He worked as a cattle rancher, rodeo rider, mining foreman, boxer, and guide before entering the film industry as a stuntman in 1929.
By 1935, Hollywood had given him the professional name of "Chief Thundercloud", and he began appearing in acting roles, often in uncredited parts. For the next two decades, he played strong, grim roles in many "B" westerns, including "Cyclone of the Saddle", "Ramona", "The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok", and "North West Mounted Police". He eventually earned screen credit for his tribe members and chiefs, often typecast as evil.
Chief Thundercloud is best known for creating the role of faithful sidekick "Tonto" in the serial "The Lone Ranger" and its sequel "The Lone Ranger Rides Again". He also played the title role in Paramount Pictures' "Geronimo!" and appeared in various TV programs such as "Death Valley Days", "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin", "My Little Margie", and "Buffalo Bill, Jr.".
After an uncredited part in the classic western "The Searchers", Daniels died at the age of 56 on November 30, 1955, following surgery for stomach cancer in Ventura County, California. He was survived by his second wife, Frances, a former singer, and their two children. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Los Angeles area.
