Roderic Redwing, also known as Rodd Redwing, claimed to be a Chickasaw Indian, although his heritage has been subject to recent scrutiny. Born on August 24, 1904, in New York City, New York, USA, Redwing's father, Ulysses Redwing, was a stage actor who traveled with his family to England, where Roderic attended London's Westminster Grammar School while his family toured with a circus.
Redwing's mother, who left the Chickasaw reservation in Oklahoma to study hair styling in New York City, went on to build a chain of twenty-two beauty parlors from New York City to Miami with her four sisters. When the family returned to New York, Redwing attended Herron High School in Hell's Kitchen before graduating from New York University. He was a talented athlete, excelling in football at both the high school and collegiate levels.
Redwing's early career in the 1920s included stage credits on Broadway, starring in productions such as "Bad Man" with Holbrook Blynn and "Queen of Sheba" with Greta Wilson. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army as a lieutenant. Throughout his career, Redwing worked as an actor, stunt double, and technical advisor in the movie and television industries, while also moonlighting as a gunsmith with Stembridge Gun Rentals, the largest and most renowned firearms rental company in Hollywood.
Redwing is credited with pioneering realistic shooting scenes in films, including the first depiction of the violent impact of a.45 Colt cartridge. His work on classic movies such as "Shane" (1953),"The Ten Commandments" (1956),"The Mole People" (1956),and "Shalako" (1968) showcased his technical expertise and attention to detail.
In the late 1950s, Redwing made a publicity appearance at the Los Angeles Coliseum as part of the first Los Angeles Dodgers baseball season. However, his health began to decline, and in 1961, he underwent abdominal surgery, resulting in the removal of half his stomach.
Redwing married German-born Ericka Rosa (Nicki) Wagner in 1959, and the couple remained together until his passing. His mother passed away on the Cherokee Reservation in Oklahoma, USA, in 1953. Roderic Redwing died on May 30, 1971, at the age of 67, after suffering a heart attack on a flight returning from Spain to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). He succumbed to his injuries thirty-five minutes later.
