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Yakima Canutt

Full name: Enos Edward Canutt

1895 - 1986


(From Old Corral collection)

Above - a young John Wayne has collared a young and thin Eddie Parker, and on horseback, Yakima Canutt has Earl Dwire under wraps. This re-release lobby card is from THE STAR PACKER (Lone Star/Monogram, 1934), one of eleven 1930s Wayne westerns directed by Bob Steele's father, Robert North Bradbury.


(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

Above is a still from RIDERS OF THE WHISTLING SKULL (Republic, 1937), the fourth film in Republic's Three Mesquiteers series. On the far left is stuntman Yakima Canutt portraying "Otah", a bad Indian.  Wearing the pith helmet is John Ward. In the center, wearing the tallish cowboy hat and vest is Roger Williams, who plays Rutledge, the other main baddie. Max Terhune is behind Williams and Ray Corrigan (holding John Van Pelt) and Bob Livingston are on the right. The lady in the background is heroine Mary Russell.

 There's extensive coverage of Yakima Canutt on the Old Corral.  Go back to the Old Corral homepage, and scroll down the left side menu to the Stunt Men & Women ... or click HERE and that bio will open in a separate window / tab.



(From Old Corral collection)

Canutt gives a helpin' hand to a young John Wayne in THE STAR PACKER (Lone Star/Monogram, 1934).

Many folks have wondered whether Canutt was Native American. In Stunt Man, The Autobiography of Yakima Canutt (Walker and Company, 1979), Canutt answered the Native American question:

"... if I was Indian I would be very proud of it, but I have traced my ancestry as far back as possible, only to learn that I am Scotch and Irish on my mother's side and Dutch and German on my father's side."



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