Flashback: Marlon Brando refuses Oscar via Sacheen Littlefeather

Did you know it wasn’t Marlon Brando who accepted his Oscar for Best Actor for “The Godfeather” at the 1973 awards show?
The On the Red Carpet blog points out that it was Sacheen Littlefeather who stepped on stage.

Brando had been a longtime supporter of Native American rights, and became involved with the American Indian Movement. The actor wanted to make a statement about the Wounded Knee incident in 1973 as well as to voice his discontent with Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans in film and television. American Indian Rights activist Sacheen Cruz Littlefeather attended the ceremony and rejected the Oscar on his behalf. Littlefeather appeared at the ceremony dressed in Apache attire.

On the Red Carpet pinned Brando’s statement as one of its “great moments in Academy Awards history.”
Watch the video of Littlefeather’s acceptance on behalf of Brando here.