The Google Doodle on Wednesday honors Charlie Hill, a Native American actor and standup comedian who challenged racial stereotypes and defended his native identity against oppression.
Hill was born in 1951 in Detroit and moved to the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin reservation where his father grew up when he was 11 years old. When Hill was a child, he watched TV programs featuring Dick Gregory, a Black satirist who used his humor to draw attention to social injustices.
He majored in speech and drama at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before entering the New York theater scene before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting and comedy. His big break came in 1977 when he appeared on the Richard Pryor Show, a short-lived sketch comedy television show hosted by a Black comedian who also used humor to break down racial barriers.
It proved to be an unpredictably pivotal moment for Hill. Pryor and his head writer approached Hill about appearing in a sketch, but Hill declined, arguing that the sketch was based on offensive, demeaning stereotypes. A response was made by Pryor, who offered to participate in the sketch, but Hill requested that he perform some of his stand-up material addressing Native American stereotypes, which he did.
“Many of you white people have never seen an Indian perform standup comedy before,” Hill said. You probably thought Indians had no sense of humor for so long. We did not think you were humorous either.”
After this, he became the first Native American comedian to appear on the Tonight Show With Johnny Carson, as well as regular appearances on late-night talk television. During his career, he also appeared numerous times on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and was a writer on Roseanne and Moesha for the TV series.
Charlie Hill Biography
| Birth | July 6, 1951 |
| Death | December 30, 2013 (62 years) |
| Occupation | Comedian, Actor and Writer |
| Education | Majored in Speech and Drama |
| Years of Active | 1978 to 2010 |
| Awards and Recognition | Ivy Bethune Tri-Union Diversity Award, Honoured for his ‘lifetime of promoting positive images of Native Peoples and bridging cultural differences through the healing power of hunour’ |
| Wife | Lenora Hatathlie (1980-2013) (his death) |
| Children | Nabahe, Dine Nizhoni, Nanbah and Nasbah |
Charlie Hill Birth & Education
Charlie Hill was born in 1951 in Detroit, Michigan, In 1962, his family returned to their homestead on the Oneida reservation as a child.He graduated from West De Pere High School in 1969 and enrolled in the Department of Speech and Drama at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1970. He was a member of the Broom Street Theatre Group
He was a member of Hanay Geiogomah’s Native American Theatre Ensemble during the early 1970s. At La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in the East Village of Manhattan, where the ensemble resided, the ensemble also performed Coyote Tracks and Foghorn. After graduating from college, Charlie Hill moved to Los Angeles and began working as an actor and comedian.
Charlie Hill Television & film
| Year | Television & film |
| 1977 | The Richard Pryor Show |
| 1978 | The Bionic Woman (television series) |
| 1980 | The Big Show (television series) |
| 1984 | Harold of Orange (Short Film) |
| 1984 | Earthlings (television film) |
| 1985 | Late Night with David Letterman |
| 1985 | Spenser (television series) |
| 1986 | Impure thoughts |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno |
| 1993 | North of 60 (television series) |
| 1995 | Roseanne |
| 1996 | Moesha (television series) |
| 1996 | White Shamans and Plastic Medicine Men (documentary short) |
| 1999 | On and Off the Res with Charlie Hill (documentary) |
| 2004 | City Confidential (television documentary) |
| 2005 | CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival (television series) |
| 2004-2006 | Late Show with David Letterman |
| 2009 | The Longest Walk through Hollywood |
| 2009 | Goin’ Native: The Indian Comedy Slam-No reservations needed (television film) |
| 2010 | A Good Day to Die (Charlie Hill is interviewed about Dennis Banks) |
Charlie Hill Career
In 1977, Charlie Hill appeared on ‘The Richard Pryor Show’. Hill became the first comedian to appear on ‘The Tonight Show with Jimmy Carson’. Later, he appeared on ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’ as well as on ‘Late Night with David Letterman’.
Charlie Hill has been selected three times to host the ‘First Americans in the Arts’ awards show in Hollywood. Also a stand-up comedian, Hill appeared in international venues and was a regular at The Comedy Store in Hollywood. His stage name was ‘Harold of Orange’ and he starred as a member of the Native American actor and comedian group in 1984.
Charlie Hill Awards
| Year | Awards |
| 2009 | Ivy Bethune Tri-Union Diversity Award |
| 2010 | ‘Native America on the web’ honored Charlie Hill for his ‘Lifetime of promoting positive images of Native People and bridging cultural differences through the healing power of humor’ |
Charlie Hill FAQ
What was the history of Charlie Hill?
Charlie Hill was born in 1951 in Detroit, Michigan, In 1962, his family returned to their homestead on the Oneida reservation as a child.He graduated from West De Pere High School in 1969 and enrolled in the Department of Speech and Drama at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1970. He was a member of the Broom Street Theatre Group
In what profession did Charlie Hill work?
He was a comedian, writer, and actor by profession. In 1973, he was the first Native American comedian to appear on the late night show with Johnny Carson.
What was the birthdate of Charlie Hill?
Charlie Hill was born in 1951 in Detroit, Michigan
What was the date of Charlie Hill’s death
Charlie Hill’s death: December 30, 2013 (62 years)