
Photo: Carolmooredc / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on November 10, 1939, Russell Means was from Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, United States. Russell Means was credited as a musician, autobiographer and film actor. Death is recorded on October 22, 2012, at the age of 72. Education on record includes San Leandro High School. Credited works include Pocahontas and Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
My Take
For me, Russell Means is impossible to file away as merely an actor. Born on the Pine Ridge Reservation and an Oglala Lakota to his core, he put his body on the line for Native American rights and turned the American Indian Movement into something the world could not ignore. His film roles in Pocahontas and Thomas and the Magic Railroad lent a real presence, but they were footnotes to a life of confrontation. What I admire most is the consistency: the man who fought offscreen was the same man onscreen. He used fame as a megaphone, never a hiding place, and that integrity is what I keep coming back to.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Russell Means
- Name (Japanese)
- ラッセル・ミーンズ
- Reading
- らっせる・みーんず
- Born
- November 10, 1939 – October 22, 2012
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Rabbit
- Origin
- Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, United States
- Occupation
- actor / musician / autobiographer / film actor / politician
2. Background
- High school
- San Leandro High School
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Pocahontas | — | |
| Notable work | Thomas and the Magic Railroad | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.russellmeans.com/
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell%20Means
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%A9%E3%83%83%E3%82%BB%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BB%E3%83%9F%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BA
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q319799
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Russell Means born?
Born November 10, 1939.
When did Russell Means die?
Died October 22, 2012, aged 72.
Where was Russell Means from?
Russell Means was from Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, United States.
What did Russell Means do?
Russell Means worked as actor, musician, autobiographer, film actor, politician.
What was Russell Means known for?
Notable works include Pocahontas, Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
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