Sonny Landham obit

Predator and 48 Hrs. actor Sonny Landham dies at 76

He was not on the list.

Sonny Landham, the Native American actor who costarred in action films Predator and 48 Hrs., has died at the age of 76.

According to his sister, Landham died from congestive heart failure in a hospital in Lexington, KY, the AP reports.

Beginning his career in adult films and stunt work, Landham transitioned into acting work in the late 1970s, often drawing on his Cherokee and Seminole ancestry to portray characters of Native American descent.

His mainstream movie debut was a minor role as a subway policeman in Walter Hill’s 1979 film, The Warriors. Based on that performance, Hill cast him in his first major role as Billy Bear, one of the criminals being tracked by Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy in 48 Hrs.

Landham’s most memorable role came opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger, portraying another Billy — Billy Sole, the Native American tracker in Predator.

He continued to appear in a minor string of action films following the success of that role. In later life, he unsuccessfully tried to start a political career, announcing campaigns for the governor of Kentucky in 2003 and for Mitch McConnell’s Senate seat in 2008.

Landham is survived by his two children.

Filmography

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1969      The Lost Man                     Uncredited

1971      B.S. I Love You                   Uncredited

1974      Special Order     Teamster #1       Uncredited

Come Fly with Us              Joe        

Happy Days         French Cook      

The Love Bus      Amos Johnson  

The Switch or How to Alter Your Ego        Huntington Van Huff      

Cheese                

The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann                Political Candidate          

1975      The Defiance of Good     Dr. Gabriels Patient        

The Big Con        Tex        

The Passions of Carol      Curt Reynolds   

Big Abner            Big Abner           

Illusion of Love                 

1975      Abigail Leslie is Back in Town       Bo          

1976      Blood Bath                         

Virgin Snow        Ben       

Slippery When Wet         Dougie Knowles               

The Honey Cup                 

1977      The Trouble with Young Stuff      Lane the Milkman           

Big Thumbs                        

Sylvia     Junkie #1            

1978      The Ganja Express           First Yellow Toga Guy     Uncredited

MisBehavin'        Clyde    

1979      The Warriors      Cop       

1980      Gloria    Riverside Drive Man No. 8           

1981      Southern Comfort            Hunter

1982      Poltergeist          Pool Worker No. 2          

48 Hrs. Billy Bear            

1984      Fleshburn            Calvin Daggai    

1986      Firewalker           El Coyote            

1987      Predator              Billy Sole             

1988      Action Jackson   Mr. Quick           

1989      Lock Up                Chink Weber     

1992      Maximum Force                Pimp     

Three Days To A Kill         Pepe      TV Movie

1993      Best of the Best 2             James   

Madame              Hector

1994      Taxi Dancers       Diamond Jim     

Savage Land       Lassiter                

Night Realm       Verrick

1995      Guns & Lipstick Albino  

Fatal Choice        Brick     

1996      2090      Indian  

Carnival of Wolves           Bodyguard No. 4              

Billy Lone Bear   Billy Lone Bear  

2007      Disintegration    Boone Cagle      

2009      Mental Scars      Chief Bear           TV movie (final film role)

Television

Year       Television            Episode                Role

1984      The A-Team        The Island            Ryker

1985      The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission                    Sam Sixkiller

Hardcastle and McCormick           You Don't Hear the One that Gets You    Sheriff Billy Blackstone

1986      The Fall Guy        War of the Wheel            Jake

North Star                           Becker

1987      Miami Vice          Viking Bikers from Hell   Toad