Charlie Hill
The latter decades of the twentieth century saw Native American artists and performers claim space in mainstream American entertainment, bringing perspectives that the industry had long sidelined. Charlie Hill, born in Detroit on July 6, 1951, was among those who worked in that space as a comedian, actor, television actor, and screenwriter.
Hill was educated at West De Pere High School and later at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. A citizen of both the United States and the Oneida Nation, he built a career in English-language comedy and screen performance, working across the overlapping worlds of stand-up and television. As a screenwriter as well as a performer, he contributed to projects from multiple sides of the creative process, occupying roles that few Native American artists held in the industry during his active years.
Hill died on December 30, 2013, in Oneida. His career as a comedian, television actor, and screenwriter placed him among the relatively small number of Native American performers who sustained a presence in American entertainment during the period, working in an industry that rarely made room for voices like his. That he did so as both a performer and a writer reflects the range of his involvement in the craft.
Quotes by Charlie Hill
I do feel an obligation to my clients, to the horses and to the industry. I step back willingly, yet I really hope that I continue to have an influence on young people who want to shoe horses.
I've been very blessed with the people that have come through my life. It was hard to step away from it. I miss the shoeing, but I still have the people.
The physical work of shoeing was actually therapeutic. The shoeing can take a toll on you, but I think it strengthened me.
I think what we are trying to do is build a sanctuary that is best going to serve the communities needs.
I think the navy was trying to get one up on us and trying to get us as wet as possible; we were going straight into the waves. But it's a nice enough day that it's going to dry out.
The book looked doomed, assailed on all sides by those who'd see it superseded by the synthetic-new and those who didn't give two shiny ones. With the recession forging ahead with renewed vigour, bookselling too was going the way of papyrus, taking with it what was left of Richard's self-esteem, his beer money and his comedic persona.
Despite the promise of four days of sun and overly sweet wine, Richard was sporting a sour puss. But then that was to be expected - he sold books for a living, after all.