Famous Actors From South Dakota

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Famous actors from South Dakota

Admiring and envying the world's biggest stars is easy to do on Instagram. From A-list movie stars and major musicians to pro ball players and comedians who landed their own sitcoms, there's no shortage of evidence of just how good the good life is. They post pictures of themselves with other big shots on rooftop bars, at exclusive clubs, at backstage parties, and at restaurants where regular people can't get a reservation.

But the vast majority of these celebrities were born and raised outside of Hollywood, finding their way to the bright lights and big money of superstardom from obscure beginnings in regular small towns or cities across the country.

Stacker compiled a list of actors that were born in South Dakota from IMDb's most popular list. For each actor, we included a movie poster image from a film he is known for (all movie poster images from OMDb). Keep reading to see which favorite actors are from your home state.

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Mo Brings Plenty

- Born: Porcupine, South Dakota (9/4/1969)
- Known for:
--- Rainwater's Driver in "Yellowstone" (2018-2021)
--- Stunts in "The Revenant" (2015)
--- Apache Warrior 2 in "Cowboys & Aliens" (2011)

Nicky Katt

- Born: South Dakota (5/11/1970)
- Known for:
--- Greg Weinstein in "Boiler Room" (2000)
--- Clint in "Dazed and Confused" (1993)
--- Stuka in "Sin City" (2005)

Tokala Black Elk

- Born: Pine Ridge, South Dakota (6/6/1905)
- Known for:
--- Sam Littlefeather in "Wind River" (2017)
--- Sam Stands Alone in "Yellowstone" (2018)
--- Bear in "The Bygone" (2019)

Sam Anderson

- Born: South Dakota (4/2/1947)
- Known for:
--- Principal in "Forrest Gump" (1994)
--- Mr. Hyde in "Water for Elephants" (2011)
--- Man in White in "Airplane II: The Sequel" (1982)

Russell Means

- Born: Pine Ridge, South Dakota (11/10/1939)
- Died: 10/22/2012
- Known for:
--- Chingachgook in "The Last of the Mohicans" (1992)
--- Old Indian in "Natural Born Killers" (1994)
--- Powhatan in "Pocahontas" (1995)

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Tatanka Means

- Born: Porcupine, South Dakota (2/19/1985)
- Known for:
--- Charges the Enemy in "The Son" (2017)
--- Hobbamock in "Saints & Strangers" (2015)
--- Wolf in "Tiger Eyes" (2012)

Michael Spears

- Born: Chamberlain, South Dakota (12/28/1977)
- Known for:
--- Dog Star in "Into the West" (2005)
--- Otter in "Dances with Wolves" (1990)
--- Broken Wing in "Yellow Rock" (2011)

Eddie Spears

- Born: Chamberlain, South Dakota (11/29/1982)
- Known for:
--- Shane in "DreamKeeper" (2003)
--- Serrated Tomahawk in "Bone Tomahawk" (2015)
--- Older Red Lance in "Into the West" (2005)

Floyd 'Red Crow' Westerman

- Born: Lake Traverse Indian Reservation, Roberts County, South Dakota (8/17/1936)
- Died: 12/13/2007
- Known for:
--- Ten Bears in "Dances with Wolves" (1990)
--- Chief Eagle Horn in "Hidalgo" (2004)
--- George Littlefox in "Dharma & Greg" (1997-2001)

Eddie Little Sky

- Born: Pine Ridge, South Dakota (8/15/1926)
- Died: 9/5/1997
- Known for:
--- Denson in "The Car" (1977)
--- Apache in "Apache Warrior" (1957)
--- Alchise in "Duel at Diablo" (1966)

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Leslie Carlson

- Born: Mitchell, South Dakota (2/24/1933)
- Died: 5/3/2014
- Known for:
--- Barry Convex in "Videodrome" (1983)
--- Brenner in "The Dead Zone" (1983)
--- Christmas Tree Man in "A Christmas Story" (1983)

Gene Roth

- Born: Redfield, South Dakota (1/8/1903)
- Died: 7/19/1976
- Known for:
--- Sheriff Cagle in "The Spider" (1958)
--- Sam in "Zombies of Mora Tau" (1957)
--- Judge in "The Twilight Zone" (1961)

Gary Owens

- Born: Mitchell, South Dakota (5/10/1934)
- Died: 2/12/2015
- Known for:
--- Commander Ulysses Feral in "Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron" (1993-1994)
--- M.C. for Rancor Extortion Video in "Spy Hard" (1996)
--- Newscaster in "The Green Hornet" (1966-1967)

Brock Lesnar

- Born: Webster, South Dakota (7/12/1977)
- Known for:
--- Brock Lesnar in "WrestleMania 31" (2015)
--- Brock Lesnar in "SummerSlam" (2012)
--- Brock Lesnar in "WWE Raw" (2002-2020)

Fred Sherman

- Born: South Dakota (5/14/1905)
- Died: 5/20/1969
- Known for:
--- The Prospector in "7 Men from Now" (1956)
--- Drunk in "I Love Lucy" (1954)
--- Jeb Farley in "Chain Lightning" (1950)

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Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse

- Born: Rosebud Reservation, South Dakota (4/28/1976)
- Known for:
--- Smiles A Lot in "Dances with Wolves" (1990)
--- Sleeping Bear in "Into the West" (2005)
--- Holy Man in "The Red Man's View"

Lane Chandler

- Born: South Dakota (6/4/1899)
- Died: 9/14/1972
- Known for:
--- Teresh in "Samson and Delilah" (1949)
--- Firebrand Jordan in "Firebrand Jordan" (1930)
--- Jack Venable in "The Lightning Express" (1930)

Kelly Thordsen

- Born: Deadwood, South Dakota (1/19/1917)
- Died: 1/23/1978
- Known for:
--- Sheriff L.D. Wicker in "The Parallax View" (1974)
--- Jed in "Texas Across the River" (1966)
--- Colorado Charlie in "Yancy Derringer" (1959)

Brian Cummings

- Born: Sioux Falls, South Dakota (3/4/1948)
- Known for:
--- Dr. Mindbender in "G.I. Joe" (1986)
--- Doofus Drake in "DuckTales" (1987-1989)
--- Stove in "Beauty and the Beast" (1991)

Clinton Sundberg

- Born: Vienna, South Dakota (12/7/1903)
- Died: 12/14/1987
- Known for:
--- Oscar in "The Toast of New Orleans" (1950)
--- Foster Wilson in "Annie Get Your Gun" (1950)
--- Mike the Bartender in "Easter Parade" (1948)

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Pat O'Brien

- Born: Sioux Falls, South Dakota (2/14/1948)
- Known for:
--- Pat O'Brien in "Big Fat Liar" (2002)
--- Pat O'Brien in "BASEketball" (1998)
--- Pat O'Brien in "Pauly Shore Is Dead" (2003)

Ron Hagerthy

- Born: Andover, South Dakota (3/9/1932)
- Known for:
--- Bugler in "The Horse Soldiers" (1959)
--- John Oakhurst in "The Lineup" (1957)
--- Jeff Harper in "Tombstone Territory" (1959)

Jamie Anderson

- Born: Rapid City, South Dakota (12/17/1989)
- Known for:
--- Chris in "The Contract" (2006)
--- Roman in "Magnum Opus" (2015)
--- Matthew Boyum in "Until Forever" (2016)

Gary Mule Deer

- Born: Deadwood, South Dakota (11/21/1939)
- Known for:
--- Man at Health Food Restaurant in "Annie Hall" (1977)
--- Freak with Basketball in "Up in Smoke" (1978)
--- Attorney in "Nash Bridges" (2000)

Brick Sullivan

- Born: Beresford, South Dakota (7/28/1899)
- Died: 9/4/1959
- Known for:
--- Guard in "Canon City" (1948)
--- Police Officer Johnson in "Adventures of Superman" (1952-1955)
--- Actor in "The 20th Century-Fox Hour" (1956)

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Mark Bringelson

- Born: Armour, South Dakota (10/24/1957)
- Known for:
--- Officer McCord in "Heathers" (1988)
--- Rubrick in "Soldier" (1998)
--- Sebastian Timms in "The Lawnmower Man" (1992)

John Miljan

- Born: Lead City, South Dakota (11/9/1892)
- Died: 1/24/1960
- Known for:
--- The Blind One in "The Ten Commandments" (1956)
--- Dr. Dolan in "Torchy Runs for Mayor" (1939)
--- Prescott Ames in "The Ghost Walks" (1934)

Charles 'Chic' Sale

- Born: Huron, South Dakota (8/25/1885)
- Died: 11/7/1936
- Known for:
--- Deputy Tex Murdock in "Rocky Mountain Mystery" (1935)
--- Grandpa John T. Minick in "The Expert" (1932)
--- Ben Gunn in "Treasure Island" (1934)

Casey Tibbs

- Born: Fort Pierre, South Dakota (3/5/1929)
- Died: 1/28/1990
- Known for:
--- Actor in "The Young Rounders" (1971)
--- Director in "The Sioux Nation" (1970)
--- Parade Grand Marshal in "Junior Bonner" (1972)

Jerry Ver Dorn

- Born: Sioux Falls, South Dakota (11/23/1949)
- Known for:
--- Clint Buchanan in "One Life to Live" (2005-2013)
--- Ross Marler in "Guiding Light" (1979-2005)
--- Clint Buchanan in "One Life to Live" (2013)

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James McDonnell

- Born: Sioux Falls, South Dakota (2/23/2021)
- Known for:
--- Attorney in "Wedding Crashers" (2005)
--- Detective Van Allen in "The X-Files" (2002)
--- James Kent in "Bones" (2006-2011)

Hubert H. Humphrey

- Born: Wallace, South Dakota (5/27/1911)
- Died: 1/13/1978
- Known for:
--- Senator Hubert H. Humphrey in "The Candidate" (1972)
--- Self in "Playhouse 90" (1957)
--- Self in "US Vice President Humphrey Visits India" (1966)

Rex Robbins

- Born: Pierre, South Dakota (3/30/1935)
- Died: 9/23/2003
- Known for:
--- Roger Sherman (CT) in "1776" (1972)
--- Mr. Levinson in "The Royal Tenenbaums" (2001)
--- McMasters in "The Secret of My Success" (1987)

Milan Smith

- Born: Ree, South Dakota (4/27/1923)
- Died: 5/2/2001
- Known for:
--- Holster #2 in "Stagecoach to Dancers' Rock" (1962)
--- Kyle in "Rawhide" (1959-1964)
--- Wagon Train Member in "Wagon Train" (1957-1964)

Ron Holgate

- Born: Aberdeen, South Dakota (5/26/1937)
- Known for:
--- Richard Henry Lee (VA) in "1776" (1972)
--- Cabeza de Vaca in "Cabeza de Vaca" (1962)
--- Max in "Men of Means" (1998)

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Pat Billingsley

- Born: Sioux Falls, South Dakota (5/3/1925)
- Died: 4/22/2011
- Known for:
--- Bailiff in "The Untouchables" (1987)
--- Professor in "Somewhere in Time" (1980)
--- Lander in "The Fury" (1978)