# Sonny Landham (Predator) died **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 20, 2017, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonny-landham-predator-died/794170 "2017-08-20T03:50:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonny-landham-predator-died/794170/1 "2017-08-20T03:50:58Z")
Landham is even more of a bad ass in Predator than Arnold. He made the film for me. I liked him as the silent Indian in Cuckoo’s Nest too. Landham never said much but his glare would melt the nads off a polar bear. 😉 RIP Chief [https://www.google.com/amp/amp.usatoday.com/story/583672001/](https://www.google.com/amp/amp.usatoday.com/story/583672001/) > [@](#): > > As Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dutch led the retreat from Predator’s unseen killing creature, Sonny Landham’s Native American tracker Billy Sole stood his ground and bravely accepted one of film’s most glorious deaths. > > Landham’s Predator role and his life were remembered following news that the 76-year-old actor had died Thursday > [@](#): > > Schwarzenegger paid tribute to Landham on Twitter, saying he was “such a joy to work with on Predator, so talented, so fun to be around.” ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonny-landham-predator-died/794170/2 "2017-08-20T03:59:00Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Landham is even more of a bad ass in Predator than Arnold. He made the film for me. > > I liked him as the silent Indian in Cuckoo’s Nest too. No question Mr. Landham excelled in _Predator._…but Will Sampson played the (almost) silent Indian “Chief Bromden” in _One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest_ (1975). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonny-landham-predator-died/794170/3 "2017-08-20T04:27:51Z")
Huh, somehow I always thought the same actor played the Indian roles in those two movies. Another foggy memory corrected. 😉 Landham would have been great as a Bond villain. Maybe during Pierce Brosnan’s Bond era. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonny-landham-predator-died/794170/4 "2017-08-20T04:47:30Z")
Fun fact: he ran a couple times for governor of Kentucky. If won, he’d be the third Predator governor. Unfortunately he got dis-endorsed in the last election because he was apparently a racist crank: > [@](#): > > On June 25, 2008, Landham announced his candidacy for theU.S. Senateseat held byMitch McConnellon theLibertarianline. The same day Landham was accused of calling forgenocideagainstArabs(whom Landham referred to as “camel dung shovelers,” “camel jockeys,” and “rag-heads”) for his comments on the political radio show. Three days later, on June 28, the Kentucky Libertarians voted unanimously to withdraw Landham’s nomination, citing his comments were not in keeping with the party’s platform and values. RIP still ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonny-landham-predator-died/794170/5 "2017-08-21T03:04:23Z")
The story is that the insurance company made them hire a bodyguard for Landham, not to protect him, but to protect the cast and crew, since he had a reputation for getting a little nuts and throwing punches on set. His laugh after Billy’s “echo” joke is one of the best parts of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonny-landham-predator-died/794170/6 "2017-08-21T03:49:35Z")
Before “Predator”, the joke was that Rocky Balboa’s next fight would be against an alien from outer space. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonny-landham-predator-died/794170/7 "2017-08-21T13:55:37Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > His laugh after Billy’s “echo” joke is one of the best parts of the movie. And of course I meant Billy laughed after Hawkins told him the echo joke. Can’t believe I messed that up. But I just found out they’re making another Predator movie, with Shane Black writing & directing. Nice. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonny-landham-predator-died/794170/8 "2017-08-21T16:04:09Z")
I liked the job he did as Billy Bear on _48 hrs_ starring Eddie Murphy and a non-insane Nick Nolte. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonny-landham-predator-died/794170/9 "2017-08-22T01:18:11Z")
His stand in the Predator was the best scene in the movie. I think you can see a subtle look of fear at 1:30 when he sees the Predator.