Chief Thundercloud

Victor Daniels was given the title of "Chief" in an honorary capacity and identified himself as Cherokee although is background is vague. His application for a social security number lists his birth date as April 12, 1899, and his birthplace as Arizona. Thundercloud was the eldest of nine children born to Jesus Daniels and Tomaca Daniels (as indicated on his social security application).

But on his marriage record to Mildred Turner in 1925, he said his name was "Victor Vazquez. "Raised on a ranch in Arizona, he claimed he was educated at the University of Arizona at Tucson but the Office of the Registrar checked their databases and found no attendance record for a Victor Daniels.

He worked in cattle ranches and rodeos in addition as a mining foreman, boxer and guide before entering movies as a stuntman in 1929.

An article in the "Los Angeles Times" in 1931 said that an osteopathic physician had employed him as an unlicensed person to administer osteopathic adjustments to patients. Charges of unprofessional conduct were brought before the State Board of Osteopathic Examiners.

By 1935, Hollywood had given him the professional name of "Chief Thundercloud" and was appearing in acting roles, many of them uncredited.

For the next two decades he played strong, grim roles in such "B" westerns as Cyclone of the Saddle (1935), Ramona (1936), The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1938), Young Buffalo Bill (1940), North West Mounted Police (1940), The Law Rides Again (1943), Romance of the West (1946), Davy Crockett, Indian Scout (1950) and Santa Fe (1951). He eventually earned screen credit for his Indian tribe members and chiefs, typecast more as evil than good.

Married his first wife Mildred Turner (from Missouri) on 5/26/25 in Los Angeles County (book 597, page 224). His marriage certificate listed his name as Victor Vasquez. At that time, he said his father's name was Sava Vasquez and his mother's was Telmas Daniels. He listed his birthplace as Oklahoma. However, on his Social Security Application in 1937 he said he was born in Arizona and his father is Jesus F. Daniels and mother Tomaca Daniels.

Chief Thundercloud is probably best known for creating the role of faithful sidekick "Tonto" in the serial The Lone Ranger (1938) and its sequel The Lone Ranger Rides Again (1939).

He also played the title role of Paramount Pictures' Geronimo (1939). On TV, he appeared in such programs as "Death Valley Days," "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin," "My Little Margie" and "Buffalo Bill, Jr.

According to the "Los Angeles Daily News", he was fined $200 and received fours years probation in 1951 after he pleaded guilty to violating the Corporate Security Act. He was told to make restitution of $5625 to his victims after he had sold them shares in films without a permit.

"Following an uncredited part as a chief in the classic western The Searchers (1956), he died at age 56 following surgery for stomach cancer in Ventura County, California on November 30, 1955. Twice married, he was survived by second wife Frances, a former singer, and their two children. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Los Angeles area.