‘Gunsmoke’ and ‘Apple Dumpling Gang’ Actress Dead at 95: RIP to Dawn Little Sky

Actress Dawn Little Sky has died. She was 95.

Little Sky, best known for her TV roles, died late last month at the Monument Health Hospital in Rapid City, South Dakota, according to an obituary posted online by her family.

A Native American, she lived on the Standing Rock Reservation in her early years, before meeting her future husband Eddie Little Sky. The two became artists at Walt Disney Studio for the company’s animated works, then both became popular actors later on.

Dawn Little Sky was known for her roles in Gypsy, The Apple Dumpling Gang and Rawhide, while her husband appeared in several episodes of Gilligan’s Island while speaking the Siouan language Lakota on-screen.

They later both acted together on episodes of Gunsmoke, Have Gun Will Travel, Daniel Boone, and The Magical World of Disney. They also appeared in films together, too, like Chief Crazy Horse, Cimarron, and Journey Through Rosebud.

Later in life, the two moved to South Dakota, where she taught art and culture studies and served as the director of a cultural center in Eagle Butte. Her husband passed away in 1997 at 71 years old.

“Dawn lived an extraordinary life and left a positive impact on all who had the honor to interact with her,” her family said in a statement. “Her life was full of so many adventures and unforgettable experiences, and she was the best storyteller with the most amazing sense of humor!”

She is survived by her three children and her 22 grandchildren.