Charlie Hill

Charles Allan Hill (July 6, 1951 – December 30, 2013) was a comedian and actor. Hill was one of the first Native American stand-up comedians to appear on major television shows such as The Richard Pryor Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Show with David Letterman, Roseanne, and Moesha. He was a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, with heritage from the Mohawk and Cree Nations, and belonged to the Turtle Clan. He also wrote for the television series Roseanne and co-produced and hosted a Showtime special called The American Indian Comedy Slam: Goin Native No Reservations Needed. Charlie Hill was the first Native stand-up comedian ever to perform on national television, making his network debut on The Richard Pryor Show in 1977. He then went on to become the first Native comedian to perform on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson among many other national late-night talk shows. Charlie performed across North America for hundreds of Tribal communities and Nations throughout his career.