[ETL]

What you posted was a quote from a Wikipedia article on him. Of course he would deny that he was Italian, given he made his money by convincing people he was an American Indian, either in films or in that famous ad.

The following is from the same:

“Cody was born Espera Oscar de Corti on April 3, 1904, in Kaplan in Vermilion Parish, in southwestern Louisiana, a second son of Antonio de Corti and his wife, Francesca Salpietra, immigrants from Sicily.

He had two brothers, Joseph and Frank, and a sister, Victoria. His parents had a local grocery store in Gueydan, Louisiana, where he grew up. His father left the family and moved to Texas, where he took the name Tony Corti. His mother married Alton Abshire and had five more children with him.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Eyes_Cody

[Daffynition]

http://ironeyescody.org/

"Nearly all my life, it has been my policy to help those less fortunate than myself. My foremost endeavors have been with the help of the Great Spirit to dignify my People's image through humility and love of my country. It is my sincerest wish to reach the hearts of the people of the world by my Keep America Beautiful film of 'The Crying Indian' so they will be more aware of the dangers of pollution facing the world today. If I have done that, then I have done all I need to do!"

[Timely image]

A interesting character:

** Iron Eyes Cody has had audiences with every U.S. President since Roosevelt, also Pope John Paul II in Rome. Iron Eyes was in more Rose Parades than any other actor.**

[ETL]

Re: Of course he would deny that he was Italian...”

I shouldn’t have said “of course”, but rather, it would be no great surprise that he would deny it.

[Daffynition]

His website claims he was a *Cree-Cherokee*

* Iron Eyes was born April 3, 1904 at Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, and passed away January 4, 1999. He was from the Cree-Cherokee Tribes.*

http://ironeyescody.org/