Doug Waldorf is a charismatic-type leader who has influenced tens of thousands of admirers in several different fields. Whether lecturing to an audience of university professors about Indians, performing on stage, or telling a story to a group of kids around a campfire, Waldorf takes center stage with enthusiasm, authority, and dignity. As he talks, he puts the listener into the midst of the action with a voice that is deep, strong, and clear as a bell. His attention to detail is amazing, his accuracy of facts is impeccable, and his concerns for Indians and environmental issues run very deep. Here is a man who knows where he is coming from and where he is going. And if you don’t hold onto your seat, you’ll get swept along too.

Who is this man? This can’t be answered in a nutshell. Waldorf has worn more hats than anyone I’ve ever known. As soon as I get a grip on one identity, up pops another to top the last. Here are some of the high points: Doug Waldorf rose to national prominence in the 1960s as "Chief Thundercloud", one of the nation’s top Wild West Show performers. He was right up there with Lash La Rue, Chief A.J., and Chee Chee White Cloud. He stunned audiences with his knife throwing, bull whip tricks, trick shooting with bow and arrow and guns, and other feats. Even today his logo is a thundercloud. ( ). He was also a firefighter, a conductor of a concert orchestra, a rodeo trick rider, a radio and TV announcer, a minister, a High Priest, a scoutmaster, an archeologist, an actor, the director of two living Indian Village/museums, an author, and now, a multi-media technician and programmer. What follows is a succinct list of his accomplishments, to be followed by a deeper look into certain aspects.

Born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Waldorf served in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. He is a High Priest in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, filled a mission in the Central Atlantic States in 1951, has served in many callings in the Church since then. He and his wife, Olive, have served for 20 years as officiators in the Atlanta Temple.

A youth leader for 35 years, Waldorf served in Scout leadership for 28 years, was a Scoutmaster at two National Jamborees (1957 & 1960). He served four years as President of the Tidewater Council of Campfire Girls in Norfolk, Virginia.

Doug Waldorf assisted Dr. Rachel Bonney of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in producing an ethnic studies guide for elementary schools in North Carolina, a project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. He also worked on a similar project for the public schools in Virginia.

A professional musician most of his life, Waldorf performed with the USO Show troops in 1944-1946, spent a number of years as a radio and Television announcer, organized and served as first conductor of the Virginia Beach Concert Orchestra and Chorus.

Doug Waldorf has played parts in several movies and appeared in the role of King Powhatan on the In Search Of television program with Leonard Nimoy. He also played the part of Tomo Chichi in the Georgia Sesquicentennial Pageant in the city of Savannah in 1983.

A past vice president of the Archeological Society of North Carolina, Waldorf is known for his stimulating lectures at church, schools, museums, historical and archeological societies, and universities.

Photographs of Waldorf’s living history exhibits at Skicoak Museum and Roanoak Indian Village are presently in use for educational purposes by several leading museums, including the Smithsonian.

He is an author of the books, Beyond the End of Your Nose, and Manteo, An Adventure at Roanoak.

He and his wife, Olive, are the parents of six children, grandparents of 25, and great-grandparents of 1 with 3 more on the way. (In 2003 when this tribute was written, currently 12 great-grandchildren with 1 on the way.)

In the early to mid 1960s, Doug Waldorf stunned audiences with his trick riding, whips, throwing knives, and trick shooting. For three years, day in and day out, he performed tricks of daring in the tradition of Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Lash LaRue, Chief A. J., Chee Chee White Cloud (Kenneth L. Pierce), and Howard Hill. He did stunts and feats of spectacular skill at Frontier City Amusement Park in Virginia Beach, Virginia. With his whips he could snap off pieces of (dry) spaghetti held in the fingers or teeth of his assistants. He could snap a piece of spaghetti held in one hand behind his head, and he could operate two 16-ft. whips simultaneously. Whatever the trick, you name it and he’d do it – with a smile on his face. This was exciting live entertainment at its best.

Waldorf was also a super knife thrower. He did all the standard tricks, including outlining his cute Indian assistant, Betty White Dove (Betty June Counts Cornwell) while she stood with arms outstretched against a circle of wood, 5 ft in diameter and 2 inches thick. After the throwing, with in inches of her body, she’d be unhurt and the audience would go wild. He never had a mishap.

Doug also threw multiple blades. He’d start off throwing one, showing his accuracy. Then he’d throw 2, then 3, 4, and finally 5 at once, all sticking. Few throwers can do that today.

With bow and arrow, he’d pin a swinging disk to the bull’s eye of a target, then repeat the stunt with two swinging disks coming from opposite directions. Then he’d repeat the trick, shooting through a mailbox with the ends cut out. Shades of Howard Hill!

With his 22 rifle and pistols, he would shoot out the flames on candles, split a bullet on an embedded knife blade and put out two candles or hit two Necco wafers—all in one shot. And he’d shoot with the rifle upside down, held behind him, on top of his head, and from other odd positions. The crowds would go wild. This went on for three years, till the park owner committed suicide. It was time to move on and explore other fields.

He always sought to understand the Indian point of view. He studied the primitive skills with hands-on trial and error experience until he was competent at flint-knapping, primitive archery, pottery, hide-tanning, firemaking, food preparations, clothing, ornamentation, housebuilding, gardening—you name it. This was state-of-the-art Primitive Technology for the 1960s. This attracted the attention of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, who requested photographs of his exhibits for use in their educational programs. With plenty of first-hand experience under his belt, Waldorf began giving presentations at schools and museums in Virginia, Maryland, and the Carolinas; always in authentic costume and often assuming the identity of a particular historical character—years before the living history buffs started doing so. After thoroughly researching the historical records and sketches, Waldorf set to work. He reconstructed Roanoak; an Algonquin palisaded village like the one shown in John White’s early sketches. The Waldorfs ran the village throughout the 1970s and impacted thousands of visitors. He held Pow-wows 2 or 3 nights a week for years. Visitors and campers were treated to an evening of story-telling, Indian lore, dancing and philosophy that they’d never forget. Once a visitor to his Pow-wow program commented that he was a true actor. He had never before seen so much drama come from only one man with just a stick and a fire for props. He said that the stick had become a tree, a bow, a spear, and a number of other things, depending on the part of the story he was telling—as well as a fire poker.

Doug Waldorf at Roanoak Indian Village PowWow with the "stick & fire" props.

It is my hope that this historical outline will help paint a picture of one great man’s legacy. I hope that it will document and pass on his story, to help perpetuate the traditions, and awaken the values and ideals that Doug Waldorf, and many others of us, feel are important. Above all, I hope it will lead the way to the long overdue recognition and support of this rare and great man, this legend.

This Biographical Tribute was written in 2003 by Errett Callahan for John Bailey and the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame, when Doug Waldorf was inducted into the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame in 2003.  Used with permission.

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