Tonka (film) In the territory of the Dakotas in the 1870s, a young Indian brave, White Bull, captures a wild stallion and decides to keep him as his own, naming him Tonka Wakan—The Great One. Yellow Bull, the brave’s cousin, is envious and through rank acquires him, but mistreats him so that White Bull frees the horse once more. The horse’s new master, Capt. Myles Keogh, rides him into battle with the Indians with General Custer in the Battle of the Little Big Horn, where Keogh is killed by Yellow Bull, but in retaliation is stomped upon and killed by Tonka. Tonka survives, and is officially retired by the U.S. Seventh Cavalry on April 10, 1878, to be ridden only by his exercise boy, his beloved master, White Bull. Directed by Lewis R. Foster. Based on the novel by David Appel. Released on December 25, 1958. 96 min. Stars Sal Mineo (White Bull), Philip Carey (Capt. Myles Keogh), Jerome Courtland (Lt. Henry Nowlan), H.M. Wynant (Yellow Bull). The picture was filmed at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Oregon. The title song was written by Gil George and George Bruns. The remarkable photography was by Loyal Griggs, who had filmed such famous westerns as Shane. Released on video in 1986. It aired on television as Comanche, and was serialized on the new Mickey Mouse Club as A Horse Called Comanche.
