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Gary Farmer

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For the politician, see Gary Farmer (Florida politician).
Gary Farmer
Farmer performing with Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers in 2012
Born
Gary Dale Farmer

(1953-06-12) June 12, 1953 (age 71)
Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater
Occupation(s)Actor, musician
Years active1976–present

Gary Dale Farmer (born June 12, 1953) is a First Nations actor and musician.[1] He is perhaps best known for his role as Nobody in the films Dead Man (1995) and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), and for his role in Smoke Signals (1998). In his career spanning over three decades, Farmer received three Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male nominations.

He is widely recognized as a pioneer in the development of First Nations media in Canada and is the founding director of an urban Indian radio network, Aboriginal Voices Radio Network.

Early life and education

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Farmer was born in Ohsweken, Ontario into the Cayuga Nation and Wolf Clan[2] of the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois Confederacy.[3][4][5] He grew up in the American city of Buffalo where his father worked as a crane operator.[6] Farmer attended Syracuse University and Ryerson Polytechnic University, where he studied photography and film production.[5]

Career

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Acting

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Farmer's first acting role was in the 1976 play On The Rim of a Curse, about the Beothuk.[6] His first major television role was on the CBC's Spirit Bay. He subsequently played police captain Joe Stonetree on the syndicated TV series Forever Knight, and Chief Tom in the CBC first nations TV series The Rez. Farmer is best known for his role as spiritual Native American guide Nobody in Dead Man. Farmer reprised the role for a cameo in Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, also directed by Jim Jarmusch.[7]

Farmer has performed in both the film and television adaptations of Tony Hillerman's novels. He played "Cowboy" Albert Dashee (Hopi) in the 1991 film The Dark Wind, and Captain Largo (Navajo) in the television adaptations of Coyote Waits (2003) and A Thief of Time (2004).[citation needed]

He played a supporting character Burt in the 2001 crime thriller The Score starring Robert De Niro, Marlon Brando, Ed Norton, Angela Bassett and Paul Soles. Farmer also appeared in two episodes of the popular children's television show Big Comfy Couch as Wobbly.[citation needed]

Farmer played the role of Fagin in Twist, the 2003 independent adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic novel Oliver Twist, and the role of "Iktome" in the 2003 all Native American cast TV film Dreamkeeper, directed by Steve Barron. He also played Deputy Bob in Demon Knight. Other major roles included Henry Colville, with Kris Kristofferson, in Disappearances (2006) and Jack in Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian (2013) by Arnaud Desplechin.[citation needed]

He recorded the audiobook version of Louise Erdrich's 2012 novel The Round House, winner of the 2012 National Book Award for Fiction.

Farmer appeared in season 1 of the Sundance TV series The Red Road in 2014.[citation needed]

In 2020, Farmer had brief appearances in the films First Cow and The Dark Divide.[8]

Farmer appeared as the recurring character Uncle Brownie in the highly-acclaimed FX series Reservation Dogs from 2021-2023, and as Dan Twelvetrees in the Syfy series Resident Alien.

He was nominated for Independent Spirit Awards for his roles in the movies Powwow Highway, Dead Man, and Smoke Signals

Music

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He also has a blues band called Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers. The band has released two CDs, Love Songs and Other Issues in 2007 and Lovesick Blues in 2009.

Other

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Farmer is also a regular supporter of University of Nebraska Omaha Wambli Sapa Memorial Pow Wow, held a week before the Gathering of Nations Powwow. He makes appearances selling his CD's and occasionally giving speeches. University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) considers Farmer a "very good friend".[citation needed]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1984 Police Academy Sidewalk Store Owner
1984 Overdrawn at the Memory Bank Tooby
1987 The Believers Mover
1987 The Big Town Duke
1988 Blue City Slammers Doug
1988 Powwow Highway Philbert Bono
1989 Renegades George
1990 Still Life: The Fine Art of Murder Billy
1991 The Dark Wind Cowboy Albert Dashee
1992 Forever Knight Captain Joe Stonetree
1993 Ed and His Dead Mother Big Lar
1994 Sioux City Russell White
1995 Demon Knight Deputy Bob Martel
1995 Dead Man Nobody
1996 Henry & Verlin Henry
1996 Lilies Timothée
1998 Smoke Signals Arnold Joseph
1998 Stolen Heart Whitaker
1999 Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai Nobody
1999 Touched George
1999 Heater Ben
2001 Delivering Milo Max
2001 The Score Burt
2001 Route 666 Shaman
2002 Skins Verdell Weasel Tail
2002 Angels Don't Sleep Here Lou Washington
2002 Adaptation Buster Baxley
2003 The Big Empty Indian Bob
2003 Twist Fagin
2003 The Republic of Love Ted
2004 Evergreen Jim
2004 Sawtooth Seven Thumbs
2005 3 Needles Winker at Support Group
2006 Disappearances Herny Coville
2006 One Night with You Momo
2007 All Hat Billy Caan
2007 Intervention Bob
2008 Swing Vote Curly
2009 Rejection Albert
2009 The Timekeeper Cook
2010 Good Neighbours Roland Brandt
2010 Ink: A Tale of Captivity Alderman
2010 A Windigo Tale Harold
2011 A Bird of the Air Charles Ballard
2011 California Indian Rich Knight
2011 Foreverland Moe
2012 Path of Souls Eddie Benton Benai
2013 Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian Jack
2013 Winter in the Blood Lame Bull
2015 Peter and John Smoke
2019 The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw Oliver Yellowdog
2019 First Cow Totillicum
2019 Blood Quantum Moon
2019 Santa Fake Santa Claus
2020 Cowboys Robert Spottedbird
2020 The Dark Divide Densmore
2021 Blood Brothers: Civil War Smoke
2021 Run Woman Run Self
2022 Quantum Cowboys Calvin
2023 Hey, Viktor! Gary

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1983 American Playhouse Tooby Episode: "Overdrawn at the Memory Bank"
1985 The Undergrads Castro Television film
1986 Philip Marlowe, Private Eye Masters' Bodyguard Episode: "Spanish Blood"
1986 Doing Life First Prisoner Television film
1986 Unnatural Causes —
1986 Christmas Eve Jody
1988 Miami Vice Wilson Episode: "Bad Timing"
1988 9B Harry Derek Episode: "Dropout"
1989 Friday the 13th: The Series Rick Episode: "Wedding Bell Blues"
1990 Sparks: The Price of Passion Pete Television film
1990 China Beach Dreamwalker Episode: "Strange Brew"
1991 Plymouth Todd Television film
1992 E.N.G. Detective Brant 2 episodes
1992–1994 Forever Knight Capt. Joe Stonetree /

Detective Norton

23 episodes
1993 Street Legal Allan Michaels Episode: "Conduct Unbecoming"
1993 Blown Away Anderson Television film
1993 The Big Comfy Couch Wobbly 2 episodes
1994 The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon Tiny / Big Giant Episode: "Dudley Meets a Tiny Giant"
1996 Moonshine Highway Hooch Wilson Television film
1997 Promised Land Conrad Shorty Episode: "The Outrage"
1997 Ghostwriter Jake Rizzo Episode: "Past Tense"
1998 The Pretender Vincent LaPahie Episode: "Hope & Prey"
1999 Justice Lou Belcourt Television film
2000 The Virginian Buster
2001 The West Wing Jack Lone Feather Episode: "The Indians in the Lobby"
2001 Dice Ernie Ross 6 episodes
2002 The Job Injun Joe Episode: "Soup"
2002 Screech Owls Thomas Episode: "Sacred Ground"
2002 Skinwalkers Captain Largo 2 episodes
2003 Lord Have Mercy! Marty C. Martyn
2003 Odd Job Jack George Twotrees Episode: "Go West Young Ryder"
2003 Dreamkeeper Iktome Television film
2003 Mutant X Dr. Marcus Episode: "The Taking of Crows"
2003 A Thief of Time Captain Largo Television film
2003 Coyote Waits
2004 The Chris Isaak Show Larry Episode: "The Family of Man"
2006 One Dead Indian Judas George Television film
2006 Doomstown Detective Jeff Norstrom
2006 Indian Summer: The Oka Crisis Alan Montour
2007 Moose TV Gerry Keeshig 8 episodes
2007 Elijah Ray Television film
2008 The Border Reserve Police Chief Episode: "Gray Zone"
2008–2009 Easy Money Shep 7 episodes
2012 Blackstone Ray Delaronde 8 episodes
2013, 2017 Longmire Aaron Two Rivers 2 episodes
2014–2015 The Red Road Mac 6 episodes
2015–2016 Zoo Anik 2 episodes
2017 Guilt Free Zone Milo 4 episodes
2019 Blackwater Charles Goodman Episode: "Pilot"
2021–2024 Resident Alien Dan Twelvetrees 26 episodes
2021 Rutherford Falls Earl 2 episodes
2021–2022 Reservation Dogs Uncle Brownie 7 Episodes
2022 Our Flag Means Death Chief Mabo Episode: "A Damned Man"
2022 The English John Clarke 2 Episodes
2023 The Curse James Toledo Episode: "Pressure's Looking Good So Far"

References

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  1. ^ "Gary Dale Farmer". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  2. ^ "The Scene" Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine, HeraldTimesScene.com; accessed December 26, 2015.
  3. ^ "Gary Farmer is a member of the Cayuga nation within the Haudenosaunee" Archived 2006-12-17 at the Wayback Machine, bcc.ctc.edu; accessed December 26, 2015.
  4. ^ Gary Farmer profile Archived 2013-09-11 at the Wayback Machine, NativeNetworks.si.edu; accessed December 26, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Gary Farmer Biography, yahoo.com; accessed December 28, 2015.
  6. ^ a b Zekas, Rita (July 1990). "Gary Farmer is bringing it to the stage and screen". Secwepemc News. p. 7.
  7. ^ Suarez, Juan (2007). Jim Jarmusch. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. p. 128. ISBN 9780252096075.
  8. ^ "Cast". The Dark Divide. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
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