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| I was lucky enough to "accidentally"
become an actor. Although I had dabbled in the film
industry and done a few smaller films, I never really
wanted to be in the movie business. My unintended big
break came in 1980. I was renting my studio from an
agent who has asked me if I as interested in playing
Tonto in the remake of The Legend of the Lone Ranger.
Ever though I knew Jay Silverheels, and had great
respect for him as an activist in the Indian Community
and as an actor (a lot of people didn't know what a good
actor Jay really was, such as his role in Key Largo) I
had reservations about playing this role. The character
of Tonto in the original Lone Ranger was derogatory to
Native people. So, I told her no. She kept asking me and
told me I was exactly what they were looking for. I
finally said yes. I told them that in this day and age,
if you portray Tonta with disrespect, there will be more
Indians on your lawn than Custer saw. They assured me
that this time they were going to make Tonto an equal
character to the Lone Ranger. I decided that I would
take the role if offered. Once it was offered, it
occurred to me that this role could help me do something
positive in the native community. |
The Cowboy and the Frenchman: Harry
Dean Santon, French Actor, Michael Horse and seated,
David Lynch |
I worked on a couple of
smaller films after the Legend of the Lone Ranger. Then,
I was asked by a friend of mine, Joanna Ray (Casting
Director for Kill Bill) to do a small film for David
Lynch with Harry Dean Stanton for the French
Bicentennial. I knew of Lynch's work and jumped at
the chance. That movie was The Cowboy and the Frenchman.
When Lynch decided to do Twin Peaks, he and Joanna
decided it would be interesting to have a Native
American actor and called me. The rest is television
history. Both as a Native American and as an actor,
artistic opportunities like this do not come around very
often. |
| Twin Peaks was groundbreaking
television, great art and I think of of the best Native
American roles to ever be on television. After doing a
variety of appearances on various TV series: X-Files,
Walker Texas Ranger, Malcom in the Middle, I was offered
a role of one of the terrorist in Passenger 57. |
| A great chacater because bad guys are
so much fun to play, and a very successful movie.
Working with Wesly Snipes was a lot of fun and he's a
very nice, talented man.
After Passenger 57, I did some television projects
and small movies. Then, once again, Grandfather smiles
on me. I stumbled in ton one of the best roles I've ever
had the opportunity to play: Andrew Once Sky on the CBC
Canadian television series, North of 60. |
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| A series different than
anything I had ever seen. Nobody was a medicine man, it
was about families and everyday life upon the Dene
Reserve in Northern Canada. I played a therapist and
love interest of the main Native character, Tina Keeper.
What a cast! Some of the finest Native American actors I
had the opportunity to work with: Gordon Tootoosis,
Tantoo Candinal, Tom Jackson, Simon Baker, who player
"Love by the Buffalo" in the TV series In To The West,
and the great Tina Keeper, one of the best actresses and
nicest television stars I've ever had the opportunity to
work with. I worked for three years on the 7 year run
series. And now I'm on to new projects in the arena of
film and television. First and foremost, I've always
considered myself an artist. It is my love, it is my
passion. The movie business has been great fun and I've
been lucky to be involved in projects that I can be
proud of. I've also done numerous voice over works in
animation. You can list for my voice in Spirit: Stallion
of the Cimarron, Caption Planet, Superman, Batman,
Cowboys of the Moo Mesa and numerous others. |
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