Gary Farmer
First Nations actor
title: "Gary Farmer" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1953-births", "living-people", "people-from-the-county-of-brant", "cayuga-people", "canadian-male-film-actors", "canadian-male-television-actors", "canadian-male-voice-actors", "first-nations-male-actors", "male-actors-from-ontario", "first-nations-male-singers", "canadian-blues-singers", "six-nations-of-the-grand-river-people", "wolf-clan-of-the-iroquois", "20th-century-first-nations-musicians", "21st-century-first-nations-musicians", "iroquois-actors", "centre-for-indigenous-theatre-alumni"] description: "First Nations actor" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Farmer" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary First Nations actor ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Gary Farmer |
| image | Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers 2012 (zqprkUSOOU0).jpg |
| caption | Farmer performing with Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers in 2012 |
| birth_name | Gary Dale Farmer |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada |
| alma_mater | {{plainlist |
| occupation | Actor, musician |
| relatives | Graham Greene (second cousin once removed) |
| years_active | 1976–present |
| :: |
| name = Gary Farmer | image = Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers 2012 (zqprkUSOOU0).jpg | caption = Farmer performing with Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers in 2012 | birth_name = Gary Dale Farmer | birth_date = | birth_place = Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada | alma_mater = {{plainlist|
- Syracuse University
- Ryerson University}} | occupation = Actor, musician | relatives = Graham Greene (second cousin once removed) | years_active = 1976–present
Gary Dale Farmer (born June 12, 1953) is a Canadian First Nations (Cayuga) actor and musician. He is best known for his Independent Spirit Award-nominated roles in Powwow Highway (1989), Dead Man (1995) and Smoke Signals (1998). He briefly reprised his role as Nobody from Dead Man in Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999).
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
Farmer was born in Ohsweken, Ontario into the Cayuga Nation and Wolf Clan of the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois Confederacy. He grew up in the American city of Buffalo where his father worked as a crane operator. His second cousin once removed is fellow actor Graham Greene. Farmer attended Syracuse University and Ryerson Polytechnic University, where he studied photography and film production.
Career
Acting
Farmer's first acting role was in the 1976 play On The Rim of a Curse, about the Beothuk. 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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
In 2020, Farmer had brief appearances in the films First Cow and The Dark Divide.
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
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
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". Farmer received an honorary degree from Fort Lewis College in 2022.
Filmography
Film
::data[format=table title=""]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Police Academy | Sidewalk Store Owner | |
| Overdrawn at the Memory Bank | Tooby | ||
| 1987 | The Believers | Mover | |
| The Big Town | Duke | ||
| 1988 | Blue City Slammers | Doug | |
| 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 | |
| Dead Man | Nobody | ||
| 1996 | Henry & Verlin | Henry | |
| Lilies | Timothée | ||
| 1998 | Smoke Signals | Arnold Joseph | |
| Stolen Heart | Whitaker | ||
| 1999 | Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai | Nobody | |
| Touched | George | ||
| Heater | Ben | ||
| 2001 | Delivering Milo | Max | |
| The Score | Burt | ||
| Route 666 | Shaman | ||
| 2002 | Skins | Verdell Weasel Tail | |
| Angels Don't Sleep Here | Lou Washington | ||
| Adaptation | Buster Baxley | ||
| 2003 | The Big Empty | Indian Bob | |
| Twist | Fagin | ||
| The Republic of Love | Ted | ||
| 2004 | Evergreen | Jim | |
| Sawtooth | Seven Thumbs | ||
| 2005 | 3 Needles | Winker at Support Group | |
| 2006 | Disappearances | Herny Coville | |
| One Night with You | Momo | ||
| 2007 | All Hat | Billy Caan | |
| Intervention | Bob | ||
| 2008 | Swing Vote | Curly | |
| 2009 | Rejection | Albert | |
| The Timekeeper | Cook | ||
| 2010 | Good Neighbours | Roland Brandt | |
| Ink: A Tale of Captivity | Alderman | ||
| A Windigo Tale | Harold | ||
| 2011 | A Bird of the Air | Charles Ballard | |
| California Indian | Rich Knight | ||
| Foreverland | Moe | ||
| 2012 | Path of Souls | Eddie Benton Benai | |
| 2013 | Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian | Jack | |
| Winter in the Blood | Lame Bull | ||
| 2015 | Peter and John | Smoke | |
| 2019 | The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw | Oliver Yellowdog | |
| First Cow | Totillicum | ||
| Blood Quantum | Moon | ||
| Santa Fake | Santa Claus | ||
| 2020 | Cowboys | Robert Spottedbird | |
| The Dark Divide | Densmore | ||
| 2021 | Blood Brothers: Civil War | Smoke | |
| Run Woman Run | Self | ||
| 2022 | Quantum Cowboys | Calvin | |
| 2023 | Hey, Viktor! | Gary | |
| :: |
Television
::data[format=table]
| 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" |
| Doing Life | First Prisoner | Television film | |
| Unnatural Causes | |||
| Christmas Eve | Jody | ||
| 1988 | Miami Vice | Wilson | Episode: "Bad Timing" |
| 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 |
| 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 / | 23 episodes |
| 1993 | Street Legal | Allan Michaels | Episode: "Conduct Unbecoming" |
| Blown Away | Anderson | Television film | |
| 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" |
| 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" |
| Dice | Ernie Ross | 6 episodes | |
| 2002 | The Job | Injun Joe | Episode: "Soup" |
| Screech Owls | Thomas | Episode: "Sacred Ground" | |
| Skinwalkers | Captain Largo | 2 episodes | |
| 2003 | Lord Have Mercy! | Marty C. Martyn | |
| Odd Job Jack | George Twotrees | Episode: "Go West Young Ryder" | |
| Dreamkeeper | Iktome | Television film | |
| Mutant X | Dr. Marcus | Episode: "The Taking of Crows" | |
| A Thief of Time | Captain Largo | Television film | |
| Coyote Waits | |||
| 2004 | The Chris Isaak Show | Larry | Episode: "The Family of Man" |
| 2006 | One Dead Indian | Judas George | Television film |
| Doomstown | Detective Jeff Norstrom | ||
| Indian Summer: The Oka Crisis | Alan Montour | ||
| 2007 | Moose TV | Gerry Keeshig | 8 episodes |
| 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" |
| 2021–2025 | Resident Alien | Dan Twelvetrees | 31 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" |
| The English | John Clarke | 2 Episodes | |
| 2023 | The Curse | James Toledo | Episode: "Pressure's Looking Good So Far" |
| :: |
References
References
- "Gary Dale Farmer".
- link. (2007-09-30 , HeraldTimesScene.com; accessed December 26, 2015.)
- [http://bcc.ctc.edu/diversitycaucus/AIFF/Farmer.htm "Gary Farmer is a member of the Cayuga nation within the Haudenosaunee"] {{webarchive. link. (2006-12-17 , bcc.ctc.edu; accessed December 26, 2015.)
- [http://www.nativenetworks.si.edu/Eng/rose/farmer_g.htm Gary Farmer profile] {{Webarchive. link. (2013-09-11 , NativeNetworks.si.edu; accessed December 26, 2015.)
- [https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800024673/bio Gary Farmer Biography], yahoo.com; accessed December 28, 2015.
- (July 1990). "Gary Farmer is bringing it to the stage and screen". Secwepemc News.
- Seitz, Matt Zoller. (January 25, 2024). "Gary Farmer Has Seen It All".
- Suarez, Juan. (2007). "Jim Jarmusch". University of Illinois Press.
- "Cast".
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