Gary Farmer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gary Farmer
Farmer performing with Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers in 2012
Born	Gary Dale Farmer (1953-06-12) June 12, 1953 (age 72) Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater	Syracuse University Ryerson University
Occupation	Actor, musician
Years active	1976–present
Relatives	Graham Greene (second cousin once removed)

Gary Dale Farmer, born on June 12, 1953, is a talented Canadian actor and musician. He is a member of the Cayuga Nation, part of the First Nations people in Canada. Gary is well-known for his amazing acting in movies like Powwow Highway (1989), Dead Man (1995), and Smoke Signals (1998). He was even nominated for special awards for these roles!

Gary Farmer is also a leader in helping First Nations people share their stories through media in Canada. He helped start a radio network called Aboriginal Voices Radio Network.

Early Life and Education

Gary Farmer was born in Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada. He is part of the Cayuga Nation and the Wolf Clan, which are groups within the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois Confederacy. He spent his childhood in Buffalo, USA, where his father worked as a crane operator.

Did you know he's related to another famous actor? Graham Greene is his second cousin once removed! Gary went to college at Syracuse University and Ryerson Polytechnic University. There, he studied photography and how to make films.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting His Acting Journey

Gary Farmer's first acting job was in a play back in 1976. It was called On The Rim of a Curse. His first big role on TV was in a show called Spirit Bay on CBC. Later, he played a police captain named Joe Stonetree in the TV series Forever Knight. He also played Chief Tom in another CBC show about First Nations, The Rez.

Famous Movie Roles

Gary is perhaps most famous for playing a spiritual Native American guide named Nobody in the movie Dead Man. He even played this character again for a short appearance in another movie, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, which was also directed by Jim Jarmusch.

He has also acted in movies and TV shows based on books by Tony Hillerman. He played "Cowboy" Albert Dashee in the 1991 film The Dark Wind. Later, he was Captain Largo in the TV movies Coyote Waits (2003) and A Thief of Time (2004).

In 2001, Gary was in the crime movie The Score, which starred famous actors like Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando. He also appeared in two episodes of the fun children's TV show Big Comfy Couch as a character named Wobbly.

Gary played the role of Fagin in Twist, a 2003 movie based on the classic book Oliver Twist. He was also "Iktome" in the 2003 TV film Dreamkeeper, which had an all-Native American cast. He played Deputy Bob in Demon Knight. More recently, he was in First Cow and The Dark Divide in 2020.

From 2021 to 2023, Gary Farmer played the character Uncle Brownie in the popular FX series Reservation Dogs. He also appeared as Dan Twelvetrees in the Syfy series Resident.

Music and Other Work

Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers

Besides acting, Gary Farmer also has his own blues band! They are called Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers. The band has released two music CDs. Their first album, Love Songs and Other Issues, came out in 2007. Their second album, Lovesick Blues, was released in 2009.

Supporting Indigenous Communities

Gary is a big supporter of the University of Nebraska Omaha Wambli Sapa Memorial Pow Wow. This is a special event that celebrates Indigenous culture. He often attends, sells his music, and sometimes gives speeches. The University of Nebraska-Omaha sees Gary Farmer as a very good friend. In 2022, he received an honorary degree from Fort Lewis College.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows