Gary Farmer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gary Farmer
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Farmer performing with Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers in 2012
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Gary Dale Farmer
June 12, 1953 Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada
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| Occupation | Actor, musician |
| Years active | 1976–present |
Gary Dale Farmer, born on June 12, 1953, is a talented actor and musician from the First Nations. He is famous for playing the character "Nobody" in movies like Dead Man (1995) and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999). He also had a big role in Smoke Signals (1998). Over his long career, which has lasted more than 30 years, Gary Farmer has been nominated three times for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male.
He is also known for helping to create media for First Nations people in Canada. He even started a radio network called Aboriginal Voices Radio Network.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Gary Farmer was born in Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada. He is part of the Cayuga Nation and the Wolf Clan of the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois Confederacy. He spent his childhood in Buffalo, USA, where his dad worked as a crane operator.
Gary went to Syracuse University and Ryerson Polytechnic University. There, he studied photography and how to make films.
His Career
Acting Roles
Gary Farmer's first acting job was in a play called On The Rim of a Curse in 1976. This play was about the Beothuk people. His first big TV role was on the CBC show Spirit Bay.
Later, he played a police captain named Joe Stonetree on the TV series Forever Knight. He also played Chief Tom in the CBC First Nations TV series The Rez. Gary Farmer is especially well-known for his role as "Nobody," a spiritual Native American guide in the movie Dead Man. He played "Nobody" again in a small part in Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, which was also directed by Jim Jarmusch.
Gary Farmer has also acted in movies and TV shows based on Tony Hillerman's books. He played "Cowboy" Albert Dashee in the 1991 film The Dark Wind. He was also Captain Largo in the TV movies Coyote Waits (2003) and A Thief of Time (2004).
He played a character named Burt in the 2001 crime movie The Score. This movie starred famous actors like Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando. Gary also appeared in two episodes of the children's TV show Big Comfy Couch as a character called Wobbly.
Gary Farmer played 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. Other important roles include Henry Colville in Disappearances (2006) and Jack in Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian (2013).
He read the audiobook version of Louise Erdrich's book The Round House (2012). This book won a big award in 2012.
In 2014, Gary Farmer was in the first season of the Sundance TV series The Red Road. In 2020, he had small roles in the movies First Cow and The Dark Divide.
From 2021 to 2023, Gary Farmer played Uncle Brownie in the popular FX series Reservation Dogs. He also played Dan Twelvetrees in the Syfy series Resident Alien.
He was nominated for Independent Spirit Awards for his roles in Powwow Highway, Dead Man, and Smoke Signals.
Music Career
Gary Farmer also has a blues band called Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers. His band has released two music CDs. The first one was Love Songs and Other Issues in 2007. The second was Lovesick Blues in 2009.
Other Activities
Gary Farmer often supports the University of Nebraska Omaha Wambli Sapa Memorial Pow Wow. This event happens a week before the Gathering of Nations Powwow. He attends these events to sell his CDs and sometimes gives speeches. The University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) sees Gary Farmer as a "very good friend."
Images for kids
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Gary Farmer performing with his band, The Troublemakers.
