dbinia
Gordon Tootoosis

Gordon Tootoosis

From Wikipedia. Gordon Tootoosis, CM (October 25, 1941 – July 5, 2011) was a First Nations actor of Cree and Stoney descent. Tootoosis was a descendant of Yellow Mud Blanket, brother of the famous Cree leader Pîhtokahanapiwiyin. He was acclaimed for his commitment to preserving his culture and to telling his people's stories. He once said, "Leadership is about submission to duty, not elevation to power." He served as a founding member of the board of directors of the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company. Tootoosis offered encouragement, support and training to aspiring Aboriginal actors. He served as a leading Cree activist both as a social worker and as a band chief. In Open Season and Boog and Elliot's Midnight Bun Run, Tootoosis was the voice of Sheriff Gordy.

He was awarded membership in the Order of Canada on October 29, 2004. The investiture ceremony took place on September 9, 2005. His citation recognizes him as an inspirational role model for Aboriginal youth. It notes that as a veteran actor, he portrayed memorable characters in movie and television productions in Canada and the United States. Gordon Tootoosis first acting role was in the film Alien Thunder (1974), with Chief Dan George and Donald Sutherland. He portrayed Albert Golo in 52 episodes of North of 60 in the 1990s. He is best known to British audiences for playing the Native American Joe Saugus, who negotiates the purchase of the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet series 3 (2002). Gordon appeared in the CBC Television mini-series By Way of the Stars with Eric Schweig as Black Thunder and Tantoo Cardinal as Franoise. He appeared in the award-winning movie Legends of the Fall (1994), and starred with Russell Means in Disney's Pocahontas (1995) and Song of Hiawatha (1997). In 1999, he and Tantoo Cardinal became founding members of the board of directors of the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company. In 2011, he appeared in Gordon Winter at the Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon and Prairie Scene in Ottawa, his first stage role in 15 years.

Tootoosis won a Gemini Award for his work on the animated show Wapos Bay: The Series and was nominated twice for his work on North of 60.

Guns, Girls and Gambling

2012

as The Chief

Doomsday Prophecy

2011

as John

Out In the Cold

2008

as Soft as Snow

Fear Itself

2008

as Eddie Bear

Hybrid

2007

as Grandpa

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

2007

as Chief Red Cloud

That Beautiful Somewhere

2007

as Harold

Boog and Elliot's Midnight Bun Run

2006

as Gordy (voice)

Open Season

2006

as Gordy (voice)

Mr. Soul

2006

Fugitives Run

2005

as Dan John

Hank Williams First Nation

2005

as Adelard Fox

Shoebox Zoo

2004

as Nathaniel Stone

7 Times Lucky

2004

as Mr. Five Wounds

Dreamkeeper

2003

as Kills Enemy

Moccasin Flats

2003

as Joe Redsky

Cowboys & Indians

2003

as James Harper

On the Corner

2003

as Floyd

Black Point

2002

as Standing Bear

Now & Forever

2002

as Ghost Fox

Christmas at Wapos Bay

2002

as Mushom

Smallville

2001

as Prof. Joseph Willowbrook

Dream Storm: A North of 60 Mystery

2001

as Albert Golo

MythQuest

2001

as Red Wolf

The Doe Boy

2001

as Marvin

Nobody's Baby

2001

as Dog Havasu

Bear with Me

2000

as John Ours

Reindeer Games

2000

as Old Governor

Lakota Moon

1999

as Rolling Thunder

Big Bear

1998

as Chief Big Bear

Song of Hiawatha

1997

as Iagoo

Keeping the Promise

1997

as Sakniss

Forgotten Warriors

1997

as Narrator (voice)

Alaska

1996

as Ben

Crazy Horse

1996

as Akicita

Lone Star

1996

as Wesley Birdsong

Coyote Summer

1996

as Mopeah

Pocahontas

1995

as Kekata (voice)

Pocahontas: The Legend

1995

as Chief Powhatan

500 Nations

1995

Legends of the Fall

1994

as One Stab

Madison

1993

The X-Files

1993

as Shaman

Spirit Rider

1993

as Joe Moon

Call Of The Wild

1993

as Charlie

North of 60

1992

as Albert Golo

Heritage Minutes: Peacemaker

1992

as Grandfather

Leaving Normal

1992

as Hank Amaruk

Lost in the Barrens II: The Curse of the Viking Grave

1992

as Mewasin

Palace Guard

1991

Black Robe

1991

as Old Aenons

Blood River

1991

as Smiling Knife

Last Train Home

1989

as Poundmaker

Bordertown

1989

as Chief Wild Eagle

Friday the 13th: The Series

1987

as Spotted Owl

Stone Fox

1987

as Stone Fox

Danger Bay

1985

as Warden Bill Bragg

MacGyver

1985

as Perry

MacGyver

1985

as Phil Crow

Airwolf

1984

as Charlie Rising Moon

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet

1983

as Joe Saugus

Marie Ann

1978

as Chief Many Horses

Amisk

1977

Alien Thunder

1974

as Almighty Voice