August Schellenberg, Primetime Emmy-Winning Actor Known for Native American Roles

August Schellenberg, an actor known for playing Native American characters in numerous movies and television programs, died August 15, 2013. He was 77. According to news reports, the cause was lung cancer. Born in Canada, Schellenberg was the son of a Mohawk mother and a Swiss father. He began acting professionally after graduating from the National Theatre School of Canada in 1966. He got his start on the stage and gradually expanded to film and television. He began appearing in Canadian television series in 1970 with a role in the series Castle Zaremba. His best known American series credits included The Equalizer, Lonesome Dove: The Series, Walker, Texas Ranger, Grey's Anatomy and Saving Grace. He also made several made-for-TV movies, including the HBO production Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2007 for his performance as Sitting Bull. He had previously played Sitting Bull again in the 1996 TBS production Crazy Horse. Among feature films, he is best known for his work in the 1993 drama Free Willy and its two sequels. Other films included Bear Island, Heavy Metal, Death Hunt, Black Robe and Iron WIll. Read more about Schellenberg's life and work at: AugustSchellenberg.com New York Times