August Schellenberg

August Werner Schellenberg (July 25, 1936 – August 15, 2013) was a Canadian actor. He played Randolph in the first three installments of the Free Willy film series (1993–1997) as well as characters in Black Robe, The New World (2005), and dozens of other films and television shows.

During his career, Schellenberg won a Gemini Award in 1986 and a Genie Award in 1991, as well as being nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2007.

Life and career Schellenberg was born and lived in Montreal, Quebec, until he moved to Toronto, Ontario, in 1967. He was of English, Mohawk and Swiss-German descent. He also spoke French. He was based in Toronto until 1995. He lived in Dallas, Texas, with his wife, actress Joan Karasevich. He was the father of three daughters, two with Karasevich. He was trained at the National Theatre School of Canada from 1963 to 1966.

His initial work was in the Don Shebib-directed coming-of-age film Rip-Off, in 1971. In 1981, he did voices for the animated film Heavy Metal. During the 1990s he had major roles in Black Robe (as Chomina), Free Willy and its sequels (as Randolph Johnson), Iron Will (Ned Dodd), True Heart (Khonanesta), and TV film Crazy Horse (Sitting Bull). He went on to star as Chief Powhatan in Terrence Malick's 2005 film The New World. He also had roles in Disney's Eight Below and in the doco The Green Chain (2007). In 2011, he appeared in two episodes of the television series Stargate Universe as Yaozu. His favorite role was that of Sitting Bull in the film Crazy Horse, a character he reprised in the film version of the Dee Brown bestseller Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, for which he received an Emmy nomination. He also starred in Dreamkeeper (2003) as Pete Chasing Horse.

Schellenberg was nominated for three Genie Awards and won one (for Black Robe). He was also nominated for two Gemini Awards, and won one (for the television movie The Prodigal).

In 2012, he performed the title role in an all-aboriginal production of William Shakespeare's King Lear at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, alongside a cast that also included Billy Merasty as Gloucester, Tantoo Cardinal as Regan, Jani Lauzon in a dual role as Cordelia and the Fool, Craig Lauzon as Kent, and the play's assistant director, Lorne Cardinal, as The Duke of Albany.

During his lifetime, Schellenberg taught acting seminars at Toronto's Centre for Indigenous Theatre and York University. He conducted motivational workshops in schools and for cultural and community organizations across North America. He was interred at Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery.

Filmography Film

Rip-Off (1971) A Fan's Notes (1972) Between Friends (1973) One Man (1977) - Ernie Carrick Power Play (1978) - Minh Drying Up the Streets (1978) - Nick Bear Island (1979) - Marine Technician The Coffin Affair (1980) - Wilbert Coffin Death Hunt (1981) - Deak De Bleargue Heavy Metal (1981) - Norl (segment "Den") / Taarak (segment "Taarna") (voice) Kings and Desperate Men (1981) - Stanley Aldini Latitude 55° (1982) - Josef Przysiezny The Ruffian (1983) - Nelson Harting Running Brave (1983) - Billy's Father Cross Country (1983) - Glen Cosgrove Covergirl (1984) - Joel Vacchio Best Revenge (1984) - Captain of 'Recon Star' The Painted Door (1984) Confidential (1986) - Charles Ripley Mark of Cain (1986) - Otto Qui a tiré sur nos histoires d'amour (1986) - Fabien Long Lance (1986) - (voice) Divided Loyalties (1990) Black Robe (1991) - Chomina Free Willy (1993) - Randolph Johnson Iron Will (1994) - Ned Dodd Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995) - Randolph Johnson Free Willy 3: The Rescue (1997) - Randolph Johnson Silence (1997) - Johnny True Heart (1997) - Khonanesta The Unsaid (2001) - Detective Hannah Tremors 4: The Legend Begins (2004) - Tecopa Going The Distance (2004) - Emile The New World (2005) - Chief Powhatan Eight Below (2006) - Mindo The Green Chain (2007) - The Executive - John Clements Missionary Man (2007) - White Deer 45 R.P.M. (2008) - Peter George Moses The Last Movie (2012) - Samuel Booker (final film role)

Television

+ Year Title Role Notes 1964 Shoestring Theatre Episode: "The Dark Mirror" 1977 The New Avengers Bailey Episode: "Forward Base" 1983 The Hitchhiker Bob Ames Episode: "When Morning Comes" 1985 Tramp at the Door Albert Fournier TV miniseries 1986 The Equalizer Brennan Episode: "Unpunished Crimes" 1986 Philip Marlowe, Private Eye Johnny Tango Episode: "Blackmailers Don't Shoot" 1986 Lance et compte Allan Goldberg 1 episode 1987 Airwolf Gregori Nobokov Episode: "Deathtrain" 1988 The Return of Ben Casey Dr. Madigan TV movie 1989 Champagne Charlie General Butler TV miniseries 1990 Counterstrike Cortez Episode: "Now and at the Hour of Our Death" 1991 Counterstrike St. John Episode: "Native Warriors" 1992 The Adventures of Tintin English version, voice 1993 Geronimo Cochise TV movie 1994 Getting Gotti Willie Boy Johnson TV movie 1994 Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee Dick Wilson TV movie 1994 Lonesome Dove: The Series Chief Iron Bow TV miniseries. Episode: "Last Stand" 1994–1995 North of 60 Ben Montour 5 episodes 1994–1995 Walker Texas Ranger Billy Gray Wolf 2 episodes 1995 Tecumseh: The Last Warrior Black Hoof TV movie 1996 The Siege at Ruby Ridge Native American TV movie 1996 Crazy Horse Sitting Bull TV movie 1996 Ken Burns Presents: The West Various (voice) TV miniseries documentary. 1998 Scattering Dad Fierce Crow TV movie 1999 Lakota Moon Bull Elk TV movie 2000 So Weird Tom Martinez Episode: "Destiny" 2000 High Noon Antonio TV movie 2002 Chiefs Sitting Bull TV miniseries documentary 2003 Dreamkeeper Grandpa TV movie 2004 The Making of "DreamKeeper" Himself Video documentary short 2006 Making "The New World" Himself Video documentary 2007 Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Sitting Bull TV movie 2008 Grey's Anatomy Clay Bedonie Episode: "These Ties That Bind" 2007–2010 Saving Grace GeePaw 1 episode