Jimmy Herman

Jimmy Herman (October 25, 1940 – September 13, 2013) was an Indigenous Canadian actor who appeared in several films, including Dances with Wolves.

Biography He was born on the Cold Lake Reserve in Alberta, Canada. His ancestors were Chipewyan and Dene. Herman moved to Edmonton in 1980 to study at Grant MacEwan College's Native Communications Program. There, he received the Malcolm Calliou Award for his ambition to succeed, and to inspire other Aboriginal people to do the same. After his graduation from Grant MacEwan, he accepted employment with Native Counseling Services of Alberta as a media assistant in the media department. During this time, he did some narration work for Native Counseling Services, ACCESS radio, and the National Film Board.

A small part in a CBC Television pilot program called John Cat, based on a W. P. Kinsella book, sparked Herman's interest in acting, and he decided to leave his position at Native Counseling Services to pursue a career in the performing arts. In April 1989, a Los Angeles casting agent chose him for a part in Dances With Wolves. His role in the film was a Sioux warrior named Stone Calf.

He went on to perform numerous roles in feature films and television series in Canada and the United States, including an extra in the Academy Award-winning Western Unforgiven, the television film Crazy Horse, The X-Files, and a six-year stint on CBC's North of 60, portraying fur trapper Joe Gomba. In 2005, the Dreamspeakers Film Festival Society in Edmonton honoured him with a place on the Aboriginal Walk of Fame.

Herman spoke to Aboriginal youth in schools and at special events. He also turned towards political activism, seeking diplomatic solutions and bringing his voice to the debate surrounding Aboriginal treaty rights. Herman worked to better Treaty 6 communities.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1990 Dances with Wolves Stone Calf 1992 Unforgiven Train Person #2 Uncredited 1993 Geronimo Old Geronimo TV movie Medicine River Lionel James TV movie 1994 Blind Justice Shaman TV movie Road to Saddle River Warrior Spirit Mukoki TV movie The X-Files Ish Episode: "Shapes" 1995 Tecumseh: The Last Warrior Cornstalk TV movie 1996 Crazy Horse Conquering Bear TV movie 1996 Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years Little Wolf Episode: Medicine 1997 North of 60 Joe Gomba 1998 Gunslinger's Revenge Indian Grandfather 1999 Phantom Town Attendant In the Blue Ground Joe Gomba Grey Owl Chief Pete Misebi 2000 Reindeer Games The Bartender The Claim Third Miner 2001 TV movie 2003 Boys on the Run Walter Running Deer Dreamkeeper Multnomah Elder TV movie Coyote Waits Ashie Pinto Michel Vaillant The Indian chief 2005 Hank Williams First Nation Uncle Martin Little House on the Prairie Osage TV mini-series Santa's Slay Vinny Supernatural Joe Whitetree Episode: "Bugs" 2007 Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Yellow Bird TV movie, (final film role)