August Werner Schellenberg (July 25, 1936 – August 15, 2013) was a Canadian actor.[1] He played Randolph in the first three installments of the Free Willy film series (1993–1997) as well as characters in Black Robe (1991), The New World (2005), and dozens of other films and television shows.
August Schellenberg | |
|---|---|
| Born | August Werner Schellenberg July 25, 1936 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Died | August 15, 2013 (aged 77) Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Resting place | Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Other names | Augie Schellenberg |
| Education | National Theatre School of Canada |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1964–2013 |
| Spouse | Joan Karasevich |
| Children | 3 |
| Website | augustschellenberg |
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
editSchellenberg was born and lived in Montreal, Quebec, until he moved to Toronto, Ontario, in 1967.[2] He was of English, Mohawk and Swiss-German descent.[3] 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 the doco within a film 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.[4] 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).[5]
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.[6]
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.[2] Schellenberg's younger brother played Dior in Grey's Anatomy, season 5. Shortly after that, August died of lung cancer.
Death
editSchellenberg died on August 15, 2013, in Dallas, Texas after a long battle with lung cancer.[7][8] He was interred at Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery.[9]
Filmography
editFilm
edit- 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)
- The Return of Ben Casey (1988, TV Movie) - Dr. Madigan
- Divided Loyalties (1990)
- Black Robe (1991) - Chomina
- Lakota Moon (1992, TV Movie) - Bull Elk
- Free Willy (1993) - Randolph Johnson
- Geronimo (1993, TV Movie) - Cochise
- Iron Will (1994) - Ned Dodd
- Getting Gotti (1994, TV Movie) Willie Boy Johnson
- Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee (1994, TV Movie) - Dick Wilson
- Tecumseh: The Last Warrior (1995, TV Movie) - Black Hoof
- Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995) - Randolph Johnson
- Crazy Horse (1996, TV Movie) - Sitting Bull
- The Siege at Ruby Ridge (1996, TV Movie) - Native American
- Free Willy 3: The Rescue (1997) - Randolph Johnson
- Silence (1997) - Johnny
- True Heart (1997) - Khonanesta
- Scattering Dad (1998, TV Movie) - Fierce Crow
- High Noon (2000, TV Movie) - Antonio
- The Unsaid (2001) - Detective Hannah
- Dreamkeeper (2003, TV Movie) - Grandpa
- Tremors 4: The Legend Begins (2004) - Tecopa
- Going The Distance (2004) - Emile
- The New World (2005) - Chief Powhatan
- Eight Below (2006) - Mindo
- Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007, TV Movie) - Sitting Bull
- 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/miscellaneous
edit- Shoestring Theatre (1964, Episode: "The Dark Mirror")
- The New Avengers (1977, Episode: "Forward Base") - Bailey
- The Hitchhiker (1983, Episode: "When Morning Comes") - Bob Ames
- Tramp at the Door (1985) - Albert Fournier
- The Equalizer (1986, Episode: "Unpunished Crimes") - Brennan
- Phillip Marlowe (1986, Episode: "Blackmailers Don't Shoot") - Johnny Tango
- Lance et compte (1986 television series) - Allan Goldberg
- Airwolf (1987, Episode: "Deathtrain") - Gregori Nobokov
- Champagne Charlie (1989) - General Butler
- North of 60 (1994–1995) - Ben Montour
- The Adventures of Tintin (1992) - (English version, voice)
- Walker Texas Ranger (1994–1995) - Billy Gray Wolf
- Lonesome Dove: The Series (1994, Episode: "Last Stand") - Chief Iron Bow
- The West - episodes - Speck of the Future, Death Runs Riot, and Fight No More Forever - voice (1996)
- So Weird (2000, Episode: "Destiny") - Tom Martinez
- Chiefs (2002, TV Mini-Series documentary) - Sitting Bull
- The Making of 'DreamKeeper (2004, Video documentary short) - Himself
- Making 'The New World (2006, Video documentary) - Himself
- Saving Grace (2007–2010) - GeePaw
- Grey's Anatomy (2008, Episode: "These Ties That Bind") - Clay Bedonie
References
edit- ^ Townend, Paul (August 19, 2013). "August Schellenberg". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on August 18, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
- ^ a b "Biography". Augustschellenberg.com. 1936-07-25. Archived from the original on 2017-12-19. Retrieved 2013-08-16.
- ^ "August Schellenberg was trailblazer in Canadian theatre". The Globe and Mail. October 11, 2013. Archived from the original on August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
August Werner Schellenberg was born July 25, 1936, in Montreal, the only child of an English-Mohawk mother and a Swiss father.
- ^ "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee | Television Academy". emmys.com. Archived from the original on 2018-08-21. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
- ^ "Canadian actor August Schellenberg dies at 77". Globalnews.ca. Archived from the original on 2024-08-18. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
- ^ "Aboriginal cast in staging of King Lear"[permanent dead link]. Ottawa Citizen, May 12, 2012.
- ^ "August Schellenberg Dead -- 'Free Willy' Star Dies at 77". TMZ.com. EHM Productions, Inc. 16 August 2013. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Mohawk actor August Schellenberg dies at 77". CBC/Radio-Canada. 16 August 2013. Archived from the original on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
- ^ Simnacher, Joe (17 August 2013). "Actor in 'Free Willy' movies". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on 29 January 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019 – via PressReader.