Jimmy Herman
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Herman is a Dene
/Chipewyan First Nations
actor who has appeared in several films such as Dances with Wolves
among others.
He was born on the Cold Lake Reserve
in Alberta
, Canada.
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 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, he got his big break when a Los Angeles
casting agent chose him for a part in Dances With Wolves
. His minor role in the movie, playing a Sioux warrior named Stone Calf, was a boost for his career, and did not look back.
He has gone on to perform numerous roles in feature films and television series in Canada and the United States, including an exrta in the Academy Award winning Western
, Unforgiven
, The X-Files
and a ten-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.
Passionate about his art and the opportunity to be a positive role model in the Aboriginal community, Herman has spoken frequently to Aboriginal youth in schools and at special events, encouraging them to take pride in who they are. He has also in recent years turned towards political activism, seeking diplomatic solutions and bringing his voice to the debate surrounding Aboriginal treaty rights. Keenly aware that his fame could help draw attention to certain political causes, Herman is taking his own good fortune and using it as a tool to better Treaty 6 communities.
He resides in Dillon, Saskatchewan
.
Dene
The Dene are an aboriginal group of First Nations who live in the northern boreal and Arctic regions of Canada. The Dené speak Northern Athabaskan languages. Dene is the common Athabaskan word for "people" . The term "Dene" has two usages...
/Chipewyan First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
actor who has appeared in several films such as Dances with Wolves
Dances with Wolves
Dances with Wolves is a 1990 epic western film directed by and starring Kevin Costner. It is a film adaptation of the 1988 book of the same name by Michael Blake and tells the story of a Union Army Lieutenant who travels to the American frontier to find a military post, and his dealings with a...
among others.
He was born on the Cold Lake Reserve
Cold Lake First Nations
The Cold Lake First Nations form one of the First Nations of the Canadian Province of Alberta. In May 2008 2,342 people were members of this tribe, of which 1,189 lived within five reserves, about 220 km² large.- Early History :...
in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada.
Herman moved to Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
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 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, he got his big break when a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
casting agent chose him for a part in Dances With Wolves
Dances with Wolves
Dances with Wolves is a 1990 epic western film directed by and starring Kevin Costner. It is a film adaptation of the 1988 book of the same name by Michael Blake and tells the story of a Union Army Lieutenant who travels to the American frontier to find a military post, and his dealings with a...
. His minor role in the movie, playing a Sioux warrior named Stone Calf, was a boost for his career, and did not look back.
He has gone on to perform numerous roles in feature films and television series in Canada and the United States, including an exrta in the Academy Award winning Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
, Unforgiven
Unforgiven
Unforgiven is a 1992 American Western film produced and directed by Clint Eastwood with a screenplay written by David Webb Peoples. The film tells the story of William Munny, an aging outlaw and killer who takes on one more job years after he had hung up his guns and turned to farming...
, The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
and a ten-year stint on CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
's North of 60
North of 60
North of 60 is a mid-1990s Canadian television series depicting life in the sub-Arctic northern boreal forest . It first aired on CBC Television in 1992 and was syndicated around the world. It is set in the fictional community of Lynx River, a primarily Native-run town depicted as being in the...
, 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.
Passionate about his art and the opportunity to be a positive role model in the Aboriginal community, Herman has spoken frequently to Aboriginal youth in schools and at special events, encouraging them to take pride in who they are. He has also in recent years turned towards political activism, seeking diplomatic solutions and bringing his voice to the debate surrounding Aboriginal treaty rights. Keenly aware that his fame could help draw attention to certain political causes, Herman is taking his own good fortune and using it as a tool to better Treaty 6 communities.
He resides in Dillon, Saskatchewan
St. George's Hill, Saskatchewan
St. George's Hill is a hamlet in the prairie province Saskatchewan....
.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
| 1990 | Dances with Wolves Dances with Wolves Dances with Wolves is a 1990 epic western film directed by and starring Kevin Costner. It is a film adaptation of the 1988 book of the same name by Michael Blake and tells the story of a Union Army Lieutenant who travels to the American frontier to find a military post, and his dealings with a... |
Stone Calf |
| 1992 | Unforgiven Unforgiven Unforgiven is a 1992 American Western film produced and directed by Clint Eastwood with a screenplay written by David Webb Peoples. The film tells the story of William Munny, an aging outlaw and killer who takes on one more job years after he had hung up his guns and turned to farming... |
Train Person #2 |
| 1993 | Geronimo Geronimo (TV film) Joseph Runningfox starred in a 1993 TNT television movie as Geronimo. First Nations actor Jimmy Herman appeared in this motion picture as the Old Geronimo... |
Old Geronimo Geronimo Geronimo was a prominent Native American leader of the Chiricahua Apache who fought against Mexico and the United States for their expansion into Apache tribal lands for several decades during the Apache Wars. Allegedly, "Geronimo" was the name given to him during a Mexican incident... |
| Medicine River Medicine River Medicine River is a novel written by author Thomas King. It was first published by Viking Canada in 1989. The book was later adapted into a television movie starring Graham Greene and Tom Jackson.-Plot summary:... |
Lionel James | |
| 1994 | Warrior Spirit | Mukoki |
| Blind Justice | Shaman | |
| Road to Saddle River | ||
| 1995 | Tecumseh: The Last Warrior | Cornstalk |
| 1996 | Crazy Horse Crazy Horse (film) Crazy Horse is a 1996 film based on the true story of Crazy Horse directed by John Irvin. It stars Michael Greyeyes as the titular role, Ned Beatty as Dr... |
Conquering Bear Conquering Bear Matȟó Wayúhi was a Brulé Lakota chief who signed the Fort Laramie Treaty . He was killed in 1854 when troops from Fort Laramie entered his encampment to arrest a Sioux who had shot a calf belonging to the Mormons. Little Thunder took over as chief after his death... |
| 1999 | Phantom Town | Attendant |
| Grey Owl Grey Owl (film) Grey Owl is a 1998 biopic directed by Richard Attenborough and starring Pierce Brosnan in the role of real life British schoolboy turned Indian trapper "Grey Owl," Archibald Belaney , and Annie Galipeau as his wife Anahareo. With brief appearances by Graham Greene and others. The screenplay was... |
Chief Pete Misebi | |
| 2000 | Reindeer Games Reindeer Games Reindeer Games is a 2000 American film, directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Ben Affleck, Gary Sinise, and Charlize Theron. It was Frankenheimer's final theatrically released film and received poor reviews.-Plot:... |
Bartender |
| The Claim The Claim The Claim is a 2000 British Western/romance film directed by Michael Winterbottom. The screenplay by Frank Cottrell Boyce is loosely based on the novel The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy. The original music score is composed by Michael Nyman.... |
Third miner | |
| 2003 | Dreamkeeper Dreamkeeper Dreamkeeper is a 2003 film written by John Fusco and directed by Steve Barron. The main plot of the film is the conflict between a Lakota elder and storyteller named Pete Chasing Horse and his Lakota grandson, Shane Chasing Horse... |
Multnomah Elder |
| Coyote Waits Coyote Waits Coyote Waits is a novel by Tony Hillerman. It was adapted as a TV film, which aired in 2003.-Coyote Waits :The plot involves rock formation vandalism, a dead policeman, an elderly Navajo accused of his murder, a bottle of expensive scotch, and a book on Navajo witchcraft beliefs.This book... |
Ashie Pinto | |
| 2005 | Hank Williams First Nation Hank Williams First Nation Hank Williams First Nation is a 2005 film, directed by Aaron James Sorensen. It is Sorensen's first feature film.The film stars Gordon Tootoosis, Jimmy Herman , Stacy Da Silva, Bernard Starlight, and Colin VanLoon.... |
Uncle Martin |
| Santa's Slay Santa's Slay Santa's Slay is a 2005 Christmas Black comedy horror film that stars former professional wrestler Bill Goldberg as Santa Claus. The movie was written and directed by David Steiman, a former assistant to Brett Ratner.... |
Vinny | |
| 2007 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (film) Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is a 2007 television film adapted from the book of the same name by Dee Brown. The film was written by Daniel Giat, directed by Yves Simoneau and produced by HBO Films. The book on which the movie is based is a history of Native Americans in the American West in the... |
Yellow Bird |