Michael Horse
Horse in 2006
Born
Michael James Heinrich

(1949-12-21) December 21, 1949 (age 74)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1981–present
Spouse(s)Sandra Dee Dombrowski[1]
Pennie Opal Plant[2]

Michael Horse (born Michael James Heinrich; December 21, 1949) is an American actor known for his portrayals of Native American characters in film and television.

Early life

Horse was born Michael James Heinrich in Los Angeles, California, on December 21, 1949.[3] His mother, Nancie Belle Posten, was Swedish.[4][5] Horse's adoptive father, George Heinrich, was born in Florida to parents from Austria.[6] Nancie died in California in 2004.[7]

Career

Horse's film debut came in the role of Tonto in the 1981 film The Legend of the Lone Ranger, which was a commercial failure. Before taking the role, Horse had been concerned that the character might be perceived as a stereotype.[8]

After appearing in David Lynch's short film The Cowboy and the Frenchman (1988), Horse portrayed Deputy Hawk, a Native American policeman, in Lynch's TV series Twin Peaks (1990–91).[9] He also acted in Passenger 57 (1992),[10] House of Cards (1993), the 1990s version of the television series The Untouchables (1993),[11] and North of 60 (1995–97). He also appeared in the Thanks episode "Thanksgiving" in 1999, portraying Squanto. He appeared as Deputy Owen Blackwood in four episodes of the first season of Roswell (1999). Horse also appeared as Sheriff Tskany in The X-Files episode "Shapes" in 1994. In 1999, Horse guest starred on Walker, Texas Ranger in the episode "Team Cherokee" as John Red Cloud, the owner of a Native American NASCAR racing team and a friend of the titular character, Texas Ranger Cordell Walker (Chuck Norris).

Horse portrayed American Indian Movement (AIM) activist Dennis Banks in the 1994 film Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee. Eight years later, he lent his voice to Little Creek's friend in Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. He portrayed Mike Proudfoot on Sons of Tucson. In 1995 he portrayed Dirty Bob in the Western film Riders in the Storm.[citation needed] He played the character Jindoga in Hawkeye. In 2017, Horse reprised his role as Deputy Hawk in the third season of TV series Twin Peaks.

He also portrayed Twamie Ullulaq in the seventh season of The Blacklist in 2020.

Personal life

Horse has at times described himself as Yaqui,[12] and at other times as "of Yaqui descent",[13] or "of Yaqui, Mescalero Apache, Zuni Pueblo and Hispanic" descent",[14] but is not enrolled or recognized by any tribe. On November 23, 1993, Horse married actress Sandra Dee Dombrowski in Nevada.[1] As of 2019, on his personal website, Pennie Opal Plant listed herself as his partner.[2]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1981 The Legend of the Lone Ranger Tonto
1982 The Avenging Josuah
1986 The Check Is in the Mail... Pool attendant
1987 Buckeye and Blue Cherokee Bill
1987 Love at Stake Medicine Man
1988 Rented Lips Bobby Leaping Mouse
1989 Deadly Weapon Indian Joe
1992 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me Deputy Hawk Scenes deleted
1992 Passenger 57 Forget
1993 House of Cards Stoker
1995 Riders in the Storm Dirty Bob
1996 American Strays Lead Cop
1996 Navajo Blues Begay
1998 Shattered Illusions Eddie
1998 Star of Jaipur Colonel Ironwood
1999 In the Blue Ground Andrew One Sky
2001 Dirt Native American Convict
2002 Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Little Creek's Friend Voice[15]
2002 Birdseye Pete Longshadow
2002 The Short Films of David Lynch Broken Feather Documentary
2008 Turok: Son of Stone Lead Raider / Chief direct-to-video[15]
2013 Skinwalker Ranch Ahote
2014 Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces Deputy Tommy 'Hawk' Hill
2014 Behind the Door of a Secret Girl Mr. Thomson
2014 Lights Camera Bullshit The Narrator
2017 Dead Ant Bigfoot
2020 The Call of the Wild Edenshaw

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1983 It Takes Two Frank White Episode: "Mother and Child Reunion"
1985 Knight Rider Jonathan Eagle Episode: "Burial Ground"
1986 Amazing Stories Male Friend / Indian 2 episodes
1988 Longarm Vasquez Television film
1988 The French as Seen by... Broken Feather 2 episodes
1989 Paradise Walking Water Episode: "Burial Ground"
1989–1991 Twin Peaks Deputy Tommy 'Hawk' Hill 28 episodes
1990 New Kids on the Block Various 14 episodes
1991 P.S. I Luv U Russell Grayfox Episodes: "Unmarried... with Children"
1991 The Torkelsons David Blackwing Episode: "Thanksgivingsomething"
1992–1993 Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa J.R. Voice, 8 episodes
1993 Mighty Max Yona-Ya-In Episode: "The Maxnificent Seven"
1993 The Untouchables Agent George Steelman 19 episodes
1994 The X-Files Sheriff Charles Tskany Episode: "Shapes"
1994 Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee Dennis Banks Television film
1994 Problem Child Various 13 episodes
1994–1996 Gargoyles Peter Maza / Carlos Maza Voice, 4 episodes[15]
1995 Hawkeye Jindoga Episode: "Vengeance Is Mine"
1995 500 Nations Voice 3 episodes
1995 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Sharp Flint Voice, episode: "Snow White"
1995 Life with Louie Cousin Joey Episode: "The Fourth Thursday in November"
1995–1997 North of 60 Andrew One Sky 19 episodes
1996 The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest Various 4 episodes
1996 The Incredible Hulk Jefferson Whitedeer Episode: "And the Wind Cries... Wendigo"[15]
1996, 1997 Adventures from the Book of Virtues Waukewa's Father, Strong Wind Voice, 2 episodes[15]
1997 Duckman Big Chief Fancy Pants Voice, episode: "Role with It"
1997 The Legend of Calamity Jane Quanna Parker Voice, 13 episodes[15]
1997, 1999 Superman: The Animated Series Ubu, Sky Sentry Operator Voice, 2 episodes[15]
1999 Walker, Texas Ranger John Red Cloud 2 episodes
1999 Thanks Dissquantum / Squanto Episode: "Thanksgiving"
1999 Roswell Owen Blackwood 4 episodes
2000 The Wild Thornberrys Wildlife Ranger Sam Rainwater Voice, episode: "Pack of Thornberrys"[15]
2000 Lost in Oz Ponca Television film
2000, 2002 Malcolm in the Middle Steve / Security Guy 2 episodes
2001 Dream Storm Andrew One Sky Television film
2001 Jackie Chan Adventures Muntab Leader Voice, episode: "Lost City of the Muntabs"
2001 Kristin Jonathan Stillwater Episode: "The Secret"
2002 ChalkZone Bug O Nay Geeshig Voice, television short
2004 What's New, Scooby-Doo? Leon Strongfeather Voice, episode: "New Mexico, Old Monster"
2004 All Grown Up! Pizza Dude Voice, episode: "Memoirs of a Finster"
2004 JAG Wolf Tillicum Episode: "Whole New Ball Game"
2007 Bone Eater Storm Cloud Television film
2010 Sons of Tucson Mike Proudfoot 3 episodes
2012 Young Justice Holling Longshadow Voice, episode: "Beneath"[15]
2014 Hell on Wheels Native American Episode: "Bear Man"
2017 Twin Peaks Deputy Chief Tommy 'Hawk' Hill 14 episodes
2017 Godless Chief Narrienta 2 episodes
2019 Claws Mac Lovestone / Mac Locklear 8 episodes
2020 The Blacklist Twamie Ullulaq Episode: "Twamie Ullulaq (No. 126)"
2022 Motherland: Fort Salem The Marshal 3 episodes

References

  1. ^ a b "Nevada, Marriage Index, 1956–2005". FamilySearch. November 23, 1993. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
  2. ^ a b Pennie Opal Plant (July 21, 1997). "About". Archived from the original on August 3, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  3. ^ California Birth Index. "The Birth of Michael Heinrich". Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  4. ^ "California, County Marriages, 1850–1952". FamilySearch. July 10, 1953. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  5. ^ "Los Angeles, California, United States, Department of Health Services, Vital Statistics Department, Sacramento". FamilySearch. November 27, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
  6. ^ "California, County Marriages, 1850–1952". FamilySearch. July 10, 1953. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  7. ^ "Billion Graves Index". FamilySearch. 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
  8. ^ Labrecque, Jeff (July 2, 2013). "The Lone Ranger legend of Klinton Spilsbury". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  9. ^ "Art away from Hollywood is where his heart is". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
  10. ^ Michael Horse – Actor Movie Reviews at TopTenReviews.com Archived October 1, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "Untouchable Then and Now". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  12. ^ "About". July 21, 1997. Archived from the original on July 27, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  13. ^ "About Michael Horse". Gathering Tribes. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  14. ^ "Native American Artist Biographies: Michael Horse". bischoffsgallery.com. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Michael Horse (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved September 30, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.

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