Gordon Tootootsis
October 25, 1941 – July 5, 2011
He was a Canadian actor of Cree and Stoney descent. He was a descendant of Yellow Mud Blanket, brother of the famous Cree leader Pitikwahanapiwiyin. He was acclaimed for his commitment to preserving his culture and to telling his people's stories. He served as a founding member of the board of directors of the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company. Tootoosis offered encouragement, support and training to aspiring Aboriginal actors. He served as a leading Cree activist both as a social worker and as a band chief.
Gordon was raised on the Poundmaker reserve. While his father worked tirelessly to organize and push the political agenda, it was his mother who kept the home fires burning. According to Gordon, she had a strict rule that English would not be spoken in her home. They might outlaw Cree everywhere else, so she outlawed English at home. As a result, her family spoke good Cree.
Gordon was raised with his 13 siblings in the Plains Cree tradition until he was taken from his home and placed in one of the Catholic Residential Schools. There he was treated harshly and forbidden to speak his own language. His father, John Tootoosis, was an activist for aboriginal rights, which got the younger Tootoosis into trouble at school.
After his traumatic school years, Tootoosis went into social work, specializing in work with children and young offenders. His interest in his own cultural traditions led him to become an accomplished native dancer and rodeo roper, and he toured with the Plains InterTribal Dance Troupe in the 1960s and 1970s throughout Canada, Europe and South America, becoming one of North America's most popular powwow announcers.
His father was one of the founders of the National Indian Brotherhood and former head of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN). Gordon himself served as the chief of his band and as a vice-president of FSIN. Tootoosis was married to Irene Seseequasis since 1965. They have three daughters and two adopted sons. After their daughter Glynnis died of cancer in 1997, they took the responsibility of raising her four children. Their residence is in Saskatoon.
He was awarded membership in the Order of Canada on October 29, 2004. The investiture ceremony took place on September 9, 2005. His citation recognizes him as an inspirational role model for Aboriginal youth. It notes that as a veteran actor, he portrayed memorable characters in movie and television productions in Canada and the United States.
From 1968 to 1972 he was a vice-chief with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians. His father, John, was a well-known politician, and it was assumed that Gordon would follow in his footsteps. But Gordon had other plans.
Gordon died on July 5, 2011, after being hospitalized for pneumonia at St. Paul's Hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
ACTING
He began his film career in 1974 with the movie, Alien Thunder, that was shot by the town of Duck Lake.
Gordon played a number of screen roles over the years. Most often, he was the good guy or, later, an elder. When he worked for the CBC hit series North of 60, he played a bad guy - a part that he loved.
Gordon was a screen and TV actor, but loved the theatre. He spent some time in Toronto early in his career, but didn't like the time that it took away from his family.
In 2005, he was awarded a lifetime membership in ACTRA, the Canadian actors' union.
His first acting role was in the film Alien Thunder (1974), with Chief Dan George and Donald Sutherland. He portrayed Albert Golo in 52 episodes of North of 60 in the 1990s. He is best known to British audiences for playing the Native American Joe Saugus, who negotiates the purchase of the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet series 3 (2002). Gordon appeared in the CBC Television mini-series By Way of the Stars with Eric Schweig as Black Thunder and Tantoo Cardinal as Franoise. Gordon starred with Russell Means in Disney's Pocahontas (1995) and Song of Hiawatha (1997). In 1999, he and Tantoo Cardinal became founding member of the board of directors of the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company. In 2011, he appeared in Gordon Winter at the Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon and Prairie Scene in Ottawa, his first stage role in 15 years.[6]
He won a Gemini Award for his work
on the animated show Wapos Bay: The Series and was nominated twice for his
work on North of 60.
SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY
* Alien
Thunder (1974) — Almighty Voice
* Stone Fox (1987) — Stone Fox
* Black Robe (1991) — Old Aenons
* Leaving Normal (1992) — Hank Amaruk
* By Way of the Stars (1992 TV mini-series) — The Cree Chief
* North of 60 (1992, TV series) — Albert Golo
* The Call of the Wild (1993) (TV) — Charlie
* Hawkeye (1994)
* Legends of the Fall (1994) — One Stab
* Pocahontas (1995) — Kekata (voice)
* Lone Star (1996) — Wesley Birdsong
* Crazy Horse (1996) — Akicita
* Alaska (1996) — Ben Quincy General Store
* Song of Hiawatha (1997) — Iagoo
* Keeping the Promise (1997)- Chief Saknis
* The Edge (1997) — Jack Hawk
* Pocahontas: The Legend (1999) — Chief Powhatan (Wahunsonacock)
* Reindeer Games (2000) — Old Governor
* Dream Storm: A North of 60 Mystery (2001) (TV) — Albert Golo
* Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (2002) — Joe Saugus
* Now & Forever (2002) — Ghost Fox
* Dreamkeeper (2003) (TV) — Kills Enemy
* Smallville (2004) (TV) — Joseph Willowbrook
* Into the West (2005) (TV) — Growling Bear
* Shania: A Life in Eight Albums (2005) — Greey Twain
* Hank Williams First Nation (2005) — Adelard Fox
* Open Season (2006) — Gordy (voice)
* Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) — Red Cloud
* Out In The Cold (2008) — Soft as Snow
* Wapos Bay: The Series (2005–2010) — Mushom (voice)
* Blackstone (2011)
He will be greatly missed.