Chief Dan George Biography

Fast Facts

• Won the Human Relations Award from the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews for his work as a spokesman for native rights in 1971
• Won three Best Supporting Actor awards for "Little Big Man:" a New York Film Critics Circle Award in 1970 and a National Society of Film Critics Award and a Golden Laurel Award in 1971
• Was a longshoreman for 27 years before an injury forced him to find other work, first in construction and as a school bus driver until he got into acting
• Was chief of the Burrard tribe from 1951 to 1963, when he decided to become an actor and starred in the CBC TV series "Caribou Country․"
• Quote: "(On deciding to become an actor at the age of 62): "[I wanted] to do something that would give a name to the Indian people․""
• Best known for his role as Lone Watie in "The Outlaw Josey Wales" and as Old Lodge Skins in "Little Big Man․"
• Recorded the album "Chief Dan George & Fireweed - In Circle" in 1974 which featured the songs "My Blue Heaven" and "Indian Prayer․"