August Schellenberg

• Name — August Schellenberg • Birth Name — August Werner Schellenberg • Born — 25 July 1936 • Birthplace — Montreal, Quebec, Canada • Died — 15 August 2013 • Place of death — 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.com

Schellenberg was born and lived in Montreal, Quebec, until he moved to Toronto, Ontario, in 1967. He was of English, Mohawk and Swiss-German descent. 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 in the doco 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. 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). 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. 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. Schellenberg's younger brother played Dior in Grey's Anatomy, season 5. Shortly after that, August died of lung cancer.

Schellenberg died of lung cancer on August 15, 2013, in Dallas, Texas, after a long illness. He was interred at Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery.

August Schellenberg television credits • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1964 — Shoestring Theatre — Episode: "The Dark Mirror" • 1977 — The New Avengers — Bailey — Episode: "Forward Base" • 1983 — The Hitchhiker — Bob Ames — Episode: "When Morning Comes" • 1985 — Tramp at the Door — Albert Fournier — TV miniseries • 1986 — The Equalizer — Brennan — Episode: "Unpunished Crimes" • 1986 — Philip Marlowe, Private Eye — Johnny Tango — Episode: "Blackmailers Don't Shoot" • 1986 — Lance et compte — Allan Goldberg — 1 episode • 1987 — Airwolf — Gregori Nobokov — Episode: "Deathtrain" • 1988 — The Return of Ben Casey — Dr. Madigan — TV movie • 1989 — Champagne Charlie — General Butler — TV miniseries • 1990 — Counterstrike — Cortez — Episode: "Now and at the Hour of Our Death" • 1991 — Counterstrike — St. John — Episode: "Native Warriors" • 1992 — The Adventures of Tintin — English version, voice • 1993 — Geronimo — Cochise — TV movie • 1994 — Getting Gotti — Willie Boy Johnson — TV movie • 1994 — Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee — Dick Wilson — TV movie • 1994 — Lonesome Dove: The Series — Chief Iron Bow — TV miniseries. Episode: "Last Stand" • 1994–1995 — North of 60 — Ben Montour — 5 episodes • 1994–1995 — Walker Texas Ranger — Billy Gray Wolf — 2 episodes • 1995 — Tecumseh: The Last Warrior — Black Hoof — TV movie • 1996 — The Siege at Ruby Ridge — Native American — TV movie • 1996 — Crazy Horse — Sitting Bull — TV movie • 1996 — Ken Burns Presents: The West — Various (voice) — TV miniseries documentary. "Speck of the Future" "Death Runs Riot" "Fight No More Forever" • 1998 — Scattering Dad — Fierce Crow — TV movie • 1999 — Lakota Moon — Bull Elk — TV movie • 2000 — So Weird — Tom Martinez — Episode: "Destiny" • 2000 — High Noon — Antonio — TV movie • 2002 — Chiefs — Sitting Bull — TV miniseries documentary • 2003 — Dreamkeeper — Grandpa — TV movie • 2004 — The Making of "DreamKeeper" — Himself — Video documentary short • 2006 — Making "The New World" — Himself — Video documentary • 2007 — Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee — Sitting Bull — TV movie • 2008 — Grey's Anatomy — Clay Bedonie — Episode: "These Ties That Bind" • 2007–2010 — Saving Grace — GeePaw — 1 episode

August Schellenberg is recorded as actor and teacher.