---
name: "Gary Farmer"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/gary-farmer"
fi1m_id: "gary-farmer"
imdb_id: "nm0001200"
tmdb_id: 15439
wikidata_id: "Q1309821"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "12 June 1953"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 9
average_fi1m_score: 79
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 9
updated: "2026-10-04T18:31:52.165208+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Gary Farmer

## Identity

Gary Farmer

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/gary-farmer
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** gary-farmer
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001200
- **TMDB ID:** 15439
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1309821
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Farmer, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1309821, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001200/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15439

Actor. Born 12 June 1953 in Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 12 June 1953, Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada
- **Active:** 1984–present
- **Also known as:** Gary Dale Farmer, گری فارمر
- **Average Fi1m score:** 79, as actor, over 9 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 62 (1), 1990s 82 (3), 2000s 83 (1), 2020s 80 (4)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 79 to 73 across 9 titles
- **Score spread:** 6 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 4 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 8, Comedy 4, Crime 3, Western 3, Fantasy 1
- **Screen time:** 10 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $125m across 5 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Farmer, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1309821, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001200/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15439

## Coming up

- *Margie Claus* (2027-11-04), as (voice)

## Streaming the US now

- **Tubi:** [*First Cow*](https://film.one/film/first-cow.md) (85)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Adaptation.*](https://film.one/film/adaptation.md) (83)
- **The Criterion Channel:** [*Dead Man*](https://film.one/film/dead-man.md) (81)
- **Apple TV:** [*The Curse*](https://film.one/tv/the-curse.md) (77)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Gary Farmer

> Gary Farmer makes the wise guide feel like a man with a life of his own. We value his dry humour and steadiness, especially in *Dead Man*, where he gives a familiar supporting role unusual warmth.

In *Dead Man* (1995), Gary Farmer's Nobody has a life that seems to have been going on long before Johnny Depp's Blake needed directions. Farmer gives the Native American guide a steady manner and a dry humour that prevents their conversations becoming lessons. We felt reassured by his company, because Depp's uncertain accountant seems less vulnerable with Nobody beside him. Yet Farmer never makes that reassurance the whole job; there is someone here worth following even when Blake is not asking for help.

His breakthrough was Philbert Bono in *Powwow Highway* (1989), followed by wider notice for *Dead Man*. Supporting work remained a substantial part of the career, including Arnold Joseph in *Smoke Signals* (1998) and Totillicum in *First Cow* (2020). The later television work includes a recurring role in *Reservation Dogs* (2021–2023).

Jim Jarmusch wrote Nobody for Farmer, and briefly brought the character back in *Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai* (1999). In *Dead Man*, the director gives the companionship time to become convincing, which helps make his thoughts about death bearable. Not all of that time is well spent: the long pauses sometimes ask more patience than they repay. Farmer cannot solve the pacing, but the warmth he brings gives us a reason to stay through the slower stretches. Jarmusch is an accommodating collaborator here, leaving room for a performance that can be funny without making Nobody merely comic.

Farmer has often been cast as Indigenous guides and elders, parts that can ask an actor to spend the evening explaining things to somebody else. Nobody's view of the frontier makes it harder to treat the West as a place where an outsider goes to learn about himself. Farmer lets us sense the limits of Blake's view without turning every encounter into a correction. Start with *Dead Man*, and allow Jarmusch the occasional overlong silence.

## Biography

Gary Farmer (born 12 June 1953) is a Canadian actor and musician of Cayuga Nation descent. He was born in Ohsweken, Ontario, and studied photography and film production at Syracuse University and Ryerson University.

He is best known for his role as Nobody in Jim Jarmusch’s *Dead Man* (1995), which he reprised in *Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai* (1999). Other film roles include *Powwow Highway* (1989), *Smoke Signals* (1998) and *The Score* (2001). He has appeared in more than 100 film and television productions, as well as theatre and radio.

Farmer received Independent Spirit Award nominations for *Powwow Highway*, *Dead Man* and *Smoke Signals*. He is a founder of the Aboriginal Voices Radio Network and performs with the band Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, thecanadianencyclopedia.ca, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (9)

- *The Curse* (2023), Fi1m 77, as James Toledo — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-curse.md)
- *The English* (2022), Fi1m 70, as John Clarke — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-english.md)
- *Reservation Dogs* (2021), Fi1m 86, as Uncle Brownie — [page](https://film.one/tv/reservation-dogs.md)
- *First Cow* (2020), Fi1m 85, as Totillicum — [page](https://film.one/film/first-cow.md)
- *Adaptation.* (2002), Fi1m 83, as Buster Baxley — [page](https://film.one/film/adaptation.md)
- *Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai* (1999), Fi1m 80, as Nobody — [page](https://film.one/film/ghost-dog-the-way-of-the-samurai.md)
- *The West Wing* (1999), Fi1m 86, as Jack Lone Feather — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-west-wing.md)
- *Dead Man* (1995), Fi1m 81, as Nobody — [page](https://film.one/film/dead-man.md)
- *Police Academy* (1984), Fi1m 62, as Sidewalk Store Owner — [page](https://film.one/film/police-academy.md)

## Complete filmography (105)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Margie Claus* (2027), as (voice)
- *How We Stand* (2026), Actor
- *Hey, Viktor!* (2024), Actor
- *An Ode for Leviticus* (2024), as Leviticus
- *The Curse* (2023), series, as James Toledo — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-curse.md)
- *Quantum Cowboys* (2023), as Calvin
- *The English* (2022), series, as John Clarke — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-english.md)
- *Heritage Minutes: Tom Longboat* (2022), as Tom Longboat (voice)
- *Our Flag Means Death* (2022), series, as Chief Mabo
- *Reservation Dogs* (2021), series, as Uncle Brownie — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/reservation-dogs.md)
- *Rutherford Falls* (2021), series, as Earl
- *Blood Brothers* (2021), as Smoke
- *Resident Alien* (2021), series, as Dan Twelvetrees
- *Cowboys* (2020), as Robert Spottedbird
- *The Dark Divide* (2020), as Densmore
- *First Cow* (2020), as Totillicum — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/first-cow.md)
- *The Incredible 25th Year of Mitzi Bearclaw* (2019), as Oliver Yellowdog
- *Santa Fake* (2019), as Santa
- *Blood Quantum* (2019), as Moon
- *Blackwater* (2019), as Charles Goodman
- *Lake of Betrayal: The Story of Kinzua Dam* (2017), as Narrator
- *Graves* (2016), series, Actor
- *Zoo* (2015), series, as Anik
- *Winter in the Blood* (2014), as Lame Bull
- *Rez Carz* (2014), as (voice)
- *The Red Road* (2014), series, as Mac
- *Jimmy P.* (2013), as Jack
- *Longmire* (2012), series, as Aaron Two Rivers — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/longmire.md)
- *Path of Souls* (2012), as Eddie Benton Benai
- *Foreverland* (2011), as Moe
- *California Indian* (2011), as Rich Knight
- *A Bird of the Air* (2011), as Charles Ballard
- *Good Neighbours* (2011), as Brandt
- *Ink: A Tale of Captivity* (2010), as Alderman
- *A Windigo Tale* (2010), as Harold
- *The Timekeeper* (2009), as Cook
- *Swing Vote* (2008), as Curly
- *Elijah* (2008), as Ray
- *All Hat* (2007), as Billy Caan
- *Moose TV* (2007), series, Actor
- *Disappearances* (2007), as Herny Coville
- *Intervention* (2007), as Bob
- *One Night with You* (2006), as Momo
- *Indian Summer: The Oka Crisis* (2006), series, as Alan Montour
- *3 Needles* (2005), as Winker at Support Group
- *The Republic Of Love* (2004), as Ted
- *A Thief Of Time* (2004), as Captain Largo
- *This Is Wonderland* (2004), series, Actor
- *Evergreen* (2004), as Jim
- *Dreamkeeper* (2003), as Iktome
- *Dreamkeeper* (2003), series, as Iktome
- *Coyote Waits* (2003), as Captain Largo
- *Twist* (2003), as Fagin
- *The Big Empty* (2003), as Indian Bob
- *Adaptation.* (2002), as Buster Baxley — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/adaptation.md)
- *Skins* (2002), as Verdell Weasel Tail
- *Angels Don't Sleep Here* (2002), as Lou Washington
- *Dice* (2001), series, as Ernie Ross
- *Route 666* (2001), as Shaman
- *Mutant X* (2001), series, as Dr. Marcus
- *The Score* (2001), as Burt
- *The Job* (2001), series, Actor
- *Delivering Milo* (2001), as Max
- *The Virginian* (2000), as Buster
- *Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai* (1999), as Nobody — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/ghost-dog-the-way-of-the-samurai.md)
- *The West Wing* (1999), series, as Jack Lone Feather — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-west-wing.md)
- *Touched* (1999), as George
- *Heater* (1999), as Ben
- *Smoke Signals* (1998), as Arnold Joseph
- *Stolen Heart* (1998), as Whitaker
- *Lilies* (1997), as Timothée
- *The Pretender* (1996), series, as Vincent LaPahie
- *Moonshine Highway* (1996), as Hooch Wilson
- *The Rez* (1996), series, as Chief Tom
- *Dead Man* (1995), as Nobody — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/dead-man.md)
- *Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight* (1995), as Deputy Bob Martel
- *Sioux City* (1994), as Russell White
- *Henry & Verlin* (1994), as Henry
- *Self Government: Talk About It* (1994), Director, Writer, Assistant Director
- *Collateral Damage* (1993), as Glen
- *Ed and His Dead Mother* (1993), as Big Lar
- *Blown Away* (1993), as Detective Anderson
- *Big Comfy Couch* (1993), series, as Wobbly
- *The Dark Wind* (1992), as Cowboy Albert Dashee
- *Forever Knight* (1992), series, as Capt. Joe Stonetree · Director
- *Plymouth* (1991), as Todd
- *Still Life* (1990), as Billy
- *Sparks: The Price of Passion* (1990), as Pete
- *Renegades* (1989), as George Storm
- *Powwow Highway* (1989), as Philbert Bono
- *Blue City Slammers* (1988), as Doug
- *China Beach* (1988), series, Actor
- *The Big Town* (1987), as Duke
- *The Believers* (1987), as Mover
- *Christmas Eve* (1986), as Jody
- *Doing Life* (1986), as First Prisoner
- *The Undergrads* (1985), as Castro
- *Going to War* (1985), as Old Mike
- *Overdrawn at the Memory Bank* (1984), as Tooby
- *Miami Vice* (1984), series, as Wilson — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/miami-vice.md)
- *Police Academy* (1984), as Sidewalk Store Owner — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/police-academy.md)
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Tooby
- *The Littlest Hobo* (1979), series, Actor
- *For the Record* (1976), series, Actor
- *Lord Have Mercy!*, series, as Marty C Marten

## Gallery

- ![Gary Farmer](https://film.one/media/person/86472/gallery-ce95b52ddfd3.jpg) Gary Farmer — Janet Rogers, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Gary_Farmer_and_the_Troublemakers_2012_%28zqprkUSOOU0%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Gary Farmer](https://film.one/media/person/86472/gallery-3a9fd82ef875.jpg) Gary Farmer — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/gary-farmer