Born in North Vancouver, BC, Canada. He was employed as a logger, stevedore, and construction worker before being forced out of manual labor by an injury in 1947. In the following 12 years he served as chief of his tribe, the Tse-lal-watt Sioux. Retiring in 1959, he began his acting career in the Canadian TV series "Caribou Country" (1960-61). In films from 1969, he is best remembered for his portrayal of the sage Old Lodge Skins in LITTLE BIG MAN (1970), for which he was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Award and won a New York Critics Award. Other notable credits include CANCEL MY RESERVATIONS (1972), ALIEN THUNDER, HARRY AND TONTO and CHIEF DAN GEORGE SPEAKS (all 1974), THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES and SHADOW OF THE HAWK (both 1976), SPIRIT OF THE WIND and AMERICATHON (both 1979) and his last film, NOTHING PERSONAL (1980). He made numerous notable guest appearances on television from 1967 until 1978. He was a tireless campaigner for the hiring of Native Americans to portray Native Americans on the screen. He co-authored an autobiography with Hilda Mortimer: You Call Me Chief (1981).  Nominated for Supporting Actor 1970: LITTLE BIG MAN 1 nomination