MICHAEL HORSE, ("Deputy Hawk" in David Lynch's classic cult TV series, "Twin Peaks") is an interesting character on and off camera.
MICHAEL HORSE - Quote excerpts
1. A Man called Horse (Toronto Sun interview)
2. 1997 Canadian (CBC) interview excerpt
3. Michael Horse's speech at the 1996 Peaks Fan Fest
4. ABC Television Twin Peaks Season Two Press Kit bio
5. Michael Horse on racial stereotypes in Hollywood
6. Professional representation
7. X-Files appearance and other acting credits
8. Michael Horse in person (TP 'Close Encounters' segment)
9. Off site link to Mike Dunn's Twin Peaks Star Card character bio
Horse, a native American of Yaqui, Zuni and Mescalero Apache descent, was born on a Yaqui reserve near Tuscon, Arizona. He grew up in a traditional background on the reserve until
he was 10 years old, when he moved to Los Angeles with his family. He says any Indian person in the U.S. who has seen North of 60 loves it because the same things happen on reserves all over North America. "They struggle here, too, with the traditional values, family and tribal problems, land claims and whether or not their children are on the right path," he says.
While being an accomplished actor with principal or co-starring roles in more than two dozen film and television projects including Twin Peaks, The X-Files, Lakota Woman and Passenger 57 with Wesley Snipes, he is a well-known native artist. Coming from a long line of jewellers and potters, he painstakingly turns silver, gold, diamonds, coral and turquoise into exquisitely detailed pieces of tribal adornment that he sells at museums and shows.Michael Horse on Canadian TV
(circa 1997)
Reflecting on his character Andrew One Sky in the Canadian CBC television show North of 60 (which wound up its final season in 1997) Michael Horse laughs ruefully about his role. "I'm a little uncomfortable being a romantic character because I'm basically an action hero. I did my first love scene in Canada after 15 years of acting."
(-Source site CBC television http://www.tv.cbc.ca/personalities/northof60/horse.html)
'96 Peaks Fan Fest
Michael Horse's Speech from the Kiana Lodge Dinner
August 9, 1996
The Twin Peaks Fan Festival
[Michael said something in his Native American tongue that had Twin Peaks in the sentence but refused to translate his statement]
"Twin Peaks is very special to me--not just as an actor, but as an artist and as an Indian.
I'm very proud of what I think was one of the best contemporary roles for Native Americans I've ever seen on television. Hawk was a man of great dignity. It was a great image. A lot of native people would come up to me and tell me how much they liked that
role because he wasn't a traditional role. He was a true human being.
"I think "Twin Peaks" was a piece of television history. It changed the face of TV. It actually spoiled me to a lot of television. I was on a couple of series after "Twin Peaks."
I was on "The Untouchables." I quit because I got bored with it. I'm still looking for something that was that good of an experience. I'm doing a series up in Canada right now
called "North of 60" -- which is a wonderful series. It's very popular up there, almost like "Twin Peaks." Everywhere I go the fans stop me on the streets.
"I play a lot of villains. I was in "Passenger 57" with Wesley Snipes--I was a terrorist. I play a lot of baby killers and mother-stabbers [laughter].
"Don [Davis] and I are working on a new series that we're trying to put together, which is a wonderful piece.
"I also do a lot of voice-overs. I do a lot of cartoon voices. I do one for "The Tick." I do "Duckman," "Gargoyles"-- I'm a regular on "Gargoyles." It's a really interesting thing to
do. The directors of animation are some of the most serious directors you'll ever work with. One of them actually screamed at this man, "You're a hamburger, not a hotdog!" I had to stop and think. I guess voice-wise there must be a difference! [Laughter]
"I often watch "Twin Peaks." I'll go back and watch the reruns and see if it was as good as I thought it was. It was extremely special. It's interesting also because I don't like the upper echelons of the television community. I have no respect for them. I don't think they're very creative. I don't think they care about the public. I think they insult the public. I would watch as the executive from ABC would come in and stare at Michael [J. Anderson] dancing there. They would say, "Well, he [David Lynch] is a genius!"
"I would love to see a reunion. I think it's time. I would like to see a two-hour reunion of what happened on "Twin Peaks." I think it's time people start writing in to ABC.
"It's a pleasure to be here. I sincerely believe that "Twin Peaks" fans are the best fans I've ever had. They're respectful. The questions they ask are always insightful and intelligent.
It's an honor to be here.
Thank you."
(-Source site= http://www.onu.edu/user/student/stu0425/stars.htm)
MICHAEL HORSE - Deputy Tommy "Hawk" Hill
(circa 1990 - from the ABC Television Twin Peaks Second Season Press Kit-)
{The Hawk knows things. A watcher and a warrior, he understands the forces of good and evil moving beneath the surface in Twin Peaks.}
An actor and an award-winning, internationally known American Indian artist, Michael Horse was born and raised near Tucson, Arizona. Of Zuni, Mescalero Apache, and Yaqui descent, with some Swedish and Hispanic extraction for good measure, he grew up in a traditional household where he was taught to know and honor his people's religion, languages and culture. When he was 10, he moved with his family to the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles.
His mother and aunts were widely known as potters and painters, so at an early age Horse began designing and making silver jewelry. It is a craft he has been perfecting all his life. He completed his studies at the American Indian Art Institute in Santa Fe. Today, he creates both contemporary and traditional pieces from gold and silver - some inlaid with precious gems - that are shown in galleries and museums all around the country and abroad.
For several years, Michael also traveled and worked all over
the West. He was a roustabout in the Texas oil fields, a wrangler, a cowboy and rodeo rider, and a premier fiddle player with bluegrass and country-music bands. A Vietnam veteran, he served a tour as a gunner in the Mekong Delta and was wounded twice.
Eventually, he returned to the Los Angeles area to concentrate
full-time on his career as a silver artisan.
Horse became an actor almost by chance. He was renting his
studio space from an agent, who offered him the role of Tonto in
the feature film, "The Lone Ranger." He enjoyed his screen debut
enough to take up acting studies with a number of coaches,
noteworthy among them: Joan Darling. Horse has appeared in several movies, most of them of the action-adventure variety. He is particularly fond of a musical comedy he appeared in, called
"Rented Lips," in which he played a character named Bobby Leaping
Mouse. "Most people don't realize that American Indians have an
outrageous sense of humor," Michael remarks. "I had a great time
playing someone who showed that side."
Michael has guest starred on "Airwolf," "Knight Rider,"
"Paradise," and "Hollywood Beat." He recently co-starred with Glenn Ford in the upcoming "The Law at Randado" for the Turner Network. He is particularly pleased about a role in "The
Legend of Seeks to Hunt Great," one in a series of television films for children that recount Indian myths and lore.
Children, in fact, are an important part of Michael's life.
When he is not working, he is a volunteer counselor for inner-city children, especially Indian teenagers. "Los Angeles has the largest urban Indian population in the country," explains Michael. "I want to help the kids feel proud of who they are and look to the future."
[ Los Angeles PBS station KCET, producers of the program 'Storytime', invited Horse to transcribe children's books to audio tape, and he did so, joining dozens of fellow celebrities wishing to 'do something for the kids' including: Gabriel Byrne, Patrick Swayze, Jason Alexander, Geena Davis and Janeane Garafalo.]
Horse will also admit to being a world-class fisherman. He makes his home in the San Fernando Valley.
(-Source= http://www.twinpeaks.org/archives/articles/press_kit_season_two)