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Leonard
Quinhagak (pronounced QUINN-uh-hawk), portrayed by Graham
Greene, is the local shaman, or healer. Marilyn's (Elaine Miles) cousin, Leonard has been
practicing medicine since he was twelve, learning a very orthodox,
traditional discipline, yet with no conventional medical training.
An Indian in his mid-forties, Leonard is relaxed and easy going,
so much so that he spends hours with patients, days sometimes,
fishing with them, eating with them and spending the night in
their homes just to make a correct diagnosis. Leonard
often mysteriously appears as Cicely's resident shaman, healing
and offering advice. He was the first to point out the "calling"
in Ed and serves as his mentor.
Greene was
born in Six Nations Reserve, Ontario, Canada. A full-blooded Oneida,
Greene was best known for his role in Dances With Wolves (1990), which was nominated for best performance by an actor in
a supporting role. He also appeared with Al Pacino in Revolution (1985); co-starred with Robby Benson in Running Brave (1983); and played a Vietnam vet in the comedy adventure, Powwow
Highway (1989).
Greene also
makes frequent appearances on TV, generally playing quietly dignified
characters on shows like "L.A. Law," "Northern
Exposure" and "Murder, She Wrote."
He also proved effective in less traditional fare such as "Where
the Spirit Lives" (1990) for PBS' "American
Playhouse" and the HBO film The Last of His Tribe (1992), in which he played the last survivor of the Yahi nation.
He turned in a superb, laconic performance as a reservation cop
who teaches rookie FBI man Val Kilmer a thing or two in Michael
Apted's sober environmental thriller, Thunderheart (1992).
Greene remains active in the Toronto theater community, where
he has appeared in over a dozen productions. He has a reoccuring
role on The Red Green Show.
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