Michael Horse (born Michael James Heinrich; December 21, 1949) is an American actor known for his portrayals of Native American characters in film and television. Horse was born Michael James Heinrich in Los Angeles, California, on December 21, 1949. His mother, Nancie Belle Posten, was Swedish. Horse's adoptive father, George Heinrich, was born in Florida to parents from Austria. Nancie died in California in 2004. Horse's film debut came in the role of Tonto in the 1981 film The Legend of the Lone Ranger, which was a commercial failure. Before taking the role, Horse had been concerned that the character might be perceived as a stereotype. After appearing in David Lynch's short film The Cowboy and the Frenchman (1988), Horse portrayed Deputy Hawk, a Native American policeman, in Lynch's TV series Twin Peaks (1990–91). He also acted in ...read more