{{Short description|American actor (1929–2007)}} {{Infobox person | image = | birth_name = Nickolas George Ramus | birth_date = {{birth date|1929|09|09}} | birth_place = Seattle, Washington, US | death_date = {{death date and age|2007|5|30|1929|09|09}} | death_place = Benson, Arizona, US | occupation = Actor }} '''Nickolas George Ramus''', also known and credited as '''Nick Ramus''', (September 9, 1929 – May 30, 2007)<ref name="ImageMakersBio">{{cite book |last1=Garcia Berumen |first1=Frank Javier |title=American Indian Image Makers of Hollywood |date=4 December 2019 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9781476678139 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pkK9DwAAQBAJ&dq=Nick+Ramus&pg=PT218 |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> was a Blackfoot<ref>{{cite news |title=Special depicts Indian surrender |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/333662981/?terms=%22Nick%2BRamus%22 |work=The Tampa Times |date=April 12, 1975 |location=Florida, Tampa |page=41|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = September 25, 2018}} {{Open access}}</ref> Native American actor, best known for his appearances on television.
==Early life== Ramus was born in Seattle, Washington, and grew up in Spokane,<ref name="ImageMakersBio" /> but as a boy, his family moved to the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, Montana.
He eventually moved back to Washington, obtaining a bachelor's degree in chemistry, while minoring in zoology. After dropping out of his first year in medical school, he migrated south, competing in boxing and motorcycle races.
In San Francisco, Ramus received coaching in drama and voice, eventually leading to work in commercials. Several years later, he moved to Los Angeles and picked roles in films and television.<ref name="TucsonBio">{{cite news |last1=Matas |first1=Kimberly |title=Nick Ramus: Actor was 'a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind |url=https://tucson.com/news/local/nick-ramus-actor-was-a-what-you-see-is-what-you-get-kind-of-guy/article_d363d4d4-6ee0-578c-84e5-0375da5e597d.html |access-date=27 August 2022 |work=Arizona Daily Star |date=15 June 2007}}</ref>
==Career== Being of both Blackfoot and Greek<ref name="TucsonBio" /> ancestry, Ramus portrayed American Indian and Hispanic characters during his 30-year career.
Ramus' television debut was a role in the ABC series, ''The Wide World of Mystery'' (1973).<ref name="ImageMakersBio" />
In television movies and miniseries, he appeared as Grey Cloud in ''Born to the Wind''<ref name="etvs">{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010|date=2011|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-6477-7|page=125|edition=2nd}}</ref> (1981), as Arapaho Chief Lost Eagle in ''Centennial''<ref name="AIRcentinal">{{cite book |title=American Indian Review: Issues 19-29 |date=1999 |publisher=Twin Light Trail |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U9ZrAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Nick+Ramus%22+%22Centennial%22 |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> (1978-1979), as Tehohane in ''The Chisholms''<ref name="TucsonBio" /> (1980), and as Red Cloud in ''Son of the Morning Star'' (1991).<ref name="NYmagRedCloud">{{cite book |last1=Leonard |first1=John |title=Television: Home of the Braves |date=4 February 1991 |publisher=New York Magazine |page=41 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_ugCAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Nick+Ramus%22+%22Son+of+the+Morning+Star%22&pg=PA41 |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> Ramus also appeared as Mangus Colorado in the TNT film ''Geronimo'' (1993).<ref name="GeronimoMangas">{{cite book |last1=Hilger |first1=Michael |title=Native Americans in the Movies: Portrayals from Silent Films to the Present |date=16 October 2015 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |isbn=9781442240025 |page=400 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9PuICgAAQBAJ&dq=%22Nick+Ramus%22+%22Geronimo%22&pg=PA400 |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref>
In television series, Ramus had a recurring role in the soap opera ''Falcon Crest''{{r|etvs|page1=323}} as Gus Nunouz, and as Chief Black Kettle in ''Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman''.<ref name="Quinn">{{cite book |last1=Brode |first1=Douglas |title=Shooting Stars of the Small Screen: Encyclopedia of TV Western Actors, 1946–Present |date=2010 |publisher=University of Texas Press |isbn=9780292783317 |page=293 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o8uLbvRWBSAC&dq=%22Nick+Ramus%22+%22Black+Kettle%22&pg=PA293 |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> Guest appearances also included ''Gunsmoke'', ''Harry and the Hendersons'', ''Little House on the Prairie'',<ref name="AIRcentinal" /> ''MacGyver'', ''Northern Exposure'', ''Stingray'', and ''Walker, Texas Ranger'', among others.<ref name="ImageMakersBio" />
On the big screen, Ramus' film debut was a role in ''Black Eye'' (1974).<ref name="BlackAct" /> He would go on to star in the first Native American language film, ''Windwalker'' (1980).<ref name="WindStock">{{cite book |last1=Fuller |first1=Linda K. |last2=Loukides |first2=Paul |title=Beyond the Stars: Stock characters in American popular film: Volume 1 |date=1990 |publisher=Bowling Green University Popular Press |isbn=9780879724795 |page=13 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3BMM2wGKTQ4C&dq=%22Nick+Ramus%22&pg=PA13 |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> Other film roles include ''The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again''<ref name="AAApple" /> (1979) as Indian Chief, ''Invasion U.S.A.'' (1985), ''Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home''<ref name="SThelmsman">{{cite book |last1=Okuda |first1=Michael |last2=Okuda |first2=Denise |last3=Mirek |first3=Debbie |title=The Star Trek Encyclopedia |date=17 May 2011 |publisher=Pocket Books/Star Trek |isbn=9781451646887 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cbYf2l7gczUC&dq=%22Nick+Ramus%22+%22Star+Trek%22&pg=PT1804 |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> (1986) as ''Saratoga'' Helmsman, ''Love at Stake''<ref name="Wannatoka">{{cite book |last1=Willis |first1=John A. |title=Screen World: Volume 40 |date=1989 |publisher=Crown Publishers |page=120 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=osszAQAAIAAJ |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> (1987) as Chief Wannatoka, ''Journey to Spirit Island'' (1992), and ''3 Ninjas Knuckle Up'' (1995), among others.<ref name="ImageMakersBio" />
In 2006, Ramus took the role as Local Guy in the independent short film, ''Alma'' (2007) featuring Carmen Corral (as Alma) who portrays a Mexican-immigrant teenager, unaware that she is undocumented. The film's executive producer was Victoria Westover, a program director for the Hanson Film Institute at the University of Arizona.<ref name="TucsonBio" />
Ramus also wrote ''An Evening with Sitting Bull'' in the 1990s, from which he performed a one-man show.<ref name="EveSit">{{cite book |last1=Zalar |first1=Paula |title=American Indian Review: Issues 19-29 |date=1999 |publisher=Twin Light Trail |pages=4,29,31 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U9ZrAAAAMAAJ |access-date=27 August 2022 |chapter=A Day with Nick Ramus... An Evening with Sitting Bull}}</ref>
==Personal life== Ramus married Harriet Mary Howard and had three children.<ref name="ImageMakersBio" /> He was remarried to Kaysie McCallister in 1995, and moved to the San Pedro River valley area, near Benson, Arizona in 2002. By that time he had retired, except for occasional appearances.<ref name="TucsonBio" />
==Death== Ramus developed pneumonia in January of 2007, and doctors found a neoplasm in his lungs. He opted out of surgery that could have potentially been debilitating.<ref name="TucsonBio" /> On May 30, 2007, Ramus died in Benson, Arizona at age 77.<ref name="opa">{{cite book |last1=Lentz |first1=Harris M. III |title=Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2007: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture |date=2008 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9780786434817 |page=300 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t3zGCwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Nick+Ramus%22&pg=PA300 |access-date=26 September 2018 |language=en}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1974 |''Black Eye''<ref name="BlackAct">{{cite book |last1=Parish |first1=James Robert |last2=Hill |first2=George A. |last3=Hill |first3=George H. |title=Black Action Films: Plots, Critiques, Casts and Credits for 235 Theatrical and Made-for-television Releases |date=1989 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9780899504568 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZHtZAAAAMAAJ&q=Nick%20Ramus |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> | | |- |1979 |''The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again''<ref name="AAApple">{{cite book |last1=Sarno |first1=Art |title=Academy Awards |date=1980 |publisher=E S E California |isbn=9780912076379 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bl0hV_v0kmQC |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> |Indian Chief | |- |1980 |''Windwalker'' |Smiling Wolf / Crow Brother / Narrator | |- |1985 |''Invasion U.S.A.'' |Clark Little Hawk | |- |1986 |''Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home'' |Saratoga Helmsman | |- |1987 |''Love at Stake'' |Chief Wannatoka | |- |1988 |''Journey to Spirit Island''<ref name="IronHawkMPA">{{cite book |title=The Motion Picture Annual |date=1989 |publisher=CineBooks |page=88 |isbn=9780933997219 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UhUIAQAAMAAJ&q=Nick%20Ramus |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> |Tom | |- |1989 |''Caddie Woodlawn''<ref name="FFGcw">{{cite book |last1=Maltin |first1=Leonard |title=Leonard Maltin's Family Film Guide |date=1999 |publisher=Penguin Group |isbn=9780451197146 |page=91 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b9FNfsXY_ogC |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> |Chief Tukenbheska | |- |1995 |''3 Ninjas Knuckle Up'' |Chief Roundcreek | |- |2006 |''The Treasure of Painted Forest''<ref name="ImageMakersBio" /> |Mr. Godfrey | |- |2007 |''Alma''<ref name="TucsonBio" /> |Local Guy |Independent Short Film |- |2007 |''Rapturious'' |Voice |Final film role |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1973 |''The Wide World of Mystery'' | | |- |1974 |''Gunsmoke'' |Lynit |Episode: "The Iron Blood of Courage" |- |1975 |''I Will Fight No More Forever''<ref name="NoMore4ever">{{cite book |last1=Bowker |first1=R.R. |title=Bowker's Complete Video Directory: Volumes 1-4 |date=1992 |publisher=R R Bowker Publishing |page=488 |isbn=9780835237680 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1UcbAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Nick%20Ramus%22 |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> |Rainbow |TV movie |- |1976 |''The Quest'' {{Citation needed|date=August 2022|reason=Cursory search of GoogleBooks doesn't connect Ramus with the Title. There was a Pilot Movie, then the TV Series. Need an RS Citation to confirm..}} |Iron Hawk |TV movie |- |1977 |''Little House on the Prairie'' |Little Crow |Episode: "Freedom Flight" |- |1977 |''Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color''<ref name="ImageMakersBio" /> |Tioga |Episode: "Kit Carson and the Mountain Men: Parts 1 & 2" |- |1978–1979 |''Centennial'' |Lost Eagle |4 episodes |- |1979 |''The Chisholms'' |Tehohane |TV miniseries |- |1981–1982 |''Falcon Crest'' |Gus Nunouz |13 episodes |- |1982 |''The Legend of Walks Far Woman''<ref name="ImageMakersBio" /> |Left Hand Bull |TV movie |- |1982 |''Born to the Wind'' |Grey Cloud |TV series |- |1982 |''The Mystic Warrior''<ref name="GWPOlepi">{{cite book |last1=Parish |first1=James Robert |last2=Pitts |first2=Michael R. |title=The Great Western Pictures II |date=1988 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=9780810821064 |page=231 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=34wYAAAAIAAJ&q=%22Nick%20Ramus%22 |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> |Chief Olepi |TV movie |- |1985 |''Tall Tales & Legends''<ref name="SixTensTallTales">{{cite book |last1=Marill |first1=Alvin H. |title=Six Decades of Sagebrush Sheriffs, Scalawags, and Sidewinders |date=June 2011 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=9780810881334 |page=94 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TrIspiOaqboC |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> |Sitting Bull |Episode: "Annie Oakley" |- |1987 |''Capitol''<ref name="ImageMakersBio" /> |General Abdullah |Episode #1.1270 |- |1987 |''Stingray''<ref name="ImageMakersBio" /> |Alexander Bondy |Episode: "The Neniwa" |- |1989 |''Paradise''<ref name="TVGparadise">{{cite book |title=TV Guide: Volume 38, Issues 17-21 |date=1990 |publisher=Triangle Publications |page=78 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7No4AAAAIAAJ&q=%22Nick%20Ramus%22 |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> |Chief Black Cloud |Episode: "The Burial Ground" |- |1989 |''Monsters''<ref name="MonsTT">{{cite book |last1=Muir |first1=John Kenneth |title=Terror Television: American Series, 1970-1999 |date=25 February 2013 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9781476604169 |page=351 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yxpDUAFrwfwC&dq=%22Nick+Ramus%22+%22Half+as+Old+as+Time%22&pg=PT351 |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> |Temple Guide |Episode: "Half as Old as Time" |- |1990 |''Northern Exposure'' |Chief |Episode: "Soapy Sanderson" |- |1991 |''Harry and the Hendersons''<ref name="HnH">{{cite book |last1=Lentz III |first1=Harris M. |title=Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits: Television shows |date=2001 |publisher=McFarland |page=1866 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bWRZAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Nick%20Ramus%22%20%22Harry%20and%20the%20Hendersons%22 |access-date=27 August 2022}}</ref> |Medicine Man |Episode: "Roots, The Herb" |- |1991 |''MacGyver'' |Standing Wolf |Episode: "Trail of Tears" |- |1993 |''Geronimo'' |Mangus Colorado |TV movie |- |1993–1995 |''Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman'' |Chief Black Kettle |10 episodes |- |1995 |''Walker, Texas Ranger'' |Bright Water |Episode: "On Sacred Ground" |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Portal|Biography}} * {{IMDb name|0709142}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramus, Nick}} Category:1929 births Category:2007 deaths Category:Blackfeet Tribe people Category:Native American male actors Category:American male television actors Category:American male film actors Category:Male actors from Seattle Category:People from Benson, Arizona Category:20th-century American male actors Category:20th-century Native American actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:21st-century Native American actors