The National Arts Centre has lowered it’s flag today in honour of actor  August Schellenberg.

The Montreal-born actor  died last night at his home at Dallas, Texas after a battle with lung cancer.

 He was 77.

The  Canadian actor was born in Montreal to a Mohawk-English mother and Swiss-German father.

He graduated from Canada’s National Theatre School in 1966 and moved to Toronto where he lived until 1995, and later moved to Dallas.

His extensive list of appearances in theatre, film and television  include Black Robe, Free Willy and  North of 60. He received three Genie award nominations, winning once for his role in Black Robe.

In 2007, he was nominated for an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor for his role  as Chief Sitting Bull  in  Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.

Last year Schellenberg played the title role in an all-First Nations version of Shakespeare’s King Lear at Ottawa’s National Arts Centre.