Lorne Cardinal (born 6 January 1964 in Sucker Creek, Alberta) is a Cree First Nations Canadian stage, television and film actor.
He is best known for playing Sergeant Davis Quinton, the oversensitive First Nations police officer on Corner Gas. However, he's appeared in many other Canadian-produced movies and TV shows, typically playing Native American and First Nations characters (such as in CBC and PBS Kids' Molly of Denali, the first kids show to feature an Alaskan native as the protagonist). He also plays Nelson Skye on FBI: Most Wanted and has appeared in many Indigenous-produced Canadian media.
He's also done a bit of work behind the camera. He did a documentary for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) called Chasing Lear that focused on a theatrical production of King Lear by the National Arts Centre that had an all-Aboriginal cast. He also directed episodes of two different series for APTN, Moccasin Flats and Rabbit Fall.
Outside of acting and directing, Cardinal is known for his enthusiasm for rugby. He used to play for the Edmonton Druids RFC and later the Strathcona Druids, becoming the first Indigenous person to play for the latter team. His Corner Gas character Quinton references his history with the sport, being a fan of the Saskatchewan Prairie Fire rugby team.
He is married to producer/writer Monique Hurteau.
Film Roles
- Insomnia as Rich
- Tkaronto as Max Cardinal
- Flicka 2 as Sheriff
- Corner Gas: The Movie as Davis Quinton
- Open Season: Scared Silly as Sheriff Gordy
- The Adventure Club as Curtis
- Never Steady Never Still as Lenny
- Kayak To Klemtu as Don
- The Humanity Bureau as Border Ranger
Television Roles
- Lonesome Dove as Indian Brave (2 episodes)
- Hawkeye as Brother of the North Wind (1 episode)
- North Of 60 as Daniel Deela (6 episodes)
- Jake And The Kid as Moses Lefthand
- The City 1999 as Gabriel (4 episodes)
- Wumpas World as Wumpa the Walrus
- The Associates as Preston Stanley (1 episode)
- Blackfly as Chief Smack-In-Your-Face-In (8 episodes)
- Relic Hunter as Sheriff Dark Feather (1 episode)
- Monsters We Met as Clovis Man (1 episode)
- Corner Gas as Davis Quinton
- Wapos Bay as Jacob
- Level Up as Principal Storm
- Arctic Air as Zachary Ward (4 episodes)
- Primeval: New World as Raymond (1 episode)
- Fargo as Ray Almond (1 episode)
- Tin Star as Officer Lightfoot (1 episode)
- Corner Gas Animated as Davis Quinton
- Molly of Denali as Grandpa Nat
- FBI: Most Wanted as Nelson Skye
