JACK ELAM
INFORMATION FROM IMDb
Date of birth
13 November 1918
Miami, Arizona, USA
Date of death
20 October 2003
Ashland, Oregon, USA. (congestive heart failure)
Height
6' 2" (1.88 m)
Spouse
Margaret Jennison (1961 - 20 October 2003) (his death)
Jean Elam (1937 - 1961) (her death)
Trivia
Daughters: Jeri Elam and Jacqueline Elam.
Son: Scott Elam.
Made an infamous career with his eerie, immobile eye, which was caused by a fight with another kid at the age of 12. It happened during a Boy Scout meeting when another boy took a pencil, threw it, and it jabbed his eyeball.
Working for Samuel Goldwyn Studios as a bookkeeper for their accounting department, he progressed to Office Controller for cowboy star William Boyd at Hopalong Cassidy Productions before breaking into films.
Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1994.
After WWII, Elam worked as a bookkeeper for Samuel Goldwyn Studios and then as controller for William Boyd's Hopalong Cassidy production company. Staring at small figures on ledger sheets for hours on end strained his good eye and doctors told him he risked losing his sight if he continued his lucrative accounting business. When a movie director friend was having trouble getting financing for three western scripts, Elam told him he would arrange the financing in exchange for roles as a "heavy" in all three pictures. The first was "The Sundowners," a 1950 film starring Robert Preston, which helped launch his long career.
Died two months after the death of fellow co-star Charles Bronson.
Was known to be great at all forms of gambling. Also great at winning games played with people on sets.
He once described the career of a character actor. It went like this: "Who's Jack Elam. Get me Jack Elam. Get me a Jack Elam type. Get me a young Jack Elam. Who's Jack Elam?"
Personal Quotes
"The heavy today is usually not my kind of guy. In the old days, Rory Calhoun was the hero because he was the hero and I was the heavy because I was the heavy - and nobody cared what my problem was. And I didn't either. I robbed the bank because I wanted the money ... I've played all kinds of weirdos but I've never done the quiet, sick type. I never had a problem - other than the fact I was just bad."
Mini biography
Colorful American character actor equally adept at vicious killers or grizzled sidekicks. As a child he worked in the cotton fields. He attended Santa Monica Junior College in California and subsequently became an accountant and, at one time, manager of the Bel Air Hotel. Elam got his first movie job by trading his accounting services for a role. In short time he became one of the most memorable supporting players in Hollywood, thanks not only to his near-demented screen persona but also to an out-of-kilter left eye, sightless from a childhood fight. He appeared with great aplomb in Westerns and gangster films alike, and in later years played to wonderful effect in comedic roles.
IMDb mini-biography by Jim Beaver
Mini Biography-2
from Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia:
Wild-eyed, croaky-voiced character actor second to none in the ancient and venerable art of scene-stealing. His career falls into three distinct phases: In the 1950s and 1960s, he was a matchless thug in High Noon, Rancho Notorious (both 1952), Kiss Me Deadly (1955), Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), Baby Face Nelson (1958), and The Comancheros (1961). In the late 1960s he drifted into comedic portrayals, mostly in Westerns, often playing a self-parodying Western heavy, as in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969), Rio Lobo (1970), and Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971). By the mid 1970s, Elam had essayed dozens of such roles; gradually, over the next few yearsupon becoming "too old and too fat to jump on a horse," as he puts it-Elam grew a long beard and settled into lovable-old-coot characterizations. Much of his work in the last decade has been confined to TV movies Once Upon a Texas Train and Where the Hell's That Gold?!!?, both 1988) and independent, modestly budgeted theatrical movies such as Aurora Encounter (1986), The Giant of Thunder Mountain (1991), and Suburban Commando (1991). Elam has also been featured in the sitcoms "Struck by Lightning" (1979) and "Easy Street" (1986-87).
Copyright © 1994 Leonard Maltin, used by arrangement with Signet, a division of Penguin Putnam, Inc.
Filmography
Actor
1. Bonanza: Under Attack (1995) (TV)
2. "Lonesome Dove: The Series"
- High Lonesome (????) TV Episode .... Curtis
- The List (????) TV Episode .... Curtis
3. "Lucky Luke" (1993) TV Series .... Axel Ericson
4. Bonanza: The Return (1993) (TV)
5. Uninvited (1993) .... Grady
6. Shadow Force (1993) .... Tommy
7. "Home Improvement"
- Birds of a Feather Flock to Taylor (1992) TV Episode .... Hick Peterson
8. Suburban Commando (1991) .... Col. Dustin 'Dusty' McHowell
9. The Giant of Thunder Mountain (1991) .... Hezekiah Crow
10. Big Bad John (1990) .... Jake
11. "Paradise"
... aka Guns of Paradise (new title)
- A Gather of Guns (1989) TV Episode
12. Where the Hell's That Gold?!!? (1988) (TV) .... Boone
... aka Dynamite and Gold
13. "J.J. Starbuck"
- Murder by Design (1988) TV Episode .... Esco Tokay
14. Once Upon a Texas Train (1988) (TV) .... Jason Fitch
... aka Texas Guns
15. Hawken's Breed (1987)
16. "Easy Street" (1986) TV Series .... Uncle Alvin "Bully" Stevenson (1986-1987)
17. The Aurora Encounter (1986) .... Charlie
18. Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills (1986) (TV) .... Squires
... aka Down the Long Hills
19. "Simon & Simon"
- D-I-V-O-R-C-E (1986) TV Episode .... Bud Krelman
20. "Detective in the House" (1985) TV Series .... Nick Turner
21. Cannonball Run II (1984) .... Doctor Nikolas Van Helsing
22. Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas (1984) (TV) .... Scrooge
23. Sacred Ground (1983) .... Lum Witcher
24. Sawyer and Finn (1983) (TV) .... Boot McGraw
25. Lost (1983)
26. Jinxed! (1982) .... Otto
27. "Disneyland"
... aka Disney's Wonderful World (USA: new title)
... aka The Disney Sunday Movie (USA: new title)
... aka The Magical World of Disney (USA: new title)
... aka The Wonderful World of Disney (USA: new title)
... aka Walt Disney (USA: new title)
... aka Walt Disney Presents (USA: new title)
... aka Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (USA: new title)
- The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again: Part 2 (1982) TV Episode .... Big Mack
- The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again: Part 1 (1982) TV Episode .... Big Mack
- Never a Dull Moment (1979) TV Episode .... Ace Williams
- Wild Country: Part 2 (1975) TV Episode .... Thompson
- Wild Country: Part 1 (1975) TV Episode .... Thompson
(2 more)
28. "Father Murphy"
- By the Bear That Bit Me: Part 2 (1981) TV Episode
- By the Bear That Bit Me: Part 1 (1981) TV Episode
29. Skyward Christmas (1981) (TV) .... Clay Haller
30. "Fantasy Island"
- Devil and Mr. Roarke/Ziegfeld Girls/Kid Corey Rides Again (1981) TV Episode .... Kid Corey
- Vampire/The Lady and the Longhorn (1978) TV Episode .... Hollis Buford Jr.
31. The Cannonball Run (1981) .... Doctor Nikolas Van Helsing
32. The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite (1981) (TV) .... Seth Beaumont
33. "Eight Is Enough"
- The Return of Joe Simons (1980) TV Episode .... Joe Simons
- You Won't Have Nicholas to Kick Around Anymore: Part 1 (1978) TV Episode
34. Soggy Bottom, USA (1980)
... aka Swamp Rats
35. "Struck by Lightning" (1979) TV Series .... Frank
36. The Villain (1979) .... Avery Simpson
... aka Cactus Jack (UK)
37. The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979) .... Big Mack
38. The Sacketts (1979) (TV) .... Ira Bigelow
... aka The Daybreakers (USA: cut version)
39. The Norseman (1978) .... Death Dreamer
40. Lacy and the Mississippi Queen (1978) (TV) .... Willie Red Fire
41. Grayeagle (1978) .... Trapper Willis
42. "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams"
- The Great Burro Race (1978) TV Episode
43. "Black Beauty" (1978/I) (mini) TV Series .... Jonas McBride
44. Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978) .... Rattlesnake
... aka Hot Lead & Cold Feet (USA: poster title)
45. "How the West Was Won" (1977) (mini) TV Series .... Cully Madigan (episodes 2 and 3)
46. Pony Express Rider (1976) .... Crazy Charlie
47. The Winds of Autumn (1976)
48. The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe (1976) (TV) .... Bitterroot
49. Hawmps! (1976) .... Bad Jack Cutter
50. Creature from Black Lake (1976) .... Joe Canton
... aka Demon of the Lake
51. Huckleberry Finn (1975) (TV) .... King
52. The Ransom of Red Chief (1975) (TV) .... Sam Howard
53. "The Texas Wheelers" (1974) TV Series .... Zack Wheeler (1974-75)
54. A Knife for the Ladies (1974) .... Jarrod (Sheriff)
... aka A Knife in the Dark (Europe: English title: video title)
... aka Jack the Ripper Goes West
... aka Silent Sentence (TV title)
55. Sidekicks (1974) (TV) .... Boss
56. Shootout in a One-Dog Town (1974) (TV) .... Handy
57. "Kung Fu"
- The Squawman (1973) TV Episode .... Marcus Taylor
58. Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) .... Alamosa Bill/Kermit
59. The Red Pony (1973) (TV) .... Granddad
60. "Gunsmoke"
... aka Gun Law (UK)
... aka Marshal Dillon (USA: rerun title)
- The River: Part 2 (1972) TV Episode .... Pierre
- The River: Part 1 (1972) TV Episode .... Pierre
- P.S. Murry Christmas (1971) TV Episode .... Titus Spangler
- Murdoch (1971) TV Episode .... Lucas Murdoch
- The Sisters (1969) TV Episode .... Pack Landers
(10 more)
61. The Daughters of Joshua Cabe (1972) (TV) .... Bitterroot
62. "Alias Smith and Jones"
- Bad Night in Big Butte (1972) TV Episode .... Boot Coby
63. "Nichols"
... aka James Garner (Canada: English title)
... aka James Garner as Nichols
- About Jesse James (1972) TV Episode
64. Hannie Caulder (1971) .... Frank Clemens
65. The Last Rebel (1971) .... Matt
66. Cat Ballou (1971/I) (TV) .... Kid Sheleen
67. Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971) .... Jug May/'Swifty' Morgan
68. The Wild Country (1971) .... Thompson
... aka The Newcomers
69. "Bonanza"
... aka Ponderosa (USA: rerun title)
- Honest John (1970) TV Episode .... Honest John
- A Bride for Buford (1967) TV Episode .... Buford Buckalaw
- The Spitfire (1961) TV Episode .... Dodie Hoad
70. Rio Lobo (1970) .... Phillips
... aka San Timoteo
71. Dirty Dingus Magee (1970) .... John Wesley Hardin
72. Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (1970) .... Kittrick
... aka A Woman for Charley (UK: TV title)
73. "The Virginian"
... aka The Men from Shiloh (new title)
- Rich Man, Poor Man (1970) TV Episode .... Harve Yost
74. The Over-the-Hill Gang (1969) (TV) .... Sheriff Clyde Barnes
75. "Lancer"
- Zee (1969) TV Episode .... Tom Mangrum
76. Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) .... Jake
77. Ride a Northbound Horse (1969) (TV)
78. "The Outcasts"
- The Glory Wagon (1969) TV Episode .... Blackner
79. Sonora (1969) .... Slim Kovacs
... aka Sartana Does Not Forgive (USA)
... aka Sartana no perdone (Spain)
... aka Sartana non perdona (Italy)
80. C'era una volta il West (1968) .... Snaky (member of Frank's gang)
... aka Once Upon a Time in the West (USA)
... aka There Was Once the West (USA: literal English title)
81. "The High Chaparral"
- North to Tucson (1968) TV Episode .... Mackdin
82. Never a Dull Moment (1968) .... Ace Williams
83. "Cimarron Strip"
- Big Jessie (1968) TV Episode .... Moon
84. Firecreek (1968) .... Earl Norman
85. "Hondo"
- Hondo and the Rebel Hat (1967) TV Episode .... Diablo
86. The Last Challenge (1967) .... Ernest Scarnes
... aka The Pistolero of Red River (UK)
87. "The Wild Wild West"
- The Night of Montezuma's Hordes (1967) TV Episode .... Zack Slade
88. "The Guns of Will Sonnett"
- A Son for a Son (1967) TV Episode .... Sheriff
89. The Way West (1967) .... Preacher Weatherby
90. "Tarzan"
- The Circus (1967) TV Episode .... Bellak
91. The Night of the Grizzly (1966) .... Hank
92. The Rare Breed (1966) .... Deke Simons
93. "F Troop"
- Dirge for the Scourge (1965) TV Episode .... Sam Urp
94. "The Legend of Jesse James"
- Three Men from Now (1965) TV Episode .... Deacon
95. "Daniel Boone"
- The Sound of Fear (1965) TV Episode .... Dr. Miller Petch
96. 4 for Texas (1963) .... Dobie
97. "Temple Houston" (1963) TV Series .... George Taggart
98. "The Dakotas" (1963) TV Series .... Deputy J.D. Smith
99. "Laramie"
- Gun Duel (1962) TV Episode
- The Tumbleweed Wagon (1961) TV Episode .... Charley Fox
100. "Ben Casey"
- The Night That Nothing Happened (1962) TV Episode .... Felix Gault
101. "Cheyenne"
- The Durango Brothers (1962) TV Episode .... Calhoun Durango
- A Man Called Ragan (1962) TV Episode .... Deputy J.D. Smith
- Massacre at Gunsight Pass (1961) TV Episode .... Nicholas Potosi
102. "The Untouchables"
- Pressure (1962) TV Episode .... Jug Alverson
- Testimony of Evil (1961) TV Episode .... Stan Wilinski
- Syndicate Sanctuary (1960) TV Episode .... Nick Bravo
103. "Target: The Corruptors"
- A Man's Castle (1962) TV Episode .... Stickface
104. "Lawman"
... aka The Lawman (USA: alternative title)
- Clootey Hutter (1962) TV Episode
- The Four (1961) TV Episode
- Thirty Minutes (1960) TV Episode
- The Senator (1959) TV Episode .... Spence
- The Deputy (1958) TV Episode .... Flynn Hawks
105. "Rawhide"
- The Pitchwagon (1962) TV Episode .... Turkey Creek Jack Johnson
106. "Have Gun - Will Travel"
- One, Two, Three (1962) TV Episode .... Arnold Shoffner
- The Man Who Lost (1959) TV Episode .... Joe Gage
107. Pocketful of Miracles (1961) .... Cheesecake
108. "Bronco"
- The Equalizer (1961) TV Episode .... Toothy Thompson
- The Besieged (1958) TV Episode .... Dooley
109. "Outlaws"
- The Outlaw Marshals (1961) TV Episode .... Diamond
110. "The Rifleman"
- The Shattered Idol (1961) TV Episode .... Russell
- Knight Errant (1961) TV Episode
- Shotgun Man (1960) TV Episode .... Gus Smith
- Tension (1959) TV Episode .... Gavin Martin
- Duel of Honor (1958) TV Episode .... Sim Groder
111. "National Velvet"
- The Desperado (1961) TV Episode .... Black Barr
112. The Comancheros (1961) .... Horseface (Comanchero)
113. The Last Sunset (1961) .... Ed Hobbs
114. "The Twilight Zone"
- Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up? (1961) TV Episode .... Avery
115. "The Rebel"
- Helping Hand (1961) TV Episode .... Uncle Luce
- Angry Town (1960) TV Episode .... Lawyer
116. "Death Valley Days"
... aka Call of the West (USA: syndication title)
... aka The Pioneers (USA: syndication title)
... aka Trails West (USA: syndication title)
... aka Western Star Theater (USA: syndication title)
- A General Without Cause (1961) TV Episode .... Juan Cortina
117. "Gunslinger"
- The Hostage Fort (1961) TV Episode .... Clint Gannet
118. "Klondike"
- Queen of the Klondike (1961) TV Episode .... Eli Roper
119. "Zane Grey Theater"
... aka Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater (USA: complete title)
... aka The Westerners (USA: rerun title)
- Ambush (1961) TV Episode .... Dirk Ryan
- Deception (1960) TV Episode .... Cass
- Miss Jenny (1960) TV Episode .... Little Jimmy Lehigh
- Dangerous Orders (1957) TV Episode .... Hock Ellis
120. "Stagecoach West"
- A Fork in the Road (1960) TV Episode .... Clell
121. "The Texan"
- Lady Tenderfoot (1960) TV Episode .... Dud Parsons
- South of the Border (1959) TV Episode .... Luke Watson
- The Easterner (1958) TV Episode .... Tug Swann
122. The Slowest Gun in the West (1960) (TV) .... Ike Dalton
123. "Mr. Lucky"
- Big Squeeze (1960) TV Episode .... Phil Bricker
124. "Tightrope"
- Broken Rope (1960) TV Episode .... Tim Renick
125. "Richard Diamond, Private Detective"
... aka Call Mr. D.e
- One Dead Cat (1959) TV Episode .... Perk Butler
- The Dark Horse (1958) TV Episode .... Danny
126. "Sugarfoot" .... Toothy Thompson
... aka Tenderfoot (UK)
- Outlaw Island (1959) TV Episode .... Toothy Thompson
- Guns for Big Bear (1958) TV Episode .... Toothy Thompson
127. Edge of Eternity (1959) .... Bill Ward
128. "Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse"
... aka Desilu Playhouse
- Six Guns for Donegan (1959) TV Episode .... Clinton
129. "Tombstone Territory"
- Day of the Amnesty (1959) TV Episode .... Wally Jobe
130. The Girl in Lovers Lane (1959) .... Jesse
131. The Gun Runners (1958) .... Arnold
... aka Gunrunners (International: English title)
132. "Frontier Justice"
- Dangerous Orders (1958) TV Episode .... Hock Ellis
133. "M Squad"
- Hideout (1958) TV Episode .... Morgan
134. "Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre"
... aka Jane Wyman Presents (USA: rerun title)
... aka Jane Wyman Theater (USA)
- Tunnel Eight (1958) TV Episode .... Quirt Avery
135. "The Restless Gun"
- Hornitas Town (1958) TV Episode .... Tony Molinor
- Trail to Sunset (1957) TV Episode .... Link Jerrod
136. "Zorro"
- Slaves of the Eagle (1958) TV Episode (uncredited) .... Gomez
- Garcia Stands Accused (1958) TV Episode .... Gomez
- Shadow of Doubt (1958) TV Episode (uncredited) .... Gomez, the coachman
137. Baby Face Nelson (1957) .... Fatso Nagel
138. "Wagon Train"
... aka Major Adams, Trail Master
- The John Cameron Story (1957) TV Episode .... Charlie Otis
139. Night Passage (1957) .... Shotgun
140. "Tales of Wells Fargo"
- The Hijackers (1957) TV Episode .... Chris
141. Lure of the Swamp (1957) .... Henry Bliss
142. Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) .... Tom McLowery
143. Dragoon Wells Massacre (1957) .... Tioga
... aka Dragon Wells Massacre
144. Thunder Over Arizona (1956) .... Deputy Slats Callahan
145. Pardners (1956) .... Pete
146. Jubal (1956) .... McCoy, Bar 8 Rider
147. "Screen Directors Playhouse"
- The Silent Partner (1955) TV Episode .... Shanks
148. "Frontier"
- Ferdinand Meyer's Army (1955) TV Episode .... Father Matias
- Cattle Drive to Casper (1955) TV Episode .... Ness Fowler
149. Artists and Models (1955) .... Ivan
150. Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (1955) .... Burger
151. Kismet (1955) .... Hassan-Ben
152. The Man from Laramie (1955) .... Chris Boldt
153. "The Lone Ranger"
- The Sheriff's Wife (1955) TV Episode .... Jack Miles
- Outlaw's Trail (1954) TV Episode .... Reno Lawrence
154. Wichita (1955) .... Al Mann
155. Moonfleet (1955) .... Damen
156. Kiss Me Deadly (1955) .... Charlie Max
... aka Mickey Spillane's Kiss Me Deadly (USA)
157. Man Without a Star (1955) (uncredited) .... Knife murderer
158. Vera Cruz (1954) .... Tex
159. Cattle Queen of Montana (1954) .... Yost
160. The Far Country (1954) .... Frank Newberry (Gannon's deputy)
161. "Stories of the Century"
... aka The Fast Guns (USA: reissue title)
- Black Jack Ketchum (1954) TV Episode .... Black Jack Ketchum
162. Princess of the Nile (1954) .... Basra
163. Jubilee Trail (1954) .... Whitey, Hale gunman
164. Ride Clear of Diablo (1954) .... Tim Lowerie
... aka The Breckenridge Story (USA)
165. "Waterfront"
- The Skipper's Day (????) TV Episode
166. "Four Star Playhouse"
... aka Star Performance (USA: rerun title)
- The Hard Way (1953) TV Episode
167. Appointment in Honduras (1953) .... Castro
... aka Jungle Fury (USA)
168. The Moonlighter (1953) .... Slim, Strawboss
169. Gun Belt (1953) .... Rusty Kolloway
170. Ride, Vaquero! (1953) .... Barton
171. Count the Hours (1953) .... Max Vern
... aka Every Minute Counts (UK)
172. Kansas City Confidential (1952) .... Pete Harris aka Johnson
... aka The Secret Four (UK)
173. My Man and I (1952) .... Celestino Garcia
174. Lure of the Wilderness (1952) .... Dave Longden
175. High Noon (1952) (uncredited) .... Charlie, drunk in jail
176. Montana Territory (1952) .... Gimp
177. The Battle at Apache Pass (1952) .... Mescal Jack
178. Rancho Notorious (1952) .... Mort Geary
179. The Bushwhackers (1952) .... Cree, first henchman
... aka The Rebel (UK)
180. The Ring (1952) .... Harry Jackson
181. Rawhide (1951) .... Tevis
... aka Desperate Siege (USA: reissue title)
182. Bird of Paradise (1951) .... The Trader
183. Finders Keepers (1951) .... Eddie
184. High Lonesome (1950) .... Smiling Man
185. The Texan Meets Calamity Jane (1950) (uncredited) .... Henchman
... aka Calamity Jane and the Texan (USA: TV title)
186. American Guerrilla in the Philippines (1950) .... The Speaker
... aka I Shall Return (UK)
187. Love That Brute (1950) (uncredited) .... Gangster
188. A Ticket to Tomahawk (1950) (uncredited) .... Fargo
189. The Sundowners (1950) .... Earl Boyce
... aka Thunder in the Dust (UK)
190. One Way Street (1950) (uncredited) .... Arnie
191. Quicksand (1950) (uncredited) .... Man at Bar
192. Key to the City (1950) (uncredited) .... Councilman
193. She Shoulda Said No (1949) .... Henchman Raymond
... aka Marijuana, the Devil's Weed
... aka The Devil's Weed
... aka Wild Weed
194. Mystery Range (1947) .... Burvil Lambert
195. Trailin' West (1944) .... The Killer
Miscellaneous Crew
1. I Am Not a Freak (1987) (TV) (special thanks)
Himself - filmography
1. Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western (1997) (TV) .... Himself
2. I Am Not a Freak (1987) (TV) .... Mickey's Friend
Archive Footage
1. Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade (2004) (TV)
2. The 76th Annual Academy Awards (2004) (TV) .... Himself (Memorial Tribute)
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Jack Elam, Dies
