Jack Elam
Acting Born Nov 13, 1920 Died Oct 20, 2003 Miami, Gila, Arizona, USA 213 credits
Biography
Jack Elam was a male American character actor. He was known for his roles in various film genres, including Westerns and gangster films. Elam's acting career involved appearing in numerous movies and television shows. He was born on November 13, 1920, in Miami, Arizona, USA. Elam worked as an accountant and manager of the Bel Air Hotel before becoming an actor. He gained recognition for his distinctive screen persona and a noticeable physical characteristic, an out-of-kilter left eye, which was sightless due to a childhood fight. Elam died on October 20, 2003, at the age of 82. Throughout his career, he accumulated 186 known credits.
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Career overview
Jack Elam was a character actor known for his versatility in playing both vicious killers and grizzled sidekicks. He began his acting career after trading his accounting services for a role. Elam's distinctive screen persona and an out-of-kilter left eye, which was sightless from a childhood fight, contributed to his memorable performances.
He appeared in a variety of film genres, including Westerns and gangster films. Elam's acting credits spanned numerous movies, although the exact number is not specified. He also appeared in television shows, with some sources mentioning his work in Westerns and The Twilight Zone.
In later years, Elam transitioned to comedic roles, showcasing his range as an actor. His career was marked by a significant number of acting credits, with some sources indicating that he appeared in over 180 films and television shows. Elam's work in Hollywood earned him a reputation as one of the most memorable supporting players in the industry.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western
Bonanza: Under Attack
Bonanza: The ReturnUninvited
Lucky LukeShadow Force
Home ImprovementSuburban Commando
The Giant of Thunder MountainBig Bad John
ParadiseOnce Upon a Texas TrainWhere the Hell's That Gold?!!?
J.J. StarbuckHawken's BreedI Am Not a Freak
Easy StreetThe Aurora EncounterLouis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills
Detective in the House
Cannonball Run IIScrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas
Sacred GroundLost
Jinxed!
Simon & SimonThe Cannonball RunFather MurphySoggy Bottom, U.S.A.The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite
The SackettsThe Villain$weepstake$The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides AgainStruck by Lightning
Huckleberry FinnBlack BeautyHot Lead & Cold FeetThe NorsemanLacy and the Mississippi Queen
Eight Is EnoughHow the West Was WonGrizzly AdamsGrayeagle
Pony Express RiderThe Winds of AutumnThe New Daughters of Joshua CabeCreature from Black LakeHawmps!
SidekicksA Knife for the LadiesShootout in a One-Dog Town
Pat Garrett & Billy the KidThe Red Pony
The Brian Keith ShowThe Daughters of Joshua CabeKung FuThe Last Escape of Billy the Kid
Alias Smith and JonesNicholsHannie CaulderSupport Your Local GunfighterCat Ballou
Rio LoboThe Wild CountryThe Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico CountyDirty Dingus MageePlimpton! Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo
Support Your Local Sheriff!The Over the Hill GangRide a Northbound Horse
Once Upon a Time in the WestLancerThe OutcastsFirecreekSartana Does Not Forgive
The High ChaparralThe Guns of Will SonnettCimarron StripHondoThe Way West
TarzanThe Rare BreedThe Night of the Grizzly
The Wild Wild WestF TroopThe Legend of Jesse James
Daniel Boone
The DakotasTemple Houston4 for Texas
Full Filmography
213 titles- Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western (1997) as Self
- Bonanza: Under Attack (1995) as Buckshot
- Bonanza: The Return (1993) as Buckshot
- Uninvited (1993) as Grady
- Lucky Luke (1992) as Axel Ericson
- Shadow Force (1992) as Tommy
- Home Improvement (1991) as Hick Peterson
- Suburban Commando (1991) as Col. Dustin 'Dusty' McHowell
- The Giant of Thunder Mountain (1990) as Hezekiah Crow
- Big Bad John (1990) as Jake Calhoun
- Paradise (1988) as Skragg
- Once Upon a Texas Train (1988) as Jason Fitch
- Where the Hell's That Gold?!!? (1988) as Boone
- J.J. Starbuck (1987)
- Hawken's Breed (1987) as Tackett
- I Am Not a Freak (1987) as Self
- Easy Street (1986)
- The Aurora Encounter (1986) as Charlie
- Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills (1986) as Squires
- Detective in the House (1985)
- Cannonball Run II (1984) as Doc
- Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas (1984) as Scrooge
- Sacred Ground (1983) as Lum Witcher
- Lost (1983) as Mr. Newsom
- Jinxed! (1982) as Otto
- Simon & Simon (1981)
- The Cannonball Run (1981) as Doctor
- Father Murphy (1981)
- Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. (1981) as Troscliar Boudreaux
- The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite (1981) as Seth Beaumont
- Skyward Christmas (1981) as Clay Haller
- The Sacketts (1979) as Ira Bigelow
- The Villain (1979) as Avery Simpson
- $weepstake$ (1979)
- The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979) as Big Mac
- Struck by Lightning (1979) as Frank
- Huckleberry Finn (1978) as King
- Black Beauty (1978) as Jonas McBride
- Hot Lead & Cold Feet (1978) as Rattlesnake
- The Norseman (1978) as Death Dreamer
- Lacy and the Mississippi Queen (1978) as Willie Red Fire
- Eight Is Enough (1977)
- How the West Was Won (1977) as Cully Madigan
- Grizzly Adams (1977) as Gus
- Grayeagle (1977) as Trapper Willis
- Pony Express Rider (1976) as Crazy Charlie
- The Winds of Autumn (1976) as J. Pete Hankins
- The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe (1976) as Bitterroot
- Creature from Black Lake (1976) as Joe Canton
- Hawmps! (1976) as Bad Jack Cutter
- Sidekicks (1974) as Boss
- A Knife for the Ladies (1974) as Jarrod (Sheriff)
- Shootout in a One-Dog Town (1974) as Handy
- Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) as Alamosa Bill Kermit
- The Red Pony (1973) as Granddad
- The Brian Keith Show (1972)
- The Daughters of Joshua Cabe (1972) as Bitterroot
- Kung Fu (1972) as Marcus Taylor
- The Last Escape of Billy the Kid (1972) as Pat Garrett
- Alias Smith and Jones (1971)
- Nichols (1971) as Marcus A.F. Baxter
- Hannie Caulder (1971) as Frank Clemens
- Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971) as Jug May
- Cat Ballou (1971) as Kid Sheleen
- The Last Rebel (1971) as Matt
- Rio Lobo (1970) as Phillips
- The Wild Country (1970) as Thompson
- The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (1970) as Kittrick
- Dirty Dingus Magee (1970) as John Wesley Hardin
- Plimpton! Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo (1970) as Self
- Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) as Jake
- The Over the Hill Gang (1969) as Sheriff Clyde Barnes
- Ride a Northbound Horse (1969) as Sheriff
- Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) as Frank's Gunman
- Lancer (1968)
- The Outcasts (1968)
- Firecreek (1968) as Norman
- Sartana Does Not Forgive (1968) as Slim Kovacs
- Never a Dull Moment (1968) as Ace Williams
- The High Chaparral (1967) as Macklin
- The Guns of Will Sonnett (1967) as Sam - Sheriff
- Cimarron Strip (1967)
- Hondo (1967)
- The Way West (1967) as Preacher Weatherby
- The Last Challenge (1967) as Ernest Scarnes
- Tarzan (1966)
- The Rare Breed (1966) as Deke Simons
- The Night of the Grizzly (1966) as Hank
- The Wild Wild West (1965) as Zack Slade
- F Troop (1965)
- The Legend of Jesse James (1965) as Deacon Smith
- Daniel Boone (1964) as Petch
- The Dakotas (1963) as Deputy J.D. Smith
- Temple Houston (1963) as George Taggart
- 4 for Texas (1963) as Dobie
- The Virginian (1962) as Harve Yost
- Ben Casey (1961)
- Target: The Corruptors! (1961)
- Gunslinger (1961) as Clint Gannet
- Pocketful of Miracles (1961) as Cheesecake
- The Comancheros (1961) as Horseface (Comanchero)
- The Last Sunset (1961) as Ed Hobbs
- Outlaws (1960)
- National Velvet (1960) as Black Barr
- Stagecoach West (1960) as Clell
- The Girl in Lovers Lane (1960) as Jesse
- The Slowest Gun in the West (1960) as Ike Dalton
- Bonanza (1959) as Dodie Hoad
- Bonanza (1959) as Honest John
- Bonanza (1959) as Buford Buckalew
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Avery
- Rawhide (1959) as Turkey Creek Jack Johnson
- The Untouchables (1959) as Jug Alverson
- The Untouchables (1959) as Nick Bravo
- The Rebel (1959) as Uncle Luce
- Laramie (1959) as Parson Hawks
- Tightrope (1959)
- Mr. Lucky (1959) as Phil Bricker
- Edge of Eternity (1959) as Bill Ward
- The Rifleman (1958) as Sim Groder
- The Rifleman (1958) as Russell
- Lawman (1958)
- Lawman (1958) as Herm Forrest
- Lawman (1958) as Paul Henry
- The Texan (1958)
- The Texan (1958) as Luke Watson
- Bronco (1958)
- Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958)
- The Gun Runners (1958) as Arnold
- Have Gun, Will Travel (1957)
- Have Gun, Will Travel (1957) as Arnold Shaffner
- Zorro (1957) as Gomez (uncredited)
- Tales of Wells Fargo (1957) as Chris
- Sugarfoot (1957) as Toothy Thompson
- Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957) as Danny Boy
- Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957) as Perk Butler
- M Squad (1957) as Luke Morgan
- The Restless Gun (1957) as Tony Molinor
- The Restless Gun (1957) as Link Jerrod
- Dragoon Wells Massacre (1957) as Tioga
- Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) as Tom McLowery
- Baby Face Nelson (1957) as Fatso Nagel
- Night Passage (1957) as Shotgun
- Lure of the Swamp (1957) as Henry Bliss
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Hock Ellis
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Little Jimmy Lehigh
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Stage Driver Cass
- Jubal (1956) as McCoy
- Thunder Over Arizona (1956) as Slats Callahan
- Pardners (1956) as Pete
- Cheyenne (1955)
- Cheyenne (1955) as Calhoun Durango
- Cheyenne (1955) as Count Nicholas Potosi
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Dolph Quince
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Clint Dodie
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Steed
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Ben
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Hector
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Specter
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Del Ordman
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Sam Band
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Jim Barrett
- Gunsmoke (1955) as William Prange
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Lucas Murdoch
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Titus Spangler
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Pierre Audubon
- Screen Director's Playhouse (1955) as Shanks
- Frontier (1955) as Ness Fowler
- Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (1955) as Burger
- Kiss Me Deadly (1955) as Charlie Max
- The Man from Laramie (1955) as Chris Boldt
- Wichita (1955) as Al
- Man Without a Star (1955) as Knife Murderer (uncredited)
- Artists and Models (1955) as Ivan
- Moonfleet (1955) as Damen
- Kismet (1955) as Hasan-Ben
- Studio 57 (1954)
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1954) as Sheriff
- Princess of the Nile (1954) as Basra
- Ride Clear of Diablo (1954) as Tim Lowerie
- Cattle Queen of Montana (1954) as Yost
- Vera Cruz (1954) as Tex
- The Far Country (1954) as Frank Newberry
- Jubilee Trail (1954) as Whitey
- Gun Belt (1953) as Rusty Kolloway
- Count the Hours! (1953) as Max Verne
- Appointment in Honduras (1953) as Castro
- Ride, Vaquero! (1953) as Barton
- The Moonlighter (1953) as Slim
- Four Star Playhouse (1952) as Vic
- High Noon (1952) as Charlie - Drunk in Jail (uncredited)
- Mr. & Mrs. North (1952)
- My Man and I (1952) as Celestino Garcia
- Kansas City Confidential (1952) as Pete Harris
- Rancho Notorious (1952) as Mort Geary
- Lure of the Wilderness (1952) as Dave Longden
- The Battle at Apache Pass (1952) as Mescal Jack
- The Ring (1952) as Harry Jackson
- Finders Keepers (1952) as Eddie
- Montana Territory (1952) as Gimp
- Bird of Paradise (1951) as The Trader
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) as Lee Dineen
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) as Halleck
- The Bushwhackers (1951) as Cree
- Rawhide (1951) as Tevis
- A Ticket to Tomahawk (1950) as Fargo
- American Guerrilla in the Philippines (1950) as The Speaker
- Key to the City (1950) as Councilman (uncredited)
- High Lonesome (1950) as Smiling Man
- One Way Street (1950) as Arnie (uncredited)
- The Sundowners (1950) as Earl Boyce
- The Lone Ranger (1949) as Reno Lawrence
- Wild Weed (1949) as Raymond - Henchman
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Jack Elam best known for?
Jack Elam is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Bonanza: The Return (1993), Uninvited (1993), The Hedgehog (2009), Home Improvement (1991).
When and where was Jack Elam born?
Jack Elam was born on November 13, 1920 in Miami, Gila, Arizona, USA. They passed away on October 20, 2003.
How many credits does Jack Elam have?
Jack Elam has accumulated over 213 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1949 to 1997.
What is Jack Elam's background in cinema and television?
Jack Elam was a male American character actor. He was known for his roles in various film genres, including Westerns and gangster films. Elam's acting career involved appearing in numerous movies and television shows. He was born on November 13, 1920, in Miami, Arizona, USA. Elam worked as an accountant and manager of ...
Jack Elam by the numbers
213credits
116films
97TV series
1949–1997active years
Age in their best-rated roles
- National Velvet (1960) as Black Barr — aged about 39
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Avery — aged about 38
- Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) as Frank's Gunman — aged about 47
- Father Murphy (1981) — aged about 60
- The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe (1976) as Bitterroot — aged about 55
- The Untouchables (1959) as Jug Alverson — aged about 38
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