Born: November 13, 1920 – Died: October 20, 2003.
Jack Elam was a colorful American character actor known for his roles as vicious killers or grizzled sidekicks. His career in the entertainment industry spanned several decades, and he left a lasting impression on audiences. Elam's humble beginnings saw him working in the cotton fields as a child before attending Santa Monica Junior College. Interestingly, he started off as an accountant and even managed the prestigious Bel Air Hotel at one point. However, his true talent shone through when he traded his accounting services for a role in his first movie. With his near-demented screen persona and distinct left eye, Jack Elam became one of Hollywood's most memorable supporting actors, captivating audiences in Westerns, gangster films, and even comedic roles.
Early Life and Career
Jack Elam's start in the entertainment industry came when he traded his accounting services for a role in a movie. Elam quickly established himself as a memorable supporting actor in Hollywood.
One major successful role that impacted Elam's career was in the film "Once Upon a Time in the West" in 1968, where he played Snaky - a member of Frank's gang. This role showcased his talent and helped solidify his status in the industry.
Elam achieved recognition for his performances throughout his career. He played a wide range of characters with great aplomb, appearing in Westerns, gangster films, and later comedic roles.
Elam's impact on Hollywood and the entertainment industry is defined by his iconic screen persona, distinctive appearance, and memorable performances. He remains a beloved figure in the industry, known for his unique and memorable characters.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1994–1995 | Lonesome Dove: The Series (TV Mini Series) | Curtis |
| 1995 | Bonanza: Under Attack (TV Movie) | Buckshot |
| 1993 | Uninvited | Grady |
| 1993 | Bonanza: The Return (TV Movie) | Buckshot |
| 1992 | Shadow Force | Tommy |
| 1992 | Lucky Luke (TV Series) | Axel Ericson |
| 1992 | Home Improvement (TV Series) | Hick Peterson |
| 1991 | Suburban Commando | Col. Dustin 'Dusty' McHowell |
| 1990 | The Giant of Thunder Mountain | Hezekiah Crow |
| 1990 | Big Bad John | Jake Calhoun |
| 1989 | Paradise (TV Series) | Skragg |
| 1985–1989 | Webster (TV Series) | Dusty |
| 1988 | Hawken's Breed | Tackett |
| 1988 | Where the Hell's That Gold?!!? (TV Movie) | Boone |
| 1988 | J.J. Starbuck (TV Series) | Esco Tokay |
| 1988 | Once Upon a Texas Train (TV Movie) | Jason Fitch |
| 1986–1987 | Easy Street (TV Series) | Uncle Alvin 'Bully' Stevenson |
| 1986 | Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills (TV Movie) | Squires |
| 1986 | The Aurora Encounter | Charlie |
| 1986 | Simon & Simon (TV Series) | Bud Krelman |
| 1985 | Detective in the House (TV Series) | Nick Turner |
| 1984 | Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas (TV Movie) | Scrooge |
| 1984 | Cannonball Run II | Doctor Nikolas Van Helsing |
| 1983 | Sawyer and Finn (TV Movie) | Boot McGraw |
| 1983 | Lost | Mr. Newsome |
| 1983 | Sacred Ground | Lum Witcher |
| 1982 | Jinxed! | Otto |
| 1981 | Father Murphy (TV Series) | Eli McQuade |
| 1981 | Skyward Christmas (TV Movie) | Clay Haller |
| 1978–1981 | Fantasy Island (TV Series) | Kid Corey | Hollis Buford Jr. |
| 1981 | Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. | Troscliar Boudreaux |
| 1981 | Here's Boomer (TV Series) | Captain O'Connell |
| 1981 | The Cannonball Run | Doctor Nikolas Van Helsing |
| 1981 | The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite (TV Movie) | Seth Beaumont |
| 1978–1980 | Eight Is Enough (TV Series) | Joe Simons |
| 1979 | Struck by Lightning (TV Series) | Frank |
| 1977–1979 | ABC Weekend Specials (TV Series) | Sam | Sam Howard |
| 1979 | Black Beauty (TV Mini Series) | Jonas |
| 1979 | The Villain | Avery Simpson |
| 1979 | The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again | Big Mac |
| 1979 | The Sacketts (TV Mini Series) | Ira Bigelow |
| 1979 | Sweepstakes (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1978 | Will Rogers: Champion of the People (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1978 | The Norseman | Death Dreamer |
| 1978 | Hot Lead and Cold Feet | Rattlesnake |
| 1978 | Lacy and the Mississippi Queen (TV Movie) | Willie Red Fire |
| 1978 | The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams (TV Series) | Gus |
| 1977 | Grayeagle | Trapper Willis |
| 1977 | How the West Was Won (TV Series) | Cully Madigan |
| 1976 | Pony Express Rider | Crazy Charlie |
| 1975–1976 | Phyllis (TV Series) | Van Horn |
| 1976 | The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe (TV Movie) | Bitterroot |
| 1976 | Hawmps! | Bad Jack Cutter |
| 1976 | Creature from Black Lake | Joe Canton |
| 1976 | The Winds of Autumn | J. Pete Hankins |
| 1974–1975 | The Texas Wheelers (TV Series) | Zack Wheeler |
| 1975 | Huckleberry Finn (TV Movie) | King |
| 1969–1975 | The Magical World of Disney (TV Series) | Thompson | Sheriff |
| 1974 | A Knife for the Ladies | Sheriff Jarrod Colcord |
| 1974 | Sidekicks (TV Movie) | Boss |
| 1974 | The Little People (TV Series) | Tuttle |
| 1974 | Shootout in a One Dog Town (TV Movie) | Handy |
| 1973 | Kung Fu (TV Series) | Marcus Taylor |
| 1973 | Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid | Alamosa Bill |
| 1973 | The Red Pony (TV Movie) | Granddad |
| 1972 | The Last Escape of Billy the Kid | Pat Garrett |
| 1959–1972 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) | Pierre Audubon | Titus Spangler | Lucas Murdoch ... |
| 1972 | The Daughters of Joshua Cabe (TV Movie) | Bitterroot |
| 1972 | Alias Smith and Jones (TV Series) | Boot Coby |
| 1972 | Nichols (TV Series) | Marcus A.F. Baxter |
| 1971 | Hannie Caulder | Frank Clemens |
| 1971 | The Last Rebel | Matt |
| 1971 | Cat Ballou (TV Movie) | Kid Sheleen |
| 1971 | Support Your Local Gunfighter | Jug May |
| 1961–1970 | Bonanza (TV Series) | Honest John | Buford Buckalew | Dodie Hoad |
| 1970 | Rio Lobo | Phillips |
| 1970 | The Wild Country | Thompson |
| 1970 | Dirty Dingus Magee | John Wesley Hardin |
| 1970 | The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County | Kittrick |
| 1970 | The Virginian (TV Series) | Harve Yost |
| 1969 | The Over-the-Hill Gang (TV Movie) | Sheriff Clyde Barnes |
| 1969 | Lancer (TV Series) | Tom Mangrum |
| 1969 | Support Your Local Sheriff! | Jake |
| 1969 | The Outcasts (TV Series) | Abel Blackner |
| 1968 | Once Upon a Time in the West | Snaky - Member of Frank's Gang |
| 1968 | The High Chaparral (TV Series) | Macklin |
| 1968 | Sartana Does Not Forgive | Slim Kovacs |
| 1968 | Never a Dull Moment | Ace Williams |
| 1968 | Cimarron Strip (TV Series) | Moon |
| 1968 | Firecreek | Norman |
| 1967 | Hondo (TV Series) | Diablo |
| 1967 | The Wild Wild West (TV Series) | Zack Slade |
| 1967 | The Guns of Will Sonnett (TV Series) | Sam - Sheriff |
| 1967 | The Last Challenge | Ernest Scarnes |
| 1967 | The Way West | Preacher Weatherby |
| 1967 | Tarzan (TV Series) | Bellak |
| 1966 | The Night of the Grizzly | Hank |
| 1966 | The Rare Breed | Simons |
| 1965 | F Troop (TV Series) | Sam Urp |
| 1965 | The Legend of Jesse James (TV Series) | Deacon Smith |
| 1965 | Daniel Boone (TV Series) | Petch |
| 1963–1964 | Temple Houston (TV Series) | George Taggart |
| 1963 | 4 for Texas | Dobie |
| 1962–1963 | The Dakotas (TV Series) | Deputy J.D. Smith |
| 1961–1962 | Laramie (TV Series) | Parson Hawks | Charley Fox |
| 1962 | Ben Casey (TV Series) | Felix Gault |
| 1961–1962 | Cheyenne (TV Series) | Calhoun Durango | Deputy J.D. Smith | Count Nicholas Potosi |
| 1960–1962 | The Untouchables (TV Series) | Jug Alverson | Stan Wilinski | Nick Bravo |
| 1962 | Target: The Corruptors! (TV Series) | Stickface |
| 1958–1962 | Lawman (TV Series) | Paul Henry | Herm Forrest | Jake Wilson ... |
| 1959–1962 | Have Gun - Will Travel (TV Series) | Arnold Shaffner | Joe Gage |
| 1962 | Rawhide (TV Series) | Turkey Creek Jack Johnson |
| 1958–1961 | Bronco (TV Series) | Toothy Thompson | Dooley Lang |
| 1961 | Pocketful of Miracles | Cheesecake |
| 1961 | Outlaws (TV Series) | Diamond |
| 1958–1961 | The Rifleman (TV Series) | Russell | Gates | Gus Smith ... |
| 1961 | National Velvet (TV Series) | Black Barr |
| 1961 | The Comancheros | Horseface (Comanchero) |
| 1961 | The Last Sunset | Ed Hobbs |
| 1961 | The Twilight Zone (TV Series) | Avery |
| 1960–1961 | The Rebel (TV Series) | Uncle Luce | Lawyer |
| 1961 | Death Valley Days (TV Series) | Juan Cortina |
| 1961 | The Americans (TV Series) | Loper Johnson |
| 1961 | Sugarfoot (TV Series) | Toothy Thompson |
| 1961 | Gunslinger (TV Series) | Clint Gannet |
| 1961 | Klondike (TV Series) | Eli Roper |
| 1957–1961 | Zane Grey Theatre (TV Series) | Dirk Ryan | Stage Driver Cass | Little Jimmy Lehigh ... |
| 1960 | Stagecoach West (TV Series) | Clell |
| 1960 | The Girl in Lovers Lane | Jesse |
| 1958–1960 | The Texan (TV Series) | Dud Parsons | Luke Watson | Tug Swann |
| 1960 | The Slowest Gun in the West (TV Movie) | Ike Dalton |
| 1960 | Mr. Lucky (TV Series) | Phil Bricker |
| 1960 | Tightrope (TV Series) | Tim Renick |
| 1958–1959 | Richard Diamond, Private Detective (TV Series) | Perk Butler | Danny Boy |
| 1959 | Edge of Eternity | Bill Ward |
| 1959 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (TV Series) | Clinton |
| 1959 | Hotel de Paree (TV Series) | Flute |
| 1959 | Mackenzie's Raiders (TV Series) | Trooper Colin Grimes |
| 1959 | Tombstone Territory (TV Series) | Wally Jobe |
| 1958 | The Gun Runners | Arnold |
| 1958 | M Squad (TV Series) | Luke Morgan |
| 1958 | Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre (TV Series) | Quirt Avery |
| 1957–1958 | The Restless Gun (TV Series) | Tony Molinor | Link Jerrod |
| 1958 | Zorro (TV Series) | Gomez (uncredited) |
| 1957 | Baby Face Nelson | Fatso Nagel |
| 1957 | Studio 57 (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1957 | Wagon Train (TV Series) | Charlie Otis |
| 1957 | Night Passage | Shotgun |
| 1957 | Tales of Wells Fargo (TV Series) | Chris |
| 1957 | Lure of the Swamp | Henry Bliss |
| 1957 | Gunfight at the O.K. Corral | Tom McLowery |
| 1957 | Dragoon Wells Massacre | Tioga |
| 1956 | Thunder Over Arizona | Deputy Slats Callahan |
| 1956 | Pardners | Pete |
| 1956 | Jubal | McCoy - Bar 8 Rider |
| 1955 | Screen Directors Playhouse (TV Series) | Shanks |
| 1955 | Frontier (TV Series) | Father Matias | Ness Fowler |
| 1955 | Kismet | Hasan-Ben |
| 1955 | Artists and Models | Ivan |
| 1954–1955 | The Lone Ranger (TV Series) | Jack Miles | Reno Lawrence |
| 1955 | The Man from Laramie | Chris Boldt |
| 1955 | Wichita | Al |
| 1955 | Moonfleet | Damen |
| 1955 | The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (TV Series) | Shields |
| 1955 | Kiss Me Deadly | Charlie Max |
| 1955 | Man Without a Star | Knife Murderer (uncredited) |
| 1955 | Tarzan's Hidden Jungle | Burger |
| 1954 | Vera Cruz | Tex |
| 1954 | Cattle Queen of Montana | Yost |
| 1954 | Waterfront (TV Series) | Britt |
| 1954 | The Far Country | Frank Newberry |
| 1954 | Stories of the Century (TV Series) | Black Jack Ketchum |
| 1954 | Princess of the Nile | Basra |
| 1953–1954 | Schlitz Playhouse (TV Series) | Halleck | Lee Dineen |
| 1954 | Mr. & Mrs. North (TV Series) | Matt Weber |
| 1954 | Ride Clear of Diablo | Tim Lowerie |
| 1954 | Jubilee Trail | Whitey |
| 1953 | Four Star Playhouse (TV Series) | Vic |
| 1953 | Appointment in Honduras | Castro |
| 1953 | The Moonlighter | Slim |
| 1953 | Ride, Vaquero! | Barton |
| 1953 | Gun Belt | Rusty Kolloway |
| 1953 | Count the Hours! | Max Verne |
| 1952 | The Files of Jeffrey Jones (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1952 | The Cases of Eddie Drake (TV Series) | Steve Viko |
| 1952 | Kansas City Confidential | Pete Harris |
| 1952 | The Ring | Harry Jackson |
| 1952 | My Man and I | Celestino Garcia |
| 1952 | Gang Busters (TV Series) | Dirk |
| 1952 | Lure of the Wilderness | Dave Longden |
| 1952 | Montana Territory | Gimp |
| 1952 | High Noon | Charlie (uncredited) |
| 1952 | The Battle at Apache Pass | Mescal Jack |
| 1952 | Rancho Notorious | Mort Geary |
| 1951 | Finders Keepers | Eddie |
| 1951 | The Bushwhackers | Cree |
| 1951 | Rawhide | Tevis |
| 1951 | Bird of Paradise | The Trader |
| 1950 | The Texan Meets Calamity Jane | Henchman (uncredited) |
| 1950 | American Guerrilla in the Philippines | The Speaker |
| 1950 | High Lonesome | Smiling Man |
| 1950 | Love That Brute | Henchman #2 in Cigar Store (uncredited) |
| 1950 | A Ticket to Tomahawk | Fargo (uncredited) |
| 1950 | One Way Street | Arnie (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Quicksand | Man at Bar (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Key to the City | Councilman (uncredited) |
| 1950 | The Sundowners | Earl Boyce |
| 1949 | Wild Weed | Raymond - Henchman |
| 1947 | Mystery Range | Burvel Lambert |
| 1944 | Trailin' West (Short) | The Killer |
General:
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