Jack Elam

Jack Elam

Known for
Acting
Born
November 13, 1920
Died
October 20, 2003 (aged 82)
Birthplace
Miami, Gila, Arizona, USA

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.

Known For

Photos

Jack Elam photoJack Elam photoJack Elam photoJack Elam photoJack Elam photo

Filmography

1997
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western poster

Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western

Movie · as Self

1995
Bonanza: Under Attack poster

Bonanza: Under Attack

Movie · as Buckshot

1993
Uninvited poster

Uninvited

Movie · as Grady

1993
Bonanza: The Return poster

Bonanza: The Return

Movie · as Buckshot

1992
Shadow Force poster

Shadow Force

Movie · as Tommy

1992
Lucky Luke poster

Lucky Luke

TV · as Axel Ericson · 1 ep

1991
Suburban Commando poster

Suburban Commando

Movie · as Col. Dustin 'Dusty' McHowell

1991
Home Improvement poster

Home Improvement

TV · as Hick Peterson · 1 ep

1990
The Giant of Thunder Mountain poster

The Giant of Thunder Mountain

Movie · as Hezekiah Crow

1990
Big Bad John poster

Big Bad John

Movie · as Jake Calhoun

1988
Where the Hell's That Gold?!!? poster

Where the Hell's That Gold?!!?

Movie · as Boone

1988
Once Upon a Texas Train poster

Once Upon a Texas Train

Movie · as Jason Fitch

1988
Paradise poster

Paradise

TV · as Skragg · 1 ep

1987
Hawken's Breed poster

Hawken's Breed

Movie · as Tackett

1987
I Am Not a Freak poster

I Am Not a Freak

Movie · as Self

1987
J.J. Starbuck poster

J.J. Starbuck

TV · 1 ep

1986
Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills poster

Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills

Movie · as Squires

1986
The Aurora Encounter poster

The Aurora Encounter

Movie · as Charlie

1986
Easy Street poster

Easy Street

TV · 22 eps

1985
Detective in the House poster

Detective in the House

TV · 6 eps

1984
Cannonball Run II poster

Cannonball Run II

Movie · as Doc

1984
Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas poster

Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas

Movie · as Scrooge

1983
Sacred Ground poster

Sacred Ground

Movie · as Lum Witcher

1983
Lost poster

Lost

Movie · as Mr. Newsom

1982
Jinxed! poster

Jinxed!

Movie · as Otto

1981
The Cannonball Run poster

The Cannonball Run

Movie · as Doctor

1981
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. poster

Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.

Movie · as Troscliar Boudreaux

1981
Skyward Christmas poster

Skyward Christmas

Movie · as Clay Haller

1981
The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite poster

The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite

Movie · as Seth Beaumont

1981
Simon & Simon poster

Simon & Simon

TV · 1 ep

1981
Father Murphy poster

Father Murphy

TV · 2 eps

1979
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again poster

The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again

Movie · as Big Mac

1979
The Villain poster

The Villain

Movie · as Avery Simpson

1979
The Sacketts poster

The Sacketts

TV · as Ira Bigelow · 2 eps

1979
Struck by Lightning poster

Struck by Lightning

TV · as Frank · 10 eps

1979
$weepstake$

$weepstake$

TV · 1 ep

1978
Hot Lead & Cold Feet poster

Hot Lead & Cold Feet

Movie · as Rattlesnake

1978
The Norseman poster

The Norseman

Movie · as Death Dreamer

1978
Lacy and the Mississippi Queen poster

Lacy and the Mississippi Queen

Movie · as Willie Red Fire

1978
Huckleberry Finn poster

Huckleberry Finn

Movie · as King

1978
Black Beauty poster

Black Beauty

TV · as Jonas McBride · 5 eps

1977
Grayeagle poster

Grayeagle

Movie · as Trapper Willis

1977
Eight Is Enough poster

Eight Is Enough

TV · 3 eps

1977
Grizzly Adams poster

Grizzly Adams

TV · as Gus · 1 ep

1977
How the West Was Won poster

How the West Was Won

TV · as Cully Madigan · 2 eps

1976
Hawmps! poster

Hawmps!

Movie · as Bad Jack Cutter

1976
Creature from Black Lake poster

Creature from Black Lake

Movie · as Joe Canton

1976
The Winds of Autumn poster

The Winds of Autumn

Movie · as J. Pete Hankins

1976
Pony Express Rider poster

Pony Express Rider

Movie · as Crazy Charlie

1976
The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe poster

The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe

Movie · as Bitterroot

1974
Sidekicks poster

Sidekicks

Movie · as Boss

1974
A Knife for the Ladies poster

A Knife for the Ladies

Movie · as Jarrod (Sheriff)

1974
Shootout in a One-Dog Town poster

Shootout in a One-Dog Town

Movie · as Handy

1973
The Red Pony poster

The Red Pony

Movie · as Granddad

1973
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid poster

Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid

Movie · as Alamosa Bill Kermit

1972
The Daughters of Joshua Cabe poster

The Daughters of Joshua Cabe

Movie · as Bitterroot

1972
The Last Escape of Billy the Kid poster

The Last Escape of Billy the Kid

Movie · as Pat Garrett

1972
The Brian Keith Show poster

The Brian Keith Show

TV · 1 ep

1972
Kung Fu poster

Kung Fu

TV · as Marcus Taylor · 1 ep

1971
Hannie Caulder poster

Hannie Caulder

Movie · as Frank Clemens

1971
Support Your Local Gunfighter poster

Support Your Local Gunfighter

Movie · as Jug May

1971
The Last Rebel poster

The Last Rebel

Movie · as Matt

1971
Cat Ballou poster

Cat Ballou

Movie · as Kid Sheleen

1971
Alias Smith and Jones poster

Alias Smith and Jones

TV · 1 ep

1971
Nichols poster

Nichols

TV · as Marcus A.F. Baxter · 1 ep

1970
Rio Lobo poster

Rio Lobo

Movie · as Phillips

1970
Dirty Dingus Magee poster

Dirty Dingus Magee

Movie · as John Wesley Hardin

1970
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County poster

The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County

Movie · as Kittrick

1970
The Wild Country poster

The Wild Country

Movie · as Thompson

1970
Plimpton! Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo poster

Plimpton! Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo

Movie · as Self

1969
Support Your Local Sheriff! poster

Support Your Local Sheriff!

Movie · as Jake

1969
The Over the Hill Gang poster

The Over the Hill Gang

Movie · as Sheriff Clyde Barnes

1969
Ride a Northbound Horse poster

Ride a Northbound Horse

Movie · as Sheriff

1968
Firecreek poster

Firecreek

Movie · as Norman

1968
Never a Dull Moment poster

Never a Dull Moment

Movie · as Ace Williams

1968
Sartana Does Not Forgive poster

Sartana Does Not Forgive

Movie · as Slim Kovacs

1968
Once Upon a Time in the West poster

Once Upon a Time in the West

Movie · as Frank's Gunman

1968
The Outcasts poster

The Outcasts

TV · 1 ep

1968
Lancer poster

Lancer

TV · 1 ep

1967
The Way West poster

The Way West

Movie · as Preacher Weatherby

1967
The Last Challenge poster

The Last Challenge

Movie · as Ernest Scarnes

1967
Cimarron Strip poster

Cimarron Strip

TV · 1 ep

1967
The High Chaparral poster

The High Chaparral

TV · as Macklin · 1 ep

1967
Hondo poster

Hondo

TV · 1 ep

1967
The Guns of Will Sonnett poster

The Guns of Will Sonnett

TV · as Sam - Sheriff · 1 ep

1966
The Night of the Grizzly poster

The Night of the Grizzly

Movie · as Hank

1966
The Rare Breed poster

The Rare Breed

Movie · as Deke Simons

1966
Tarzan poster

Tarzan

TV · 1 ep

1965
F Troop poster

F Troop

TV · 1 ep

1965
The Legend of Jesse James poster

The Legend of Jesse James

TV · as Deacon Smith · 1 ep

1965
The Wild Wild West poster

The Wild Wild West

TV · as Zack Slade · 1 ep

1964
Daniel Boone poster

Daniel Boone

TV · as Petch · 1 ep

1963
4 for Texas poster

4 for Texas

Movie · as Dobie

1963
The Dakotas poster

The Dakotas

TV · as Deputy J.D. Smith · 19 eps

1963
Temple Houston poster

Temple Houston

TV · as George Taggart · 26 eps

1962
The Virginian poster

The Virginian

TV · as Harve Yost · 1 ep

1961
Pocketful of Miracles poster

Pocketful of Miracles

Movie · as Cheesecake

1961
The Comancheros poster

The Comancheros

Movie · as Horseface (Comanchero)

1961
The Last Sunset poster

The Last Sunset

Movie · as Ed Hobbs

1961
Target: The Corruptors! poster

Target: The Corruptors!

TV · 1 ep

1961
Ben Casey poster

Ben Casey

TV · 1 ep

1961
Gunslinger poster

Gunslinger

TV · as Clint Gannet · 1 ep

1960
The Girl in Lovers Lane poster

The Girl in Lovers Lane

Movie · as Jesse

1960
The Slowest Gun in the West poster

The Slowest Gun in the West

Movie · as Ike Dalton

1960
Outlaws poster

Outlaws

TV · 1 ep

1960
National Velvet poster

National Velvet

TV · as Black Barr · 1 ep

1960
Stagecoach West poster

Stagecoach West

TV · as Clell · 1 ep

1959
Edge of Eternity poster

Edge of Eternity

Movie · as Bill Ward

1959
The Twilight Zone poster

The Twilight Zone

TV · as Avery · 1 ep

1959
Bonanza poster

Bonanza

TV · as Dodie Hoad, Honest John, Buford Buckalew · 1 ep

1959
Rawhide poster

Rawhide

TV · as Turkey Creek Jack Johnson · 1 ep

1959
The Rebel poster

The Rebel

TV · as Uncle Luce · 1 ep

1959
Tightrope poster

Tightrope

TV · 1 ep

1959
The Untouchables poster

The Untouchables

TV · as Jug Alverson, Nick Bravo · 1 ep

1959
Mr. Lucky poster

Mr. Lucky

TV · as Phil Bricker · 1 ep

1959
Laramie poster

Laramie

TV · as Parson Hawks · 1 ep

1958
The Gun Runners poster

The Gun Runners

Movie · as Arnold

1958
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse poster

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

TV · 1 ep

1958
Bronco poster

Bronco

TV · 2 eps

1958
The Rifleman poster

The Rifleman

TV · as Sim Groder, Russell · 4 eps

1958
Lawman poster

Lawman

TV · as Herm Forrest, Paul Henry · 3 eps

1958
The Texan poster

The Texan

TV · as Luke Watson · 2 eps

1957
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral poster

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

Movie · as Tom McLowery

1957
Night Passage poster

Night Passage

Movie · as Shotgun

1957
Baby Face Nelson poster

Baby Face Nelson

Movie · as Fatso Nagel

1957
Dragoon Wells Massacre poster

Dragoon Wells Massacre

Movie · as Tioga

1957
Lure of the Swamp poster

Lure of the Swamp

Movie · as Henry Bliss

1957
Tales of Wells Fargo poster

Tales of Wells Fargo

TV · as Chris · 1 ep

1957
Have Gun, Will Travel poster

Have Gun, Will Travel

TV · as Arnold Shaffner · 1 ep

1957
Richard Diamond, Private Detective poster

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

TV · as Danny Boy, Perk Butler · 1 ep

1957
M Squad poster

M Squad

TV · as Luke Morgan · 1 ep

1957
Sugarfoot poster

Sugarfoot

TV · as Toothy Thompson · 2 eps

1957
The Restless Gun poster

The Restless Gun

TV · as Tony Molinor, Link Jerrod · 1 ep

1957
Zorro poster

Zorro

TV · as Gomez (uncredited) · 3 eps

1956
Pardners poster

Pardners

Movie · as Pete

1956
Thunder Over Arizona poster

Thunder Over Arizona

Movie · as Slats Callahan

1956
Jubal poster

Jubal

Movie · as McCoy

1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre poster

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

TV · as Hock Ellis, Little Jimmy Lehigh, Stage Driver Cass · 1 ep

1955
Moonfleet poster

Moonfleet

Movie · as Damen

1955
Artists and Models poster

Artists and Models

Movie · as Ivan

1955
Kiss Me Deadly poster

Kiss Me Deadly

Movie · as Charlie Max

1955
The Man from Laramie poster

The Man from Laramie

Movie · as Chris Boldt

1955
Tarzan's Hidden Jungle poster

Tarzan's Hidden Jungle

Movie · as Burger

1955
Wichita poster

Wichita

Movie · as Al

1955
Man Without a Star poster

Man Without a Star

Movie · as Knife Murderer (uncredited)

1955
Kismet poster

Kismet

Movie · as Hasan-Ben

1955
Cheyenne poster

Cheyenne

TV · as Calhoun Durango, Count Nicholas Potosi, Deputy J.D. Smith

1955
Gunsmoke poster

Gunsmoke

TV · as Dolph Quince, Steed, Clint Dodie, Ben, Hector, Specter, Del Ordman, Sam Band, Jim Barrett, William Prange, Lucas Murdoch, Titus Spangler, Pierre Audubon · 1 ep

1955
Frontier poster

Frontier

TV · as Ness Fowler · 2 eps

1955
Screen Director's Playhouse poster

Screen Director's Playhouse

TV · as Shanks · 1 ep

1954
The Far Country poster

The Far Country

Movie · as Frank Newberry

1954
Princess of the Nile poster

Princess of the Nile

Movie · as Basra

1954
Jubilee Trail poster

Jubilee Trail

Movie · as Whitey

1954
Vera Cruz poster

Vera Cruz

Movie · as Tex

1954
Cattle Queen of Montana poster

Cattle Queen of Montana

Movie · as Yost

1954
Ride Clear of Diablo poster

Ride Clear of Diablo

Movie · as Tim Lowerie

1954
The Wonderful World of Disney poster

The Wonderful World of Disney

TV · as Sheriff · 2 eps

1954
Studio 57 poster

Studio 57

TV · 1 ep

1953
Count the Hours! poster

Count the Hours!

Movie · as Max Verne

1953
Ride, Vaquero! poster

Ride, Vaquero!

Movie · as Barton

1953
Gun Belt poster

Gun Belt

Movie · as Rusty Kolloway

1953
Appointment in Honduras poster

Appointment in Honduras

Movie · as Castro

1953
The Moonlighter poster

The Moonlighter

Movie · as Slim

1952
High Noon poster

High Noon

Movie · as Charlie - Drunk in Jail (uncredited)

1952
Finders Keepers poster

Finders Keepers

Movie · as Eddie

1952
Kansas City Confidential poster

Kansas City Confidential

Movie · as Pete Harris

1952
Rancho Notorious poster

Rancho Notorious

Movie · as Mort Geary

1952
The Ring poster

The Ring

Movie · as Harry Jackson

1952
Lure of the Wilderness poster

Lure of the Wilderness

Movie · as Dave Longden

1952
My Man and I poster

My Man and I

Movie · as Celestino Garcia

1952
The Battle at Apache Pass poster

The Battle at Apache Pass

Movie · as Mescal Jack

1952
Montana Territory poster

Montana Territory

Movie · as Gimp

1952
Mr. & Mrs. North poster

Mr. & Mrs. North

TV · 1 ep

1952
Four Star Playhouse poster

Four Star Playhouse

TV · as Vic · 1 ep

1951
Rawhide poster

Rawhide

Movie · as Tevis

1951
Bird of Paradise poster

Bird of Paradise

Movie · as The Trader

1951
The Bushwhackers poster

The Bushwhackers

Movie · as Cree

1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars poster

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

TV · as Lee Dineen, Halleck · 1 ep

1950
The Sundowners poster

The Sundowners

Movie · as Earl Boyce

1950
American Guerrilla in the Philippines poster

American Guerrilla in the Philippines

Movie · as The Speaker

1950
High Lonesome poster

High Lonesome

Movie · as Smiling Man

1950
One Way Street poster

One Way Street

Movie · as Arnie (uncredited)

1950
Key to the City poster

Key to the City

Movie · as Councilman (uncredited)

1950
A Ticket to Tomahawk poster

A Ticket to Tomahawk

Movie · as Fargo

1949
Wild Weed poster

Wild Weed

Movie · as Raymond - Henchman

1949
The Lone Ranger poster

The Lone Ranger

TV · as Reno Lawrence · 1 ep

1947
Mystery Range poster

Mystery Range

Movie · as Burvel Lambert