Acting
Jack Elam
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.
Filmography
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western
Film · 1997
Bonanza: Under Attack
Film · 1995
Uninvited
Film · 1993
Bonanza: The Return
Film · 1993
Shadow Force
Film · 1992
Lucky Luke
Series · 1992
Suburban Commando
Film · 1991
Home Improvement
Series · 1991
The Giant of Thunder Mountain
Film · 1990
Big Bad John
Film · 1990
Where the Hell's That Gold?!!?
Film · 1988
Once Upon a Texas Train
Film · 1988
Paradise
Series · 1988
Hawken's Breed
Film · 1987
I Am Not a Freak
Film · 1987
J.J. Starbuck
Series · 1987
Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills
Film · 1986
The Aurora Encounter
Film · 1986
Easy Street
Series · 1986
Detective in the House
Series · 1985
Cannonball Run II
Film · 1984
Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas
Film · 1984
Sacred Ground
Film · 1983
Lost
Film · 1983
Jinxed!
Film · 1982
The Cannonball Run
Film · 1981
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.
Film · 1981
Skyward Christmas
Film · 1981
The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite
Film · 1981
Simon & Simon
Series · 1981
Father Murphy
Series · 1981
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again
Film · 1979
The Villain
Film · 1979
The Sacketts
Series · 1979
Struck by Lightning
Series · 1979
$weepstake$
Series · 1979
Hot Lead & Cold Feet
Film · 1978
The Norseman
Film · 1978
Lacy and the Mississippi Queen
Film · 1978
Huckleberry Finn
Film · 1978
Black Beauty
Series · 1978
Grayeagle
Film · 1977
Eight Is Enough
Series · 1977
Grizzly Adams
Series · 1977
How the West Was Won
Series · 1977
Hawmps!
Film · 1976
Creature from Black Lake
Film · 1976
The Winds of Autumn
Film · 1976
Pony Express Rider
Film · 1976
The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe
Film · 1976
Sidekicks
Film · 1974
A Knife for the Ladies
Film · 1974
Shootout in a One-Dog Town
Film · 1974
The Red Pony
Film · 1973
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
Film · 1973
The Daughters of Joshua Cabe
Film · 1972
The Last Escape of Billy the Kid
Film · 1972
The Brian Keith Show
Series · 1972
Kung Fu
Series · 1972
Hannie Caulder
Film · 1971
Support Your Local Gunfighter
Film · 1971
The Last Rebel
Film · 1971
Cat Ballou
Film · 1971
Alias Smith and Jones
Series · 1971
Nichols
Series · 1971
Rio Lobo
Film · 1970
Dirty Dingus Magee
Film · 1970
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County
Film · 1970
The Wild Country
Film · 1970
Plimpton! Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo
Film · 1970
Support Your Local Sheriff!
Film · 1969
The Over the Hill Gang
Film · 1969
Ride a Northbound Horse
Film · 1969
Firecreek
Film · 1968
Never a Dull Moment
Film · 1968
Sartana Does Not Forgive
Film · 1968
Once Upon a Time in the West
Film · 1968
The Outcasts
Series · 1968
Lancer
Series · 1968
The Way West
Film · 1967
The Last Challenge
Film · 1967
Cimarron Strip
Series · 1967
The High Chaparral
Series · 1967
Hondo
Series · 1967
The Guns of Will Sonnett
Series · 1967
The Night of the Grizzly
Film · 1966
The Rare Breed
Film · 1966
Tarzan
Series · 1966
F Troop
Series · 1965
The Legend of Jesse James
Series · 1965
The Wild Wild West
Series · 1965
Daniel Boone
Series · 1964
4 for Texas
Film · 1963
The Dakotas
Series · 1963
Temple Houston
Series · 1963
The Virginian
Series · 1962
Pocketful of Miracles
Film · 1961
The Comancheros
Film · 1961
The Last Sunset
Film · 1961
Target: The Corruptors!
Series · 1961
Ben Casey
Series · 1961
Gunslinger
Series · 1961
The Girl in Lovers Lane
Film · 1960
The Slowest Gun in the West
Film · 1960
Outlaws
Series · 1960
National Velvet
Series · 1960
Stagecoach West
Series · 1960
Edge of Eternity
Film · 1959
The Twilight Zone
Series · 1959
Bonanza
Series · 1959
Rawhide
Series · 1959
The Rebel
Series · 1959
Tightrope
Series · 1959
Bonanza
Series · 1959
Bonanza
Series · 1959
The Untouchables
Series · 1959
The Untouchables
Series · 1959
Mr. Lucky
Series · 1959
Laramie
Series · 1959
The Gun Runners
Film · 1958
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Series · 1958
Bronco
Series · 1958
The Rifleman
Series · 1958
Lawman
Series · 1958
The Texan
Series · 1958
The Texan
Series · 1958
Lawman
Series · 1958
Lawman
Series · 1958
The Rifleman
Series · 1958
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Film · 1957
Night Passage
Film · 1957
Baby Face Nelson
Film · 1957
Dragoon Wells Massacre
Film · 1957
Lure of the Swamp
Film · 1957
Tales of Wells Fargo
Series · 1957
Have Gun, Will Travel
Series · 1957
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Series · 1957
M Squad
Series · 1957
Sugarfoot
Series · 1957
The Restless Gun
Series · 1957
Zorro
Series · 1957
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Series · 1957
Have Gun, Will Travel
Series · 1957
The Restless Gun
Series · 1957
Pardners
Film · 1956
Thunder Over Arizona
Film · 1956
Jubal
Film · 1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Series · 1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Series · 1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Series · 1956
Moonfleet
Film · 1955
Artists and Models
Film · 1955
Kiss Me Deadly
Film · 1955
The Man from Laramie
Film · 1955
Tarzan's Hidden Jungle
Film · 1955
Wichita
Film · 1955
Man Without a Star
Film · 1955
Kismet
Film · 1955
Cheyenne
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Frontier
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Screen Director's Playhouse
Series · 1955
Cheyenne
Series · 1955
Cheyenne
Series · 1955
The Far Country
Film · 1954
Princess of the Nile
Film · 1954
Jubilee Trail
Film · 1954
Vera Cruz
Film · 1954
Cattle Queen of Montana
Film · 1954
Ride Clear of Diablo
Film · 1954
The Wonderful World of Disney
Series · 1954
Studio 57
Series · 1954
Count the Hours!
Film · 1953
Ride, Vaquero!
Film · 1953
Gun Belt
Film · 1953
Appointment in Honduras
Film · 1953
The Moonlighter
Film · 1953
High Noon
Film · 1952
Finders Keepers
Film · 1952
Kansas City Confidential
Film · 1952
Rancho Notorious
Film · 1952
The Ring
Film · 1952
Lure of the Wilderness
Film · 1952
My Man and I
Film · 1952
The Battle at Apache Pass
Film · 1952
Montana Territory
Film · 1952
Mr. & Mrs. North
Series · 1952
Four Star Playhouse
Series · 1952
Rawhide
Film · 1951
Bird of Paradise
Film · 1951
The Bushwhackers
Film · 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Series · 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Series · 1951
The Sundowners
Film · 1950
American Guerrilla in the Philippines
Film · 1950
High Lonesome
Film · 1950
One Way Street
Film · 1950
Key to the City
Film · 1950
A Ticket to Tomahawk
Film · 1950
Wild Weed
Film · 1949
The Lone Ranger
Series · 1949