Jack Elam
Nov 13, 1920 - Oct 20, 2003 (82 years old) in Miami, Gila, Arizona, USA
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
The Lone Ranger
Reno Lawrence
The Twilight Zone
Avery
Bonanza
Dodie Hoad
The Untouchables
Jug Alverson
Once Upon a Time in the West
Frank's Gunman
Home Improvement
Hick Peterson
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Hock Ellis
Credits
-
(archive footage)★ 7.3 -
Self★ NR -
Buckshot★ 6.7 -
Bonanza: The Return 1993Buckshot★ 6.5 -
Uninvited 1993Grady★ 4.6 -
Shadow Force 1992Tommy★ NR -
Lucky Luke 1992Axel Ericson★ 5.7 -
Suburban Commando 1991Col. Dustin 'Dusty' McHowell★ 4.7 -
Home Improvement 1991Hick Peterson★ 7.4 -
Hezekiah Crow★ 5.2 -
Big Bad John 1990Jake Calhoun★ 4 -
Boone★ 3 -
Paradise 1988Skragg★ 5.4 -
Jason Fitch★ 5.4 -
I Am Not a Freak 1987Self★ 5 -
J.J. Starbuck 1987★ 5 -
Hawken's Breed 1987Tackett★ 3.5 -
Squires★ 5.8 -
Easy Street 1986★ 5.7 -
The Aurora Encounter 1986Charlie★ 4.3 -
★ 5 -
Scrooge★ 6 -
Cannonball Run II 1984Doc★ 5.4 -
Lost 1983Mr. Newsom★ 4.8 -
Sacred Ground 1983Lum Witcher★ 6 -
Jinxed! 1982Otto★ 4.6 -
Skyward Christmas 1981Clay Haller★ NR -
Simon & Simon 1981★ 6.7 -
Father Murphy 1981★ 8 -
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. 1981Troscliar Boudreaux★ 4.5 -
The Cannonball Run 1981Doctor★ 6.2 -
Seth Beaumont★ 3 -
Struck by Lightning 1979Frank★ 5 -
The Villain 1979Avery Simpson★ 5.8 -
Big Mac★ 6.4 -
The Sacketts 1979Ira Bigelow★ 7.7 -
The Norseman 1978Death Dreamer★ 3.2 -
Hot Lead & Cold Feet 1978Rattlesnake★ 6 -
Willie Red Fire★ NR -
Black Beauty 1978Jonas McBride★ 7 -
Grayeagle 1977Trapper Willis★ 5.6 -
Eight Is Enough 1977★ 6 -
Grizzly Adams 1977★ 7 -
How the West Was Won 1977Cully Madigan★ 6.9 -
Pony Express Rider 1976Crazy Charlie★ 5 -
The Winds of Autumn 1976J. Pete Hankins★ 5.8 -
Bitterroot★ NR -
Hawmps! 1976Bad Jack Cutter★ 4.3 -
Joe Canton★ 5.1 -
Huckleberry Finn 1975King★ 6 -
Jarrod (Sheriff)★ 4.9 -
Sidekicks 1974Boss★ 6 -
Handy★ NR -
Alamosa Bill Kermit★ 7.2 -
The Red Pony 1973Granddad★ NR -
Kung Fu 1972Marcus Taylor★ 7.6 -
The Brian Keith Show 1972★ 5 -
Bitterroot★ 5.2 -
Pat Garrett★ NR -
Hannie Caulder 1971Frank Clemens★ 6.3 -
The Last Rebel 1971Matt★ 2 -
Nichols 1971Marcus A.F. Baxter★ 5 -
Cat Ballou 1971Kid Sheleen★ NR -
Jug May★ 6.6 -
★ 6.9 -
The Wild Country 1970Thompson★ 6 -
Self★ NR -
Dirty Dingus Magee 1970John Wesley Hardin★ 4.7 -
Rio Lobo 1970Phillips★ 6.4 -
Kittrick★ 6.3 -
Sheriff Clyde Barnes★ 5.6 -
Jake★ 7 -
Sheriff★ NR -
Frank's Gunman★ 8.3 -
Slim Kovacs★ 6.1 -
Lancer 1968★ 4.7 -
The Outcasts 1968★ 5.3 -
Never a Dull Moment 1968Ace Williams★ 6.2 -
Firecreek 1968Norman★ 6.4 -
The Last Challenge 1967Ernest Scarnes★ 6.3 -
The High Chaparral 1967Macklin★ 6.5 -
Hondo 1967★ 6.5 -
Sam - Sheriff★ 6.2 -
Cimarron Strip 1967★ 5 -
The Way West 1967Preacher Weatherby★ 6 -
Tarzan 1966★ 6.7 -
Hank★ 5.7 -
The Rare Breed 1966Deke Simons★ 6 -
F Troop 1965★ 6.1 -
Deacon Smith★ 4.8 -
Daniel Boone 1964Petch★ 6.9 -
4 for Texas 1963Dobie★ 5.1 -
Temple Houston 1963George Taggart★ 5.7 -
The Dakotas 1963Deputy J.D. Smith★ 5.7 -
The Virginian 1962Harve Yost★ 6.5 -
Cheesecake★ 7.3 -
The Comancheros 1961Horseface (Comanchero)★ 6.7 -
Ben Casey 1961★ 5.6 -
★ 3.5 -
The Last Sunset 1961Ed Hobbs★ 6.8 -
Stagecoach West 1960Clell★ 6 -
Outlaws 1960★ 6.2 -
National Velvet 1960Black Barr★ 7.5 -
Jesse★ 2.8 -
Ike Dalton★ 2 -
Edge of Eternity 1959Bill Ward★ 6.6 -
Mr. Lucky 1959Phil Bricker★ 6.4 -
The Untouchables 1959Jug Alverson★ 7.9 -
The Rebel 1959Uncle Luce★ 5.1 -
The Twilight Zone 1959Avery★ 8.4 -
Bonanza 1959Dodie Hoad★ 7.5 -
Tightrope 1959★ 5.5 -
★ 5.8 -
Lawman 1958★ 5.6 -
The Rifleman 1958★ 7 -
The Texan 1958★ 5 -
Bronco 1958★ 5.2 -
The Gun Runners 1958Arnold★ 6 -
Baby Face Nelson 1957Fatso Nagel★ 5.8 -
Zorro 1957Gomez (uncredited)★ 7.5 -
The Restless Gun 1957Tony Molinor★ 3.7 -
M Squad 1957Luke Morgan★ 5.2 -
Sugarfoot 1957Toothy Thompson★ 4.8 -
★ 7.4 -
Tioga★ 6.9 -
Night Passage 1957Shotgun★ 6.4 -
Danny Boy★ 6.2 -
Tom McLowery★ 7 -
Lure of the Swamp 1957Henry Bliss★ 6.5 -
Tales of Wells Fargo 1957Chris★ 6.3 -
Hock Ellis★ 5.5 -
Thunder Over Arizona 1956Slats Callahan★ 6 -
Pardners 1956Pete★ 6.7 -
Jubal 1956McCoy★ 6.8 -
The Silent Partner 1955Shanks★ 6 -
Artists and Models 1955Ivan★ 6.7 -
Kismet 1955Hasan-Ben★ 5 -
Shanks★ 6.5 -
Frontier 1955Ness Fowler★ 5 -
Cheyenne 1955★ 5.8 -
Gunsmoke 1955Dolph Quince★ 6.6 -
The Man from Laramie 1955Chris Boldt★ 7.2 -
Wichita 1955Al★ 6.3 -
Moonfleet 1955Damen★ 6.5 -
Kiss Me Deadly 1955Charlie Max★ 7.2 -
Man Without a Star 1955Knife Murderer (uncredited)★ 6.5 -
Burger★ 4.9 -
Vera Cruz 1954Tex★ 6.6 -
Yost★ 5.6 -
Sheriff★ 7.8 -
Princess of the Nile 1954Basra★ 7.1 -
Jubilee Trail 1954Whitey★ 4.8 -
The Far Country 1954Frank Newberry★ 6.9 -
Ride Clear of Diablo 1954Tim Lowerie★ 5.8 -
Castro★ 5.7 -
The Moonlighter 1953Slim★ 5.7 -
Gun Belt 1953Rusty Kolloway★ 6.3 -
Ride, Vaquero! 1953Barton★ 5.9 -
Count the Hours! 1953Max Verne★ 5.5 -
Pete Harris★ 7.1 -
Mr. & Mrs. North 1952★ 4.3 -
The Ring 1952Harry Jackson★ 4.7 -
Four Star Playhouse 1952Vic★ 6.3
-
My Man and I 1952Celestino Garcia★ 6.8 -
Dave Longden★ 6 -
High Noon 1952Charlie - Drunk in Jail (uncredited)★ 7.7 -
Montana Territory 1952Gimp★ NR -
Mescal Jack★ 6.3 -
Rancho Notorious 1952Mort Geary★ 6.5 -
Finders Keepers 1952Eddie★ NR -
The Bushwhackers 1951Cree★ 5.1 -
Lee Dineen★ 7.3 -
Rawhide 1951Tevis★ 6.7 -
Bird of Paradise 1951The Trader★ 5.7 -
The Speaker★ 5.5 -
High Lonesome 1950Smiling Man★ 5.1 -
A Ticket to Tomahawk 1950Fargo★ 5.8 -
One Way Street 1950Arnie (uncredited)★ 5.2 -
The Sundowners 1950Earl Boyce★ 5.4 -
Key to the City 1950Councilman (uncredited)★ 6.2 -
The Lone Ranger 1949Reno Lawrence★ 6.7 -
Wild Weed 1949Raymond - Henchman★ 4.8
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