Personal Info
Known For:
Acting
Birthday:
November 13, 1920
Place of Birth:
Miami, Gila, Arizona, USA
Social Media
Jack Elam
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
Filmography
| Year | TV Show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Lucky Luke | Axel Ericson |
| 1991 | Home Improvement | Hick Peterson |
| 1988 | Paradise | Skragg |
| 1987 | J.J. Starbuck | |
| 1986 | Easy Street | |
| 1985 | Detective in the House | |
| 1981 | Simon & Simon | |
| 1981 | Father Murphy | |
| 1979 | The Sacketts | Ira Bigelow |
| 1979 | Struck by Lightning | Frank |
| 1978 | Black Beauty | Jonas McBride |
| 1977 | Eight Is Enough | |
| 1977 | Grizzly Adams | |
| 1977 | How the West Was Won | Cully Madigan |
| 1972 | The Brian Keith Show | |
| 1972 | Kung Fu | Marcus Taylor |
| 1971 | Alias Smith and Jones | |
| 1971 | Nichols | Marcus A.F. Baxter |
| 1968 | The Outcasts | |
| 1968 | Lancer | |
| 1967 | Cimarron Strip | |
| 1967 | The High Chaparral | Macklin |
| 1967 | Hondo | |
| 1967 | The Guns of Will Sonnett | Sam - Sheriff |
| 1966 | Tarzan | |
| 1965 | F Troop | |
| 1965 | The Legend of Jesse James | Deacon Smith |
| 1964 | Daniel Boone | Petch |
| 1963 | The Dakotas | Deputy J.D. Smith |
| 1963 | Temple Houston | George Taggart |
| 1962 | The Virginian | Harve Yost |
| 1961 | Target: The Corruptors! | |
| 1961 | Ben Casey | |
| 1960 | Outlaws | |
| 1960 | National Velvet | Black Barr |
| 1960 | Stagecoach West | Clell |
| 1959 | The Twilight Zone | Avery |
| 1959 | Bonanza | Dodie Hoad |
| 1959 | Rawhide | Turkey Creek Jack Johnson |
| 1959 | The Rebel | Uncle Luce |
| 1959 | Tightrope | |
| 1959 | Bonanza | Honest John |
| 1959 | Bonanza | Buford Buckalew |
| 1959 | The Untouchables | Jug Alverson |
| 1959 | The Untouchables | Nick Bravo |
| 1959 | Mr. Lucky | Phil Bricker |
| 1958 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse | |
| 1958 | Bronco | |
| 1958 | The Rifleman | |
| 1958 | Lawman | |
| 1958 | The Texan | |
| 1958 | The Texan | Luke Watson |
| 1958 | Lawman | Herm Forrest |
| 1958 | Lawman | Paul Henry |
| 1957 | Tales of Wells Fargo | Chris |
| 1957 | Have Gun, Will Travel | |
| 1957 | Richard Diamond, Private Detective | Danny Boy |
| 1957 | M Squad | Luke Morgan |
| 1957 | Sugarfoot | Toothy Thompson |
| 1957 | The Restless Gun | Tony Molinor |
| 1957 | Zorro | Gomez (uncredited) |
| 1957 | Richard Diamond, Private Detective | Perk Butler |
| 1957 | Have Gun, Will Travel | Arnold Shaffner |
| 1956 | Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre | Hock Ellis |
| 1956 | Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre | Little Jimmy Lehigh |
| 1956 | Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre | Stage Driver Cass |
| 1955 | Cheyenne | |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Dolph Quince |
| 1955 | Frontier | Ness Fowler |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Clint Dodie |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Steed |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Ben |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Hector |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Specter |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Del Ordman |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Sam Band |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Jim Barrett |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | William Prange |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Lucas Murdoch |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Titus Spangler |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Pierre Audubon |
| 1955 | Screen Director's Playhouse | Shanks |
| 1955 | Cheyenne | Calhoun Durango |
| 1954 | The Wonderful World of Disney | Sheriff |
| 1952 | Mr. & Mrs. North | |
| 1952 | Four Star Playhouse | Vic |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Lee Dineen |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Halleck |
| 1949 | The Lone Ranger | Reno Lawrence |