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Jack Elam

Jack Elam

Acting

Born: November 13, 1920Miami, 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
Filmography
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western

Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western

Self

1997
Bonanza: Under Attack

Bonanza: Under Attack

Buckshot

1995
Bonanza: The Return

Bonanza: The Return

Buckshot

1993
Uninvited

Uninvited

Grady

1993
Shadow Force

Shadow Force

Tommy

1992
Suburban Commando

Suburban Commando

Col. Dustin 'Dusty' McHowell

1991
The Giant of Thunder Mountain

The Giant of Thunder Mountain

Hezekiah Crow

1990
Big Bad John

Big Bad John

Jake Calhoun

1990
Where the Hell's That Gold?!!?

Where the Hell's That Gold?!!?

Boone

1988
Once Upon a Texas Train

Once Upon a Texas Train

Jason Fitch

1988
I Am Not a Freak

I Am Not a Freak

Self

1987
Hawken's Breed

Hawken's Breed

Tackett

1987
Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills

Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills

Squires

1986
The Aurora Encounter

The Aurora Encounter

Charlie

1986
Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas

Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas

Scrooge

1984
Cannonball Run II

Cannonball Run II

Doc

1984
Lost

Lost

Mr. Newsom

1983
Sacred Ground

Sacred Ground

Lum Witcher

1983
Jinxed!

Jinxed!

Otto

1982
Skyward Christmas

Skyward Christmas

Clay Haller

1981
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.

Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.

Troscliar Boudreaux

1981
The Cannonball Run

The Cannonball Run

Doctor

1981
The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite

The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite

Seth Beaumont

1981
The Villain

The Villain

Avery Simpson

1979
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again

The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again

Big Mac

1979
The Norseman

The Norseman

Death Dreamer

1978
Hot Lead & Cold Feet

Hot Lead & Cold Feet

Rattlesnake

1978
Lacy and the Mississippi Queen

Lacy and the Mississippi Queen

Willie Red Fire

1978
Huckleberry Finn

Huckleberry Finn

King

1978
Grayeagle

Grayeagle

Trapper Willis

1977
Pony Express Rider

Pony Express Rider

Crazy Charlie

1976
The Winds of Autumn

The Winds of Autumn

J. Pete Hankins

1976
The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe

The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe

Bitterroot

1976
Hawmps!

Hawmps!

Bad Jack Cutter

1976
Creature from Black Lake

Creature from Black Lake

Joe Canton

1976
A Knife for the Ladies

A Knife for the Ladies

Jarrod (Sheriff)

1974
Sidekicks

Sidekicks

Boss

1974
Shootout in a One-Dog Town

Shootout in a One-Dog Town

Handy

1974
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid

Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid

Alamosa Bill Kermit

1973
The Red Pony

The Red Pony

Granddad

1973
The Daughters of Joshua Cabe

The Daughters of Joshua Cabe

Bitterroot

1972
The Last Escape of Billy the Kid

The Last Escape of Billy the Kid

Pat Garrett

1972
Hannie Caulder

Hannie Caulder

Frank Clemens

1971
The Last Rebel

The Last Rebel

Matt

1971
Cat Ballou

Cat Ballou

Kid Sheleen

1971
Support Your Local Gunfighter

Support Your Local Gunfighter

Jug May

1971
The Wild Country

The Wild Country

Thompson

1970
Plimpton! Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo

Plimpton! Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo

Self

1970
Dirty Dingus Magee

Dirty Dingus Magee

John Wesley Hardin

1970
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County

The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County

Kittrick

1970
Rio Lobo

Rio Lobo

Phillips

1970
The Over the Hill Gang

The Over the Hill Gang

Sheriff Clyde Barnes

1969
Support Your Local Sheriff!

Support Your Local Sheriff!

Jake

1969
Ride a Northbound Horse

Ride a Northbound Horse

Sheriff

1969
Once Upon a Time in the West

Once Upon a Time in the West

Frank's Gunman

1968
Sartana Does Not Forgive

Sartana Does Not Forgive

Slim Kovacs

1968
Never a Dull Moment

Never a Dull Moment

Ace Williams

1968
Firecreek

Firecreek

Norman

1968
The Last Challenge

The Last Challenge

Ernest Scarnes

1967
The Way West

The Way West

Preacher Weatherby

1967
The Night of the Grizzly

The Night of the Grizzly

Hank

1966
The Rare Breed

The Rare Breed

Deke Simons

1966
4 for Texas

4 for Texas

Dobie

1963
Pocketful of Miracles

Pocketful of Miracles

Cheesecake

1961
The Comancheros

The Comancheros

Horseface (Comanchero)

1961
The Last Sunset

The Last Sunset

Ed Hobbs

1961
The Girl in Lovers Lane

The Girl in Lovers Lane

Jesse

1960
The Slowest Gun in the West

The Slowest Gun in the West

Ike Dalton

1960
Edge of Eternity

Edge of Eternity

Bill Ward

1959
The Gun Runners

The Gun Runners

Arnold

1958
Baby Face Nelson

Baby Face Nelson

Fatso Nagel

1957
Dragoon Wells Massacre

Dragoon Wells Massacre

Tioga

1957
Night Passage

Night Passage

Shotgun

1957
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

Tom McLowery

1957
Lure of the Swamp

Lure of the Swamp

Henry Bliss

1957
Thunder Over Arizona

Thunder Over Arizona

Slats Callahan

1956
Pardners

Pardners

Pete

1956
Jubal

Jubal

McCoy

1956
Artists and Models

Artists and Models

Ivan

1955
Kismet

Kismet

Hasan-Ben

1955
The Man from Laramie

The Man from Laramie

Chris Boldt

1955
Wichita

Wichita

Al

1955
Moonfleet

Moonfleet

Damen

1955
Kiss Me Deadly

Kiss Me Deadly

Charlie Max

1955
Man Without a Star

Man Without a Star

Knife Murderer (uncredited)

1955
Tarzan's Hidden Jungle

Tarzan's Hidden Jungle

Burger

1955
Vera Cruz

Vera Cruz

Tex

1954
Cattle Queen of Montana

Cattle Queen of Montana

Yost

1954
Princess of the Nile

Princess of the Nile

Basra

1954
Jubilee Trail

Jubilee Trail

Whitey

1954
The Far Country

The Far Country

Frank Newberry

1954
Ride Clear of Diablo

Ride Clear of Diablo

Tim Lowerie

1954
Appointment in Honduras

Appointment in Honduras

Castro

1953
The Moonlighter

The Moonlighter

Slim

1953
Gun Belt

Gun Belt

Rusty Kolloway

1953
Ride, Vaquero!

Ride, Vaquero!

Barton

1953
Count the Hours!

Count the Hours!

Max Verne

1953
Kansas City Confidential

Kansas City Confidential

Pete Harris

1952
The Ring

The Ring

Harry Jackson

1952
My Man and I

My Man and I

Celestino Garcia

1952
Lure of the Wilderness

Lure of the Wilderness

Dave Longden

1952
High Noon

High Noon

Charlie - Drunk in Jail (uncredited)

1952
Montana Territory

Montana Territory

Gimp

1952
The Battle at Apache Pass

The Battle at Apache Pass

Mescal Jack

1952
Rancho Notorious

Rancho Notorious

Mort Geary

1952
Finders Keepers

Finders Keepers

Eddie

1952
The Bushwhackers

The Bushwhackers

Cree

1951
Rawhide

Rawhide

Tevis

1951
Bird of Paradise

Bird of Paradise

The Trader

1951
American Guerrilla in the Philippines

American Guerrilla in the Philippines

The Speaker

1950
High Lonesome

High Lonesome

Smiling Man

1950
A Ticket to Tomahawk

A Ticket to Tomahawk

Fargo

1950
One Way Street

One Way Street

Arnie (uncredited)

1950
Key to the City

Key to the City

Councilman (uncredited)

1950
The Sundowners

The Sundowners

Earl Boyce

1950
Wild Weed

Wild Weed

Raymond - Henchman

1949