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
as Self
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western
as Self
Bonanza: Under Attack
as Buckshot
Bonanza: Under Attack
as Buckshot
Bonanza: The Return
as Buckshot
Bonanza: The Return
as Buckshot
Uninvited
as Grady
Uninvited
as Grady
Shadow Force
as Tommy
Shadow Force
as Tommy
Suburban Commando
as Col. Dustin 'Dusty' McHowell
Suburban Commando
as Col. Dustin 'Dusty' McHowell
The Giant of Thunder Mountain
as Hezekiah Crow
The Giant of Thunder Mountain
as Hezekiah Crow
Big Bad John
as Jake Calhoun
Big Bad John
as Jake Calhoun
Where the Hell's That Gold?!!?
as Boone
Where the Hell's That Gold?!!?
as Boone
Once Upon a Texas Train
as Jason Fitch
Once Upon a Texas Train
as Jason Fitch
I Am Not a Freak
as Self
I Am Not a Freak
as Self
Hawken's Breed
as Tackett
Hawken's Breed
as Tackett
Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills
as Squires
Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills
as Squires
The Aurora Encounter
as Charlie
The Aurora Encounter
as Charlie
Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas
as Scrooge
Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas
as Scrooge
Cannonball Run II
as Doc
Cannonball Run II
as Doc
Lost
as Mr. Newsom
Lost
as Mr. Newsom
Sacred Ground
as Lum Witcher
Sacred Ground
as Lum Witcher
Jinxed!
as Otto
Jinxed!
as Otto
Skyward Christmas
as Clay Haller
Skyward Christmas
as Clay Haller
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.
as Troscliar Boudreaux
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.
as Troscliar Boudreaux
The Cannonball Run
as Doctor
The Cannonball Run
as Doctor
The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite
as Seth Beaumont
The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite
as Seth Beaumont
The Villain
as Avery Simpson
The Villain
as Avery Simpson
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again
as Big Mac
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again
as Big Mac
The Norseman
as Death Dreamer
The Norseman
as Death Dreamer
Hot Lead & Cold Feet
as Rattlesnake
Hot Lead & Cold Feet
as Rattlesnake
Lacy and the Mississippi Queen
as Willie Red Fire
Lacy and the Mississippi Queen
as Willie Red Fire
Huckleberry Finn
as King
Huckleberry Finn
as King
Grayeagle
as Trapper Willis
Grayeagle
as Trapper Willis
Pony Express Rider
as Crazy Charlie
Pony Express Rider
as Crazy Charlie
The Winds of Autumn
as J. Pete Hankins
The Winds of Autumn
as J. Pete Hankins
The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe
as Bitterroot
The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe
as Bitterroot
Hawmps!
as Bad Jack Cutter
Hawmps!
as Bad Jack Cutter
Creature from Black Lake
as Joe Canton
Creature from Black Lake
as Joe Canton
A Knife for the Ladies
as Jarrod (Sheriff)
A Knife for the Ladies
as Jarrod (Sheriff)
Sidekicks
as Boss
Sidekicks
as Boss
Shootout in a One-Dog Town
as Handy
Shootout in a One-Dog Town
as Handy
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
as Alamosa Bill Kermit
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
as Alamosa Bill Kermit
The Red Pony
as Granddad
The Red Pony
as Granddad
The Daughters of Joshua Cabe
as Bitterroot
The Daughters of Joshua Cabe
as Bitterroot
The Last Escape of Billy the Kid
as Pat Garrett
The Last Escape of Billy the Kid
as Pat Garrett
Hannie Caulder
as Frank Clemens
Hannie Caulder
as Frank Clemens
The Last Rebel
as Matt
The Last Rebel
as Matt
Cat Ballou
as Kid Sheleen
Cat Ballou
as Kid Sheleen
Support Your Local Gunfighter
as Jug May
Support Your Local Gunfighter
as Jug May
The Wild Country
as Thompson
The Wild Country
as Thompson
Plimpton! Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo
as Self
Plimpton! Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo
as Self
Dirty Dingus Magee
as John Wesley Hardin
Dirty Dingus Magee
as John Wesley Hardin
Rio Lobo
as Phillips
Rio Lobo
as Phillips
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County
as Kittrick
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County
as Kittrick
The Over the Hill Gang
as Sheriff Clyde Barnes
The Over the Hill Gang
as Sheriff Clyde Barnes
Support Your Local Sheriff!
as Jake
Support Your Local Sheriff!
as Jake
Ride a Northbound Horse
as Sheriff
Ride a Northbound Horse
as Sheriff
Once Upon a Time in the West
as Frank's Gunman
Once Upon a Time in the West
as Frank's Gunman
Sartana Does Not Forgive
as Slim Kovacs
Sartana Does Not Forgive
as Slim Kovacs
Never a Dull Moment
as Ace Williams
Never a Dull Moment
as Ace Williams
Firecreek
as Norman
Firecreek
as Norman
The Last Challenge
as Ernest Scarnes
The Last Challenge
as Ernest Scarnes
The Way West
as Preacher Weatherby
The Way West
as Preacher Weatherby
The Night of the Grizzly
as Hank
The Night of the Grizzly
as Hank
The Rare Breed
as Deke Simons
The Rare Breed
as Deke Simons
4 for Texas
as Dobie
4 for Texas
as Dobie
Pocketful of Miracles
as Cheesecake
Pocketful of Miracles
as Cheesecake
The Comancheros
as Horseface (Comanchero)
The Comancheros
as Horseface (Comanchero)
The Last Sunset
as Ed Hobbs
The Last Sunset
as Ed Hobbs
The Girl in Lovers Lane
as Jesse
The Girl in Lovers Lane
as Jesse
The Slowest Gun in the West
as Ike Dalton
The Slowest Gun in the West
as Ike Dalton
Edge of Eternity
as Bill Ward
Edge of Eternity
as Bill Ward
The Gun Runners
as Arnold
The Gun Runners
as Arnold
Baby Face Nelson
as Fatso Nagel
Baby Face Nelson
as Fatso Nagel
Dragoon Wells Massacre
as Tioga
Dragoon Wells Massacre
as Tioga
Night Passage
as Shotgun
Night Passage
as Shotgun
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
as Tom McLowery
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
as Tom McLowery
Lure of the Swamp
as Henry Bliss
Lure of the Swamp
as Henry Bliss
Thunder Over Arizona
as Slats Callahan
Thunder Over Arizona
as Slats Callahan
Pardners
as Pete
Pardners
as Pete
Jubal
as McCoy
Jubal
as McCoy
Artists and Models
as Ivan
Artists and Models
as Ivan
Kismet
as Hasan-Ben
Kismet
as Hasan-Ben
The Man from Laramie
as Chris Boldt
The Man from Laramie
as Chris Boldt
Wichita
as Al
Wichita
as Al
Moonfleet
as Damen
Moonfleet
as Damen
Kiss Me Deadly
as Charlie Max
Kiss Me Deadly
as Charlie Max
Man Without a Star
as Knife Murderer (uncredited)
Man Without a Star
as Knife Murderer (uncredited)
Tarzan's Hidden Jungle
as Burger
Tarzan's Hidden Jungle
as Burger
Vera Cruz
as Tex
Vera Cruz
as Tex
Cattle Queen of Montana
as Yost
Cattle Queen of Montana
as Yost
Princess of the Nile
as Basra
Princess of the Nile
as Basra
Jubilee Trail
as Whitey
Jubilee Trail
as Whitey
The Far Country
as Frank Newberry
The Far Country
as Frank Newberry
Ride Clear of Diablo
as Tim Lowerie
Ride Clear of Diablo
as Tim Lowerie
Appointment in Honduras
as Castro
Appointment in Honduras
as Castro
The Moonlighter
as Slim
The Moonlighter
as Slim
Gun Belt
as Rusty Kolloway
Gun Belt
as Rusty Kolloway
Ride, Vaquero!
as Barton
Ride, Vaquero!
as Barton
Count the Hours!
as Max Verne
Count the Hours!
as Max Verne
Kansas City Confidential
as Pete Harris
Kansas City Confidential
as Pete Harris
The Ring
as Harry Jackson
The Ring
as Harry Jackson
My Man and I
as Celestino Garcia
My Man and I
as Celestino Garcia
Lure of the Wilderness
as Dave Longden
Lure of the Wilderness
as Dave Longden
High Noon
as Charlie - Drunk in Jail (uncredited)
High Noon
as Charlie - Drunk in Jail (uncredited)
Montana Territory
as Gimp
Montana Territory
as Gimp
The Battle at Apache Pass
as Mescal Jack
The Battle at Apache Pass
as Mescal Jack
Rancho Notorious
as Mort Geary
Rancho Notorious
as Mort Geary
Finders Keepers
as Eddie
Finders Keepers
as Eddie
The Bushwhackers
as Cree
The Bushwhackers
as Cree
Rawhide
as Tevis
Rawhide
as Tevis
Bird of Paradise
as The Trader
Bird of Paradise
as The Trader
American Guerrilla in the Philippines
as The Speaker
American Guerrilla in the Philippines
as The Speaker
High Lonesome
as Smiling Man
High Lonesome
as Smiling Man
A Ticket to Tomahawk
as Fargo
A Ticket to Tomahawk
as Fargo
One Way Street
as Arnie (uncredited)
One Way Street
as Arnie (uncredited)
The Sundowners
as Earl Boyce
The Sundowners
as Earl Boyce
Key to the City
as Councilman (uncredited)
Key to the City
as Councilman (uncredited)
Wild Weed
as Raymond - Henchman
Wild Weed
as Raymond - Henchman