Jack Elam
Known for: Acting
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
Series
The Rifleman
Sim Groder
1958
Series
The Rifleman
Russell
1958
Series
Bonanza
Dodie Hoad
1959
Series
Bonanza
Honest John
1959
Series
Bonanza
Buford Buckalew
1959
Series
Home Improvement
Hick Peterson
1991
Series
The Wild Wild West
Zack Slade
1965
Series
The Virginian
Harve Yost
1962
Series
The Twilight Zone
Avery
1959
Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
Arnold Shaffner
1957
Series
Daniel Boone
Petch
1964
Series
Rawhide
Turkey Creek Jack Johnson
1959
Series
Cheyenne
1955
Series
Cheyenne
Calhoun Durango
1955
Series
Cheyenne
Count Nicholas Potosi
1955
Series
Simon & Simon
1981
Series
Lawman
1958
Series
Lawman
Herm Forrest
1958
Series
Lawman
Paul Henry
1958
Series
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Hock Ellis
1956
Series
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Little Jimmy Lehigh
1956
Series
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Stage Driver Cass
1956
Series
The Untouchables
Jug Alverson
1959
Series
The Untouchables
Nick Bravo
1959
Series
Gunsmoke
Dolph Quince
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Clint Dodie
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Steed
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Ben
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Hector
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Specter
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Del Ordman
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Sam Band
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Jim Barrett
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
William Prange
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Lucas Murdoch
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Titus Spangler
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Pierre Audubon
1955
Series
Tales of Wells Fargo
Chris
1957
Series
Four Star Playhouse
Vic
1952
Series
Zorro
Gomez (uncredited)
1957
Series
Ben Casey
1961
Series
The High Chaparral
Macklin
1967
Film
Once Upon a Time in the West
Frank's Gunman
1968
Series
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Danny Boy
1957
Series
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Perk Butler
1957
Series
Laramie
Parson Hawks
1959
Series
Tarzan
1966
Series
The Lone Ranger
Reno Lawrence
1949
Series
Sugarfoot
Toothy Thompson
1957
Series
The Rebel
Uncle Luce
1959
Series
Eight Is Enough
1977
Series
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
Series
The Guns of Will Sonnett
Sam - Sheriff
1967
Series
Alias Smith and Jones
1971
Film
High Noon
Charlie - Drunk in Jail (uncredited)
1952
Series
The Texan
1958
Series
The Texan
Luke Watson
1958
Series
Bronco
1958
Series
Lancer
1968
Series
F Troop
1965
Series
Studio 57
1954
Series
How the West Was Won
Cully Madigan
1977
Series
Outlaws
1960
Series
Nichols
Marcus A.F. Baxter
1971
Series
Grizzly Adams
Gus
1977
Series
Cimarron Strip
1967
Series
M Squad
Luke Morgan
1957
Series
Mr. Lucky
Phil Bricker
1959
Film
The Cannonball Run
Doctor
1981
Series
Screen Director's Playhouse
Shanks
1955
Series
The Legend of Jesse James
Deacon Smith
1965
Series
Target: The Corruptors!
1961
Series
The Restless Gun
Tony Molinor
1957
Series
The Restless Gun
Link Jerrod
1957
Series
Hondo
1967
Series
The Wonderful World of Disney
Sheriff
1954
Series
Tightrope
1959
Series
The Dakotas
Deputy J.D. Smith
1963
Series
The Outcasts
1968
Series
Mr. & Mrs. North
1952
Series
Stagecoach West
Clell
1960
Series
Gunslinger
Clint Gannet
1961
$weepstake$
1979
Series
Lucky Luke
Axel Ericson
1992
Film
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Tom McLowery
1957
Series
Temple Houston
George Taggart
1963
Film
Rio Lobo
Phillips
1970
Series
J.J. Starbuck
1987
Film
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
Alamosa Bill Kermit
1973
Film
Cannonball Run II
Doc
1984
Series
Frontier
Ness Fowler
1955
Film
The Villain
Avery Simpson
1979
Series
The Brian Keith Show
1972
Film
The Comancheros
Horseface (Comanchero)
1961
Series
The Sacketts
Ira Bigelow
1979
Film
Support Your Local Sheriff!
Jake
1969
Series
National Velvet
Black Barr
1960
Series
Father Murphy
1981
Series
Paradise
Skragg
1988
Film
The Way West
Preacher Weatherby
1967
Series
Black Beauty
Jonas McBride
1978
Film
The Daughters of Joshua Cabe
Bitterroot
1972
Film
Hannie Caulder
Frank Clemens
1971
Film
Vera Cruz
Tex
1954
Series
Easy Street
1986
Film
Pocketful of Miracles
Cheesecake
1961
Film
The Rare Breed
Deke Simons
1966
Film
The Man from Laramie
Chris Boldt
1955
Film
Kiss Me Deadly
Charlie Max
1955
Film
Jubal
McCoy
1956
Film
4 for Texas
Dobie
1963
Film
Suburban Commando
Col. Dustin 'Dusty' McHowell
1991
Film
Support Your Local Gunfighter
Jug May
1971
Film
The Far Country
Frank Newberry
1954
Film
Night Passage
Shotgun
1957
Film
Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas
Scrooge
1984
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Lee Dineen
1951
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Halleck
1951
Film
Artists and Models
Ivan
1955
Film
Firecreek
Norman
1968
Film
The Night of the Grizzly
Hank
1966
Film
Moonfleet
Damen
1955
Film
Rancho Notorious
Mort Geary
1952
Film
The Last Sunset
Ed Hobbs
1961
Film
Ride Clear of Diablo
Tim Lowerie
1954
Film
Man Without a Star
Knife Murderer (uncredited)
1955
Film
Grayeagle
Trapper Willis
1977
Film
Kansas City Confidential
Pete Harris
1952
Film
The Red Pony
Granddad
1973
Film
Wichita
Al
1955
Film
Cattle Queen of Montana
Yost
1954
Film
Princess of the Nile
Basra
1954
Film
Ride, Vaquero!
Barton
1953
Film
Rawhide
Tevis
1951
Detective in the House
1985
Film
Hot Lead & Cold Feet
Rattlesnake
1978
Film
Pardners
Pete
1956
Film
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again
Big Mac
1979
Film
Tarzan's Hidden Jungle
Burger
1955
Film
Once Upon a Texas Train
Jason Fitch
1988
Film
Kismet
Hasan-Ben
1955
Film
Dragoon Wells Massacre
Tioga
1957
Film
The Last Challenge
Ernest Scarnes
1967
Film
The Battle at Apache Pass
Mescal Jack
1952
Film
A Ticket to Tomahawk
Fargo
1950
Film
Baby Face Nelson
Fatso Nagel
1957
Film
The Norseman
Death Dreamer
1978
Film
Edge of Eternity
Bill Ward
1959
Film
Huckleberry Finn
King
1978
Film
Lacy and the Mississippi Queen
Willie Red Fire
1978
Film
Bird of Paradise
The Trader
1951
Film
Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills
Squires
1986
Film
The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe
Bitterroot
1976
Film
The Sundowners
Earl Boyce
1950
Film
The Giant of Thunder Mountain
Hezekiah Crow
1990
Film
The Gun Runners
Arnold
1958
Film
Gun Belt
Rusty Kolloway
1953
Series
Kung Fu
Marcus Taylor
1972
Series
Struck by Lightning
Frank
1979
Film
The Over the Hill Gang
Sheriff Clyde Barnes
1969
Film
Key to the City
Councilman (uncredited)
1950
Film
Bonanza: Under Attack
Buckshot
1995
Film
Creature from Black Lake
Joe Canton
1976
Film
Count the Hours!
Max Verne
1953
Film
The Wild Country
Thompson
1970
Film
The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite
Seth Beaumont
1981
Film
Where the Hell's That Gold?!!?
Boone
1988
Film
Dirty Dingus Magee
John Wesley Hardin
1970
Film
The Slowest Gun in the West
Ike Dalton
1960
Film
Sidekicks
Boss
1974
Film
Appointment in Honduras
Castro
1953
Film
Pony Express Rider
Crazy Charlie
1976
Film
American Guerrilla in the Philippines
The Speaker
1950
Film
Ride a Northbound Horse
Sheriff
1969
Film
One Way Street
Arnie (uncredited)
1950
Film
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western
Self
1997
Film
The Moonlighter
Slim
1953
Film
Never a Dull Moment
Ace Williams
1968
Film
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County
Kittrick
1970
Film
My Man and I
Celestino Garcia
1952
Film
Wild Weed
Raymond - Henchman
1949
Film
Bonanza: The Return
Buckshot
1993
Film
A Knife for the Ladies
Jarrod (Sheriff)
1974
Film
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.
Troscliar Boudreaux
1981
Film
Sartana Does Not Forgive
Slim Kovacs
1968
Film
Hawken's Breed
Tackett
1987
Film
The Ring
Harry Jackson
1952
Film
The Bushwhackers
Cree
1951
Film
High Lonesome
Smiling Man
1950
Film
Lure of the Wilderness
Dave Longden
1952
Film
Shootout in a One-Dog Town
Handy
1974
Film
Plimpton! Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo
Self
1970
Film
Jinxed!
Otto
1982
Film
I Am Not a Freak
Self
1987
Film
Thunder Over Arizona
Slats Callahan
1956
Film
Skyward Christmas
Clay Haller
1981
Film
The Winds of Autumn
J. Pete Hankins
1976
Film
Jubilee Trail
Whitey
1954
Film
Hawmps!
Bad Jack Cutter
1976
Film
The Last Escape of Billy the Kid
Pat Garrett
1972
Film
Sacred Ground
Lum Witcher
1983
Film
Big Bad John
Jake Calhoun
1990
Film
The Aurora Encounter
Charlie
1986
Film
Lure of the Swamp
Henry Bliss
1957
Film
The Girl in Lovers Lane
Jesse
1960
Film
Finders Keepers
Eddie
1952
Film
Shadow Force
Tommy
1992
Film
Montana Territory
Gimp
1952
Film
The Last Rebel
Matt
1971
Film
Cat Ballou
Kid Sheleen
1971
Film
Lost
Mr. Newsom
1983
Film
Uninvited
Grady
1993