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Thread: Jack Elam

  1. #1
    RoRo Guest

    Jack Elam

    One of my absolute favorites!!!

    His over 100 film credits include: "Pocketful of Miracles" (1961) with Bette Davis, as Cheesecake; "4 for Texas" (1963) a Dobie; "The Rare Breed" (1966) as Deke Simmons; "The Night of the Grizzly" (1966) as Hank; "The Way West" (1967) as Preacher Weatherby; "The Last Challenge" (1967) as Ernest Scarnes; "Never a Dull Moment" (1968) as Ace Williams; "Firecreek" (1968) as Earl Norman; "Support Your Local Sheriff!" (1969) as Deputy Jake; Sergio Leone's "Once Upon A Time in the West" (1969) as Knuckles; "Sonora" (1969) as Slim Kovacs; "The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County" (1970) as Kittrick; "Rio Lobo" (1970) as Phillips; "The Last Rebel" (1970) as Matt Graves; "Dirty Dingus Magee" (1970) as John Wesley Hardin; "The Wild Country" (1971) as Thompson; "Support Your Local Gunfighter" (1971) as Jug May/Swifty Morgan; "Hannie Caulder" (1971) as Frank Clemens; "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" (1973) as Alamosa Bill; "A Knife for the Ladies" (1974) as Jarrod, the Sheriff; "Hawmps!" (1976) as Bad Jack Cutter; "Pony Express Rider" (1976) as Crazy; "The Creature from Black Lake" (1976) as Joe Canton; "Grayeagle" (1978) as Trapper Willis; "The Norseman" (1978) as Death Dreamer; "Hot Lead and Cold Feet" (1978) as Rattlesnake; "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again" (1979) as Big Mack; "The Villain" (1979) with Kirk Douglas, as Avery Simpson; "The Cannonball Run" (1981) as the Doctor, Nikolas Van Helsing; "Jinxed!" (1982) as Otto; "Sacred Ground" (1983) as Lum Witcher; "Cannonball Run II" (1984) as The Doc; "The Aurora Encounter" (1986) as Charlie; "Big Bad John" (1990) as Jake; "Suburban Commando" (1991) as Col. Dustin 'Dusty' McHowell; "The Giant of Thunder Mountain" (1991) as Hezekiah Crow; "Uninvited" (1993) as Grady and "Shadow Force" (1993) as Tommy. On TV he was just as prolific appearing as a regular on "The Dakotas" (1963) as Deputy J. D. Smith; "Temple Houston" (1963-64) as George Taggart; "The Texas Wheelers" (1974-75) as Zack Wheeler; "Struck By Lightning" (1979) as Frank; "Detective in the House" (1985) as Nick Turner; "Easy Street" (1986) as "Bully" Stevenson and a recurring role on "Cheyenne" (1955-63); "Bronco" (1959-60) and "Sugarfoot" (1957-60) as "Toothy" Thompson. He also guested on numerous TV series including: "The Restless Gun"; "Frontier"; "Zorro": "Gunsmoke"; "The Untouchables"; "Mr. Lucky"; "Twilight Zone"; "Eight is Enough" and "Home Improvment." His age has always been questionable as he was said to have added four years in order to obtain work. He was married twice. He married his first wife in 1937 and they had two children: a daughter Jeri and a son Scott; she died in 1960 and he remarried again in 1961. He and second wife, Margaret Jennison had a daughter, Jacqueline. He died on October 20, 2003 of congestive heart failure at his home in Ashland, Oregon at age 86.
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  2. #2
    Kathyf Guest
    One good character actor.

  3. #3
    cachluv Guest
    Last edited by cachluv; 01-15-2008 at 09:00 PM.

  4. #4
    LupeVelez Guest

    What Gunsmoke episode would

    be complete without this wall eyed cutie in it? My eyebrows would look like his if I didn't cut them daily.

  5. #5
    Blondin Guest
    I loved him in "Support Your Local Gunfighter" and "Support Your Local Sheriff" with James Garner.

  6. #6
    Jazbabee Guest
    Loved him in everything I ever saw him in

  7. #7
    b57hrle Guest
    Great actor, I too loved all he was in!

  8. #8
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    Loved him as the procto in "Cannonball Run". His fingers looked friggin huge.
    Stay in Drugs. Eat your School. Don't do Vegetables.

  9. #9
    CCB72 Guest
    He cracked me up in both Cannonball Run movies. They always played some haunting music in the first movie whenever it was his part...classic

  10. #10
    TheMysterian Guest
    Jack was a great character actor,I'm glad to see he has a post here.

  11. #11
    tuesdays_jupiter Guest
    i think he also was a kidnapper in the ransom of red chief

  12. #12
    Jack-O-Lantern Guest
    He had a face only a mother could love, but was so damn good in everything he did...
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  13. #13
    leevancleef Guest
    Aw, he was great!
    He was in all kind of movies, ARTISTS AND MODELS, RIDE VAQUERO!,THE CANNONBALL MOVIES.... What a great supporting actor.

  14. #14
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    He was great! This is really a sad loss to Hollywood. That man was in absolutely everything!
    For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

  15. #15
    Tebssis Guest
    When I was 6 or 7, Jack Elam's face was one I always recognized but didn't know his name. I just called him "The Ugly Guy". Then I learned to read well enough to get all the credits and made a point to put a name to the face because I knew he was going to be one of the best character actors EVER. And I still hold that opinion. Really enjoyed his work.

  16. #16
    Loved him in everything.

    Hilariously funny as Loni Anderson's Uncle Bully in Easy Street.

    And that scene in High Noon - Gary Cooper opens his jail cell and wakes him up after his 'sleeping it off'. Cooper tells him to go home and as he's exiting the jail, he asks Cooper if he knows if the bar's are open yet. Classic!

  17. #17
    jay Guest
    He was hilarious as the doctor in the 2 Cannonball run movies


  18. #18
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    I played poker with Jack and his wife a few times, they were both the nicest people. And Jack was the funniest and most fun person to be around I ever met. Plus he had GREAT stories about old Hollywood.

    RIP Jack you were the best.
    ~The only difference between a rut and a grave is depth~
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    ~~I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis.~~ Humphrey Bogart's last words

  19. #19
    Morticia, did he ever share any of his stories with you? He was a very good actor..

  20. #20
    mike Guest
    He did have an unforgettable face LOL But he was very good at what he did.

  21. #21
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    Oh yes Jack had great stories. One was how he used to have people over and how the kids just didn't appreciate James Cagney dancing on the fireplace hearth. The kids thought it was boring...and that this was nothing special, like it was a common occurance for ALL kids when their parents had a party lol.
    Can you imagine having THAT as a childhood memory? I bet they appreciate it now!
    ~The only difference between a rut and a grave is depth~
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    ~~I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis.~~ Humphrey Bogart's last words

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by morticia53 View Post
    Oh yes Jack had great stories. One was how he used to have people over and how the kids just didn't appreciate James Cagney dancing on the fireplace hearth. The kids thought it was boring...and that this was nothing special, like it was a common occurance for ALL kids when their parents had a party lol.
    Can you imagine having THAT as a childhood memory? I bet they appreciate it now!

    What a great story! What a childhood memory to have. They better appreciate it now! lol

    Jack has always been on my list as one the best character actors. Loved his mug!
    Cindy

  23. #23
    Tebssis Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by morticia53 View Post
    Oh yes Jack had great stories. One was how he used to have people over and how the kids just didn't appreciate James Cagney dancing on the fireplace hearth. The kids thought it was boring...and that this was nothing special, like it was a common occurance for ALL kids when their parents had a party lol.
    Can you imagine having THAT as a childhood memory? I bet they appreciate it now!
    Guess his kids didn't appreciate that James Cagney was a wonderful dancer or that he was mega famous. Like my neice's BFF, her uncle was Gregory Peck and she just called him Uncle Greg!! And had Christmas at his house every year because it was the biggest for all the family. I should be so lucky.

  24. #24
    Town Without Pity Guest
    Always loved Jack, he was a great actor. There will certainly not be another Jack Elam. May he rest in peace.
    Last edited by Town Without Pity; 09-10-2011 at 02:09 AM.

  25. #25
    Jazbabee Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by morticia53 View Post
    I played poker with Jack and his wife a few times, they were both the nicest people. And Jack was the funniest and most fun person to be around I ever met. Plus he had GREAT stories about old Hollywood.

    RIP Jack you were the best.

    Some people have all the luck !!!

  26. #26
    deanfan Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Blondin View Post
    I loved him in "Support Your Local Gunfighter" and "Support Your Local Sheriff" with James Garner.
    On AMC right now. He was a great character actor. Those two movies are my favorites of his.
    Last edited by deanfan; 08-20-2011 at 08:24 PM.

  27. #27
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    My *favorite* Jack Elam role - Jack vs fly


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW-jSa9_k3M

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    Professional Thread-Killer

  28. #28
    The Lucky One Guest
    I just watched Grayeagle last night! R.I.P.!

  29. #29
    deanfan Guest
    Jack's school picture. Also an interview on Letterman. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_xbRMwe-Lk
    Canada Dry commercial from 1977. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mLay...eature=related
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    Last edited by deanfan; 08-20-2011 at 09:14 PM.

  30. #30
    deanfan Guest

  31. #31
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    A couple of funny stories about Jack from a couple of his co-stars, Will Hutchins (Sugarfoot) and Clint Walker (Cheyenne) from their days at Warner Brothers.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K08l1y0aQ_Y

  32. #32
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    great link, Lily

    from imdb

    "After WWII, Elam worked as a bookkeeper for Samuel Goldwyn Studios and then as controller for William Boyd's Hopalong Cassidy production company. Staring at small figures on ledger sheets for hours on end strained his good eye and doctors told him he risked losing his sight if he continued his lucrative accounting business. When a movie director friend was having trouble getting financing for three western scripts, Elam told him he would arrange the financing in exchange for roles as a "heavy" in all three pictures. The first was The Sundowners (1950), starring Robert Preston, which helped launch his long career.

    Died two months after Charles Bronson.

    Was known to be great at all forms of gambling. Also great at winning games played with people on sets.

    He once described the career of a character actor. It went like this: "Who's Jack Elam? Get me Jack Elam. Get me a Jack Elam type. Get me a young Jack Elam. Who's Jack Elam?"
    Delusion. Life's Best Coping Mechanism
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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHYA5iAAJg8

  33. #33
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    My first memory of Jack Elam was a TV show he did called "Texas Wheelers" which also had pre-Star Wars Mark Hamil. In my family he was known as "Gotcheye", have no idea why. I just know that Texas Wheelers was a good show (well, I was 11, to ME it was a good show, and funny!) and was sad to see it get canceled without much of a run. I don't think I ever saw him again until Cannonball Run. Ol' Gotcheye, hated to hear he passed...
    By my troth, I care not; a man can die but once; we owe God a death.... He that dies this year is quit for the next.
    --William Shakespeare!

  34. #34
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    Jack elam was my grandpas first cousin, unfortunately I never met him but I wish I had.

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