FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, JACK ELAM HAS STARRED IN MOVIES OR TV SHOWS. HIS PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT BECAME "HIS LOOK" WHICH MADE HIM A DESIRABLE WESTERN STAR AND CO-STAR.
HE WAS KNOWN IN THE HOLLYWOOD CIRCLE AS
"THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY."
JACK ELAM WAS BORN NOVEMBER 13, 1920 ON A SMALL ARIZONA RANCH. IN CHILDHOOD, HE WAS IN A FIGHT WHICH MADE HIS LEFT EYE OFF-CENTER AND SIGHTLESS. HE HAD A SCAREY LOOK THAT MADE A LOT OF PEOPLE SHUN HIM.
HE WORKED WITH "THE CREAM OF THE CROP" AS HE CALLED THEM. JOHN WAYNE, JAMES STEWART, HENRY FONDA, ROBERT MITCHUM, WARD BOND, AND GARY COOPER, JUST TO NAME A FEW. HIS CLOSE FRIEND WAS
CHUCK CONNERS OF THE RIFLEMAN.
IN THE BEGINNING, HE ALMOST WAS TYPECASTED AS A BLACKSMITH. HE FOUGHT THAT IMAGE AND WON. HIS ACTING CAREER TOTALLED 129 MOVIES AND 53 TV FILMS. IN 1994, JACK ELAM WAS ADDED TO THE LIST IN THE COWBOY HALL OF FAME.
This page was last updated on: April 23, 2012
DLS 2-28-01
JACK WENT TO SANTA MONICA JUNIOR COLLEGE TO LEARN ACCOUNTING. HE
WAS THE MANAGER OF THE BEL AIR
HOTEL IN SANTA MONICA UNTIL 1949
WHEN HE GOT HIS FIRST ACTING ROLE
IN AN EPISODE OF HOPALONG CASSIDY.
CECIL B. DE MILL SAW A REAL WESTERN COWBOY STAR IN JACK ELAM. HIS
FAITH IN THE MAN WITH THE
"SCAREY LOOK" PROVED RIGHT.
JACK ELAM HAD ROLES IN NEARLY EVERY WESTERN FILM DURING THE NEXT FIFTY YEARS.
HE RETIRED AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY AND MOVED TO ASHLAND, OREGON. HIS WIFE MARGARET OF 39 YEARS, AND HE RAISED TWO DAUGHTERS AND A SON.
WHEN HE RETIRED, A NEW COUNTRY SONG WAS RECORDED BY GEORGE STRAIT. THE TITLE FITS
