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.
116 movies · 70 shows
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western
1997·7.0
Bonanza: Under Attack
1995·6.7
Bonanza: The Return
1993·6.5
Uninvited
1993·4.4
Shadow Force
1992·7.0
Suburban Commando
1991·4.7
The Giant of Thunder Mountain
1990·6.4
Big Bad John
1990·5.0
Where the Hell's That Gold?!!?
1988·4.6
Once Upon a Texas Train
1988·5.2
I Am Not a Freak
1987·7.5
Hawken's Breed
1987·4.0
Louis L'Amour's Down the Long Hills
1986·6.6
The Aurora Encounter
1986·5.0
Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas
1984·8.0
Cannonball Run II
1984·5.4
Lost
1983·5.1
Sacred Ground
1983·6.5
Jinxed!
1982·4.6
Skyward Christmas
1981·9.0
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.
1981·5.1
The Cannonball Run
1981·6.2
The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite
1981·3.5
The Villain
1979·5.7
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again
1979·6.5
The Norseman
1978·3.4
Hot Lead & Cold Feet
1978·6.0
Lacy and the Mississippi Queen
1978·3.5
Huckleberry Finn
1978·6.2
Grayeagle
1977·5.9
Pony Express Rider
1976·6.0
The Winds of Autumn
1976·6.0
The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe
1976·8.0
Hawmps!
1976·5.8
Creature from Black Lake
1976·5.2
A Knife for the Ladies
1974·5.1
Sidekicks
1974·6.5
Shootout in a One-Dog Town
1974·10.0
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
1973·7.2
The Red Pony
1973·10.0
The Daughters of Joshua Cabe
1972·5.5
The Last Escape of Billy the Kid
1972·0.0
Hannie Caulder
1971·6.2
The Last Rebel
1971·4.0
Cat Ballou
1971·10.0
Support Your Local Gunfighter
1971·6.6
The Wild Country
1970·6.1
Plimpton! Shoot-Out at Rio Lobo
1970·0.0
Dirty Dingus Magee
1970·4.7
Rio Lobo
1970·6.5
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County
1970·6.8
The Over the Hill Gang
1969·5.8
Support Your Local Sheriff!
1969·7.0
Ride a Northbound Horse
1969·10.0
Once Upon a Time in the West
1968·8.3
Sartana Does Not Forgive
1968·6.4
Never a Dull Moment
1968·6.2
Firecreek
1968·6.3
The Last Challenge
1967·6.3
The Way West
1967·6.1
The Night of the Grizzly
1966·5.9
The Rare Breed
1966·6.2
4 for Texas
1963·5.1
Pocketful of Miracles
1961·7.3
The Comancheros
1961·6.7
The Last Sunset
1961·6.8
The Girl in Lovers Lane
1960·3.2
The Slowest Gun in the West
1960·4.5
Edge of Eternity
1959·6.7
The Gun Runners
1958·6.1
Baby Face Nelson
1957·5.6
Dragoon Wells Massacre
1957·7.2
Night Passage
1957·6.5
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
1957·7.0
Lure of the Swamp
1957·7.0
Thunder Over Arizona
1956·6.3
Pardners
1956·6.7
Jubal
1956·6.9
Artists and Models
1955·6.7
Kismet
1955·5.6
The Man from Laramie
1955·7.2
Wichita
1955·6.3
Moonfleet
1955·6.5
Kiss Me Deadly
1955·7.2
Man Without a Star
1955·6.5
Tarzan's Hidden Jungle
1955·5.4
Vera Cruz
1954·6.7
Cattle Queen of Montana
1954·5.7
Princess of the Nile
1954·7.3
Jubilee Trail
1954·5.2
The Far Country
1954·6.9
Ride Clear of Diablo
1954·6.1
Appointment in Honduras
1953·5.9
The Moonlighter
1953·6.0
Gun Belt
1953·6.4
Ride, Vaquero!
1953·6.1
Count the Hours!
1953·5.3
Kansas City Confidential
1952·7.1
The Ring
1952·5.1
My Man and I
1952·7.0
Lure of the Wilderness
1952·6.0
High Noon
1952·7.7
Montana Territory
1952·7.0
The Battle at Apache Pass
1952·6.6
Rancho Notorious
1952·6.5
Finders Keepers
1952·10.0
The Bushwhackers
1951·5.9
Rawhide
1951·6.8
Bird of Paradise
1951·6.2
American Guerrilla in the Philippines
1950·5.5
High Lonesome
1950·5.5
A Ticket to Tomahawk
1950·6.0
One Way Street
1950·5.3
The Sundowners
1950·5.2
Key to the City
1950·6.5
Wild Weed
1949·4.8