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Sam Elliott

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For the cricketer, seeSam Elliott (cricketer).

Sam Elliott
Elliott at the2018 Toronto International Film Festival
Born
Samuel Pack Elliott

(1944-08-09)August 9, 1944(age 80)
Sacramento, California,U.S.
Education
OccupationActor
Years active1966–present
WorksFilmography
Spouse
​
(m.1984)​
Children1
AwardsFull list
Military career
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Air Force
Unit146th Airlift Wing

Samuel Pack Elliott(born August 9, 1944) is an American actor. With a career spanning over five decades offilm and television,he is recognized for his deepsonorousvoice. Elliott has receivedvarious accolades,including aScreen Actors Guild Awardand aNational Board of Review Award,in addition to nominations for anAcademy Award,twoPrimetime Emmy Awardsand twoGolden Globe Awards.

A graduate of theUniversity of OregonandClark College,Elliott began his career with minor roles on screen, making his film debut in the westernThe Way West(1967). After his first leading film role in the horrorFrogs(1972), Elliott gained wider attention with hisbreakthrough rolein the dramaLifeguard(1976). He achieved commercial success with his role in the biopicMask(1985) and received Golden Globe nominations for starring inLouis L'Amour's adaptation ofConagher(1991) and the miniseriesBuffalo Girls(1995), the latter of which also earned him his firstPrimetime Emmy Awardnomination. Throughout the 1990s, he portrayedJohn Bufordin the historical dramaGettysburg(1993),Virgil Earpin the westernTombstone(1993), and the Stranger in the crime comedyThe Big Lebowski(1998).

In ensuing decades, Elliott established himself as acharacter actor,with supporting roles in a number of films, such as the dramaWe Were Soldiers(2002) and superhero filmsHulk(2003) andGhost Rider(2007). In the 2010s, he had guest starring roles in theFXneo-western seriesJustified(2015) and theNetflixcomedy seriesGrace and Frankie(2016) and subsequently starred in theNetflixsitcomThe Ranch(2016–2020). He went on to headline the comedy drama filmThe Hero(2017) and star oppositeLady GagaandBradley Cooperin Cooper's2018 adaptation ofA Star Is Born,for which he received critical acclaim and a nomination for theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actor.His role in theParamount+western miniseries1883(2021–2022) earned him further praise and aSAG Award.

Early life

[edit]
Elliott's high school yearbook photo

Samuel Pack Elliott was born August 9, 1944, at theSutter Memorial HospitalinSacramento, California,[1][2]the son of Glynn Mamie (néeSparks), a Texas state diving champion in high school and later a physical-training instructor and high-school teacher, and Henry Nelson Elliott, who worked as a predator-control specialist for theDepartment of the Interior.[3][4]His parents were originally fromEl Paso, Texas,and Elliott has an ancestor who served as a surgeon at theBattle of San Jacinto.[5][6][7]He moved from California toPortland, Oregon,with his family when he was 13 years old.[8][9]

Elliott spent his teenage years living innortheast Portland,[8]and graduated fromDavid Douglas High Schoolin 1962.[9]After graduating from high school, Elliott attended college at theUniversity of Oregonas an English and psychology major[10]for two terms before dropping out.[3]He returned toPortlandand attendedClark Collegein nearbyVancouver, Washington,where he completed a two-year program and was cast as Big Jule in a stage production ofGuys and Dolls.[8]The VancouverColumbiannewspaper suggested that Elliott should be a professional actor. After his graduation from Clark in 1965, Elliott re-enrolled at the University of Oregon and pledged at theSigma Alpha Epsilonfraternity.[3]He dropped out again after his father died of aheart attack.[3]

Elliott's 1965 college yearbook photo

In the late 1960s, Elliott relocated toLos Angelesto pursue a career in acting, which his father had dissuaded him from doing, instead urging him to obtain a college degree.[3]"He gave me that proverbial line, 'You've got a snowball's chance in hell of having a career in (Hollywood),'" Elliott recalled. "He was a realist, my dad. He was a hard worker. He had a work ethic that I've fashioned mine after, and I thank him for that every day."[3]Elliott worked in construction while studying acting and served in theCalifornia Air National Guard's146th Airlift Wing(the Hollywood Guard) at Van Nuys Airport before the unit moved to Channel Islands Air National Guard Station.[11]

Career

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Early work

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Elliott withJuliet MillsinOnce an Eagle(1976)
Elliot in his breakthrough role inLifeguard(1976)

Elliott began his career as acharacter actor;his appearance, voice, and bearing were well-suited toWesterns.In 1969, he earned his first television credit as Dan Kenyon inJudd for the Defensein the episode "The Crystal Maze".

That same year he appeared in the showLancerin the episode "Death Bait", playing Renslo.[12]He went on to appear in two additional episodes of the series between 1970 and 1971.[12]One of his early film roles was as acard playerwho watches as the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford) demonstrates his shooting ability in the opening scene ofButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid(1969).[13]In the 1970–1971 television season, Elliott starred as Doug Robert for several episodes in the hit seriesMission: Impossible.[13]Beginning in 1972, Elliott appeared as the cowboy Walker in a series of Falstaff Beer commercials.[14][15][16]In 1975, Elliott was cast in a lead role asCharles Woodin the television filmI Will Fight No More Forever,a dramatization of Chief Joseph's resistance to the U.S. government's forcible removal of his Nez Perce Indian tribe to a reservation in Idaho.[17]

From 1976 to 1977, he played the lead character Sam Damon in the miniseriesOnce an Eagle,an adaptation of theAnton Myrernovel of the same name,oppositeAmy Irving,Kim Hunter,Clu Gulager,andMelanie Griffith.[18]He also had a starring role as Rick Carlson in the summer sleeper hitLifeguard(1976), which marked his feature film breakthrough.[19]He portrayed a lifeguard in Southern California who reevaluates his life choices after being invited to a reunion.[20]Varietydeemed the film "unsatisfying," adding: "Elliott, who has some beefcake value, projects a character who is mostly a passive reactor rather than a person in sure command of his fate."[20]

Recognition as a character actor

[edit]
Elliott inAspen(1977)

Elliott played Tom Keating in the miniseriesAspenin 1977. He later played an abusive wife-killer in the miniseriesMurder in Texas(1981) oppositeFarrah Fawcettand his future wifeKatharine Ross,[21]and starred withCheryl LaddinA Death in California(1985).[22]In 1979, he co-starred withTom Selleckin the popular miniseries adaptation ofLouis L'Amour'sThe Sacketts.Elliott and Selleck were a team again in 1982 inThe Shadow Riders,another Louis L'Amour adaption.[23]

Elliott had a supporting role inMask(1985) oppositeCher.He played a hard-nosed, rough-around-the-edges but ultimately sympathetic father figure in the Christmas filmPrancer(1989). He has made guest appearances on shows includingFelony Squad,Gunsmoke,Lancer,andHawaii Five-O,and has been featured in many TV movies, includingBuffalo Girls(1995), in which he playedWild Bill Hickok.

In 1986, he starred in the TV movieGone to Texas,based on a biography ofSam Houston.The role allowed him to play Houston as both fighter and a man who grew into a skillful political leader; the film depicted his disgrace as governor of Tennessee, his return to hisCherokee Nationfriends, and his pivotal role in the liberation of Texas from Mexico in 1836. Elliott appeared withPatrick SwayzeinRoad House(1989) as Wade Garrett, a bouncer, mentor and friend of Swayze's character. In 1991, Elliott and his wife Katharine Ross starred in the adaptation of theLouis L'AmournovelConagher(1991).[24]

He portrayedBrigadier GeneralJohn Bufordin the 1993 historical dramaGettysburg,and the same year playedVirgil Earpin the WesternTombstone(1993).[25]Elliott played The Stranger, a character narrating the story ofThe Big Lebowski(1998).[25]He co-starred inWe Were Soldiers(2002), an adaptation ofWe Were Soldiers Once… And Young,in which he portrayedCommand Sergeant MajorBasil L. Plumley.He played GeneralThaddeus Rossin the 2003 action filmHulk.

Later career

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In 2005, he appeared inThank You for Smokingas a formerMarlboro Manadvertisement cowboy who has developed lung cancer. In 2006 he provided the voice for the character Ben the Cow in the animated filmBarnyard.

In 2007, Elliott joined the comic book adaptationGhost Rider.He played the characterCarter Slade.The same year, Elliott appeared inThe Golden Compassas the character Lee Scoresby. The film is based onNorthern LightsinPhilip Pullman's trilogyHis Dark Materials.Also appearing in the film areNicole Kidman,Christopher Lee,andDaniel Craig.

In 2009, Elliott had a small role inUp In The Airin which he portrayed the chief pilot of American Airlines. He appeared three times onParks and Recreationas Ron Dunn, the Eagleton equivalent ofRon Swanson;Dunn is a hippie, compared to Swanson's staunchsurvivalistandLibertarianpersonality. He then provided the voice of Buster (a.k.a. Chupadogra) in the animated filmMarmaduke(2010). He had a supporting role in the thriller filmThe Company You Keepand played a college football coach in 2014's drama filmDraft Day.

Elliott andJon Hammat the 2017Sundance Film Festival

In 2015, Elliott appeared oppositeLily Tomlinas a former love interest of a grandmother (Tomlin) attempting to help her pregnant granddaughter inPaul Weitz's comedyGrandma.[26]In the same year he appeared in the romanceI'll See You in My Dreams,and had a role in the independent filmDigging for Fire.[27]In 2015, he won theCritics' Choice Television Awardfor best guest performer in a drama for his role in theFX Network's showJustified.[27]

Career resurgence and critical acclaim

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In 2015, Elliott began appearing as a series regular in theNetflixseriesThe Ranch,oppositeAshton KutcherandDanny Masterson.[28]He also had a recurring role as Phil Millstein in the second season ofGrace and Frankie.In film, he supplied the voice of Butch in the animated filmThe Good Dinosaur(2015).[29]

In 2017, Elliott starred inThe Hero,as Lee Hayden, an aging Western icon with a golden voice, whose best performances are decades behind him.[30]His work in the film received much critical acclaim with Joey Magidson, writing forAwardsCircuit,proclaiming that "Elliott is perfect here.The Heroencapsulates everything you love about him into one package. "[31]Later that year, Elliott starred inThe Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot.[32]

The following year, Elliott costarred inA Star Is Born(2018), in which he plays Bobby Maine, the elder half-brother ofBradley Cooper's lead character.[33]Elliott received critical acclaim for his performance, winning theNational Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor.[34]He was also nominated for theScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role,as well as theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actor,his career-first nomination.[35]Commenting on his Academy Award nomination, Elliott declared: "I think the thing off the top of my head might be, 'It's about fucking time!'"[36]

In 2022, Elliot played Shea Brennan on theParamount+miniseries1883,a prequel to theYellowstoneseries. The show's story involves Brennan as he leads a group of immigrants fromFort Worth, Texasinto the untamed western areas of the plains, and its connection to the Dutton family and its migration to Montana. The show's first season was aired from late 2021 until February 2022. For his performance he won theScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie.

Other ventures

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In 1998, Elliott was named the grand marshal of theCalgary Stampedeparade and rode in theprocessionbefore an estimated 300,000 spectators.[37]

Voice work

[edit]

Elliott has performed voice-over narration for various commercials. He has lent his voice to campaigns forDodge,IBM,Kinney Drugs,Union Pacific,and most notably theAmerican Beef Council,succeedingRobert Mitchumin the latter. Since late 2007 Elliott has done voice-overs forCoorsbeer, bringing his deep, rich voice and "western" appeal to the brand brewed in Colorado. In 2010,Ram Truckshired Elliott to do the voice-over for their Ram Heavy Duty truck commercial; he has been voicing their commercials since. Starting in 2008, he has voicedSmokey Bear,and shares the mascot's birth date (August 9, 1944). He also narrated thePittsburgh SteelersandGreen Bay Packersteam introductions toSuper Bowl XLV,played atCowboys StadiuminArlington, Texasat the conclusion of the2010 NFL seasonforNFL on Fox.On September 9, 2020, it was announced that Elliott would begin recurring onFamily Guyas the new mayor ofQuahog,the lateMayor Adam West's cousin, Wild Wild West.[38]Also in 2020, he voicedJoe Biden's"Go From There"campaign ad.[39]

Personal life

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Elliott married actressKatharine Rossin 1984, becoming her fifth husband.[40]They have a daughter, Cleo,[41]who is a musician inMalibu, California.[42]Ross and Elliott live on a seaside ranch in Malibu, which they purchased in the 1970s.[3]Elliott also maintains a property in theWillamette Valleyin Oregon.[3]Following his mother's death in 2012 at the age of 96, he also took ownership of his childhood home in northeast Portland.[3]

Filmography and accolades

[edit]
Main articles:Sam Elliott filmographyandList of awards and nominations received by Sam Elliott

Elliott has receiveda number of awards and nominationsforhis numerous screen performances.These include aScreen Actors Guild Award,aNational Board of Review Awardand nominations for anAcademy Award,twoPrimetime Emmy Awardsand twoGolden Globe Awards.

After gaining early recognitions inwestern filmsin the late 1960s and continuing into the 1970s and 1980s, Elliott received twoGolden Globe Awardnominations—forBest Actor in a Miniseries or Television FilmandSupporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film—for his respective roles in the television filmConagher(1991) and miniseriesBuffalo Girls(1995), the latter of which also earned him a nomination for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special.Hisvoice-overperformance inRobot Chicken(2012–2020) earned him a nomination for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance.Elliott's guest role inJustified(2015) earned him aCritics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series.

As a member of theensemble castofUp in the Air(2009), Elliott was nominated for theCritics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble.For starring oppositeLady GagaandBradley CooperinCooper's 2018 adaptation ofA Star Is Born,Elliott won theNational Board of Review Awardand received nominations for theAACTA International,Academy Award,Critics' ChoiceandSAG Award for Best Supporting Actor,as well as another nomination for theSAG Award for Outstanding Cast.His role in theParamount+miniseries1883(2021–2022) won him theSAG Award for Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or Movie.

References

[edit]
  1. ^Hal Erickson(2011)."Movies & TV: Sam Elliott Biography".Movies & TV Dept.The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon November 27, 2011.
    • a"Birthplace: Sacramento, California, USA" —¶ 1.
  2. ^Lee, Elyssa (January 23, 2019)."Q&A with Sam Elliott".Sactown Magazine.RetrievedMarch 27,2022.
  3. ^abcdefghiBaker, Mark (July 13, 2017)."At home in Oregon: A critically acclaimed lead role for actor Sam Elliott raises the part-time Oregonian's profile around town".The Register-Guard.Eugene, Oregon. Archived fromthe originalon December 15, 2018.
  4. ^"Obituary: H. Nelson Elliott".The Oregonian.Portland, Oregon. February 13, 1966. p. 102.
  5. ^Harris, Aisha (February 2, 2015)."Sam Elliott On Being the Hollywood Embodiment of the Old West".Slate.Archived fromthe originalon October 30, 2021.RetrievedAugust 23,2015.
  6. ^McDonnell, Brandy (April 20, 2018)."Interviews, photos and video: Sam Elliott and Katharine Ross talk marriage, Westerns, favorite projects and more".The Oklahoman.Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Archived fromthe originalon December 15, 2018.
  7. ^Cohen, Cindy Graff (August 6, 2018)."Sam Elliott channels dad's integrity in latest character".El Paso Inc.El Paso, Texas. Archived fromthe originalon August 6, 2018.
  8. ^abcHewitt, Scott (June 23, 2017)."Clark College grad Sam Elliott, The Hero".The Columbian.Vancouver, Washington. Archived fromthe originalon October 6, 2018.
  9. ^abTurnquist, Kristi (July 14, 2017)."Have you spotted Sam Elliott in Oregon?".The Oregonian.Portland, Oregon. Archived fromthe originalon December 22, 2017.
  10. ^King, Lynnea Chapman (2014).The Coen Brothers Encyclopedia.Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 60.ISBN978-0-810-88577-6.
  11. ^"National Guard Association of the United States Honors Actor Sam Elliott".Free Library.com.Washington, DC: National Guard Association of the United States. September 9, 2002. Archived fromthe originalon July 26, 2018.RetrievedJuly 26,2018.
  12. ^abParish, James Robert; Terrace, Vincent (1990).The Complete Actors' Television Credits, 1948-1988: Actors(2nd ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. pp. 170–171.ISBN978-0-810-82204-7.
  13. ^ab"Sam Elliott Credits".TV Guide.Archived fromthe originalon March 24, 2018.
  14. ^"Messin' with Sasquatch and Sailin' with Captain Morgan: Some Thoughts on Television Advertising".chronicleillinois.com.Chronicle Media LLC. July 10, 2013.RetrievedAugust 27,2022.
  15. ^Williams, Don."Falstaff Beer Commercial Gabe & Walker Coin Flip".YouTube.RetrievedAugust 27,2022.
  16. ^Banik, Jerry."Stories Behind The Giant Falstaff Beer Cans".Whiting-Robertsdale Historical Society.RetrievedAugust 27,2022.
  17. ^"I Will Fight No More Forever".Rotten Tomatoes.Archived fromthe originalon February 10, 2019.
  18. ^"Once an Eagle".TV Guide.Archived fromthe originalon February 10, 2019.
  19. ^Davis, Chuck (May 28, 1989)."Don't Take Film Too Seriously," Road House' Star Elliott Says ".The Oklahoman.Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Archived fromthe originalon December 15, 2018.
  20. ^abVarietyStaff (December 31, 1975)."Lifeguard".Variety.Archived fromthe originalon February 2, 2017.
  21. ^Rettenmund, Matthew (1995).Totally Awesome 80s: A Lexicon of the Music, Videos, Movies, TV Shows, Stars, and Trends of that Decadent Decade.New York: Macmillan. p. 141.ISBN978-0-312-14436-4.
  22. ^Anderson, Jon (May 11, 1985)."'Death in California': A Gritty Psychological Drama ".Chicago Tribune.Archived fromthe originalon December 15, 2018.
  23. ^McDonnell, Brandy (April 20, 2018)."Match made in Hollywood: Longtime married actors Sam Elliott and Katharine Ross shine in Oklahoma City visit".The Oklahoman.Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Archived fromthe originalon December 15, 2018.
  24. ^Mills, Bart (June 30, 1991)."Sam Elliott, On The 'Conagher' Trail".Los Angeles Times.Archivedfrom the original on September 14, 2015.
  25. ^ab"Sam Elliott Filmography".AFI Catalog of Feature Films.Los Angeles, California:American Film Institute.Archived fromthe originalon December 15, 2018.
  26. ^Murphy, Mekado (August 19, 2015)."'Grandma' (With Movie Trailer): Paul Weitz Narrates a Scene ".The New York Times.RetrievedAugust 23,2015.
  27. ^abBuckley, Cara (August 13, 2015)."Sam Elliott, a Leading Man Again at 71, No Cowboy Hat Required".The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon November 28, 2016.
  28. ^Andreeva, Nellie (September 30, 2015)."Elisha Cuthbert Joins Ashton Kutcher's Netflix Comedy Series 'The Ranch'".Deadline Hollywood.Archived fromthe originalon August 10, 2018.
  29. ^"Meet the New Cast of Disney•Pixar's The Good Dinosaur".The Walt Disney Company. June 12, 2015.RetrievedJune 12,2015.
  30. ^Lyons, Josh (April 20, 2016)."{Exclusive} Sam Elliott Will Lead Cast That Includes Laura Prepon Krysten Ritter Nick Offerman in" The Hero "".The Tracking Board.RetrievedJanuary 17,2017.
  31. ^Film Review: Sam Elliott Is Oscar Worthy in ‘The Hero’
  32. ^Busch, Anita (April 13, 2017)."Sam Elliott, John Sayles On 'The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot'".Deadline Hollywood.Archived fromthe originalon November 26, 2018.
  33. ^Mallenbaum, Carly (September 25, 2018)."'A Star is Born': Bradley Cooper's deep Sam Elliott-inspired voice impressed even Elliott ".USA Today.Archived fromthe originalon October 8, 2018.
  34. ^Coyle, Jake (November 27, 2018)."'Green Book,' 'A Star Is Born,' Lady Gaga top National Board of Review winners ".USA Today.Archived fromthe originalon December 9, 2018.
  35. ^Stack, Tim (January 22, 2019)."Sam Elliott lands his first Oscar nomination forA Star Is Born".Entertainment Weekly.
  36. ^Blyth, Antonia (January 22, 2019)."'A Star Is Born's Sam Elliott Gets First Oscar Nomination In 50-Year Career, Jokes "It's About [Bleeping] Time"".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on June 10, 2023.RetrievedDecember 9,2023.
  37. ^"Parade Marshalls".Calgary Stampede.Archived fromthe originalon December 15, 2018.
  38. ^Snierson, Dan (September 9, 2020)."Family Guytaps Sam Elliott to succeed Adam West as Mayor: See the first photos ".Entertainment Weekly.RetrievedSeptember 25,2020.
  39. ^Henderson, Cydney (October 22, 2020)."Sam Elliott lends his distinctive voice to $4 million political ad for Joe Biden".USA TODAY.RetrievedNovember 20,2023.
  40. ^Carvajal, Edduin (October 26, 2018)."Story of love between Sam Elliott and Katharine Ross, who had 4 husbands before".Amo Mama.Archivedfrom the original on April 25, 2020.
  41. ^PeopleStaff (May 4, 1992)."Katharine Ross".People.Archived fromthe originalon December 15, 2018.
  42. ^Magruder, Melonie (December 31, 2008)."Straight from her heart".Malibu Times.Malibu, California. Archived fromthe originalon January 28, 2013.
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