True Facts About The Fascinating Life Of Sam Elliott
The Unbelievable Life Story Of Sam Elliott
True Facts About The Fascinating Life Of Sam Elliott
From his iconic mustache to his Golden Globe nominations, Sam Elliott has been a true Hollywood classic for over five decades. But the real story of this legend’s life and career is even more remarkable than any role he’s ever taken on! Step inside to uncover the amazing truth about Sam Elliott.
His Iconic Mustache
Sam Elliott is almost indistinguishable without his think mustache. There were times where he shaved it off, but for most of his career, it has been one of his trademarks. He recently shaved it for his guest role on Justified.
“I was one of the early guys from my generation to have hair on his face. Me and Tom Selleck, and I was first. I shaved clean and combed my hair straight back for a show called Justified on FX… It was fun transforming my look, but I did feel naked without the mustache,” the actor told AARP.
He Had A Memorable Cameo In The Big Lebowski
Sam Elliott didn’t know it at the time, but when he played the role of “The Stranger” in The Big Lebowski, he was actually playing himself. The memorable cameo comes in a pivotal scene in a bowling alley late in the film.
Years after the movie was released, Elliott revisited the script and noticed that he was always the Coen Brothers’ first choice for the film. In one passage, the script reads, “the voice-over sounds not unlike Sam Elliott,” and another calls him, “a drugstore cowboy, looking not unlike Sam Elliott.”
His Thoughts On The Western Genre
Sam Elliott’s love for western films goes far beyond his Texas roots and blue-collar upbringing. One of the major forces that has drawn Elliott to the genre is its old-school values, “I think it has something to do with integrity and a man’s word and honor and all that kind of stuff––values, morality.”
Sadly, Elliott believes that modern people don’t take these things seriously. In a way he’s right. Western films aren’t an accurate representation of the west but are often used to show the world how ethics are supposed to work. Maybe Elliott should add ethics professor to his loaded resume; we’d sign up for that class!
A Multi-Talented Man
There is more to Sam Elliott than just acting. Over the course of his career, the multi-talented performer has worked behind the camera as a writer and producer. He helped produce The Ranch on Netflix, which he co-stars in with Ashton Kutcher.
The Ranch follows the story of a failed football player who comes back home to help the family out. Controversy surrounded the production during the third season when Danny Masterson was fired amid multiple inappropriate assault allegations. He was written off the show, and only appears in a handful of season three episodes.
His Cowboy Legacy
Mask might have helped redefine Sam Elliott’s career, but he could never escape his cowboy image. Starring roles in The Quick and the Dead, You Know My Name, and Tombstone are now iconic. It’s easy to imagine Elliott living in the wild west winning duels and drinking whiskey.
For his work as a modern-day cowboy, Elliott was inducted into the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 2007. The museum is located in Oklahoma City for anyone interested in seeing how Elliott fits in with the other exhibits.
The Reason He’s Passionate About Westerns
Sam Elliott has starred in more western films and television shows than just about anyone in Hollywood. He says the reason he has such a passion for the genre is his family, “my family had a relative in the Alamo.” It doesn’t hurt he’s a naturally good fit for any role set in the wild west.
We don’t know when his family moved to Sacramento, but it’s interesting to know his heritage traces back to Texas. It’s more interesting to know that he let himself get typecast because he feels so connected to the genre.
Elliott’s Father Did Not Want Him To Be An Actor
Sam Elliott was born in 1944 in Sacramento, California. His father worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and hated his son’s dream of becoming an actor. Elliott refused to let his papa get him down, however.
At nine years old, Sam Elliott first let his father know about his passion for acting. Henry was vocal about his disapproval, and the rift eventually caused a canyon in their relationship. Against his father’s wishes, Elliott pursued his acting career. But he never forgot the pain his dad caused him.
Elliott’s Father Passed Away When He Was Only 18
Henry Elliott disapproved of his son’s career choice until the bitter end. When Sam was 18 years old, Henry passed away. Sam continued to pursue acting, still resolved to prove his father wrong.
In interviews about his father, Elliott said, “He died thinking, ‘Man, this kid is going to go down the wrong path.'” Losing his father was hard on Sam, but he believes it also made him more focused. He might not have been able to prove his father wrong in life, but he could still prove him wrong in his own mind.
He Made The Move To Hollywood
Before moving to Hollywood, Sam Elliott starred in a local production of Guys and Dolls in Washington. When he read a review complimenting his performance, Elliott knew he had made the right decision. The newspaper said he looked and sounded like a professional actor, so Elliott packed his bags headed to Southern California.
It would have been easy for Elliott to question his career choice so early. His father had just died, and he was going to college in Washington. When you’re young and hungry, however, any kind of approval is encouraging. Who knows what Hollywood would look like today with Elliott?
Elliott Worked In Construction To Pay His Bills
When you think of an actor struggling to make it Hollywood, you probably think of the waiter or barista stereotype. Sam Elliott is anything but a stereotype, so instead of taking the obvious job to pay rent, the macho man became a construction worker instead.
Using his blue-collar background, Elliott was able to pay rent and go on auditions at the same time. Hard work was nothing new for him, and in those days the work wasn’t easy in L.A., but it was constant.
He Left His Honeymoon For A Role
Sam Elliott had a huge scheduling problem when his agent called about Mask. He was with his wife in Hawaii and had no intentions of cutting their honeymoon short. Ross, enjoying her fifth honeymoon, sacrificed her own joy for her husband’s career.
When Elliott told Ross about the movie, she called his agent and said he would be back in California in time for the audition. Elliott, despite no acting nominations, was praised for his performance by the Los Angeles Times, who called his portrayal of Gar “compassionate” and just as good as Cher’s.
He Enlisted In The Army
Never able to relax, Sam Elliott enlisted in the California Army National Guard while struggling to land roles. His time in fatigues paid off, although he had no way of knowing he would become typecast as a cowboy and soldier in Hollywood.
Still, Elliott credits the National Guard for honing his discipline and leadership skills. Having nearly 100 film credits to his name, it’s hard to deny the claims. Averaging roughly two movies a year is back breaking work! Hopefully, Elliott has found time to go on a vacation or two!
His First Role Was A Small One
When Elliott managed to nab his first role, it wasn’t very big. He was cast as “Jack” in an episode of The Felony Squad. The show ran for four seasons, and Elliott was featured in the 1968 episode, “Kiss Me, Kill You.” His work impressed the producers enough he was asked back two more times.
Starring on television wasn’t enough for the hungry young actor. It wasn’t long before Elliott found his first feature films role. You’ll have to keep reading to finding out what iconic movie it was in!
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid Comes Calling
Sam Elliott’s first feature film role wasn’t exactly impressive. He appeared in Oscar winner Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but his character wasn’t given a name. According to IMDB, he is credited at “Card Player #2.”
Then again, being cast in a movie — no matter how small the role — is pretty amazing. The fact that Butch Cassidy is remembered today as one of the greatest films ever made doesn’t hurt either. Elliott would find his way into bigger roles, but perhaps not in a movie more legendary or iconic.
Small Roles Kept Elliott Afloat
The career of Sam Elliott didn’t blow up after his small role in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He did manage to find consistent work. The roles weren’t big, and the movies weren’t flashy, but by the 1970s Sam Elliott was working as a full-time actor!
To Elliott’s dismay, many of his early roles didn’t make it to theaters. The Challenge and Assault on the Wayne were both made for television movies. Elliott finally made it back to the big screen in 1972, starring in the horror film Frogs. The forgettable B-movie, thankfully, has not come to define his career.
Television Was Good Business For Elliott
Sam Elliott found early success paying his dues in television. Roles became consistent, and he acted in several memorable series. One early big break was in Mission Impossible. Long before Tom Cruise brought Ethan Hunt to cinemas worldwide, Elliott played a recurring character on the TV show.
Elliott followed Mission Impossible with roles in Gunsmoke and the Mod Squad before playing Evel Knievel in the made for TV biopic of the same name. By the late 1970s, Elliott was in demand in Hollywood. In 1978, he starred in his first movie, which you’ll find out about soon!
Sam Elliott Fell In Love With Katherine Ross Filming The Legacy
The Legacy was released in 1978 and is significant for being Sam Elliott’s first starring role. It is also notable personally, as it’s where he met and fell in love with Katherine Ross. Oddly enough, the two previously worked together on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but never actually met.
The feature breakthrough for Elliott wasn’t well-received by critics, with one saying, “The Legacy doesn’t remotely work in the way it was intended to.” The Legacy managed to gross four million dollars upon its release, making it a moderate success at the time.
Despite His Macho Persona, Elliott Is Shy When It Comes To The Ladies
While filming Butch Cassidy, Elliott says he wanted to walk up to Katherine Ross but never found the courage. It’s hard to believe someone known for playing a tough guy finds his kryptonite talking to women!
After the pair starting dating, Elliott said, “I didn’t dare try to talk to her then,” Elliott said. “She was the leading lady. I was a shadow on the wall, a glorified extra in a bar scene.” He makes a good point. Luckily, fate had plans for Elliott when he and Ross met on the set of The Legacy.
Elliott Bared More Than His Soul In The Legacy
The Legacy provided Sam Elliott with a lot of career firsts. It was his first theatrical starring role. It led to his first marriage. And it was the first time Elliott appeared nude on screen. During one scene in the film, the audience gets a good look at Elliott’s… goods.
Unsurprisingly, the nudity was one of the film’s highlights. One movie guide gave the scene its highest ranking, nicknaming it “The Bare Facts.” Elliott wouldn’t be defined by his nude scene, but it does show the dignity actors have to sacrifice sometimes for success.
Katherine Ross Loved The Whole Package
Ross Was Married When She Started Dating Elliott
To say Sam Elliott and Katherine Ross’ relationship was controversial is being nice. The actress was married to Gaetano Lisi when they met filming The Legacy. One year after the movie was released, Ross divorced Lisi and her romance with Elliott became serious.
Ultimately, the relationship would lead to marriage. For Elliott, it was his time tying the knot. For Ross, it was her fifth time tying the knot. Like we said, calling this relationship controversial is being nice!
Sam Elliott Never Wanted To Be A Sex Symbol
After The Legacy showed all of Sam Elliott to the world, he became a sex symbol. Playgirl even named Ross and Elliott “Hollywood’s Sexiest Couple” in 1979. The label made Elliott incredibly uncomfortable. As much as he wanted to act, he never wanted to be sexualized.
In the accompanying interview with Playgirl, Elliott said, “There’s a great stigma that goes with that tag, I want to be Sam Elliott.” For the rest of his career, Elliott has been just that. All his features, from his mustache to his voice, are all authentically him.
There’s One Role Fans Will Never See
In 1982, Sam Elliott signed on to the play the role of Paul Marshall in the television movie The Ambush Murders. The role would have seen Elliott play the lawyer of a black activist accused of murdering two white police officers. But shortly into filming, Elliott became sick and had to leave the production.
James Brolin replaced Elliott as Marshall, and the film was broadcast in 1982. At the end of the day, it’s probably a good thing Elliott couldn’t star in the film. It was critically hated, and we’d be surprised if anyone remembers it today.
Elliott And Ross Tied The Knot In 1984
