Who Are Those Guys? ~ Jack Elam

 

William Scott "Jack" Elam was born in Miami, Arizona on November 13, 1920. He was an American film and television actor best known for his numerous roles as villains in Western films and, later in his career, comedies (sometimes spoofing his villainous image). His most distinguishing physical quality was his misaligned eye. Before his career in acting, he took several jobs in finance and served two years in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Elam performed in 73 movies and in at least 41 television series.

In 1931 Elam suffered a severe injury to his left eye during an altercation with another boy, an injury that ultimately blinded him in that eye and permanently damaged the muscles surrounding it. As Jack grew older, the impaired muscles caused his eye increasingly to "drift" within its socket and not track in unison with his right eye, often giving him a cockeyed appearance.

In 1968, Elam appeared in the opening scenes of Sergio Leone's celebrated Spaghetti western “Once Upon a Time in the West”. In the film he portrays one of a trio of gunslingers sent to a train station to kill Charles Bronson's character, Harmonica. Elam in one sequence spends a good portion of his screen time simply trying to rid himself of an annoying fly, finally capturing the elusive insect inside the barrel of his pistol.

Elam was married twice, first to Jean Louise Hodgert from 1937 until her death from colon cancer on January 24, 1961. Seven months later, in August 1961, Elam married again, then to Margaret M. Jennison. The couple remained together for 42 years, until 2003, when Jack died of congestive heart failure at their home in Ashland, Oregon on October 20, 2003.

ELAM, Jack (William Scott Elam) [11/13/1920, Miami, Arizona, U.S.A. – 10/20/2003, Ashland, Oregon, U.S.A. (congestive heart failure)] – film, TV actor, married to Jean L. Hodgert [1919-1961] (1937-1961) father of Scott Elam [1937-2018], Jeri Elam [1941-    ], married to Margaret M. Jennison [1936-    ] (1961-2003) father of producer Jackie Elam (Jacqueline K. Elam) [1969-    ].

Once Upon a Time in the West – 1968 (Snaky)

Sonora – 1968 (Slim Kovacs)

Hannie Caulder – 1970 (Frank Clemens)

The Last Rebel – 1970 (Matt Graves)

Spaghetti Western – 1981 [Film was never made.]