JACK ELAM
Jack Elam was the Western badman from my youth. He was the meanest among villains, his face was wellknown but not his name. I saw him the first time in a small role in one of my favourite movies - "High Noon " (1952). He is the town drunk Charlie, sleeping in jail and just before the gunfight letting out from prison by the sheriff Will Kane ( Gary Cooper ) saying "You donīt happens to know if the saloon is open, do You Will ?". But Elam had a big role already 1951 in "Rawhide". It is in that movie he shoots the gangleader Hugh Marlowe in the back and runs out shouting wild-eyed: "I am the boss now, from here on Iīm running the show ". So it was in the beginning, smaller and bigger roles, but he was steadily working his way up to co-starring roles. It was opposite such as James Garner and John Wayne he begun a new image - the comic sidekick.
Jack Elam has made many movies, including TV-movies I think it is around 135. His TV-apperances are countless, starring in such TV- series as "The Dakotas" (1963) and " Temple Houston" (1963-64), and guest star in many, notably 14 episodes of "Gunsmoke". Did You know that Jack Elam, together with Mickey Rooney, got the Palm Award by the French Academy 1957 for their performences in "Baby Face Nelson" ?
Jack Elam, 82 years old, passed away October 20 2003.
- READ ABOUT JACK ELAM IN:
* William R. Horner " Bad at the Bijou " ( 1982 )
* Tom & Jim Goldrup " Feature Players " ( vol 1, 1986 )
* Film Dope " ( # 14 - 1978 )
* Films of the Golden Age (#15, 1998-99). - INTERVIEWS WITH ELAM:
* Golden Boots Award ( 1988 )
* Cowboy Hall of Fame Award
* TV-interview by Ken Ackerman (1994, including a very interesting person, Marty Kellys from Iowa, a fan, collector and friend of Elam).
