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.
Cheesecake
Film 1961
Charlie - Drunk in Jail (uncredited)
Film 1952
Hank
Film 1966
Eddie
Film 1952
Pete Harris
Film 1952
Horseface (Comanchero)
Film 1961
Doctor
Film 1981
Tom McLowery
Film 1957
Jake
Film 1969
Big Mac
Film 1979
Pete
Film 1956
Bad Jack Cutter
Film 1976
Col. Dustin 'Dusty' McHowell
Film 1991
Frank Clemens
Film 1971
Doc
Film 1984
Ace Williams
Film 1968
Phillips
Film 1970
Max Verne
Film 1953
Rattlesnake
Film 1978
Mort Geary
Film 1952
Fatso Nagel
Film 1957
Preacher Weatherby
Film 1967
Ivan
Film 1955
Tevis
Film 1951
Earl Boyce
Film 1950
Joe Canton
Film 1976
Deke Simons
Film 1966
Barton
Film 1953
Harry Jackson
Film 1952
Ed Hobbs
Film 1961
Death Dreamer
Film 1978
Dobie
Film 1963
Charlie Max
Film 1955
John Wesley Hardin
Film 1970
Frank Newberry
Film 1954
Chris Boldt
Film 1955
Jug May
Film 1971
Self
Film 1997
Tioga
Film 1957
Arnold
Film 1958
The Trader
Film 1951
Tackett
Film 1987
Sheriff Clyde Barnes
Film 1969
Boss
Film 1974
Burger
Film 1955
Slats Callahan
Film 1956
Henry Bliss
Film 1957
Bill Ward
Film 1959
Otto
Film 1982
Troscliar Boudreaux
Film 1981
Smiling Man
Film 1950
Jesse
Film 1960
Ernest Scarnes
Film 1967
Bitterroot
Film 1972
Matt
Film 1971
Boone
Film 1988
Rusty Kolloway
Film 1953
Slim Kovacs
Film 1968
Al
Film 1955
Jason Fitch
Film 1988
Kittrick
Film 1970
Hezekiah Crow
Film 1990
Arnie (uncredited)
Film 1950
Avery Simpson
Film 1979
Basra
Film 1954
Knife Murderer (uncredited)
Film 1955
Lum Witcher
Film 1983
Tommy
Film 1992
Castro
Film 1953
Jake Calhoun
Film 1990
J. Pete Hankins
Film 1976
Jarrod (Sheriff)
Film 1974
Dave Longden
Film 1952
Pat Garrett
Film 1972
Councilman (uncredited)
Film 1950
Squires
Film 1986
Charlie
Film 1986
Granddad
Film 1973
Celestino Garcia
Film 1952
Willie Red Fire
Film 1978
Clay Haller
Film 1981
Grady
Film 1993
Mescal Jack
Film 1952
Sheriff
Film 1969
McCoy
Film 1956
Alamosa Bill Kermit
Film 1973
Slim
Film 1953
Shanks
Film 1955
Cree
Film 1951
Trapper Willis
Film 1977
Whitey
Film 1954
Tex
Film 1954
(archive footage)
Film 2004
Self
Film 1987
Gimp
Film 1952
Yost
Film 1954
Tim Lowerie
Film 1954
Mr. Newsom
Film 1983
Buckshot
Film 1993
Buckshot
Film 1995
Handy
Film 1974
Scrooge
Film 1984
Thompson
Film 1970
Crazy Charlie
Film 1976
Fargo
Film 1950
Raymond - Henchman
Film 1949
King
Film 1975
Frank's Gunman
Film 1968
Hasan-Ben
Film 1955
Kid Sheleen
Film 1971
Bitterroot
Film 1976
Self
Film 1970
Tv 1955
Tv 1965
Hick Peterson
Tv 1991
Tv 1981
Tv 1971
Tv 1977
Tv 1981
Tv 1961
Tv 1960
Tv 1958
Tv 1957
Tv 1967
Petch
Tv 1964
Tv 1968
Tv 1968
Lee Dineen
Tv 1951
Tv 1958
Tv 1966
Tv 1967
Black Barr
Tv 1960
Uncle Luce
Tv 1959
Tv 1958
Tv 1963
Tv 1958
Toothy Thompson
Tv 1957
Tv 1961
Tv 1967
Tv 1958
Tv 1972
Hock Ellis
Tv 1956
Tv 1977
Tv 1959
Tv 1955
Tv 1985
Tony Molinor
Tv 1957
Tv 1952
Tv 1986
Tv 1987
Frank
Tv 1979
Gomez (uncredited)
Tv 1957
Halleck
Tv 1951
Marcus A.F. Baxter
Tv 1971
Little Jimmy Lehigh
Tv 1956
Stage Driver Cass
Tv 1956
Vic
Tv 1952
Reno Lawrence
Tv 1949
Jonas McBride
Tv 1978
Luke Watson
Tv 1958
Cully Madigan
Tv 1977
Jug Alverson
Tv 1959
Harve Yost
Tv 1962
Skragg
Tv 1988
Herm Forrest
Tv 1958
Marcus Taylor
Tv 1972
Axel Ericson
Tv 1992
Calhoun Durango
Tv 1955
Nick Bravo
Tv 1959
Arnold Shaffner
Tv 1957
Phil Bricker
Tv 1959