Samuel Pack Elliott is a renowned American actor with a career exceeding five decades in film and television. He is widely recognized for his distinctive deep, resonant voice. Elliott's exceptional talent has earned him numerous accolades, including a Screen Actors Guild Award and a National Board of Review Award. Furthermore, he has been nominated for prestigious awards such as an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards.
August 9, 1944: Birth of Sam Elliott
On August 9, 1944, Sam Elliott was born.
1962: Graduation from David Douglas High School
Sam Elliott graduated from David Douglas High School in 1962.
1965: Graduation from Clark College and Return to University of Oregon
After completing a two-year program at Clark College in 1965, Sam Elliott returned to the University of Oregon.
1967: Film Debut in "The Way West"
In 1967, Sam Elliott made his film debut in the western "The Way West".
1969: First Television Credit in "Judd for the Defense"
Sam Elliott earned his first television credit in 1969, playing Dan Kenyon in an episode of "Judd for the Defense".
1969: Brief Appearance in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"
Sam Elliott had a brief but memorable appearance in the opening scene of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" in 1969.
1970: Appearances in "Lancer" and "Mission: Impossible"
Sam Elliott made appearances in the TV series "Lancer" and "Mission: Impossible" in 1970.
1971: Continued Appearances in "Lancer" and "Mission: Impossible"
Sam Elliott continued to appear in episodes of "Lancer" and "Mission: Impossible" in 1971.
1972: First Leading Role in "Frogs"
Sam Elliott landed his first leading film role in the horror film "Frogs" in 1972.
1972: Start of Falstaff Beer Commercials
Sam Elliott began appearing as the cowboy Walker in Falstaff Beer commercials in 1972.
1975: Lead Role in "I Will Fight No More Forever"
Sam Elliott was cast in the lead role of Charles Wood in the television film "I Will Fight No More Forever" in 1975.
1976: Starring Role in "Once an Eagle" and "Lifeguard"
In 1976, Sam Elliott starred in the miniseries "Once an Eagle" and the sleeper hit film "Lifeguard".
1976: Breakthrough Role in "Lifeguard"
Sam Elliott's performance in the drama "Lifeguard" in 1976 brought him wider recognition and marked a breakthrough in his career.
1977: Role in Miniseries "Aspen"
Sam Elliott played Tom Keating in the miniseries "Aspen" in 1977.
1977: Conclusion of "Once an Eagle"
The miniseries "Once an Eagle", featuring Sam Elliott, concluded in 1977.
1979: Co-starring Role in "The Sacketts"
Sam Elliott co-starred with Tom Selleck in the miniseries adaptation of Louis L'Amour's "The Sacketts" in 1979.
1981: Appearance in "Murder in Texas"
Sam Elliott played an abusive wife-killer in the miniseries "Murder in Texas" in 1981, which also starred his future wife Katharine Ross.
1982: Collaboration with Tom Selleck in "The Shadow Riders"
Sam Elliott and Tom Selleck teamed up again in 1982 for another Louis L'Amour adaptation, "The Shadow Riders".
1984: Marriage to Katharine Ross
Sam Elliott married actress Katharine Ross in 1984, marking her fifth marriage.
1985: Commercial Success with "Mask"
Sam Elliott achieved commercial success for his role in the biopic "Mask" in 1985.
1985: Supporting Role in "Mask"
Sam Elliott had a supporting role in the movie "Mask" alongside Cher in 1985.
1985: Starring Role in "A Death in California"
Sam Elliott starred alongside Cheryl Ladd in "A Death in California" in 1985.
1989: Appearance in "Road House"
Sam Elliott appeared as Wade Garrett in the film "Road House", starring Patrick Swayze, in 1989.
1989: Role in Christmas Film "Prancer"
Sam Elliott played a tough but kind father figure in the Christmas film "Prancer" in 1989.
1991: Golden Globe Nomination for "Conagher"
Sam Elliott's performance in the adaptation of Louis L'Amour's "Conagher" earned him a Golden Globe nomination in 1991.
1991: Golden Globe Nomination for Conagher
Sam Elliott received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film for his performance in "Conagher" in 1991.
1991: Collaboration with Katharine Ross in "Conagher"
Sam Elliott and his wife, Katharine Ross, starred together in the film adaptation of Louis L'Amour's novel "Conagher" in 1991.
1993: Portrayals of Historical Figures in "Gettysburg" and "Tombstone"
1993 saw Sam Elliott playing key roles in historical films: Brigadier General John Buford in "Gettysburg" and Virgil Earp in "Tombstone".
1993: Notable Roles in "Gettysburg" and "Tombstone"
Sam Elliott portrayed significant historical figures in 1993, playing John Buford in "Gettysburg" and Virgil Earp in "Tombstone".
1995: Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award Nominations for Buffalo Girls
In 1995, Sam Elliott's performance in the miniseries "Buffalo Girls" garnered him nominations for both a Golden Globe Award (for Best Supporting Actor) and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special.
1995: Portrayal of Wild Bill Hickok in "Buffalo Girls"
Sam Elliott portrayed the legendary Wild Bill Hickok in the TV movie "Buffalo Girls" in 1995.
1995: Golden Globe Nomination and Emmy Nomination for "Buffalo Girls"
Sam Elliott received both a Golden Globe and his first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his role in the miniseries "Buffalo Girls" in 1995.
1998: Voice Role in "The Big Lebowski"
Sam Elliott provided the distinctive voice of The Stranger, the narrator in the cult classic "The Big Lebowski", in 1998.
1998: Grand Marshal of the Calgary Stampede Parade
Sam Elliott served as the grand marshal of the Calgary Stampede parade in 1998, riding in the procession before an estimated 300,000 people.
1998: Memorable Role as The Stranger in "The Big Lebowski"
Sam Elliott took on the role of The Stranger, the narrator in the crime comedy "The Big Lebowski", in 1998.
2002: Supporting Role in "We Were Soldiers"
Sam Elliott had a supporting role in the war drama "We Were Soldiers" in 2002.
2002: Role in "We Were Soldiers"
Sam Elliott played Command Sergeant Major Basil L. Plumley in the war film "We Were Soldiers" in 2002.
2003: Appearance in Superhero Film "Hulk"
Sam Elliott appeared in the superhero film "Hulk" in 2003.
2003: Portrayal of General Thaddeus Ross in "Hulk"
Sam Elliott took on the role of General Thaddeus Ross in the action film "Hulk" in 2003.
2005: Appearance in "Thank You for Smoking"
Sam Elliott appeared as a former Marlboro Man diagnosed with lung cancer in the satirical comedy "Thank You for Smoking" in 2005.
2006: Voice Role in "Barnyard"
Sam Elliott lent his voice to the character Ben the Cow in the animated film "Barnyard" in 2006.
2007: Roles in "Ghost Rider" and "The Golden Compass"
In 2007, Sam Elliott appeared in the comic book adaptation "Ghost Rider" and the fantasy film "The Golden Compass".
2007: Roles in "Ghost Rider" and "The Golden Compass"
Sam Elliott appeared in two major films in 2007: "Ghost Rider", where he played Carter Slade, and "The Golden Compass", based on Philip Pullman's novel, where he played Lee Scoresby.
2007: Voice-Over Work for Coors Beer
Sam Elliott began lending his distinctive voice to Coors beer commercials in late 2007, bringing his Western charm to the Colorado-based brand.
2008: Voice of Smokey Bear
Beginning in 2008, Sam Elliott took on the role of Smokey Bear, lending his voice to the iconic mascot. Interestingly, he shares the same birthdate as Smokey Bear: August 9, 1944.
2009: Critics' Choice Movie Award Nomination for Up in the Air
As part of the ensemble cast of the film "Up in the Air," Sam Elliott received a nomination for the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble in 2009.
2009: Role in Up In The Air and Parks and Recreation
In 2009, Sam Elliott took on a small role as the chief pilot of American Airlines in the film "Up In The Air." He also made three appearances as Ron Dunn, the Eagleton counterpart to Ron Swanson, in the TV show "Parks and Recreation."
2010: Voice Role in Marmaduke
Sam Elliott provided the voice for the character Buster (also known as Chupadogra) in the animated movie "Marmaduke," released in 2010.
2010: Voice-Over Work for Ram Trucks
Starting in 2010, Sam Elliott became the voice of Ram Trucks. His voice has been featured in their commercials, particularly for the Ram Heavy Duty truck.
2012: Mother's Death and Inheritance of Childhood Home
Following the passing of his mother in 2012 at the age of 96, Sam Elliott inherited his childhood home situated in northeast Portland.
2012: Start of Voice-Over Work on Robot Chicken
Sam Elliott began his voice-over work on the animated series "Robot Chicken" in 2012.
2014: Supporting Role in The Company You Keep and Draft Day
Sam Elliott had a supporting role in the thriller film "The Company You Keep" and portrayed a college football coach in the drama "Draft Day" in 2014.
2015: Critics' Choice Television Award for Justified
Sam Elliott was awarded the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series for his role in the TV show "Justified" in 2015.
2015: Series Regular in The Ranch, Recurring Role in Grace and Frankie, and Voice Role in The Good Dinosaur
Sam Elliott began starring in the Netflix series "The Ranch" alongside Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson in 2015. He also landed a recurring role as Phil Millstein in the second season of "Grace and Frankie." Additionally, he lent his voice to the character Butch in the animated feature "The Good Dinosaur" that same year.
2015: Film Appearances and Critics' Choice Television Award Win
In 2015, Sam Elliott appeared in several films, including "Grandma," "I'll See You in My Dreams," and "Digging for Fire." He also won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama for his role in the FX series "Justified."
2015: Guest Appearance in "Justified"
Sam Elliott made a guest appearance in the neo-western series "Justified" in 2015.
2016: Guest Role in "Grace and Frankie" and Starring Role in "The Ranch"
Sam Elliott had a guest starring role in "Grace and Frankie" and began starring in the sitcom "The Ranch" in 2016.
2017: Lead Role in "The Hero"
Sam Elliott played the lead role in the comedy-drama film "The Hero" in 2017.
2017: Starring Roles in The Hero and The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot
Sam Elliott took on the leading role of Lee Hayden, a fading Western star, in the 2017 film "The Hero." His performance garnered significant praise from critics. Later that year, he starred in "The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot."
2018: Critically Acclaimed Performance in "A Star is Born"
Sam Elliott received critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for his supporting role in Bradley Cooper's "A Star is Born" in 2018.
2018: Accolades and Award Nominations for A Star Is Born
Sam Elliott's performance in the 2018 remake of "A Star Is Born" alongside Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper earned him widespread recognition. He was honored with the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor and received nominations from various organizations, including AACTA International, the Academy Awards, Critics' Choice Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
2018: Critically Acclaimed Performance in A Star Is Born and Award Nominations
Sam Elliott's portrayal of Bobby Maine in the 2018 remake of "A Star Is Born" earned him widespread critical acclaim. His performance led to numerous accolades, including the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also received nominations for a Screen Actors Guild Award and his first-ever Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
September 9, 2020: Recurring Role on Family Guy and Voice-Over for Joe Biden Campaign Ad
It was announced on September 9, 2020, that Sam Elliott would lend his voice to the animated series "Family Guy." He portrays Wild Wild West, the new mayor of Quahog and cousin to the late Mayor Adam West. In that same year, Elliott provided the voice-over for Joe Biden's "Go From There" political campaign advertisement.
2020: End of Voice-Over Work on Robot Chicken and Primetime Emmy Award Nomination
Sam Elliott concluded his voice-over contributions to the animated show "Robot Chicken" in 2020. His work on the series earned him a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance.
2020: Conclusion of "The Ranch"
The Netflix sitcom "The Ranch", starring Sam Elliott, concluded in 2020.
2021: Starring Role in Yellowstone Prequel 1883
Beginning in late 2021, Sam Elliott took on the role of Shea Brennan in "1883," a prequel to the popular series "Yellowstone." The first season of the show, which follows Brennan as he guides a group of settlers westward, aired until February 2022.
2021: Starring Role in "1883"
Sam Elliott began starring in the Paramount+ western miniseries "1883" in 2021.
2021: Start of Paramount+ Miniseries 1883
Sam Elliott starred in the Paramount+ miniseries "1883," which premiered in 2021.
February 2022: Screen Actors Guild Award Win for 1883
Sam Elliott's performance as Shea Brennan in the Paramount+ miniseries "1883" earned him the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie in February 2022.
2022: SAG Award for "1883"
Sam Elliott's performance in "1883" earned him a SAG Award in 2022.
2022: Screen Actors Guild Award Win for 1883
Sam Elliott's performance in the Paramount+ miniseries "1883" earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or Movie in 2022.