Ross Elliott (born Elliott Blum, June 18, 1917 – August 12, 1999) was an American television and film character actor. He began his acting career in the Mercury Theatre, where he performed in The War of the Worlds, Orson Welles' famed radio program.

Ross Elliott
Elliott in Indestructible Man (1956)
Born	Elliott Blum (1917-06-18)June 18, 1917 The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Died	August 12, 1999(1999-08-12) (aged 82) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1938–1986
Spouse	Esther Susan Melling ​ ​ (m. 1954)​

Early years

Elliott was born in the Bronx, New York. While at City College of New York, he participated in the college's dramatic society, causing him to abandon his original plan to become a lawyer.[1]

Stage

Directly out of college, Elliott joined Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre, garnering bit parts both on the radio (including the notorious War of the Worlds production) and stage (including Welles' Caesar).[2] Elliott's Broadway credits include The Shoemaker's Holiday (1938), Danton's Tod (1938), Morning Star (1940), This Is the Army (1942), and Apple of His Eye (1946).[3]

Military service

Elliott joined the United States Army on August 4, 1941. Much of his time there was spent in "soldier-casts of various touring shows."[1]

Film career

After serving in World War II, Elliott moved to Hollywood. He enjoyed a long career, working steadily in supporting roles in a diverse array of films, including Woman on the Run, D-Day the Sixth of June, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Tarantula!, Wild Seed, Kelly's Heroes, Skyjacked and The Towering Inferno.[4] Elliott was a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Television

Throughout his career, Elliott appeared in more than 200 television programs, including the recurring role of crewman Cort Ryker on the syndicated The Blue Angels (1960–1961). Elliott appeared 59 times in a recurring role as Sheriff Abbott on NBC's western series, The Virginian. He was cast as Virgil Earp in four episodes in 1958 and 1959 of The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, with Hugh O'Brian in the title role of Wyatt Earp, Virgil's younger brother.[5]

Elliott portrayed the television director in the season one episode of I Love Lucy titled "Lucy Does a TV Commercial" (1952) in which Lucy Ricardo advertises Vitameatavegamin.[6] Elliott also appeared on I Love Lucy as Ricky Ricardo's publicity man in three episodes of the series' fourth season.

In 1956 he appeared as Sam Wilson on the TV western Cheyenne in the episode titled "Mustang Trail". In 1958, Elliott played Reverend Kilgore in the episode "The Lord Will Provide" on The Texan, with Rory Calhoun and Ellen Corby. Later that year he played murder victim and title character George Hartley Beaumont in the Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Corresponding Corpse".^{[citation needed]}

On December 26, 1959, he was cast as the historical lawyer Temple Houston in the episode "The Reluctant Gun" of Death Valley Days, with host Stanley Andrews. This appearance was nearly four years before Jeffrey Hunter played Temple Houston in the short-lived series Temple Houston.^{[citation needed]} Elliott portrayed Colonel Parker in the 1960 episode "Chain of Command" of Colt .45.^{[citation needed]} In 1960 Elliott appeared as Reed Kingsley on Cheyenne in the episode titled "Alibi for the Scalped Man." ^{[citation needed]} In 1960 and 1961 he appeared twice on the popular Leave it to Beaver, including as the school principal.

From 1962 to 1963, he was cast as Marty Rhodes in four episodes of the NBC legal drama Sam Benedict, starring Edmond O'Brien. From 1963 to 1965, Elliott played Lee Baldwin on the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital.^{[citation needed]}

Elliott appeared in 11 episodes of The Jack Benny Program^{[citation needed]} as director Freddie. His other television appearances included Burns and Allen, The Twilight Zone, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Andy Griffith Show, Adventures of Superman, The Lone Ranger, Pony Express, The Rifleman, Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Lassie, Leave It to Beaver, Combat!, Hazel, The Time Tunnel, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Dragnet, Adam-12, Emergency!, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Wonder Woman, The Dukes of Hazzard, and Little House on the Prairie. Elliott also appeared in a 1973 episode of Barnaby Jones.^{[citation needed]}

Death

Elliott died of cancer on August 12, 1999 at the age of 82.^{[citation needed]}

Selected filmography

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ross Elliott.

• Ross Elliott at IMDb 
• Ross Elliott at the TCM Movie Database
• Ross Elliott at the Internet Broadway Database
• Ross Elliott at Find a Grave

На других языках

[es] Ross Elliott

[ru] Эллиотт, Росс