John Elliott (actor)
John Hugh Elliott was an American actor who appeared on Broadway and in over 300 films during his career. He worked sporadically during the silent film era, but with the advent of sound his career took off, where he worked constantly for 25 years, finding a particular niche in "B" westerns.
His versatility allowed him to play both "good guys" and "bad guys" with equal aplomb, working right up until his death in 1956.
Early life
Elliott was born in July 1876 in Keosauqua, Iowa to Sarah E. Norris and Jehue S. Elliott. He was the third of four children, and the only boy; his two older sisters were named Elizabeth and Fanny, with his younger sister named Nina. In February 1897, when Elliott was 20, his mother, his sister Fanny came down with typhoid fever. Elliott would be the only one of the three to survive. Two months later, on April 14, Elliot married Cleo Kelly, despite her parents' objections to her marrying an actor.
Career
Elliot began his acting career on stage, where he reached Broadway in 1917, appearing as Robert Goring in the very successful play, Eyes of Youth. The play was produced by A. H. Woods, Lee Shubert, and Jacob J. Shubert, and ran for over a year at the Maxine Elliott Theatre. Elliott's screen debut came in the featured role of Sir Robert Eastbourne in the 1919 silent film When a Man Loves. Less than two dozen of his film appearances were during the silent era. Beginning with the advent of sound, Elliott would begin to make the bulk of his 300 film appearances.
In 1930, he had the featured role of General Robert E. Lee in Only the Brave, starring Gary Cooper. It was a role he would play in several films, such as Carolina, starring Janet Gaynor and Lionel Barrymore; and Operator 13, again starring Cooper. His roles would run the gamut, from small nameless roles, as a banker in the 1939 film, The Story of Alexander Graham Bell, starring Don Ameche and Loretta Young; to smaller named roles such as Captain Wilkins in The Conquering Horde, starring Richard Arlen and Fay Wray; to featured roles like that of Jess Roarke in 1936's Ridin' On.
Other notable films in which Elliot appeared include: the role of the lodge officer in the opening scenes of Laurel and Hardy's Sons of the Desert, a small role as a padre in Michael Curtiz' 1934 military drama, The Key, starring William Powell; a bit part as one of the directors in the 1935 comedy, A Night at the Ritz, starring William Gargan; as Judge Matthews in 1939's Jesse James, starring Tyrone Power and Henry Fonda; the role of Tremont in Hold That Co-ed, a 1938 comedy starring John Barrymore, George Murphy and Marjorie Weaver; a small role as a purchaser in the 1938 drama Kentucky, starring Loretta Young and Richard Greene; a small role in Orson Welles' 1942 historical drama, The Magnificent Ambersons, starring Joseph Cotten, Dolores Costello, Anne Baxter, and Tim Holt; an admiral in 1944's Marine Raiders, starring Pat O'Brien, Robert Ryan, and Ruth Hussey; the role of Hooker in Randolph Scott's 1946 western, Badman's Territory; as the judge in the 1947 film noir The Unfaithful, starring Ann Sheridan, Lew Ayres and Zachary Scott; as a train conductor in the 1947 biopic The Babe Ruth Story, starring William Bendix and Claire Trevor; as a workman in Jean Renoir's 1947 drama, The Woman on the Beach, starring Robert Ryan, Joan Bennett, and Charles Bickford; as a clerk in Orson Welles' film noir, The Lady from Shanghai, starring Rita Hayworth and Welles; and as a judge in the 1949 crime drama, Flaxy Martin, starring Virginia Mayo. His final appearance in a feature film was as the minister in George Cukor's 1952 comedy-drama, The Marrying Kind, starring Aldo Ray and Judy Holliday. His final acting appearance was in the 1956 western serial, Perils of the Wilderness, in the role of Homer Lynch.
Death
Elliott died on December 12, 1956, in Los Angeles, less than a year after the release of his final performance.
Filmography
When a Man Loves as Sir Robert EastbourneHomer Comes Home as Mr. Bailly Are All Men Alike? as Uncle ChandlerHeld In Trust as Jasper Haig A Master Stroke as George Trevor Her Winning Way as MallonThe Eagle's Feather as Parson WingerThe Spoilers as Bill WheatonFlaming Waters as Professor Richard CrawfordChristine of the Big Tops as Dr. HastingsRacing Blood as Johnn SterlingWhat Happened to Jones as The BishopHorse Shoes as William BakerMillion Dollar Mystery as Stanley Hargreaves / Inspector JedsonThe Phantom in the House as Police CaptainFor the Defense as Joseph McGann Only the Brave as Gen. Robert E. LeeThe Rampant Age as Arnold BentonThe Widow From Chicago as Detective T. Finnegan Oklahoma Jim as Indian AgentThe Conquering Horde as Capt. WilkinsGalloping Thru as Mr. WintonSecret Menace as John GrantDugan of the Bad Lands as Sheriff ManningMother and Son as Mr. Winfield God's Country and the Man as YoungThe Montana Kid as BurkeTwo Fisted Justice as Mr. Cameron - Nancy's FatherCall Her Savage as Hank Hidden Valley as JudgeThe Night of June 13 as Real Estate Agent Riders of the Desert as Dad HoustonTexas Pioneers as Colonel ThomasVanishing Men as Heck ClaiborneSouth of Santa Fe as ThorntonFrom Broadway to Cheyenne as Martin KildareSingle-Handed Sanders as Senator GrahamWeek Ends Only as BartenderLucky Larrigan as J. C. Bailey Breed of the Border as Judge StaffordThe Gallant Fool as Chris McDonaldSons of the Desert as Exalted Exhausted Ruler As the Earth Turns as Country Doctor Operator 13 as Gen. Robert E. Lee Ticket to a Crime as Mr. DavidsonUpper World as Crandall I Can't Escape as Mr. Douglas I Sell Anything as Lawyer The Murder in the Museum as Detective Chief SnellGreen Eyes as Chemist One in a Million The Key as Gen. Robert E. Lee Desirable Gentlemen Are Born as Bill - Night Editor Side Streets as The Judge A Lost Lady as Bridge Player Carolina as Gen. Robert E. Lee Kid Courageous as High-Hat ClickettThe Quitter as AdvertiserCowboy Holiday as Sheriff Hank SimpsonFighting Pioneers as Major Dent Captured in Chinatown as Butler—City EditorA Night at the Ritz as Director The Girl Who Came Back as Police Captain Rainbow's End as Adam WareBulldog Courage as Judge Charley MillerBig Calibre as Rusty HicksDanger Trails as George Wilson - aka PecosMake a Million as DeanSaddle Aces as The Judge Sunset Range as Dan CaswellToll of the Desert as JudgeWagon Trail as JudgeFrontier Justice as Ben LivesayTombstone Terror as Mr. DixonTrigger Tom as Nord JergensonTrails of the Wild as Tom MadisonUnconquered Bandit as Mr. Morgan, Tom's FatherRed Hot Tires Skull and Crown as John NortonWhat Price Crime as Chief Radcliff Bars of Hate as The SheriffThe Rider of the Law as Town MayorThe Drunkard as Third DrunkLawless Border as Border Patrol chief Vagabond Lady as Poolside Master of Ceremonies Midnight Phantom as Capt. Bill WithersDanger Ahead as Capt. MatthewsFrontier Justice as Ben LivesayKelly of the Secret Service as Howard WalshThe Rogues' Tavern as Mr. JamisonAvenging Waters as Charles MortimerMillionaire Kid as Yellerton Rip Roarin' Buckaroo as Colonel HaydenTimes Square Playboy as Sam - chairman of the Board of Directors Ambush Valley as Bob Morgan The Crime of Dr. Forbes as Faculty Doctor Prison Shadows as The Police CaptainHearts Divided as James Monroe Vengeance of Rannah as Doc Adams A Face in the Fog as Detective DavisRidin' On as Jess RoarkeSnowed Under as First Actor Roarin' Guns as Bob MorganRoamin' Wild as Chief Inspector ReedTrail Dust as John ClarkPhantom of the Range as Hiram MooreMen of the Plains as Dad Baxter The Fugitive Sheriff as Judge RobertsLegion of Terror as Postmaster Rio Grande Ranger as John Cullen Dodge City Trail Death in the Air as Dr. NorrisSouls at Sea Smoke Tree Range as Jim CarySubmarine D-1 as Father on Pier The Shadow Strikes as Chester Randall Children of Loneliness Love Is on the Air as Mr. Grant McKenzie Flying Fists as Jim ConradHeadin' East as M.H. BensonHold That Co-ed as Legislator Kentucky as Cal Cassidy of Bar 20 as Tom DillonHeart of Arizona as Buck PetersKeep Smiling as Spence Trigger Fingers as Jim BoltonThe Story of Alexander Graham Bell as Banker at Demo Jesse James as Judge MathewsPort of Hate as StevensThe Invisible Killer as GamblerMystery Plane as Army ColonelMesquite Buckaroo as Tavern Owner HawkThe Fighting Renegade as Prospector Death Rides the Range as Hiram CrabtreeThe Great Profile as Pop - Stage Doorman Lightning Strikes West as Dr. JenkinsCovered Wagon Trails as Beaumont - RancherGun Code as Parson A. HammondPhantom Rancher as Dad MarkhamLone Star Raiders as Dad CameronThe Tulsa Kid as Judge PerkinsThe Man Who Wouldn't Talk as Juror The Apache Kid as Judge John TaylorGolden Hoofs as Race Announcer The Kid's Last Ride as DisherMarry the Boss's Daughter as Cynical Passerby Private Nurse as Clerk Ride, Kelly, Ride as Doctor The Texas Marshal as John GorhamGentleman from Dixie as ProsecutorThe Lone Rider in Frontier Fury as Jim BowenTumbledown Ranch in Arizona as Judge JonesSaddle Mountain Roundup as 'Magpie' HarperBilly the Kid's Round-Up as Red Gap Judge Come on Danger as SaundersBorder Roundup as Jeff SloaneLand of the Open Range as George 'Dad' CookThe Mad Monster as Professor HatfieldThe Magnificent Ambersons as Guest Overland Stagecoach as Jeff ClarkPirates of the Prairie as John Spencer Rock River Renegades as Dick RossRolling Down the Great Divide as Lem BartlettRed River Robin Hood as Mr. Brady Calling Dr. Death as PriestCorvette K-225 as Merchant Captain Fighting Valley as Frank BurkeFirst Comes Courage as Norwegian Patient Death Rides the Plains as James MarshallLaw of the Saddle as Dan KirbyMy Kingdom for a Cook as Janitor Raiders of San Joaquin as R.R. Vice President MorganSagebrush Law as Cole Winters Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground as Inspector TalbotTwo Fisted Justice as Uncle Will HodginsYou're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith as Lawyer Cattle Stampede as Dr. George ArnoldThe Heavenly Body as Prof. Collier Heavenly Days as An Average Citizen Fuzzy Settles Down as John Martin Experiment Perilous as Phone Operator Dead Man's Eyes as Travers the Butler Marine Raiders as Admiral Mr. Winkle Goes to War as Walker Oklahoma Raiders as Judge Clem MastersBowery to Broadway as Reformer Home in Indiana as Man Seated Left of J.T. in Bar Marshal of Gunsmoke as Judge Brown Wild Horse Phantom as Prison WardenNight Club Girl Allotment Wives as Police DoctorEadie Was a Lady as Butler Escape in the Fog as Thomas - the Butler Hollywood and Vine as Judge One Way to Love as Butler Badman's Territory as Brother Hooker The Dark Corner as Laundry Proprietor Deadline at Dawn as Sleepy Man The Devil's Mask as John the Butler Frontier Gunlaw as Pop EvansMoon Over Montana as Judge Cry Wolf as Clergyman The Fighting Vigilantes as Bert Law of the Lash as Dad HiltonMillie's Daughter as Butler News Hounds as Judge Nora Prentiss Lighthouse as Justice of the PeaceThe Unfaithful as Judge Edward R. McVey The Woman on the Beach as Old Workman The Lady from Shanghai as Court Clerk Angels' Alley as Magistrate E.J. Saunders The Babe Ruth Story as Conductor The Countess of Monte Cristo as Innkeeper I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes as Mr. Lake - Tom's Lawyer Letter from an Unknown Woman as Flower Vendor Smart Woman as Harker Smoky Mountain Melody as EnglesbyFlaxy Martin as Judge Edward R. McVey Homicide as Doctor The Arizona Cowboy as Ace AllenThe Marrying Kind as Minister