Sam Elliott – The Untold Story Behind The Voice And The Icon

Hollywood is full of men and women who have become icons both on and off the screen. Sam Elliott isn’t just one of the icons we’ve watched for decades; rather he has become a voice that we’ve listened to, too. This 73-year-old Hollywood great has starred in some of our favorite movies throughout the years, including hits like, The Big Lebowski (1998), We Were Soldiers (2002) and Gettysburg (1993). His awe-inspiring movie, The Hero that was released in 2017 is considered to be one of his greatest works so far. His success came from being a relentless dream chaser and diligent worker, and in the end it paid off.Sam Elliott didn’t just make the movies and television his point of interest. His rich, deep and western-style voice became as iconic as the mustache he has worn for more than three decades. His voice is perhaps one of the most notable features he possesses, and he has used it for numerous opportunities to boost products’ character through commercials. Major brands like Dodge, Union Pacific and Ram Trucks have all benefited from his unique voice and the emotion it carries.

One of his lesser-known involvements was a campaign to prevent forest fires and to create awareness around them. His voice became the iconic vocal guide of “Smokey the Bear.” Currently Elliott stars in The Ranch alongside Ashton Kutcher but he is by no means being walked over by the young actor. Since 2016, his character of Beau Bennett has been a main role in the series and has carried for 40 episodes so far. We can look forward to seeing Sam Elliott this year in his latest movie release called, The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot. Like many Hollywood stars, Sam Elliott’s full story has never been told, and not because no-one has been interested in telling it. He suffered the early death of a parent and the guilt that came with not having said everything he wanted to. He attributes his greatest motivations and inspirations to the people who were both present and absent during his most challenging times. Elliott has kept many significant details of his personal life under wraps, that is, until now. This is the untold story of Sam Elliott that will make you see him in a new light.

Getting Encouragement

Sam Elliott graduated from David Douglas High School in Portland, Oregon. He then moved to Clark College in Vancouver, Washington in order to attend a two-year program there. It was there that he made his first impression as an actor when he was the lead in a small-time production, Guys and Dolls.

A local journalist happened to be sitting in the crowd and wrote a very positive review about his performance. It was this journalist who encouraged Sam Elliott to pursue an acting career.

Finding The Money

Once stars have made it in Hollywood, money hardly becomes an issue.

But until that point, there are many financial constraints and actors have to make sure they’re still making money. Elliott turned to construction work on a part-time basis to ensure that he could pay his bills while he auditioned for roles.

An Outdoors Kid

Elliott was born in Sacramento, California in 1944 but he moved to Oregon where he spent most of his childhood. His father was involved in wildlife conservation, working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Although Sam loved to spend time with his father in the great outdoors, he knew from the age of 9 that he wanted to be an actor. His father wasn’t supportive of this decision, and not seeing it on the same level would put a stain on their relationship.

Unacceptable And Unaccepted

It was difficult for Elliott’s father to envision his son making a living off of acting. When Sam Elliott was just 18 years old, his father died of a heart-attack.

The place he and Sam left off would eventually become a motivating factor in Elliott’s acting career. He explained in an interview, “He died thinking, ‘Man, this kid is going to go down the wrong path’, and I think on some levels that was either hard on me or made me more focused in my resolve to have a career.”

Other Work

Construction wasn’t the only place where Elliott dedicated his time and strength. In fact, he joined the military, going to the California National Guard (CAL ARNG).

It was there that he found a deeper understanding of his self and self-determination. His military service rewarded him with the skills to become a leader and a disciplined worker.

TV Debut

Elliott made his television debut by playing Dan Kenyon in the episode The Crystal Maze in the American legal drama, Judd for the Defense, in 1969.

Not Camera Shy

If you want to take big leaps forward in the future, you have to start by taking small steps in the present.

Elliott understood this and took advantage of his first ever role in front of the camera. In 1968 he played the role of “Jack” in just one episode of a TV series by the name of The Felony Squad. The producers liked what they saw and cast him for another two small roles – once in 1968 and the second in 1969.

Gathering No Moss

After making an impression on television, he received the opportunity to try his hand in the movies. Guaranteed, his role wasn’t too big as “card player #2” in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but it was a step in the right direction.

What Elliott didn’t know, was that his future wife was playing in the same movie. Her role was significantly more impressive than his.

Flying Below The Radar

During the 1960’s and the early 1970’s, Elliott appeared in a number of TV shows with small roles. Some of those appearances took place in Lancer, Land of the Giants, The F.B.I., and Bracken’s World.

And then he finally got a role in a movie where he had a name. His name was Richie Robinson in the movie, The Games.

Turning Heads

In the middle of the 1970’s, directors started to pick up that there was something special about Sam Elliott.

With each audition that he was offered, he moved into more significant roles. He appeared numerous times in TV series like, Mission: Impossible, Once an Eagle and Aspen. He even had the chance to play the title character of Evel Knievel.

Finding Love

Elliott’s big break came from a movie that wasn’t a blockbuster hit or an Oscar candidate. No no, the movie wasn’t Sam Elliott’s big break, but finding his true love on its set was.

While he played the lead role of Pete Danner in The Legacy in 1978, his wife-to-be, Katharine Ross acted alongside him. There was undeniable attraction between the two of them.

A Leading Lady

When Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid hit the big screen, Katharine Ross was dubbed one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood.

It isn’t a surprise that Sam Elliott was one of the many men who felt shy to talk to her. Only in 2015 did he reveal his feelings about meeting her, “I didn’t dare try to talk to her then. She was the leading lady. I was a shadow on the wall, a glorified extra in a bar scene.”

A Ladies’ Man

Even though the movie The Legacy wasn’t an award-winning picture, Elliott’s role had women all falling for him nationwide. Katharine Ross just happened to be one of those women.

But perhaps it was his nude bottom scene that garnered the most attention. His scene earned him the unlikely accolade of “3 stars” by the “Bare Facts” nudity scenes guide. It’s the most stars an actor can get.

Reflecting On Their Moment

Elliott didn’t hold back how he felt about The Legacy, but regardless of how it ranked, he was happy with the outcome it brought.

He said, “Not a great film, but a legacy nonetheless for Katharine and me.”

Magnetic Attraction

There were so many reasons to fall for Sam Elliott, but the press wanted to know what made Katharine Ross do it. In an interview with Mercury News, she admitted that his deep voice, rugged good looks, mustache and gentleman charm all had a hand in it.

But she topped it off by saying, “Probably all that and more. We were working together, and one thing led to another. And here we are.”

Life Before Elliott

Katharine Ross had far more than her share of difficulty in relationships. Before she fell in love with Elliott, she had been married four times.

In fact, when she made Sam’s acquaintance on the set of The Legacy, she was still married to her fourth husband, Gaetano Lisi. In 1979 she and Lisi got divorced.

Being Himself

When the two felt that the time was right, they announced their love to the public. As they imagined, the media was ablaze with excitement – they were one of the hottest couples in Hollywood. In 1976, the pair agreed to have an interview with Playgirl magazine.

It was during that interview that Elliot famously said, “I don’t want to be known as a sex symbol. There’s a great stigma that goes with that tag. I want to be a Sam Elliott.”

Getting Replaced

Every actor has his good day and his less-than-good-day. Elliott was cast as a white lawyer sent to defend a black man wrongfully accused of murdering two white policemen in The Ambush Murder.

During the filming, Elliot became very sick and the director decided to replace him with James Brolin.

Making It Official

From the first time that Sam Elliott and Katharine Ross clicked, they never separated. In 1984 they made the decision to get married, and again the media and public were watching with interest. They had their first and only child, a daughter, whom they named Cleo Rose.

Their daughter was the love of their life, but years later they would have many issues to deal with.

Wearing The Mask

Most people will remember Sam Elliott from the movie, “Mask”. In the movie, Elliott plays the biker boyfriend of Cher. But what most people don’t know, is that he almost didn’t make the audition and ultimately get the role.

He was on his honeymoon with Katharine when his agent called him in Hawaii. Elliott argued that he wouldn’t leave his new wife for an audition, but Katharine thought otherwise.

Katharine’s Insistence

Even though Sam adamantly told his agent that he was not interested in the Mask role, Katharine changed his mind.

She immediately dialed his agent back and told him that Sam would most definitely be willing to come for an audition. Katharine was convinced that there was something great ahead and she didn’t want him to miss it.

A Fitting Role

Who would be a better candidate for the role of grand marshal at the Calgary Stampede parade in 1998? Elliott was given the role and he gladly led the procession to a crowd of approximately 300,000 spectators.

The Cowboy

Elliott had a natural cowboy look that women loved and men wanted to emulate. After his star performance in Mask, directors hunted him down to cast him for other roles.

He soon became a well-known rugged cowboy in flicks like The Quick and the Dead (1987), Houston: The Legend of Texas (1986), Tombstone (1993) and You Know My Name (1999). His cowboy persona eventually led him in 2007, to be inducted into the National Cowboy Western Heritage Museum.

His Father

Despite feeling guilty at the time of his father’s death, Sam Elliott attributes his persona to his father. When he was interviewed by NPR, he relayed, “And I was with my dad and my – and his peers, who were all men’s men and outdoors men.

All had incredible work ethics and were all good men. And they were really the ones I think that I learned what kind of a man I wanted to be when I grew up.”

Before The Voice

While we all know Sam Elliott for that deep and intriguing voice, we must note that he didn’t always have it.

During the same interview with NPR, obviously the story of his voice came up, and this is what he said: “It came with age. It just kept going down the older I got – can’t imagine it’s going to go much further.”

Choosing His Roles

No matter what roles were offered to him after he found fame, Sam Elliott chose his roles. “I’m picky, very picky. I wanted to be an actor since I was nine years old and I figured that was only one way to ever have any longevity and that’s to be careful about what kind of work you do.

You can work for money, do a lot of whatever comes your way and not have any kind of a yardstick to measure quality by, and people, you know you’ll make a lot of money if you’re lucky, and people will get fed up and sick of seeing you and that’s it onto the next one.”

Everything For The Part

Even though Elliott carefully picked his roles, he was exceptionally dedicated for those that he did choose. “I’ll do anything. I’ll shave my head for the right job.

I’m partial to my facial hair, I guess, but I also enjoy doing something where I look totally different, which is kind of the reason why I’ve always worn long hair. I can really change my look radically by getting rid of it.”

Turning Down And turning Up

Road House was the stage for another one of Elliott’s iconic roles. He was originally asked to play the role of Brad Wesley, but he turned it down.

When the casting director approached him again, he was ready to say ‘no’, until he realized that the director was offering him the role of Wade Garrett. To this he actually agreed.

Road House

Sam Elliott’s role in Road House in 1989 was one of his best. Fans loved his role as a mentor to James Dalton, played by Patrick Swayze.

His popularity would skyrocket even further in the coming years.

The Big Lebowski

One of my all-time favorite movies, The Big Lebowski. Sam Elliott didn’t have a big role in the movie, but his character, ‘the stranger’, actually became one of the most well-known. The character was written up with Elliott in mind – it was him and only him who could have pulled it off. “As I opened up and read, you know – a couple of pages in, and it’s talking about this voice-over.

And it said literally on the page, the voice-over sounded not unlike Sam Elliott, and then later on when he appears in the bowling alley, here’s this guy dressed like a drugstore cowboy, looking not unlike Sam Elliott. So I guess they wrote it for me. They certainly wrote it with me in mind.”

The Big Lebowski Spin-Off

Constant rumors spread that a spin-off of the Big Lebowski is in the works somewhere. When Elliott was asked if he’d like to be recast as “The Stranger”, his answer was, “I keep hearing rumors he’s going to do one. I hope he does.

And I hope they call me. Whether the Stranger’s going to be part of it or not, I have no idea. But it would be in good hands with John, if he was running the show.”

His Name In The Script

Some things are just meant to be, and the role of the “stranger” in The Big Lebowski was always meant to be Elliott’s. “Well, they gave me a script. I read the script, and it says in the script, “There’s this Western voiceover, and ‘Tumblin’ Tumbleweeds” is playing in the background, and the voiceover sounds not unlike Sam Elliott.”

This is in the pages! So I read a little further on, and then this character appears, and it says, “And here’s The Stranger, looking not unlike Sam Elliott.” So it was, like, that was the pitch: “Let’s put his name in the script. Maybe he’ll bite for it.”

Working With Jeff Bridges

If it wasn’t for The Big Lebowski, we might not have ever seen Sam Elliott playing Kermit Newman in The Contender.

The writer and director of The Contender, Rod Lurie, loved watching Elliott working with Jeff Bridges and decided to send Elliott the script for his movie.

Trouble At Home

The media came alive in 2011 when a story of violence broke at the Elliott home. Reports claimed that there was a fight between Katharine and their daughter, Cleo. Katharine alleged that Cleo stabbed her with a pair of scissors.

71-year-old Katharine testified that her 21-year-old daughter shouted, “I want to kill you!” as she stabbed her. Katharine filed a report with the police.

Missing Judgement Day

The case reached a court, but when the day in court arrived months later, neither of the parties showed up.

The presiding judge decided that the case was invalid and deemed it null and void. Cleo has patched up her relationship with her parents and is now a musician, living in California.

Quite A ‘Stach

We can go on and on about the achievements that Sam Elliott has pulled off in his years, but there is one that definitely needs a mention. His mustache has stood the test of time and remains an iconic feature of the man we know him as. But it doesn’t end there.

His mustache has been inducted into the inaugural class of the International Mustache Hall of Fame, in the category Film & Television. He shares this great honor with other mustached men like Burt Reynolds and Tom Selleck.

Other Awards

Elliott has been nominated for two Golden Globe Awards as well as for two Primetime Emmy Awards.

He has won 5 Western Heritage Awards, Newport Beach Film Festival award, Golden Boot Award, Critics Choice Television Award, and a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award.

In His Blood

Some actors just have a natural air about playing certain characters so well. When it comes to Sam Elliott, it makes sense that he plays the cowboy persona so well. His roots have actually been traced back to the old west. Elliott said, “I have a heritage from the West.

My family had a relative in the Alamo. I’ve got history to Texas… It is because of that I always hearken to [western roles], that family heritage.”

Not Just An Actor

While we all know that Elliott has dominated with his incredible acting skills, there’s more to him. He has also worked on producing, writing and singing, believe it or not. One such example of his singing is in the animated film, Barnyard.

He plays the character of “Ben the Cow” and sings in the track called, “I Won’t Back Down.”

Never Giving Up Hope

Katharine Ross certainly didn’t have an easy time finding the love that she wanted. With four failed marriages, it was certainly difficult for her to imagine finding a lasting love. But when she found Sam Elliott, everything seemed to change. The two have been married for 33 happy years.

“We have a common sensibility, but we also work at being together,” Sam explained. “You work past the s**t; you don’t walk away from it. That’s how relationships last.”

Not The Usual Hollywood Couple

Unfortunately Hollywood is riddled with short-lived marriages and unfaithful relationships. But when it comes to Sam and Katharine it seems to be different.

In an interview with NPR, Elliott gave his take on marriage and life’s luck. He said, “The two things that I wanted in my life were to have a movie career and to be married, to have a family. And it’s an embarrassment of riches that I’ve got both.”

In Its Richest Form

Elliott believes that he has been lucky and fortunate in his life.

Owing to his work in Hollywood as well as endorsement deals, and properties that he owns, Elliott’s net worth is estimated at $16 million. His wife’s estimated net worth is $5 million.

Hollywood Advantage

Elliott made it in the nick of time to be a part of the “studio system”. During his time with Fox Studios he befriended the staff at the law office responsible for checking scripts before casting directors received them.

During this process, Elliott got to read scripts, meaning if there was something he found favor in, he could personally approach the casting directors about an audition.

Smokey Bear

With the growing trouble in the U.S. of forest fires, an initiative was set up with the help of a mascot called “Smokey Bear” to help raise awareness.

The U.S. Forest Service teamed up with the American Ad Council in pursuit of a voice-over artist who would be able to deliver a message that sounded safe, friendly, approachable and reliable. Guess who they asked to do it? You guessed it!

Critical Of Himself

Generally-speaking, we usually judge ourselves with more scrutiny than we do others. Sam Elliott once revealed in an interview with IMDB that he feels the same way about himself.

He said, “I think I might have been a more interesting actor, had more of a career earlier on if I had more formal preparation. When I see something ten years later that I was in I think, ‘Boy, would I love to do that over.’”

Taking The Shots

Being a perfectionist has something to do with achieving greatness. Even when Sam felt that he had acted well, when there was something not done correctly, or according to his standards, he made sure to make his voice heard.

It wasn’t uncommon for him to disagree with directors and rewrite screenplays. One of his remarks was, “I’d rather be a pain in the a** and make better art, than roll over for it.”

A Role Model

There’s something unique about the way Sam Elliott portrays himself on and off screen.

There is a distinct western, cowboy character that stands for a whole lot more than just acting. “I think it has something to do with integrity and a man’s word and honor and all that kind of stuff––values, morality, all that kind of stuff that everybody looks kind of down their nose at.”

His Father’s Influence

Even though his father didn’t think Sam should have pursued an acting career, he feels that his character stemmed from his father. There was always something about his father’s shadow that sat on his mind. “I wanted him to be proud of me. That’s the worst part of it.

When you don’t think your dad’s proud of you – I knew he was in other areas. You know, I could catch more trout than he or any of his friends. He was proud of that… I don’t think he got the theater arts.”

Working With Netflix

Sam Elliott appeared in a number of episodes on Netflix’s Grace and Frankie as Jane Fonda’s love interest.

From here he has moved on to a full-position role on the comedy called The Ranch.

In Love With Jane Fonda

In a tit-for-tat style of crush-chatting, Sam Elliott and Jane Fonda revealed that they had some feelings for each-other for many years already.

They each had a turn to say what they felt about the other, only they weren’t together when these remarks went down.

Sam Elliott Speaks

Elliott was the first to speak, and he said, “I had never worked with Jane.

I knew her from back in the days when she was with Ted Turner (her third husband). I didn’t know her personally … only loved her from afar over the course of her career.” “[in Klute] she was so beautiful, and Jane’s a beautiful woman today, inside and out.”

Jane Fonda Speaks

When Jane Fonda’s turn came to speak, she remarked, “‘Klute’? Who wouldn’t have had a crush on me back then?” “I want him to have a crush on me now.”

“He said he had a crush on me in ‘Klute.’ Well, I had a crush on him in ‘Lifeguard.’”

Coming Back To Hollywood

Sam and Katharine haven’t disappeared from the Hollywood limelight. In fact in 2017 they starred together in The Hero.

Sam continues to act alongside Ashton Kutcher in the Netflix series called, The Ranch.

His Favorite Role

As you could imagine, an actor of such caliber would probably have a hard time choosing which role he enjoyed most. In an interview with BUILD, he explained that he couldn’t pick one, but rather that he thinks about the cast and crew. “I think what I remember most about films are the people rather than the films themselves,” Elliott said.

“I don’t think it will ever get any better than it was on this film [The Hero]. You know, this was on all sides of the camera, it was labor of love for a lot of people.”

One For One

The Hero almost instantly became fans’ favorite Sam Elliott movie. The reason was because he played the role of Lee Hayden without imperfection. What most people don’t know is that Brett Hayley, the director, had Elliott in mind while writing the screenplay.

Elliott described how he felt about it, “I was totally flattered that he [Haley] and Marc would take the time to write an entire screenplay for me. I’ve had a few parts written for me over the years, but I’ve never had a screenplay written for me.”

His Parents

It was quite simple for Sam Elliott to explain who his greatest life influences were. He explained, “That’s very difficult to answer.

But to be honest with you I think my parents made the biggest difference in my life…He [his father] was a man’s man, and that rubbed off on me. My mom has always been completely supportive of my work.”

Loves Being A Cowboy

When Elliott was asked in an interview with DP/30 how he felt about always being cast as a cowboy, he said he liked it.

“I just think that genre has always spoken to me. My family heritage comes from Texas for generations,” he said. “I think there’s a real truth to westerns and a real simplicity to them that appeals to people. It’s pretty black and white.”

Money Isn’t His Priority

The saying goes, ‘money makes the world go ’round,’ but Sam Elliott will argue with you on that point.

“Don’t let that [money] be the number one priority because then that means you’ll do anything, for the right price… I hate that saying,” he told DP/30. He only went against this philosophy when he was starting out he says.

Just One Flaw

Don’t get the wrong idea, Sam Elliott loves his wife to death, but he admits that she has one flaw.

Elliott claims that his wife doesn’t “chase it” – meaning the roles she wants in movies.

Worked On Beef Ads For 8 Years

With his dry, rough and unique voice, Sam Elliott voiced commercials for beef companies. He told The Guardian, “I did beef ads for about eight years because I love the people in that industry, and there are a lot of people who make their living in the beef world. Ranchers, primarily.

Those ads pushed the numbers in the marketplace for beef up considerably … but when it got to the point where they kept asking for different takes, different cuts, different deals you can get involved with … I started to bristle at it.”

Technology Takes Over

Elliott has been a key player in the film industry for more than 50 years, so he has experienced a lot of change. One thing that he finds difficult to wrap his mind around, is technology. “Changes that have been made in the technological world have revolutionized the movie business on almost every level,” he said.

“There are some constants that are never going to change. But from a technical standpoint, it’s a whole other world.”

Living In The Moment

One of Elliott’s beliefs is that he should never look back on any part of his life with regret. Even when it comes to leaving a legacy behind, he would rather connect with people here and now. “It’s about the people I’m working with at the time, and just going in and enjoying the process,” he told The Guardian.

“It’s hard work, but it’s a creative, artistic process. And if you can’t enjoy that, then you’re going about it wrong.”

His VS His

Thinking about mustaches can bring both Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott into our minds, but who wore it better? According to Elliott, “I think it all depends on where we are at the time, you know?

Right now I’ve got more of a mustache than Tom does, but I know he can grow one,” he explained to Vanity Fair. “I don’t think he’s ever grown his out the way I’ve grown mine out over the years.”

‘A Star Is Born’

Recently Sam Elliott completed the film, A Star Is Born. Directed by Bradley Cooper was the director and Elliott had some very nice things to say about him, “He’s [Cooper] super intelligent, has an incredible work ethic. And Stefani [Lady Gaga] is equally incredible.

She’s going to surprise a lot of people with her acting ability. It’s an amazing experience to be with them both.”

South In The Mouth

Elliott’s voice is obviously one that packs an accent that most people would die for, but it wasn’t always the appropriate one for the roles he played.

He recalled a director once telling him so, “I did do a movie called Lifeguard back in 1976 with a director named Dan Petrie, who did a lot of incredible work. Every once in a while, he would tell me: “Let’s do it again, and this time, let’s be a little less south in the mouth.” That’s always amused me.”

His Favorites

As someone who loves being a part of western films, it’s interesting to know which are Elliott’s favorites. “The Searchers would be up there. Red River. Shane.

There was a particular time in Hollywood where the western was the bread and butter for everybody in town,” he told The Guardian.

Pretending For A Living

Every actor has to act and pretend as the main part of their jobs, and Sam Elliott is no different.

He knows that himself and even commented on it, saying, “We’re the great pretenders, some not so great probably, but that’s what we do. We pretend for a living.”

Justified

In 2015, Sam Elliott won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for best guest performer in a drama for his work in the FX Network’s show Justified.

Discovering His Voice

During an interview on Bloomberg TV, Elliott was asked when he realized that his voice was something special.

He chuckled and answered, “Not until I started getting paid for it, I guess.”

Insuring His Voice

It’s not uncommon for celebrities and performers to insure their body parts, after all, sometimes they’re their money makers.

When Sam Elliott was asked if he had insured his voice, he simply answered, “no”.

A Man’s Man

2015’s film, I’ll See You in My Dreams, got a lot of people’s attention as it was rare to see a female lead who was over the age of 40.

Director Brett Haley was so thrilled to have Sam Elliott as the leading male role, that he mentioned in an interview with Bloomberg TV that Elliott was the true definition of a “man’s man”.

Ashton’s Take

Playing alongside Elliott in Netflix’s The Ranch is Ashton Kutcher.

He explained to talk show host Jimmy Kimmel that “You want him to narrate your whole life as you’re going. Ashton is brushing his teeth right now.”

Hollywood And Vietnam

Elliott hasn’t reserved his opinion about Hollywood’s portrayal of the Vietnam War.

“Any of these Vietnam vets that have been there and know the deal, they don’t feel that any Hollywood endeavor about the Vietnam era has ever gotten it right yet.”

Talking About Death

73 years old doesn’t mean the same thing it did 50 years ago, but it’s still something Sam Elliott feels he has started thinking about more often.

“We’re all faced with it. The older I get, the more I’m dealing with it, that mortality thing. My wife [Katharine Ross] and I just went to a memorial service for an actor named Michael Parks. That’s just one more guy that’s gone. I’ve lost half a dozen friends this year already.”

Women’s Image Awards

While attending the 17th Annual Women’s Image Awards, Elliott and his wife were interviewed by Lauren Salaun from AfterBuzzTV.

Elliott said, “I’m honored to be here, I’m here for a couple of reasons – I’m here to present an award and here to support the effort.”

Parity And Opportunity

When Salaun asked the couple what changes they would want to see in the industry, Elliott was quick to say, “Women in any level, regardless if it’s the creative aspect or production… there’s opportunity and parity.

There are lots of great women out there. For a long time they’ve been given the short end of the stick.”

Parks And Recreation

Sam Elliott played “Ron Dunn” in 2013 for Parks and Recreation. In an interview with AV Film, he confessed just how much he loved the role he played: “God, the opportunity, when it came along, it was a no-brainer to do it, ’cause I’m a fan of the show.

Even after nearly 50 years in this business, I still feel like I’m lucky every time I get a decent job, but an opportunity to work with people of that ilk… I mean, they’re really smart people, and they’re doing something to give you a laugh. It was a pleasure to be around those guys.”

Wendell Berry And Sam Elliott

Elliott says that he’s a fan of Wendell Berry’s writing, and given the opportunity, he would love to sit down to dinner with him. Wendell’s reply was epic, “Well, my God, I’ll build a truck, and then I’ll drive the truck to ferry him to dinner at the table of his choosing.

I would walk a very long mile to share a sleeve of Saltines with Sam, let alone a plate of steak.”

Why Movies

“Going to too many movies when I was growing up, basically. I just got fascinated by it early on. And it wasn’t like I wanted to be a legitimate actor, a real actor.

I wanted to make movies. Consequently, I didn’t study, really. I did some. I did a lot of stuff all the way through school. But I just got bit by wanting to do films, and I had tunnel vision about it.”

On The Set Of Gettysburg

Originally Sam Elliott was going to be cast for the role of Robert E. Lee, but there was some objection when someone who remains unnamed said, “If he plays that part, I’m not gonna do the movie.”

Elliott was fine with that since he felt the character of Brigadier General John Buford was much more interesting.

Clooney’s Eyes

When talking about working with George Clooney on the set of Up In The Air, Sam Elliott couldn’t stop thinking about Clooney’s eyes.

“The one thing I remember of that was looking at [George] Clooney’s eyes. Clooney’s got a set of shark eyes, man. I mean, they’re deep and they’re dark. And it kind of disarmed me.”

Meeting John Wayne

Elliott admits that he had a collection of influences that made him become the actor he is now. One such actor was John Wayne, whom he actually got to meet. “I went and got John Wayne’s autograph.

He was doing “The Shootist,” his last film. I went in and talked with him for a few minutes. He didn’t know me from Adam but he knew I was an aspiring actor.”

Elliott As Thunderbolt Ross

Sam played the role of “Thunderbolt Ross” in the 2003 film, Hulk.

Hulk was played by Eric Bana, and Elliott would become his nemesis in the movie. When The Incredible Hulk came out in 2008, Elliott wanted to have his same role, but in the end he didn’t get it.

Robot Chicken

Elliott has another unique record to his name that not many people know about.

He is the only actor ever, to be nominated for an Emmy for a guest performing on Robot Chicken which happened in 2001.