Sam Elliott: His Career Through the Years

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Sam Elliott

Born August 9, 1944 in Sacramento, California, Sam Elliott would begin his rise to fame during his university years. While attending Clark college in Vancouver, Washington, Sam would be cast as the lead in a production of Guys and Dolls. Seeing his natural talent, a local newspaper suggested he try his hand at acting professionally and that was all the push Sam needed to follow his dreams!

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'Lifeguard'

Sam Elliott's mustache days would begin almost as soon as his career took off! Beginning his career as a character actor, he would get his start in a number of Westerns including hit Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and television film I Will Fight No More Forever. Westerns would help lead to his breakthrough role in 1976 in Lifeguard. While he had the looks, critics were not yet wowed over by the young Elliott.

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'Murder in Texas'

Despite the lukewarm praise, Sam Elliott was determined to make audiences love him. Taking on a number of miniseries in the early 1980s, including as an abusive wife-killer in 1981's Murder in Texas, Sam would begin to build his impressive resume as well as meet his future wife Katharine Ross!

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'Road House'

By the 1990s Sam Elliott was becoming well known for his collaborations with his impressive mustache comrade Tom Selleck. One of his most successful films of the 1980s would be 1989's Road House where Elliott would star as a formidable bouncer opposite Patrick Swayze.

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'Conagher'

Sam Elliott was everybody's favorite cowboy and fans just couldn't get enough of the handsome mustached rancher in 1991's Conagher. Once again starring opposite his wife Katharine Ross, their off-screen chemistry would do wonders for the film!

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'Gettysburg'

1993 would bring not just one, but two big hits for Sam Elliott with Westerns Tombstone and Gettysburg. The latter at over four hours long is an impressive work, and while he had a smaller role, Elliott managed to steal the show!

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'The Big Lebowski'

In 1996, Sam Elliott would try his hand at comedy and succeed. Taking on the role of the narrator "The Stranger", Sam Elliot in the The Big Lebowski is a classic Coen brothers film you shouldn't miss!

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'Hulk'

Even as he gets older, Sam Elliott only gets more and more refined! Some of his biggest films have come out after the actor turned 50! 2003 would see Elliott as "General "Thunderbolt" Ross" in Marvel film Hulk. An interesting take on everyone's favorite green superhero, Elliott plays the role of "Bruce Banner's" ex-girlfriend's father spot on!

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'Ghost Rider'

Sticking with the superhero genre, Sam Elliott would absolutely blow critics away in 2007's film adaption of popular comic Ghost Rider. Playing "Carter Slade", as an ex-ghost rider, Sam is a wise old sage we would trust with our lives!

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'Justified'

Along with successful movies, Sam Elliott has also delivered his fair share of hit television series over the years. One of his best roles came in Western crime drama Justified in which he would win an award for best guest performer at 2015's Critics' Choice Television Awards! Most recently you can also catch Sam starring on hit Netflix Western, The Ranch alongside Ashton Kutcher and as "Phil Millstein" on Grace and Frankie!