John Elliott (July 5, 1876 â€" December 12, 1956) 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.Elliott was
born on July 5, 1876, one day after the United States' Centennial, 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.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 (1930), starring Gary Cooper. It was a
role he would play in several films, such as Carolina (1934), starring
Janet Gaynor and Lionel Barrymore; and Operator 13 (1934), 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 (1931), starring
Richard Arlen and Fay Wray; to featured roles like that of Jess Roarke
in 1936's Ridin' On.
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.Elliott was
born on July 5, 1876, one day after the United States' Centennial, 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.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 (1930), starring Gary Cooper. It was a
role he would play in several films, such as Carolina (1934), starring
Janet Gaynor and Lionel Barrymore; and Operator 13 (1934), 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 (1931), starring
Richard Arlen and Fay Wray; to featured roles like that of Jess Roarke
in 1936's Ridin' On.
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