Sam Elliott’s first notable role in a movie of real significance was still a pretty minor one. The movie was the classic Paul Newman and Robert Redford action western movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The role played by Elliott didn’t even have a name; he was just “Card Player #2”. But it was still a big break for the rising young actor, since the movie was a smash hit and his face was being seen by millions of people.
Coincidentally, one of the leads in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was played by a certain woman named Katharine Ross, who would go on a few years later to be the wife of none other than Sam Elliott. She and Sam shared no scenes in the movie, and wouldn’t really get to know each other for almost another decade before finally marrying in 1984.
Military Man
Among the roles Sam Elliott has played over the course of his career have been a number of military men. His tall imposing frame and commanding presence have certainly helped with that. If you were a casting agent, he would seem like a natural choice for a soldier (when he was young) or an officer (in his later years).
But there’s some reality behind the art, too. Around the same time he was in college and working construction, Sam also served a stint in the California Air National Guard. He considers his time in the military to be critical in developing his leadership skills and discipline.
Getting His Start
Despite everything he had going for him, Sam Elliott did not exactly become a Hollywood superstar overnight. He has a modest start in show business with an uncredited role in the Kirk Douglas western 'The Way West'. This was followed with supporting roles in several episodes of the television police procedural Felony Squad. Other minor TV and movie roles would follow over the next couple years.
These early roles would serve as a solid foundation, both in terms of honing his skills as well as getting him noticed by the right people, to take the next step in Elliott’s acting career. The future was looking bright for Sam Elliott.
Small Roles Continue
As the years went on and the decade turned from the 1960s to the 70s, Sam managed to keep finding steady work in front of Hollywood cameras, but the breakout role that would make him a star never did come his way during that period.
Among the television shows he appeared in during that time were episodes of The F.B.I, Land of the Giants, Bracken’s World, and three episodes of Lancer. He also appeared in the movie The Games.
Blossoming TV Career
While Sam didn’t stop auditioning for movie roles, and occasionally landing some nice supporting roles, most of his work in this period was in television. And his roles started to get juicier too. He had a recurring role for 13 episodes of Mission: Impossible. And then in 1974 he got a big break playing the title role in the biographical TV film Evel Knievel.
From 1976 to 1977, Elliott was a the top of his early career playing the lead role in the seven-part miniseries Once an Eagle, based on the bestselling war novel.