Ross Elliott

For the Australian journalist and politician, see Ross Elliott (politician).

Ross Elliott
Born	(1917-06-18)June 18, 1917 Bronx, New York, U.S.
Died	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1938–1986
Spouse(s)	Esther Susan Melling (1954–1999) (his death)

Ross Elliott (June 18, 1917 – August 12, 1999) was an American television and film character actor. He began his acting career in the Mercury Theatre, where he performed in Orson Welles' famed radio program, The War of the Worlds.

Early years

Elliott was born Elliott Blum and was "a product of New York City." He had acted in high school and in summer camp. While at City College of New York, he participated in the college's dramatic society; its activities turned his plans away from becoming a lawyer.

Stage

Elliott's Broadway credits include The Shoemaker's Holiday (1938), Danton's Tod (1938), Morning Star (1940), This Is the Army (1942), and Apple of His Eye (1946).

Military service

Elliott joined the United States Army on August 4, 1941. Much of his time there was spent in "soldier-casts of various touring shows."

Television

Throughout his career, Elliott appeared in more than 100 television programs, including the recurring role of crewman Cort Ryker on the syndicated The Blue Angels (1960–1961), starring Dennis Cross and Don Gordon. Elliott appeared 59 times in a recurring role as Sheriff Abbott on NBC's western series, The Virginian. He was cast as Virgil Earp in four episodes in 1958 and 1959 of the ABC/Desilu western series, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, with Hugh O'Brian in the title role of Wyatt Earp, Virgil's younger brother.

In 1958, Elliott played a minister, the Reverend Kilgore in the episode "The Lord Will Provide" of the CBS western series, The Texan, starring Rory Calhoun as Bill Longley, and with Ellen Corby in the role of Katy Clayton. Later that year he played murder victim and title character George Hartley Beaumont in the Perry Mason episode, "The Case of the Corresponding Corpse."

On December 26, 1959, he was cast as the historical lawyer Temple Houston in the episode "The Reluctant Gun" of the syndicated western anthology series, Death Valley Days, with host Stanley Andrews. This appearance was nearly four years before Jeffrey Hunter played Temple Houston in the short-lived NBC series Temple Houston. Elliott portrayed Colonel Parker in the 1960 episode "Chain of Command" of the ABC/Warner Brothers western television series, Colt .45.

From 1962 to 1963, he was cast as Marty Rhodes in four episodes of the NBC legal drama, Sam Benedict, starring Edmond O'Brien. From 1963 to 1965, Elliott played Lee Baldwin on the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital.

Elliott appeared in 11 episodes of The Jack Benny Program as director Freddie. His other television appearances included Burns and Allen, The Twilight Zone, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Adventures of Superman, The Lone Ranger, Pony Express, The Rifleman, Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Lassie, Leave It To Beaver, Hazel, The Time Tunnel, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Dragnet, Adam-12, Emergency!, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Wonder Woman, The Dukes of Hazzard, and Little House on the Prairie.

Elliott may be best remembered for having portrayed the television director in the classic 1952 I Love Lucy episode, "Lucy Does a TV Commercial", in which Lucy Ricardo advertises "Vitameatavegamin", a tonic that is 23 percent alcohol.

Selected filmography

• Angel on the Amazon (1948)
• Kelly's Heroes (1970)
• Skyjacked (1972)
• The Towering Inferno (1974)
• Gable and Lombard (1976)

External links

• Ross Elliott at the Internet Movie Database
• Ross Elliott at the Internet Broadway Database
• Ross Elliott at Find a Grave