Elliott at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival

The filmography of American actor Sam Elliott includes nearly 100 credits in both film and television. He came to prominence for his portrayal of gruff cowboy characters in Western films and TV series, making early minor appearances in The Way West (1967) and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). He went on to appear in several horror films, such as Frogs (1972) and The Legacy (1978), and appeared in various television series. His film breakthrough was the drama Mask (1985), in which he co-starred with Cher. In 1989, he starred in the Christmas movie Prancer, playing a widowed apple farmer whose daughter finds an injured reindeer and tends to it in the belief it is one of Santa's. The 1989 film Road House also featured Elliott.

He would reprise his Western image in 1991's television film Conagher, for which he earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor, followed by his role portraying Virgil Earp in Tombstone (1993). He also appeared in Gettysburg (1993), in which he played Brigadier General John Buford. He earned his second Golden Globe nomination for his supporting portrayal of Wild Bill Hickok in the miniseries Buffalo Girls (1995). He had a small (but crucial) role in the comedy The Big Lebowski (1998), and later had supporting roles in the fantasy The Golden Compass (2007) and the drama Up in the Air (2009).

From 2016 until its ending in 2020, Elliott began portraying Beau Bennett on the Netflix series The Ranch. He subsequently appeared in a supporting role in the musical drama A Star Is Born (2018) directed by and co-starring Bradley Cooper, which earned him a National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor and various nominations, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role.

Film

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1967The Way WestMissouri TownsmanUncredited
1969Butch Cassidy and the Sundance KidCard Player #2
1970The GamesRichie Robinson
1972FrogsPickett Smith
Molly and Lawless JohnJohnny Lawler
1976LifeguardRick Carlson
1978The LegacyPete Danner
1985MaskGar
1986The Blue LightningHarold "Harry" Wingate
1987Fatal BeautyMike Marshak
1988ShakedownDetective Richie Marks
1989Road HouseWade Garrett
PrancerJohn Riggs
1990Sibling RivalryCharles Turner Jr.
1991RushLarry Dodd
1993TombstoneVirgil Earp
GettysburgBrigadier General John Buford
1995Blue RiverHenry Howland
The Final CutJohn Pierce
1996DogwatchCharlie Falon
Adventures of MowgliKaaEnglish voice
1998The Big LebowskiThe Stranger
The Hi-Lo CountryJim Ed Love
2000The ContenderKermit Newman
2002We Were SoldiersSergeant Major Basil L. Plumley
2003HulkGeneral Thaddeus Ross
Off the MapCharley Groden
2005Thank You for SmokingLorne Lutch
2006BarnyardBen (voice)Also sung "I Won’t Back Down"
The AlibiThe Mormon
2007Ghost RiderThe Caretaker / Carter Slade / Phantom Rider
The Golden CompassLee Scoresby
2009Did You Hear About the Morgans?Clay Wheeler
Up in the AirCaptain Maynard Finch
2010MarmadukeChupadogra / Buster (voice)
2011The Big BangSimon Kestral
2012The Company You Keep'Mac' McLeod
2014Draft DayCoach Moore
2015I'll See You in My DreamsBill
GrandmaKarl
The Good DinosaurButch (voice)
2017Rock DogFleetwood Yak (voice)
The HeroLee Hayden
AudubonNarrator (voice)
2018The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the BigfootCalvin Barr
A Star Is BornBobby Maine
2019Lady and the TrampTrusty (voice)
2025The Gettysburg AddressWard Hill Lamon (voice)

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1968–1969Felony SquadNumerous3 episodes
1969Land of the GiantsMartin ReedEpisode: "Six Hours to Live"
The F.B.I.SAC Kendall LisbonEpisode: "The Prey"
Judd, for the DefenseDan KenyonEpisode: "The Crystal Maze"
1969–1970LancerRenslo / Canopus / Cowboy3 episodes
1970The ChallengeBryantTelevision film
1970–1971Mission: ImpossibleDr. Douglas Robert (Lang)13 episodes
1971Assault on the WayneEnsign Bill SandoverTelevision film
1972GunsmokeCory SoamesEpisode: "The Wedding"
The Mod SquadRick PriceEpisode: "Good Times Are Just Memories"
Molly and Lawless JohnJohnny LawlerTelevision film
1973The Blue KnightDetective Charlie BronskiTelevision film
MannixBill SaundersEpisode: "Little Girl Lost"
HawkinsLuther WilkesEpisode: "Die Die, Darling"
1974Doc ElliotLee BarrowsEpisode: "A Time to Live"
Hawaii Five-OJack HoustonEpisode: "The Two-Faced Corpse"
Evel KnievelEvel KnievelTelevision film
The ManhunterWill GantryEpisode: "The Ma Gantry Gang"
The Streets of San FranciscoKen JohnsonEpisode: "The Hard Breed"
1975Police WomanMichael GregoryEpisode: "Farewell, Mary Jane"
I Will Fight No More ForeverCaptain WoodTelevision film
1976–1977Once an EagleSam DamonMiniseries; main role
1977AspenTom KeatingTelevision film
1979The SackettsTell SackettTelevision film
1980Wild TimesHugh Cardiff2 episodes
1981Murder in TexasDr. John HillTelevision film
1982The Shadow RidersDal TravenTelevision film
The Yellow RoseChance McKenzieMain role
1984Travis McGeeTravis McGeeTelevision film
1985A Death in CaliforniaD. Jordan Williams2 episodes
1987Gone to TexasSam HoustonTelevision film; also producer
The Quick and the DeadCon VallianTelevision film
1988The World's Greatest Stunts: A Tribute to Hollywood StuntmenHimselfDocumentary
1991ConagherConn ConagherTelevision film; also writer and producer
1992Fugitive Nights: Danger in the DesertLyn CutterTelevision film
1994The Desperate TrailBill SpeakesTelevision film
1995The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the SkyBill BellTelevision film
Buffalo GirlsBill 'Wild Bill' HickokTelevision film
Blue RiverHenry HowlandTelevision film
The Way West(voice)Documentary
Woman UndoneRoss BishopTelevision film
1997Rough RidersCaptain 'Bucky' O'NeillTelevision film
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the WesternHimselfDocumentary
1998Texarkana—N/aTelevision film
1999You Know My NameBill TilghmanTelevision film; also producer
2000Fail SafeCongressman RaskobTelevision film
2001Pretty When You CryDetective Lukas BlackTelevision film
2002–2007American BikersJoel Baldwin (voice)Main role
2003Hulk: The LowdownHimself (co-host)Documentary
2006AvengerCalvin DexterTelevision film
2010November ChristmasJesse 'Jess' SanfordTelevision film
2012, 2020Robot ChickenHimself / White Wine Narrator / Skito / Reporter (voices)2 episodes
2013–2015Parks and RecreationRon Dunn3 episodes
2015JustifiedAvery MarkhamMain role (season 6)
2016–2020The RanchBeau BennettMain role; also producer
2016American Dad!John 'Big John' Tanner (voice)Episode: "Kiss Kiss Cam Cam"
Grace and FrankiePhil Milstein4 episodes
2019–presentFamily GuyWild West / Himself (voices)22 episodes
2021–20221883Shea BrennanMain role
2021MacGruberPerry4 episodes
2025LandmanT.L. NorrisMain Role (Season 2)

See also

External links