Job Actor
Years active 1930-1988
Known for Cowardly villains, losers, neurotics
Top Roles Frank Lucas, George Peatty, 'Punky', a Brunner Henchman, Harry Jones, Carvey
Top GenresDrama, Comedy, Crime, Film Noir, Mystery, Western
Top TopicsBook-Based, Screwball Comedy, Heist
Top Collaborators (Director), (Director), (Producer),
Shares birthday with Richard Widmark, Vladimir Sokoloff, Alan King  see more..

Elisha Cook Jr. Overview:

Character actor, Elisha Cook Jr., was born Elisha Vanslyck Cook Jr. on Dec 26, 1903 in San Francisco, CA. Cook Jr. died at the age of 91 on May 18, 1995 in Big Pine, CA and was cremated and his ashes scattered location unknown.

MINI BIO:

A popular American character actor, Elisha Cook Jr. played losers and short, shifty, nervous guys living on life's edge. They made a bluster of bravado but were always found wanting, or were just plain out-of-luck. Shot in "Shane", knifed in "The Black Bird", strangled in "Phantom Lady", poisoned in "The Big Sleep, Cook 'got his' in a number of different ways. 

(Source: available at Amazon Quinlan's Illustrated Dictionary of Film Character Actors).

HONORS and AWARDS:

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BlogHub Articles:

Know Your Character Actor – Elisha Cook, Jr.

By smumcountry on Jul 8, 2017 From Smum County

July 8, 2017 by smumcounty Elisha Vanslyck Cook, Jr. was born into a theatrical family on December 26th, 1903 in San Francisco to Elisha Vanslyck Cook, Sr. and Helen Henry. His father was likely a jack of all trades in theater, acting as director, producer, and manager. His mother was an actress of ... Read full article


Elisha Cook, Jr. Hollywood acting career spanned 60 years

By Art on Dec 26, 2015 From Classic Cinema Gold

Elisha Cook, Jr. was an American character actor whose acting career spanned more than 60 years with roles in films such as “The Maltese Falcon” (1941), “The Big Sleep” (1946) and “Shane” (1953). Elisha Cook was born December 26, 1903 in San Francisco, Calif... Read full article


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Elisha Cook Jr. Quotes:

Watson Pritchard: [opening lines] The ghosts are moving tonight, restless... hungry. May I introduce myself? I'm Watson Pritchard. In just a moment I'll show you the only really haunted house in the world. Since it was built a century ago, seven people including my brother have been murdered in it, since then, I've owned the house. I only spent one night then and when they found me in the morning, I... I was almost dead.


Watson Pritchard: [looking at blood stain on ceiling] See that stain? Blood. A young girl was killed here... and whatever got her wasn't human.


Frederick Loren: The caretakers will leave at midnight, locking us in here until they come back in the morning. Once the door is locked, there's no way out. The windows have bars that a jail would be proud of, and the only door to the outside locks like vault. There's no electricity, no phone, no one within miles, so no way to call for help.
Watson Pritchard: Like a coffin.


read more quotes from Elisha Cook Jr....



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Elisha Cook Jr. Facts
Died on the same day as his Johnny Cool (1963) co-star Elizabeth Montgomery.

Enlisted in U.S. Army on 15 August 1942. Height and weight at enlistment given as 5' 5" and 123 lb. Education given as three years of high school.

Was an assistant stage manager at age 17.

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