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James Ellison

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. James Ellison (May 4, 1910 - December 23, 1993) was an actor, born James Ellison Smith in Guthrie Center, Iowa, son of Edward James Smith and Ona Mary Ellis. Ellison appeared in nearly seventy films between 1932 and 1962. Ellison worked for a time in a film laboratory and while there was offered a screen test. He developed it himself and when he saw it, decided it was not satisfactory so he would not show it to the director. But he saw it anyway and Ellison got a contract. Despite his rugged good looks and height of 6 feet 3 inches, Ellison's limited range and somewhat wooden screen presence kept him from the first (or even second) ranks of stardom. He spent much of his career in Westerns, including a stint in the mid-thirties as the sidekick of Hopalong Cassidy in Paramount's successful series. In 1938, he played a charming, romantic character opposite 26 year old Lucille Ball in the comedy, "Next Time I Marry", a film where Ball had her first top billing on screen credits. Before that, in 1936, he played his highest-profile role, as Buffalo Bill in Cecil B. DeMille's The Plainsman, which also starred Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur. Despite that film's success, Ellison spent most of the remainder of his career shuttling between cowboy pictures and more varied roles, primarily in B movies with titles like Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case and The Undying Monster. He had a supporting role in 1941's Charley's Aunt (which starred Jack Benny) and played the romantic lead in 1943's The Gang's All Here, a Twentieth Century Fox musical in which he seemed somewhat lost among the vivid antics of Carmen Miranda, Charlotte Greenwood, and Edward Everett Horton (and was the only principal not to sing a note). He also co-starred with Tom Conway and Frances Dee in Val Lewton's production of I Walked with a Zombie, directed by Jacques Tourneur. Ellison landed another romantic lead role as 'Jerry Gibson' in the musical film Lady, Let's Dance (1944) which starred ice skating sensation 'Belita'. In the early 1950s, Ellison moved from acting to real estate. Joining fellow veteran Jackie Coogan, Ellison returned to the screen only once to play Axel 'Longhorn' Gates in a picture called When the Girls Take Over (1962). James Ellison died at age 83 in Monterey, California after suffering a broken neck as the result of a fall. Description above from the Wikipedia article James Ellison (actor), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.


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Born:
May 4, 1910 In Guthrie Center, Iowa, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
62
First Appeared:
In the movie Play Girl 1932-03-12
Latest Project:
Movie When the Girls Take Over 1962-04-30
Known For
Poster of West of the Brazos
Poster of Colorado Ranger
Poster of Lady, Let's Dance
Filmography
Movie When the Girls Take Over Alex 'Longhorn' Gates (as Jimmy Ellison) 1962-04-30
Movie Texas City Jim Kirby (as Jimmy Ellison) 1952-01-27
Movie Man from the Black Hills Jim Fallon 1952-03-29
Movie Dead Man's Trail Dan Winslow 1952-07-19
Movie Oklahoma Justice Clancy 1951-08-18
Movie Kentucky Jubilee Jeff Benson 1951-05-18
Movie Whistling Hills Sheriff Dave Holland 1951-10-06
Movie Texas Lawmen Sheriff Tod Merrick 1951-12-02
Movie Marshal of Heldorado Shamrock Ellison 1950-04-21
Movie Hostile Country Shamrock Ellison 1950-03-24
Movie Colorado Ranger Shamrock Kid 1950-05-12
Movie Fast on the Draw Shamrock Ellison 1950-06-30
Movie The Texan Meets Calamity Jane Gordon Hastings 1950-11-15
Movie I Killed Geronimo Capt. Jeff Packard 1950-08-08
Movie West of the Brazos Shamrock Ellison 1950-06-02
Movie Last of the Wild Horses Duke Barnum 1948-12-27
Movie Calendar Girl Steve Adams 1947-01-31
Movie The Ghost Goes Wild Monte Crandall 1947-08-08
Movie Hollywood and Vine Larry Winters 1945-04-25
Movie Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore Mike Burke 1944-07-07
Movie Lady, Let's Dance Jerry Gibson 1944-04-11
Movie Dixie Dugan Roger Hudson 1943-03-12
Movie I Walked with a Zombie Wesley Rand 1943-04-21
Movie Best Foot Forward Cadet 1943-10-08
Movie The Gang's All Here Andy Mason 1943-12-24
Movie That Other Woman Henry Summers 1942-11-13
Movie Careful, Soft Shoulders Thomas Aldrich 1942-09-18
Movie The Undying Monster Robert Curtis 1942-11-27
Movie Army Surgeon Capt. James Mason 1942-12-04
Movie They Met in Argentina Tim Kelly 1941-04-25
Movie Play Girl Thomas Elwood Dice 1941-01-29
Movie Ice-Capades Bob Clemens 1941-08-19
Movie Charley's Aunt Jack Chesney 1941-08-01
Movie Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case P. Cadwallader Jones 1941-12-18
Movie You Can't Fool Your Wife Andrew Hinklin 1940-05-21
Movie Anne of Windy Poplars Tony Pringle 1940-06-28
Movie Almost a Gentleman Dan Preston 1939-03-31
Movie Zenobia Jeff Carter 1939-04-21
Movie Sorority House Bill Loomis 1939-05-05
Movie 5th Ave Girl Mike 1939-09-22
Movie Hotel for Women Jeff Buchanan 1939-08-03
Movie Vivacious Lady Keith 1938-05-13
Movie Next Time I Marry Anthony J. Anthony 1938-12-09
Movie Mother Carey's Chickens Ralph Thurston 1938-07-29
Movie 23 1/2 Hours Leave Sgt. Robert Gray 1937-03-21
Movie Borderland Johnny Nelson 1937-02-26
Movie Annapolis Salute William J. "Bill" Martin 1937-09-10
Movie The Leathernecks Have Landed Mac MacDonald 1936-02-17
Movie Heart of the West Johnny Nelson 1936-02-24
Movie Call of the Prairie Johnny Nelson 1936-03-06
Movie Trail Dust Johnny Nelson 1936-12-11
Movie The Plainsman William "Buffalo Bill" Cody 1936-11-16
Movie Three on the Trail Johnny Nelson 1936-04-14
Movie The Winning Ticket Jimmy 1935-02-08
Movie Buried Loot Detective (uncredited) 1935-01-19
Movie Reckless Dale Every 1935-04-19
Movie Hitch Hike Lady Jimmy Peyton 1935-12-28
Movie Hop-a-long Cassidy Johnny Nelson 1935-08-23
Movie Bar 20 Rides Again Johnny Nelson 1935-12-06
Movie The Eagle's Brood Johnny Nelson 1935-10-25
Movie Play Girl Elmer 1932-03-12
Movie The Famous Ferguson Case Reporter Lane (uncredited) 1932-04-19
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