Ross Elliott

Ross Elliott Biography Born June 18, 1917 in The Bronx, New York, USA Died August 12, 1999 in Los Angeles, California, USA (cancer) Birth Name Elliott Morton Blum A general utilitarian player on TV and film, Ross Elliott provided clean-cut, reliable support for over four decades. Born Elliott Blum on June 18, 1917 in New York City, Ross grew up in the Bronx and began appearing in plays while a teenager at both summer camps and in high school. He attended New York's "City College" upon graduation pursuing both law and appearing in the college's dramatic productions. Acting won out in the long run after he received his degree in 1937. Following variety show and summer stock work, Elliott became a member of Orson Welles Mercury Theatre and played minor parts on Broadway in "Julius Caesar" (modern version), "The Shoemaker's Holiday" and "Danton's Death." He also was a part of the notorious "War of the Worlds" broadcast on radio in 1938. He also stage-toured with Welles in "Five Kings". His career was interrupted by a tour of duty in the Army. Appearing in several of their touring show, one of the better-known was "This Is the Army." He would also appear in the Warner Brothers' film version of This Is the Army (1943). Elliott returned to professional acting following his honorable discharge and replaced Tom Ewell touring with Walter Huston in "Apple of His Eye". By 1947, he had relocated to Los Angeles and appeared in his first film The Burning Cross (1947) with a story involving the KKK. His four-decade career would include hundreds of movie and TV roles. His more visible clean-cut appearances occurred in the films Woman on the Run (1950), Hot Lead (1951), Woman in the Dark (1952), Problem Girls (1953), The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953), Carolina Cannonball (1955), Indestructible Man (1956), Monster on the Campus (1958). Of the scores of parts he played on TV, from the dramas ("Perry Mason", "Death Valley Days", "The Adventures of Superman", "Lassie", "The Twilight Zone", "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea", "Kung Fu", "The Mod Squad", "Dallas", "Little House on the Prairie", and "The A-Team") to the comedies ("The Dick Van Dyke Show", "Leave It to Beaver", "Hazel", "Here's Lucy", "The Doris Day Show", and "Phyllis"), Ross will be forever remembered as Lucy Ricardo's director in the classic Vitameatavegamin commercial episode of I Love Lucy (1951). In other "Lucy" episodes, he played Ricky Ricardo's publicity agent. He also played Virgil Earp in several episodes of The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955), frequently appeared as a straight man for Jack Benny on his long-running TV show, and played Sheriff Abbott in many segments of The Virginian (1962). After several detours, his career waned in the 1970s, and he turned to real estate. His last film was a small role in Scorpion (1986). He died of cancer at age 82 on August 12, 1999, and was cremated. Family (3) Spouse Esther Susan Melling (11 December 1954 - 12 August 1999) (his death) Ellen Ann Schachner (2 May 1943 - 1946) (divorced) Parents Henry Isaac Blum and Carrie Schwartz Relatives Shirley Beatrice Blum (sibling) Trivia (7) Elliott began his acting career with Orson Welles' Mercury Theater, where he performed in Welles' famed radio program "War of the Worlds". Grew up in the Bronx and attended the City College of New York. Married twice. Appeared in his first film The Burning Cross (1947), a story about the KKK. In the film Storm Warning (1951), Elliott appeared as a Klansman. According to an article on Ross by Tom Weaver in Classic Images film magazine (April 2016), Ross became upset on the set of the daytime soap opera "General Hospital" in which he had a regular part of Lee Baldwin and left his role. The role was taken over by another actor (Peter Hansen) and went on to last decades and cost him years of steady work. Met actor William Alland during his days with the Mercury Players which led to a longtime friendship. Ross later appeared in three of producer Alland's movies: Tarantula (1955), As Young as We Are (1958), and The Lively Set (1964). Born on exactly the same date as actor Richard Boone. Personal Quotes (2) I'll be honest with you. I made some wrong turns. I made some career decisions and did some dumb things that cost me and sent me off-track...There were a few wrong turns, and there was a wrong turn or two that I won't go into. If I hadn't made them, my career would have had more lasting up-turns. [It was] an exciting time; it was a helluva good thing for a guy to be tied up with." [RE, referring to his days working with Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre.