James Ellison (born James Ellison Smith; May 4, 1910 – December 23, 1993) was an American film actor who appeared in nearly 70 films from 1932 to 1962.

Biography

Ellison was born in Guthrie Center, Iowa, the son of Edward James Smith and Ona Mary Ellis. He worked for a time in a film laboratory and while there was offered a

screen test A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an actor or actress for performing on film or in a particular role. The performer is generally given a scene, or selected lines and actions, and instructed to perform in front of a came ...

. He developed the film footage himself, and after he saw it, decided it was not satisfactory so he would not show it to the director. But the director saw it anyway and Ellison got a contract. He spent much of his career in westerns, including a stint in the mid-1930s as Johnny Nelson, the sidekick of

Hopalong Cassidy Hopalong Cassidy is a fictional cowboy hero created in 1904 by the author Clarence E. Mulford, who wrote a series of short stories and novels based on the character. Mulford portrayed the character as rude, dangerous, and rough-talking. He wa ...

in Paramount's highly successful series. Although he was a "supporting player" in the series, his name is oddly billed the same size and format as veteran actor and matinee idol

William Boyd William, Willie, Will or Bill Boyd may refer to: Academics * William Alexander Jenyns Boyd (1842–1928), Australian journalist and schoolmaster * William Boyd (educator) (1874–1962), Scottish educator * William Boyd (pathologist) (1885–1979), ...

's. Though it is not confirmed, this is believed to be because the character Johnny Nelson is very prominent in the original Hopalong Cassidy book series. In 1936, he played his highest-profile role as

Buffalo Bill William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), known as "Buffalo Bill", was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. He was born in Le Claire, Iowa Territory (now the U.S. state of Iowa), but he lived for several years ...

in Cecil B. DeMille's '' The Plainsman'', which also starred

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...

and

Jean Arthur Jean Arthur (born Gladys Georgianna Greene; October 17, 1900 – June 19, 1991) was an American Broadway and film actress whose career began in silent films in the early 1920s and lasted until the early 1950s. Arthur had feature roles in three F ...

. Although this film was a success, DeMille reportedly hated Ellison's performance and wanted to be certain the young actor never appeared in a film of equal quality again. In 1938, he played the role of Keith Morgan in the romantic comedy '' Vivacious Lady'', receiving third billing to

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

and

Jimmy Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality h ...

. The same year, he played a charming, romantic character opposite

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Gold ...

in the

RKO Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orph ...

comedy ''

Next Time I Marry ''Next Time I Marry'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Garson Kanin and written by John Twist and Helen Meinardi. The film stars Lucille Ball, James Ellison, Lee Bowman, Granville Bates and Mantan Moreland. The film was released on ...

''. He later shared top billing with Ball in 1940's ''

You Can't Fool Your Wife ''You Can't Fool Your Wife'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Ray McCarey and written by Jerome Cady. The film stars Lucille Ball, James Ellison, Robert Coote, Virginia Vale, Emma Dunn and Elaine Shepard. The film was released on May ...

''.

Ellison spent most of the remainder of his career shuttling between cowboy pictures and more varied roles, primarily in

B movie A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...

s like Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case and The Undying Monster. He had a supporting role in 1941's ''

Charley's Aunt ''Charley's Aunt'' is a farce in three acts written by Brandon Thomas. The story centres on Lord Fancourt Babberley, an undergraduate whose friends Jack and Charley persuade him to impersonate the latter's aunt. The complications of the plot in ...

'' (which starred

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century wit ...

) and played the romantic lead in 1943's '' The Gang's All Here'', a

Twentieth Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

musical in which he seemed somewhat lost among the vivid antics of

Carmen Miranda Carmen Miranda, (; born Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha, 9 February 1909 – 5 August 1955) was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, dancer, Broadway actress and film star who was active from the late 1920s onwards. Nicknamed "The Br ...

, Charlotte Greenwood, and Edward Everett Horton (and was the only principal not to sing a note). He also co-starred with

Tom Conway Tom Conway (born Thomas Charles Sanders, 15 September 1904 – 22 April 1967) was a British film, television, and radio actor remembered for playing private detectives (including The Falcon, Sherlock Holmes, Bulldog Drummond, and The Saint) ...

and Frances Dee in

Val Lewton Val Lewton (May 7, 1904 – March 14, 1951) was a Russian-American novelist, film producer and screenwriter best known for a string of low-budget horror films he produced for RKO Pictures in the 1940s. His son, also named Val Lewton, was a pain ...

's production of ''

I Walked with a Zombie ''I Walked with a Zombie'' is a 1943 American horror film directed by Jacques Tourneur and produced by Val Lewton for RKO Pictures. It stars James Ellison, Frances Dee, and Tom Conway, and follows a Canadian nurse who travels to care for th ...

'', directed by

Jacques Tourneur Jacques Tourneur (; November 12, 1904 – December 19, 1977) was a French film director known for the classic film noir ''Out of the Past'' and a series of low-budget horror films he made for RKO Studios, including '' Cat People'', ''I Walked w ...

. Ellison landed another romantic lead role as Jerry Gibson in the musical film ''

Lady, Let's Dance ''Lady, Let's Dance'' is a 1944 black-and-white film directed by Frank Woodruff that was nominated for two Oscars. Produced by Monogram Studios, the film is unique as an ice skating musical. ''Lady, Let's Dance'' stars ice skater Belita as herse ...

'' (1944) which starred ice-skating sensation

Belita Belita Jepson-Turner (21 October 1923 – 18 December 2005), known professionally as Belita, was a British Olympic figure skater, dancer and film actress. Biography Born at Nether Wallop, Hampshire,Jackie Coogan John Leslie Coogan (October 26, 1914 – March 1, 1984) was an American actor and comedian who began his film career as a child actor in silent films. Charlie Chaplin's film classic '' The Kid'' (1921) made him one of the first child stars in t ...

, Ellison returned to the screen to play Axel 'Longhorn' Gates in a picture called ''

When the Girls Take Over ''When the Girls Take Over'' is an American men's adventure comedy film produced and directed by Russell Hayden and starring Marvin Miller, Jackie Coogan, and Robert Lowery. Inspired by the Cuban Revolution, it was filmed in Puerto Rico in 1 ...

'' (1962).

Death

James Ellison died at age 83 in

Monterey, California Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under b ...

after suffering a broken neck as the result of a fall. He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles.Wilson, Scott. ''Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons'', 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 14118). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Selected filmography

* '' Play Girl'' (1932) - Elmer * '' The Famous Ferguson Case'' (1932) - Lane--Reporter (uncredited) * '' Central Airport'' (1933) - Amarillo Pilot Crossing Fingers (uncredited) * '' Eight Girls in a Boat'' (1934) - Romantic Boy (uncredited) * '' Carolina'' (1934) - Dancer (uncredited) * '' Death on the Diamond'' (1934) - Cubs Player (uncredited) * ''

Student Tour ''Student Tour'' is a 1934 American musical film directed by Charles Reisner, written by Ralph Spence and Philip Dunne, and starring Jimmy Durante, Charles Butterworth, Maxine Doyle, Phil Regan, Douglas Fowley and Nelson Eddy. It was releas ...

'' (1934) - Student (uncredited) * '' Buried Loot'' (1935, Short) - Bob - Detective (uncredited) * '' The Winning Ticket'' (1935) - Jimmy Powers * ''

After Office Hours ''After Office Hours'' is a 1935 crime drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring Clark Gable and Constance Bennett. The screenplay was written by Herman Mankiewicz. Plot Jim Branch (Clark Gable), a newspaper editor, falls for weal ...

'' (1935) - Harvey (uncredited) * '' Reckless'' (1935) - Dale Every * ''

Hop-Along Cassidy ''Hop-Along Cassidy'' (reissued as ''Hopalong Cassidy Enters'') is a 1935 American Western film that features the character '' Hop-Along Cassidy'' created by writer Clarence E. Mulford. This is the first of 66 ''Hopalong Cassidy'' films produc ...

'' (1935) - Johnny Nelson * ''

The Eagle's Brood ''The Eagle's Brood'' is a 1935 American Western film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by Doris Schroeder and Harrison Jacobs. The film stars William Boyd, James Ellison, William Farnum, George "Gabby" Hayes, Addison Richards, Nana ...

'' (1935) - Johnny Nelson * '' Bar 20 Rides Again'' (1935) - Johnny Nelson * ''

Hitch Hike Lady ''Hitch Hike Lady'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Aubrey Scotto and written by Gordon Rigby and Lester Cole. The film stars Alison Skipworth, Mae Clarke, Arthur Treacher, James Ellison, Warren Hymer and Beryl Mercer. The film was ...

'' (1935) - Jimmy Peyton * ''

The Leathernecks Have Landed ''The Leathernecks Have Landed'' is a 1936 American adventure film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by Seton I. Miller. The film stars Lew Ayres, Isabel Jewell, James Ellison, James Burke, J. Carrol Naish and Clay Clement. The film wa ...

'' (1936) - Mac MacDonald * '' Heart of the West'' (1936) - Johnny Nelson * ''

Call of the Prairie ''Call of the Prairie'' is a 1936 American Western film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by Doris Schroeder and Vernon Smith. The film stars William Boyd, James Ellison, Muriel Evans, George "Gabby" Hayes, Chester Conklin, Al Bridge ...

'' (1936) - Johnny Nelson * '' Three on the Trail'' (1936) - Johnny Nelson * '' The Plainsman'' (1936) - Buffalo Bill Cody * '' Trail Dust'' (1936) - Johnny Nelson * '' Borderland'' (1937) - Johnny Nelson * '' 23 1/2 Hours' Leave'' (1937) - Sgt. Robert Gray * ''

The Barrier The Barrier is a lava dam retaining the Garibaldi Lake system in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is over thick and about long where it impounds the lake. The area below and adjacent to The Barrier is considered hazardous due to the ...

'' (1937) - Lieutenant Burrell * '' Annapolis Salute'' (1937) - Bill Martin * '' Vivacious Lady'' (1938) - Keith Morgan * '' Mother Carey's Chickens'' (1938) - Ralph Thurston * ''

'' (1938) - Anthony J. Anthony * '' Almost a Gentleman'' (1939) - Dan Preston * ''

Zenobia Septimia Zenobia ( Palmyrene Aramaic: , , vocalized as ; AD 240 – c. 274) was a third-century queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Syria. Many legends surround her ancestry; she was probably not a commoner and she married the ruler of the cit ...

'' (1939) - Jeff Carter * ''

Sorority House North American fraternity and sorority housing refers largely to the houses or housing areas in which fraternity and sorority members live and work together. In addition to serving as housing, fraternity and sorority housing may also serve to ...

'' (1939) - Bill Loomis * ''

Hotel for Women ''Hotel for Women'' (or ''Elsa Maxwell's Hotel for Women'') is a 1939 American drama film directed by Gregory Ratoff and starring Ann Sothern, Linda Darnell, and James Ellison. It was Darnell's screen debut. Plot When she is jilted by her boyfr ...

'' (1939) - Jeff Buchanan * '' 5th Ave Girl'' (1939) - Mike * ''

'' (1940) - Andrew 'Hinkie' Hinklin * '' Anne of Windy Poplars'' (1940) - Tony Pringle * '' Play Girl'' (1941) - Thomas Elwood Dice * ''

They Met in Argentina ''They Met in Argentina'' is a 1941 American film directed by Leslie Goodwins and Jack Hively for RKO Pictures. Hively had to come in and finish the picture after Goodwins was hospitalized for pneumonia. Maureen O'Hara plays an Argentinian who fa ...

'' (1941) - Tim Kelly * ''

'' (1941) - Jack Chesney * ''

Ice-Capades ''Ice-Capades'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Joseph Santley and starring James Ellison, Phil Silvers, and Barbara Jo Allen. Its score, composed by Cy Feuer, was nominated for the Best Scoring of a Musical Picture. The film's sets ...

'' (1941) - Bob Clemens * '' Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case'' (1941) - P. Cadwallader Jones * '' Careful, Soft Shoulder'' (1942) - Thomas Aldrich * ''

Army Surgeon ''Army Surgeon'' is a 1942 American film directed by A. Edward Sutherland and starring Jane Wyatt and Kent Taylor. The plot is about a female surgeon who pretends to be a nurse so she can serve on the front line during World War I.

'' (1942) - Capt. James 'Jim' Mason * '' That Other Woman'' (1942) - Henry Summers * '' The Undying Monster'' (1942) - Robert Curtis * ''

Dixie Dugan ''Dixie Dugan'' is best known as a long-running syndicated newspaper comic strip published from October 21, 1929 to October 8, 1966. The title character was originally modeled after 1920s film actress Louise Brooks and early stories followed Dixi ...

'' (1943) - Roger Hudson * ''

'' (1943) - Wesley Rand * '' Best Foot Forward'' (1943) - Cadet (uncredited) * '' The Gang's All Here'' (1943) - Andy Mason * ''

'' (1944) - Jerry Gibson * ''

Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore ''Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore'' is a 1944 American comedy/romance film starring Simone Simon, James Ellison, William Terry, and featuring Robert Mitchum in an early role. Produced by King Brothers Productions, it was co-written by Philip Yo ...

'' (1944) - Mike O'Brien * ''

Hollywood and Vine Hollywood and Vine, the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood, a district of Los Angeles, became known in the 1920s for its concentration of radio and movie-related businesses. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is centered ...

'' (1945) - Larry Winters * ''

G.I. War Brides ''G.I. War Brides'' is a 1946 American comedy film directed by George Blair and written by John K. Butler. The film stars Anna Lee, James Ellison, Harry Davenport, William "Bill" Henry, Stephanie Bachelor, Doris Lloyd and Robert Armstrong. ...

'' (1946) - Steve Giles * '' Calendar Girl'' (1947) - Steve Adams * ''

The Ghost Goes Wild ''The Ghost Goes Wild'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by George Blair and written by Randall Faye. The film stars James Ellison, Anne Gwynne, Edward Everett Horton, Ruth Donnelly, Stephanie Bachelor and Grant Withers. It was released ...

'' (1947) - Monte Crandall * ''

Last of the Wild Horses ''Last of the Wild Horses'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by Robert L. Lippert and starring James Ellison, Mary Beth Hughes and Jane Frazee. It was featured in episode 611 of ''Mystery Science Theater 3000''. Plot Duke Barnum, a ...

'' (1948) - Duke Barnum * ''

Hostile Country ''Hostile Country'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Thomas Carr and starring James Ellison, Raymond Hatton and Julie Adams.Pitts, p. 157. Plot In this remake of No Man's Range (1935), Shamrock travels to the ranch of his stepfath ...

'' (1950) - Shamrock Ellison * '' Everybody's Dancin''' (1950) - Jimmy Ellison * ''

Marshal of Heldorado ''Master of Heldorado'' is a 1950 American Western film. Plot Cast * James Ellison as James "Shamrock" Ellison * Russ "Lucky" Hayden as Russ "Lucky" Hayden *Raymond Hatton as The colonel *Fuzzy Knight as Deacon * Betty Adams as Ann *Tom Tyler ...

'' (1950) - James Shamrock Ellison * '' Crooked River'' (1950) - Shamrock Ellison * '' Colorado Ranger'' (1950) - Shamrock Kid * ''

West of the Brazos ''West of the Brazos'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Thomas Carr for Lippert Pictures Lippert Pictures was an American film production and distribution company controlled by Robert L. Lippert. History Robert L. Lippert (1909-19 ...

'' (1950) - James Everett Parkington 'Shamrock' Ellison * ''

Fast on the Draw ''Fast on the Draw'' is a 1950 American western film directed by Thomas Carr (director), Thomas Carr. Plot Cast External links *''Fast on the Draw''
at BFI 1950 films American Western (genre) films 1950 Western (genre) films Films direc ...

'' (1950) - Shamrock Ellison * '' I Killed Geronimo'' (1950) - Capt. Jeff Packard * '' The Texan Meets Calamity Jane'' (1950) - Gordon Hastings * ''

Kentucky Jubilee ''Kentucky Jubilee'' is a 1951 American musical-comedy film directed by Ron Ormond for Lippert Pictures. Plot Reporter Ellison; self-important film director Feld; and brash Master Of Ceremonies Colonna arrive in rural Kentucky to cover a local ...

'' (1951) - Jeff Benson * '' Oklahoma Justice'' (1951) - Clancy * ''

Whistling Hills ''Whistling Hills'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Derwin Abrahams and starring Johnny Mack Brown, James Ellison and Noel Neill.Drew p.179 The film's sets were designed by the art director Dave Milton. Partial cast * Johnny Ma ...

'' (1951) - Sheriff Dave Holland * ''

Texas Lawmen ''Texas Lawmen'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Lewis D. Collins and starring Johnny Mack Brown, James Ellison and I. Stanford Jolley. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Dave Milton and Vin Taylor. Plot Cast * ...

'' (1951) - Sheriff Tod Merrick * ''

Texas City Texas City is a city in Galveston County in the U.S. state of Texas. Located on the southwest shoreline of Galveston Bay, Texas City is a busy deepwater port on Texas's Gulf Coast, as well as a petroleum-refining and petrochemical-manufacturing ...

'' (1952) - Jim Kirby * ''

Man from the Black Hills ''Man from the Black Hills'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Thomas Carr and starring Johnny Mack Brown, James Ellison and Rand Brooks.Drew p.179 It was distributed by Monogram Pictures which focused on low-budget second features ...

'' (1952) - Jim Fallon * '' Dead Man's Trail'' (1952) - Dan Winslow * ''

'' (1962) - Axel 'Longhorn' Gates (final film role, shot in 1960)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ellison, James 1910 births 1993 deaths Male actors from Iowa American male film actors 20th-century American male actors People from Guthrie Center, Iowa Accidental deaths from falls Accidental deaths in California id:James Ellison