Biff Elliot

American actor (1923–2012)

Betty Dole

(m. 1948; died 1974)

Connie Elliot

(m. 1977)

Biff Elliot (born Leon Shalek; July 26, 1923 – August 15, 2012) was an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as popular detective Mike Hammer in the 1953 version of I, the Jury and for his guest appearance as Schmitter in the Star Trek episode "The Devil in the Dark".^[1]

Early life

Biff Elliot was born Leon Shalek in Lynn, Massachusetts, the son of Susan (née Bernstein) and Israel Shalek.^[2] He was the youngest of three brothers and his ancestors were Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.^[2]^[3]

Career

Elliot, who had acted during his college years, abandoned writing to pursue television roles. He appeared in many important dramatic shows of the time, mostly playing tough, working-class characters. When Elliot was spotted by a Hollywood attorney while performing in a television episode, the attorney recommended him to Victor Saville, the producer who was preparing the first film adaption of Mickey Spillane's I, the Jury. After securing the part following a 15-minute audition, Elliot was brought to Hollywood and prepared for the role by reading Mike Hammer novels, often spending the entire night reading them. I, the Jury became Elliot's first leading film role, and he was the first actor to portray the Mike Hammer character in a film. Although Elliot was signed to a long-term contract as Mike Hammer, other actors were later cast in the role.^[4]

In 2004 Elliot recorded a commentary track for I, the Jury.^[5]

Over the next few years, Elliot became a prominent fixture in war films of the 1950s and 1960s, appearing in Between Heaven and Hell, The Enemy Below, Pork Chop Hill and PT 109. In 1959, playwright Clifford Odets, who had noticed Elliot in I, the Jury, offered him a role in The Story on Page One, which Odets wrote and directed. In the 1960s, Elliot appeared mostly in television, including appearance on Frank Lovejoy's detective series Meet McGraw and on Perry Mason. In 1961 Elliot played the part of Buddy Blue, a trumpeter on the run from a gangster, in the series 77 Sunset Strip. In 1966, he portrayed a government agent in an episode of the comedy series The Dick Van Dyke Show. In 1967, he appeared in the Star Trek episode "The Devil in the Dark". He guest-starred in an episode of Gibbsville in 1976. In 1977, he had a memorable supporting role in Telly Savalas's Beyond Reason with Diana Muldaur. In 1974, Elliot costarred in two episodes of the Planet of the Apes series, playing an orangutan in one of them. Elliot make his final film appearance in the 1986 film That's Life!. His last appearance on television was in 1986 on the set of the television series of Starman. Elliot retired in 2001. ^{[citation needed]}

Death

Elliot died at his home in Studio City, California, on August 15, 2012, at the age of 89. He was buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery.^[6]

Partial filmography

I, the Jury (1953) - Mike Hammer
House of Bamboo (1955) - Webber
Good Morning, Miss Dove (1955) - Reverend Alex Burnham
Between Heaven and Hell (1956) - Tom Thumb, Company G
The True Story of Jesse James (1957) - Jim Younger
The Enemy Below (1957) - Quartermaster
Torpedo Run (1958) - Lieutenant Paul Buckeye (uncredited)
Pork Chop Hill (1959) - Private Boven
The Story on Page One (1959) - Eddie Ritter (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1960) (Season 5 Episode 20: "The Day of the Bullet") - Mr. Kovacs
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1960) (Season 5 Episode 32: "One Grave Too Many") - Lieutenant Bates
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1961) (Season 6 Episode 16: "A Crime for Mothers") - Phil Ames
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1961) (Season 6 Episode 37: "Make My Death Bed") - Dr. Bob Hudson
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1961) (Season 7 Episode 2: "Bang! You're Dead") - Fred Chester
PT 109 (1963) - Seaman Edgar E. Mauer
Combat! (1963) (Episode: "The Party") as Rafferty
Brainstorm (1965) - Detective (uncredited)
Blood Bath (1966) - Cafe Manager
Destination Inner Space (1966) - Dr. Wilson
The Navy vs. the Night Monsters (1966) - Commander Arthur Simpson
Combat! (1966) (Episode: "The Outsider") as Doctor
The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1969) - Archie
The Day of the Wolves (1971) - The Inspector
The Hard Ride (1971) - Mike
Kotch (1971) - Motel Manager
Mission Impossible (1972) (Episode: "Casino") as Mel Simpson
Cool Breeze (1972) - Lieutenant Carl Mager
Save the Tiger (1973) - Tiger Petitioner
This Is a Hijack (1973) - Neal Hanaford
The Front Page (1974) - Police Dispatcher
Planet of the Apes (TV series) (1974) (Episode: The Cure) - Orangutan
The Wild McCullochs (1975) - Ralph
The Dark (1979) - Detective Jack Bresler
Beyond Reason (1985) - Police Sergeant
That's Life! (1986) - Belmont

References

^ "Biff Elliot, the First Mike Hammer of the Movies, Dies at 89". The Hollywood Reporter. August 17, 2012.
^ ^a ^b "Leon "Biff Elliot" Shalek b. 26 Jul 1923 Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA d. 15 Aug 2012 Studio City, Los Angeles County, California, USA". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
^ Shalek, Josh (August 15, 2012). "Biff Elliot 1923-2012". Kid Shay. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
^ p. 191 Collins, Max Allen Mickey Spillane in His Own Words in Mickey Spillane on Screen: A Complete Study of the Television and Film Adaptations McFarland, 12 Jan 2018
^ "I, the Jury commentary track". Kid Shay. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
^ Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 25047-25048). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.