Sam Elliott's birthday

What comes to mind when people hear the name ‘Sam Elliot’? Most would think of the mustache, the deep voice and the rugged cowboy style. And they’d be right! Born August 9th, 1944, Sam Elliot is the epitome of American cowboy and he has practically trademarked that persona. For over forty years, Sam has been swaggering onto sets, starting out in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, right through to playing Bobby Maine in A Star is Born.

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood have worked alongside Sam, from Patrick Swayze needing a mentor for 1989’s Road House to the Coen Brothers needing a wise narrator for The Big Lebowski. He’s well known, well respected and well regarded in the movie and TV sphere, and for a good reason!

A Bit of Background

Sam Elliot married Katharine Ross in 1984. They have a daughter named Cleo who is a musician in Malibu. Elliot and his wife live together on a seaside ranch in Malibu, too — an epic nod to that cowboy persona he shows off so well. Elliot is known for his deep and commanding voice which strikes audiences from the moment he begins speaking! He started out his acting career on the stage, and has often been called upon to guide and mentor other actors when they take on leading roles. His gray hair and thick, curly mustache are his trademarks and with them, Elliot has commanded respect in the acting world for a long time.

Though born in Sacrameno, California, Sam’s parents originally came from El Paso, Texas. In his teenage years, he moved to Portland, Oregon and attended college at the University of Oregon, studying English and Psychology — at first, anyway! He dropped out after two terms and headed back to Portland to attend Clark College in Vancouver. It was here that he got his first acting gig, playing Big Jule in Guys and Dolls. After he graduated from Clark, he re-enrolled at the University of Oregon until his father passed away. 

Bringing Western Appeal

In the 1960s, Elliot headed to L.A. to pursue acting, and, while his father had dissuaded him from doing so, he plowed on anyway. Alongside his acting work, Elliot has performed tons of different voice-over narrations for a range of commercials and with his voice, he’s unmistakable.

Some of the biggest American names have asked Elliot to voice over for them, including IBM and Union Pacific. Seeing as Elliot has that deep, rich voice that really does scream COWBOY, it’s not shocking to hear him bringing his depth to Coors Beer commercials. That western appeal with the brand is a must and Elliot has it!