Elisha Cook Jr. would be another great SUTS day or two day candidate

[cigarjoe]

These are some of my favorites but he's got quite a few credits of films that I haven't seen also

 

Hammett   
The Outfit 
Emperor of the North
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
Electra Glide in Blue
The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid
The Night Stalker (TV Movie)
El Condor
Rosemary's Baby
Welcome to Hard Times
The Glass Cage
House on Haunted Hill
Baby Face Nelson
Plunder Road
Chicago Confidential
The Killing
I, the Jury
Flaxy Martin
Born to Kill
The Big Sleep
Dillinger
Phantom Lady
Ball of Fire
I Wake Up Screaming
The Maltese Falcon
 

[lilypond]

Absolutely!    He has such an impressive list of quirky characterizations.   But if he had done nothing else, that mad, frenzied drum solo in "Phantom Lady",  in the shoebox-sized jazz club, with Ella Raines pretending to love it and him, warrants multiple viewings. 

 

[Aritosthenes]

1 hour ago, cigarjoe said:

These are some of my favorites but he's got quite a few credits of films that I haven't seen also

 

Hammett   
The Outfit 
Emperor of the North
Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
Electra Glide in Blue
The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid
The Night Stalker (TV Movie)
El Condor
Rosemary's Baby
Welcome to Hard Times
The Glass Cage
House on Haunted Hill
Baby Face Nelson
Plunder Road
Chicago Confidential
The Killing
I, the Jury
Flaxy Martin
Born to Kill
The Big Sleep
Dillinger
Phantom Lady
Ball of Fire
I Wake Up Screaming
The Maltese Falcon
 

Love that Guy. 🎨

[Katie_G]

I can't believe he's never been nominated!  Also loved him as the hotel elevator guy in Don't Bother To Knock who recommends Marilyn Monroe as a babysitter even though she's psychotic.  

[Det Jim McLeod]

Some of my favorite performances of his:

 

Pigskin Parade (1936) a great musical comedy with Cook as a radical college student, the singing group The Yacht Club Boys sing a hilarious song "Down With Everything" dedicated to him.

Stranger On The Third Floor (1940) he is a pathetic taxi driver wrongly accused of murder in this early noir film.

The Maltese Falcon (1941) arguably his most famous role, as Wilmer the pint sized creep who acts as an enforcer for Sidney Greenstreet.

Born To Kill (1947) at first he seems like a pretty nice guy in this one, a level headed friend of his brutish pal Laurence Tierney, but shows his true colors later on.

The Killing (1956) he is the cuckolded husband of Marie Windsor in this heist film. He gets fed up being pushed around by everybody this time.

Rosemary's Baby (1968) a small but memorable role as a fastidious apartment manager who shows a sinister New York dwelling to Mia Farrow and John Cassavettes. An interesting thing about this role is that his character is supposed to have fingers missing on both hands, just like in the book. He was made up to look like this but it is hard to notice it in the movie. 

[TopBilled]

Not really a fan of Elisha Cook...though he's in some good films.

[Mr. Gorman]

I think Elisha Cook, Jr. lived somewhere in the mountains in California; hence his brief appearance in "The Outfit".  He's plays the counterman at the country diner.  THE OUTFIT in no way features Elisha Cook, Jr. in a prominent way -- unlike, say, BORN TO KILL where he has a substantial part. 

Must be something in the air with Kent Smith, Charles McGraw and Elisha Cook, Jr. all having a part in THE NIGHT STALKER and all three being recommended for a SUTS Day! 

[misswonderly3]

Mr. Cook also makes an appearance in the famous Western "Shane".  He plays an ex-Confederate soldier who like all the other farmer/settlers in the area, just wants to make a simple living from the land.  I remember the other farmers tease him about being from the South.  He's a sad character who meets an undeserved end in this classic Western.

[TopBilled]

24 minutes ago, misswonderly3 said:

I remember the other farmers tease him about being from the South.  

Random observation.

[misswonderly3]

Mr. TB,  are you sad because Cook's character in Shane  gets killed ?  I agree,  it's a sad scene in the film.  Torrey has no idea what he's in for when he sets out for the town that day.

[TopBilled]

7 minutes ago, misswonderly3 said:

Mr. TB,  are you sad because Cook's character in Shane  gets killed ?  I agree,  it's a sad scene in the film.  Torrey has no idea what he's in for when he sets out for the town that day.

You're the one who said he plays a sad character. I didn't express anything related to sadness in this thread.

I found your observation of the film to be a bit out of the norm and confusing as to how that relates to him being a good candidate for a Summer Under the Stars day. 

[misswonderly3]

9 minutes ago, TopBilled said:

You're the one who said he plays a sad character. I didn't express anything related to sadness in this thread.

I found your observation of the film to be a bit out of the norm and confusing as to how that relates to him being a good candidate for a Summer Under the Stars day. 

You posted a "sad"  emoticon  on my comment about Elisha Cook Jr. being in Shane.  Since there seemed no other reason to be "sad" about my post,  I figured you , like me, were remembering that Cook's character of Frank Torrey was a sad figure.

I was simply noting that Shane was another film in which Elisha Cook Jr.  makes an appearance.  It was not on the list Cigarjoe posted in his O.P.  I'm not sure how my observation of the film was "out of the norm"  - in any case,  I'm not talking so much about the film itself, just Cook's role in it.

Whenever people start a thread about an actor, it's common for others to post thoughts, ideas,  memories of scenes they've seen that actor in.  There was nothing more to my post about Elisha Cook Jr.  in Shane than that,  just thought it deserved a mention.

[TopBilled]

Just now, misswonderly3 said:

I was simply noting that Shane was another film in which Elisha Cook Jr.  makes an appearance.  It was not on the list Cigarjoe posted in his O.P.  I'm not sure how my observation of the film was "out of the norm"  - in any case,  I'm not talking so much about the film itself, just Cook's role in it.

Whenever people start a thread about an actor, it's common for others to post thoughts, ideas,  memories of scenes they've seen that actor in.  There was nothing more to my post about Elisha Cook Jr.  in Shane than that,  just thought it deserved a mention.

Okay, that's fair enough. Maybe Joe meant to list SHANE but forgot.

I think the reason Elisha Cook doesn't register with me like he does for others, is because he often doesn't get a lot of screen time...and unless the writing is really good and he is able to do something memorable, he may just be part of the background. 

I also associate him more with guest roles on TV shows. Like I think he had a recurring role on Magnum P.I. in the 1980s which is when I first watched him as a kid.

[cigarjoe]

3 hours ago, TopBilled said:

I also associate him more with guest roles on TV shows. Like I think he had a recurring role on Magnum P.I. in the 1980s which is when I first watched him as a kid.

Yes I've noticed that phenomena too you usually imprint something or someone the way you first perceived  them/it. 

The Maltese Falcon is considered one of the first American Film Noir and Cook Jr. is one of the seminal supporting character types, he goes on to act or have  cameo appearance's in 11 Noir and a few Neo Noir.

I probably first became aware of Cook from seeing him on the big screen in House On Haunted Hill then the Maltese Falcon.

[misswonderly3]

Cigarjoe,  I know you mentioned The Big Sleep in your original post here, but I'd just like to draw attention to Elisha Cook's performance in it.  He only has one scene  (I think?  two at the most), but you really remember him in it.    It's the bit where Marlowe speaks with Cook's character- "Harry Jones"- about arranging for Agnes to meet with Marlowe, she's got some information she wants to sell to  him.  Jonesy says he and Agnes are engaged.  It's kind of funny, Agnes being such an obnoxious character, but also quite a memorable one.

Anyway,  the part where Cook really shines is when the menacing Canino traps Jonesy in some office and makes him reveal Agnes' whereabouts.  It's a very ominous, disturbing scene, and Elisha Cook does it full justice.   Oh, and we find out that Jonesy was loyal to Agnes, despite Canino's threats. I really liked Elisha Cook Jr. in that part,  I think it was only the second time I ever saw him ( after The Maltese Falcon).

[cigarjoe]

He's got a really bit part in I, The Jury , that of a sad sack wino Santa Claus named Bo Bo.

[scsu1975]

Look, when TCM finally honors Tor Johnson, then we will have made progress.