In praise of Elisha Cook Jr (film, actors, watching, Steve Buscemi)

[modernist1]

Anyone familiar with movies from the 1940s and 50s (his career was in fact much longer) knows the guy, even if they can't put a name to the face. His métier was playing the funny little guy, the put upon, the sap, the gunsel, the cuckold. Others may have had the starring role, but any film Cook appeared in was better for his presence.

[oeccscclhjhn]

Impressive body of work. Ball of Fire (1941), The Maltese Falcon (1941), The Big Sleep (1946), Shane (1953), Rosemary's Baby (1968), Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973), not to mention his tv work.

[hothulamaui]

loved him

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTexL4bRZsM

[Hefe]

Sort of the Steve Buscemi of his era, always watchable no matter the quality of the film, brought something extra to the screen. Did he ever play a lead role, perhaps in a B film?

There are a bunch of these idiosyncratic character actors: Peter Lorre, Sidney Greenstreet, Michael J Pollard, Clifton Webb...

[modernist1]

Yes, a comparison with Buscemi seems right - which reminds me of William H. Macy, another great actor, who else does going through it but putting on a grimaced smile better?

[Cida]

Ah, yes. It was my father who first pointed him out to me. No one is mentioning his role in The Killing?

I'd totally disagree with the comparison with Buscemi, though, if only because Buscemi is notable for his odd looks, and it's the opposite with Cook. And are you aware of the secondary meaning of "gunsel"?

[modernist1]

Originally Posted by Cida

Ah, yes. It was my father who first pointed him out to me. No one is mentioning his role in The Killing?

I'd totally disagree with the comparison with Buscemi, though, if only because Buscemi is notable for his odd looks, and it's the opposite with Cook. And are you aware of the secondary meaning of "gunsel"?

Cook is great in The Killing (one of the best heist flicks of all time). Re 'gunsel', I do know the original meaning (the prison term), it was then taken to be a guy with a gun.

[wickedmountain]

I liked him in "Don't bother to knock"

[travric]

Elisha Cooke was a real fine actor. He was I e if those stars that thrived in smaller roles where he wasn't main character but in any case when watching the film you had to watch him because he was so compelling to watch.

In Shane he died a tough death. You could see from the get go he had no chance. I'd bet Keith Carradine thought of Cooke's role in Shane when he too got caught in a duel and shot down quickly. That was in the film McCabe and Mrs. Miller.

[Cida]

Originally Posted by modernist1

Cook is great in The Killing (one of the best heist flicks of all time). Re 'gunsel', I do know the original meaning (the prison term), it was then taken to be a guy with a gun.

No, it's a reference to homosexuality.