Sam Elliott

Co-starred with Nicholas Cage in the Marvel Comics-inspired "Ghost Rider"

Co-starred with Aaron Eckhart in the satirical comedy "Thank You for Smoking" directed by Jason Reitman

Starred with Joan Allen in "Off the Map" directed by Campbell Scott

Appeared in the Ang Lee-directed "The Hulk"

Cast as a grizzled veteran sergeant major in "We Were Soldiers"

Earned critical acclaim for playing a presidential chief of staff in "The Contender"

Executive produced and starred as legendary lawman Bill Tilghman in TNT's "You Know My Name"; reteamed with director John Kent Harrison

Appeared as the stranger in the Coen brothers' "The Big Lebowski"

Played villainous Jim Ed Love to Woody Harrelson's heroic Big Boy Matson in Stephen Frears' "The Hi-Lo Country"

Portrayed Captain Bucky O'Neill in TNT's "Rough Riders", helmed by John Milius

Gave an unflinching portrayal as Wild Bill Hickock in "Buffalo Girls", a CBS miniseries version of the Larry McMurtry novel; earned Emmy nomination

Starred in "The Ranger, the Cook, and a Hole in the Sky", an ABC movie directed by John Kent Harrison

Headlined surprisingly good straight-to-video Western, "The Desperate Trail"

Acted the part of Virgil Earp in "Tombstone"

Distinguished himself as Brigadier General John Buford, one of the unsung heroes of "Gettysburg", a TNT original given a feature release

Was a hard-drinking cop in "Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert", an NBC movie written and executive produced by Wambaugh

Cast as a detective keeping tabs on his undercover narcs Jason Patric and Jennifer Jason Leigh in "Rush"

First film as executive producer and first screenwriting credit (shared with Jeffrey M Meyer and wife Katharine Ross, who also co-starred), "Conagher" (adapted from L'Amour), a made-for-cable project aired on TNT; also played title role; picture was one of the highest-rated originals ever to air on TNT; fifth and last TV-movie (to date) with Ross

Played a man who suffered a heart attack and died following a mad, pasionate afternoon of carnality with Kirstie Alley in Carl Reiner's feature comedy "Sibling Rivalry"

Essayed a tough, no-nonsense, single father and farmer in John D Hancock's heart-warming "Prancer"

Fought drugs and corruption as a NYC undercover cop in "Shakedown"

Acted opposite Kate Capshaw in "The Quick and the Dead", an HBO movie adapted from L'Amour

First feature film in six years, "Mask"

Reteamed with Selleck on "Louis L'Amour's The Shadow Riders" (CBS)

First of five TV projects through 1991 with soon-to-be-spouse Ross, the CBS miniseries "Murder in Texas"

Began relationship with Ross during the making of the goofy-gothic mystery "The Legacy"

Starred with Tom Selleck in NBC miniseries "Louis L'Amour's The Sacketts", first of four TV projects (to date) based on the work of the great Western writer

Made breakthrough feature film, playing the title role in "Lifeguard"

Portrayed Sam Damon on the seven-part NBC miniseries "Once an Eagle"

Pursued the Nez Pearce Indians as they tried to flee to Canada in "I Will Fight No More Forever" (ABC)

Played Detective Charlie Bronski in "The Blue Knight" (adapted from the Joseph Wambaugh novel), an acclaimed NBC miniseries starring William Holden

First feature lead, "Frogs"

TV-movie debut, "The Challenge" (ABC)

Appeared in episodes of CBS series "Lancer"

Made film debut in bit role of 2nd card player in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"; future wife Katharine Ross was the female lead; Elliott saw her around the lot a few times, but the two never met

Acted opposite Cybill Shephard on NBC primetime serial "The Yellow Rose"

Moved from California to Oregon with his family when he was a teenager

Signed contract with 20th Century-Fox

Was series regular on "Mission: Impossible" (CBS), playing the role of Dr Doug Lang

Worked for a construction firm while studying acting in Los Angeles