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 ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...

'' episode "

The Devil in the Dark "The Devil in the Dark" is the twenty-fifth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series ''Star Trek''. Written by Gene L. Coon and directed by Joseph Pevney, the episode first aired on March 9, 1967. In this ...

Early life

Elliot was born in

Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn is the eighth-largest List of municipalities in Massachusetts, municipality in Massachusetts, United States, and the largest city in Essex County, Massachusetts, Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Boston city line ...

, the son of Susan (née Bernstein) and Israel Shalek. He was the youngest of three brothers. His ancestors were Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.

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. In 2004 Elliot recorded a

commentary track An audio commentary is an additional audio track, usually digital, consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with a video. Commentaries can be serious or entertaining in nature, and can add informatio ...

for ''I, the Jury''. 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 Clifford Odets (July 18, 1906 – August 14, 1963) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and actor. In the mid-1930s, he was widely seen as the potential successor to Nobel Prize–winning playwright Eugene O'Neill, as O'Neill began to withd ...

, 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 Frank Andrew Lovejoy Jr. (March 28, 1912 – October 2, 1962) was an American actor in radio, film, and television. He is perhaps best remembered for appearing in the film noir ''The Hitch-Hiker'' and for starring in the radio drama ''Night Beat ...

'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 ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American private detective crime drama television series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long (from 1960 to 1961) and Edd Byrnes (billed as Edward Byrnes). Each epis ...

''. 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 ''

'' episode "

". 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 ''Planet of the Apes'' is a science fiction media franchise consisting of films, books, television series, comics, and other media about a Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, post-apocalyptic world in which humans and intelligent apes c ...

'' series, playing an

orangutan Orangutans are great apes native to the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia. They are now found only in parts of Borneo and Sumatra, but during the Pleistocene they ranged throughout Southeast Asia and South China. Classified in the genus ...

in one of them. Elliot make his final film appearance in the 1986 film ''

That's Life! ''That's Life!'' was a satirical consumer affairs programme on the BBC, at its height regularly reaching audiences of fifteen to twenty million, and receiving between 10,000 and 15,000 letters a week. The series was broadcast on BBC1 for 21 yea ...

''. His last appearance on television was in 1986 on the set of the television series of '' Starman''. Elliot retired in 2001.

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 Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary is a cemetery and Morgue, mortuary located in the Westwood, Los Angeles, Westwood area of Los Angeles. It includes a crematory for cremation services. Its location is at 1218 Glendon Av ...

.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.

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) *'' Perry Mason'' (1959) (Season 2 Episode 30: "The Case of the Lame Canary") - Jimmy McLain *''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'' (1960) (Season 5 Episode 20: "The Day of the Bullet") - Mr. Kovacs *''

'' (1960) (Season 5 Episode 32: "One Grave Too Many") - Lieutenant Bates *''

'' (1961) (Season 6 Episode 16: "A Crime for Mothers") - Phil Ames *''

'' (1961) (Season 6 Episode 37: "Make My Death Bed") - Dr. Bob Hudson *''

'' (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 ''Destination Inner Space'' is a 1966 science fiction film produced by Earl Lyon, directed by Francis D. Lyon, written by Arthur C. Pierce, and stars Scott Brady, Gary Merrill, and Sheree North. The film was released to theaters in the US in May ...

'' (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 *''

'' (1986) - Belmont

References

External links

Official Website
*
Obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elliot, Biff 1923 births 2012 deaths American male film actors United States Army personnel of World War II American male television actors Male actors from Lynn, Massachusetts University of Maine alumni 20th-century American male actors Jewish American male actors People from Studio City, Los Angeles 21st-century American Jews Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery