Sam Elliott’s 10 Greatest TV Roles

Long before Sam Elliott became a household name, he made his film debut in 1967’s The Way West. In the years that followed, he first landed his first leading part in 1972’s Frogs before making his breakthrough in 1976’s Lifeguard. As the years passed, Sam Elliott played a diverse set of characters in myriad genres, establishing himself as a “character” actor.

Beyond his big-screen career, Elliott also did not hold back from taking up many small-screen roles, steadily building a solid presence on television, especially in the Western genre. In a career spanning close to six decades, Sam Elliott has over 100 credits in film and television combined.

While he has seemingly done an incredible job of portraying each character convincingly on the screen, some of his TV roles have been far more memorable than the others.

Tell Sackett in The Sacketts (1979)

Based on Louis L’Amour’s novels, The Sacketts follows the titular brothers as they move West after the Civil War. Sam Elliott plays the eldest of the three brothers, Tell, in the series. Throughout the series’ run, he perfectly portrays his character’s quiet competence and protective streak towards his brothers. Although The Sacketts is now relatively obscure compared to most mainstream TV Westerns, it played a key role in cementing his identity as Hollywood’s go-to cowboy.

Phil Milstein in Grace and Frankie (2016)

Sam Elliott is known for playing characters who boot up and flaunt badges in crime thrillers. However, Grace and Frankie is one unique show in his portfolio because it allows him to portray a very different kind of character. In the show’s second season, he trades his badges and boots for a more romantic leading man energy when he plays Grace’s ex-flame.

Despite not being in his usual element, Elliott still manages to have an incredible screen presence by channeling his character’s vulnerabilities and struggles as he attempts to understand a complicated, rekindled romance.

Ron Dunn in Parks and Recreation (2013–2015)

Sam Elliott’s portrayal of Ron Dunn in Parks and Recreation is incredibly memorable because his character completely subverts his usual tough-guy image from most other movies and shows. Dunn is portrayed as a soft-spoken, eagle-owing hippie who preaches about veganism and “soul-sharing.“

The character almost comes off as an anti-thesis to Elliott’s widely accepted on-screen image. Yet, the actor convincingly captures the character by perfectly delivering his dry and humorous one-liners.

Wild Bill Hickok in Buffalo Girls (1995)

Buffalo Girls deserves to rank among Sam Elliott’s best TV shows because it landed him a Primetime Emmy nomination. In the Western miniseries, adapted from the 1990 novel of the same name by Larry McMurtry, Elliott captures the tragedy behind the “Wild Bill” mythos by channeling the sadness that drives Wild Bill Hickok after he has seemingly lived far beyond his era.

Even his chemistry with Anjelica Huston’s Calamity Jane is no less poignant, making Buffalo Girls one of his Sam Elliott’s most career-defining projects.

Sam Damon in Once an Eagle (1976–1977)

In its nine-episode runtime, Once an Eagle features Sam Elliott as soldier, Sam Damon, who has an unwavering moral code. The show walks viewers through everything from his early days in the World War I trenches to his life after World War II. Sam Elliott does a brilliant job of reflecting every phase in the main character’s timeline, fully immersing viewers into Once an Eagle‘s multi-generational historical narrative.

Beau Bennett in The Ranch (2016–2020)

Sam Elliott’s Beau in The Ranch is written as a complicated father who struggles to express his affection for his sons. He is also a Vietnam veteran and the patriarch of a Colorado ranch. What could have easily become a caricature of a typical father figure is turned into a deeply emotional character in The Ranch by Sam Elliott.

T.L. Norris in Landman (2024–Present)

In the Taylor Sheridan show, Sam Elliott steps in the boots of a powerful, sharp-tongued character who commands respect everywhere he goes. The series gives Elliott the opportunity to put his deep, gravelly voice to good use to capture Norris’ dominant presence and quietly intimidating authority. In the show’s two-season runtime, Sam Elliott only shows up in eleven episodes but makes his character one of the most memorable aspects of the series.

Dr. Douglas Robert in Mission: Impossible (1970–1971)

Sam Elliott almost seems unrecognizable in the original Mission: Impossible series as he plays the clean-shaven and sharp IMF agent, Dr. Douglas Robert. Although his character does not appear until the fifth season of the series, he serves as a rare departure from his rugged outdoorsman persona portrayed in most of his Western roles.

Avery Markham in Justified (2015)

With a never-seen-before look, Sam Elliott shows up as the main villain, Avery Markham, in Justified‘s final season. Although he does not have his signature mustache in the series and seems nothing like his rugged self from his other Western shows, Elliott leverages his deep voice to intimidate as the antagonist. He almost disappears in the role and convinces you how cold-blooded and ruthless Markham can be if things do not go his way.

​​​​​​​Shea Brennan in 1883 (2021)

In the Yellowstone prequel, 1883, Sam Elliott arguably delivers his career-best performance with his portrayal of Shea Brennan. The gravity with which he captures Shea’s fears after losing his family to smallpox and struggles while leading a doomed group of immigrants across the Oregon Trail is hard to forget. Owing to this, it is not even surprising that he won the SAG award for his outstanding performance in the series.