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Many fans have enjoyed 1883 and eagerly wait for more Yellowstone content. 1883 star Sam Elliott has a long history in film and television, and his passion stems from childhood. When he was young, he saw a classic Universal monster movie in theaters. The screening helped motivate him to become an actor.

Sam Elliott’s career and recent role

Elliott got his first acting credit back in 1969 in an episode of Judd for the Defense. He continued working in television over the years before transitioning to films. His movies include Mask and Fatal Legacy, and The Big Lebowski is one of his most notable appearances.

In the film, Elliott acts as the narrator and also meets the main character as the Stranger. He soon established himself as a character actor and is still getting movie roles. Meanwhile, he continues starring in various TV shows.

For instance, Elliott was in a few episodes of Parks and Recreation and the lead in Justified. His most recent role is Shea Brennan in the Yellowstone sequel spin-off 1883. The show depicts John Dutton’s ancestors moving to Montana and building the ranch.

Elliott’s character is the one who guides the Duttons and others to their destination. The show is a limited series on Paramount+ and contains only 10 episodes. Besides performing voice overs in a few Family Guy episodes, Elliott has not appeared in anything after 1883.

The movie that inspired Sam Elliott to act

Sam Elliott poses for photos at the Screen Actors Guild Awards
Sam Elliott attends the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards I Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Celebrities have different reasons why they developed an interest in the film industry. In an interview with Variety, Elliott talked about how he got into acting. He became interested in the career when he saw a movie as a kid.

“I used to go to a local theater called the Sequoia. There was a movie called The Creature from the Black Lagoon, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon spoke to me on so many levels,” Elliott explained. “I saw it several times and have really made up my mind. I thought, ‘That’s what I’d like to do.'”

The classic monster movie really inspired Elliott. He also watched plenty of television growing up, especially Western shows. However, the stars did not impress him all that much. As a result, he thought he could get into the TV business as an actor.

Elliott eventually got some theater experience in college. Afterward, he would start getting roles. Instead of watching Westerns, he now stars in them.

Other ‘Yellowstone’ prequel spin-offs

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Harrison Ford Confirms He’ll Be There for ‘1923’ Season 2

The Yellowstone universe has more than one prequel series. In December 2022, Paramount+ released the spin-off 1923 that serves as a sequel to 1883. The show only has one season out so far, but there are plans for a second one.

Fans have loved the series so far and are excited to see the characters return. Viewers have praised the performances of stars like Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. So far, Ford has confirmed that he will return for the second season. Fans also can expect another spin-off series to come out.

Last month, people received news of 1944 being in the works. A lot of the information surrounding the upcoming show is still unknown. However, Yellowstone fans have gotten some details and hints already.

For instance, showrunners have revealed that one of the shooting locations is Chief Joseph Ranch in Bitterroot Valley. The story also remains a mystery. Still, people have guessed that World War II may play a role.