Wissenswertes

Married to his second wife, Peggy, for 25 years before they divorced. About three years later, they remarried and remained together for another 19 years until she passed away.

After a very successful career of playing lightweight heavies and losers, he ended his career as a connected underworld boss who knew how to make things happen on Magnum (1980) as "Ice Pick".

He received his nickname "Hollywood's Lightest Heavy" from playing cowardly villains in his movies.

His film career, including his later television roles, lasted almost 60 years.

He has appeared in seven films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Sergeant York (1941), Die Spur des Falken (1941), Wirbelwind der Liebe (1941), Tote schlafen fest (1946), Mein großer Freund Shane (1953), Der Besessene (1961) and Rosemaries Baby (1968).

Appears in three Oscar Best Picture nominees: Sergeant York (1941), Die Spur des Falken (1941) and Mein großer Freund Shane (1953).

Enlisted in US Army on 8/15/1942. Height and weight at enlistment given as 5' 5" and 123 lb. Education given as three years of high school.

He died on the same day as his Die Rache des Johnny Cool (1963) co-star Elizabeth Montgomery.

Was an assistant stage manager at age 17.

He would play characters that could be completely passive and scared or entirely cold-blooded: each to their own extreme.

Biography in "Bad Boys: The Actors of Film Noir" by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry.

Was a lifelong registered Republican.

Frequently appeared in later life as disheveled and confused old men: VFX expert Glenn Erickson recalls of watching Cook film his cameo in 1941 - Wo bitte geht's nach Hollywood (1979), "He turned his 'drooling dotard' persona on and off for each take, as if throwing a light switch".

Elisha Cook Jr. was an American character actor famed for his work in film noir.

According to Bill Georgaris of They Shoot Pictures, Don't They, Cook appeared in 21 films noir, more than any other actor or actress.

Cook never became part of the Hollywood social scene, which he held in low regard. His slight build and calm demeanor belied his offscreen status as a rugged outdoorsman.