Trivia

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, P.I. (1980) as "Ice Pick".

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.

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), The Maltese Falcon (1941), Ball of Fire (1941), The Big Sleep (1946), Shane (1953), One-Eyed Jacks (1961) and Rosemary's Baby (1968).

Appears in three Oscar Best Picture nominees: Sergeant York (1941), The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Shane (1953).

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

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 Johnny Cool (1963) co-star Elizabeth Montgomery.

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

Was an assistant stage manager at age 17.

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

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.

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

Was a lifelong registered Republican.

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