Let’s face it … if you’ve loved great movies and TV shows at any point during the last 40-plus years, you’ve likely experienced the deep, grounded voice of one of Hollywood’s greatest and most enduring cowboys, the one and only Sam Elliott. Whether he’s gripping a six-shooter, battling it out in Gettysburg or going toe-to-toe with a supernatural motorcycle rider with a flaming skull, one thing remains constant – well-written lines that become iconic when spoken with the authentic gravitas that the veteran actor brings to the table.
Don’t believe us? Check out a sampling of memorable quotes we handpicked from Elliott’s most popular roles, and then replay them in your mind in his voice. The results? Pure magic.
What Is Sam Elliott Best Known For?
The Sacketts (1979 TV Series)
“Don’t try ridin’ over this man, boy. Those wrinkles are war maps. Fought Indians, grizzly, and seen 100 struttin’ peacocks like you get taken down hard. I don’t know how you got so swollen with yourself, boy, but you’ beginning to bother us.”
Gettysburg (1993)
“And when Lee’s army is all nicely entrenched behind fat rocks on the high ground, Meade’ll finally attack, if he can coordinate the army. Straight up the hillside, out in the open, in that gorgeous field of fire. We will charge valiantly… and be butchered valiantly!”
The Quick and the Dead (TV Movie, 1987)
“Shoot to kill. Wounds don’t impress them. They’ve all been shot before.”
The Big Lebowski (1998)
“Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you.
Mask (1985)
“Rocky, your mom sometimes does the wrong things, but for the right reasons.”
We Were Soldiers (2002)
“If any of you sons of bitches calls me grandpa, I’ll kill you.”
Road House (1989)
“I’ll get all the sleep I need when I’m dead.”
Tombstone (1993)
“I walk around this town and look these people in the eyes. It’s just like someone’s slappin’ me in the face! These people are afraid to walk down the street, and I’m tryin’ to make money off that like some goddamn vulture! If we’re gonna have a future in this town, it’s gotta have some law and order!”
Ghost Rider (2007)
“I got nothing left, I could only change one more time and I was saving it for this. God knows I made my share of mistakes. I’ve been trying to make them right ever since. All I can do is hope he sees fit to give me a second chance.”
Parks and Recreation (2013)
And, to round things, out of two of the most memorable quotes and exchanges from Sam’s memorable guest appearance in the sixth season (2013) of Parks and Recreation. This role saw Elliott appear as “Eagleton Ron,” a seemingly similar-minded counterpart to regular cast member and old-fashioned Alpha Male Ron Swanson (played by Nick Offerman), only to reveal that he is actually a vegan hippie pacifist – everything that Swanson hates most.
Eagleton Ron: “I believe a man’s feet should remain uncaged. Same goes for all chickens.”
Eagleton Ron: “Just remember Ron, giving into hate is like drinking saltwater. The thirst only grows worse.”
Ron Swanson: “Leslie, remove this man before I commit an act of violence against him.”
TombsEagleton Ron: “Whatever you do, I won’t fight back.”
We’ve just scratched the surface of Sam Elliott-fueled greatness. What are some of YOUR favorite lines from his countless myriad of roles over the years?