Long before stepping foot in the Yellowstone Universe, Sam Elliott was already a Western genre legend, appearing in everything from feature films like “Tombstone” and “Conagher” to the miniseries “The Sacketts.” Although Elliott gravitates to the horse opera, he never cared for “Yellowstone,” which is why his role on “1883” — one of the best Western miniseries ever made – is absolutely nothing like the Dutton drama.
When speaking to Howard Stern on “The Howard Stern Show” earlier this year, creator Taylor Sheridan revealed that Elliott wasn’t initially interested in intersecting with the Dutton brand. “I don’t like that ‘Yellowstone.’ That’s a cowboy soap opera,” Sheridan recalled Elliott telling him. But Sheridan had no intention of bringing Elliott over to the Kevin Costner-led series. Rather, he already had a story in mind for Shea Brennan, the former Union captain who would lead the westward wagon train.
“I pitched it to him and he said, ‘That’s beautiful, I’d love to do that,'” Sheridan continued. “I said, ‘Great, I’m gonna go write it for you.'” For the most part, Elliott appeared satisfied with his part in the then-budding Western franchise. “We’re tainted by ‘Yellowstone,’ which, on some level, I can’t stand,” the actor later told Taste of Country. “Because I think ‘1883’ stands alone and will.”
Sam Elliott continued working with Taylor Sheridan on Landman
For all of Elliott’s issues with the “cowboy soap opera,” his experience on “1883” turned him on to Sheridan’s larger body of work. Filming the historical Western miniseries left him a bit worn, having sustained some injuries during the production, but that didn’t stop the star from picking up the phone when Sheridan rang again later. This time, he was calling about an oilman soap opera.
On “Landman,” Elliott plays T.L. Norris, the father of Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris (ignoring the real-life 11-year age difference between them), a character who has since become an important cog in the oil-based machine. “It’s certainly not like ‘1883’ where we’re out in the elements and all that all the time,” he told Variety. “But there’s something about what I value personally.”
Although the star found it all “overwhelming” at first, many considered Elliott among the best things about the West Texas program’s second season. Elliott told Television Academy he’s committed to “Landman” through a fourth season, though the series has only been officially renewed by Paramount for a third. Shea Brennan’s story may be over, but it appears that the era of Sam Elliott-Taylor Sheridan collaborations is just beginning.
