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by Neil Melloy, Sunday Mail TV Scene (Australia), March 10-16, 1996
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David James Elliott might look the part as a JAG officer in the hit TV series but there is one thing that prevents him from ever filling that role in real life. His character, Lt. Harmon Rabb Jr. is a tough American boy - what you need to be to be a Judge Advocate General - but Elliott is a Canadian, which rules him out.
Elliott was born in Toronto and took up acting after a teacher encouraged him. He began studying acting in 1983 and went on to appear in some of Canada's best plays.
Then, in 1990, he moved to Southern California after being signed by Disney. For a while, he guest-starred in shows, including Doogie Howser, MD, China Beach and Dark Justice. Things really started to move for him in 1992 when he landed a recurring role on Knot's Landing and starred in the TV series The Untouchables.
Before JAG, he became known for his role as a sex addict on Melrose Place, but it was a guest part on Seinfeld, as Carl the moving guy, that he feels really boosted his career.
"I had fun playing a furniture mover who dated Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine)," he said. "I had always made a good living doing drama but I learned that if you do comedy, the whole world opens up."
Elliott is a distance runner in his spare time, which he has little of as he and his wife have a two-year-old daughter.
In real life, there are 850 Navy officers who serve as lawyers in the US Navy legal staff. The starting salary is $US 32,000 and builds to $US 40,000 after four years. Their initial work is in criminal court trying courts-martial.
Elliott believes "Harm" is driven in his work as a result of his father's legacy.
"Harmon's dad was a bit of a legend and that drives him to try to find some of his father in himself," he said. "He can be sarcastic and hard on himself. My past is not as dark as his is but, as an actor, I can say he's me - that is, were I to have lived his life."
Our thanks to Karlene Galway for submitting this.