Biography | Filmography | Portraits | InThePress | RedCarpet | PersonalApperances | DJEfansCare | DJEEncounters

An Officer and a Gentleman
A man in uniform can weaken a woman's knees.
Picture David James Elliott in his JAG togs and he's guaranteed to do more than that.

By Angelia Teo, Inside TV (Singapore), December 11-24, 1999

Hands up those of you who always hoped that there would be an infinitely more appealing alternative to regular TV hunks such as David Duchovny, Dylan McDermott or Thomas Gibson. Say, someone blessed with pretty boy looks, charming humour, who is street-smart, strong, and to top it off - draped in a sexy military uniform ...

Too much to ask for? Well, meet David James Elliot.

As Lt.Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. on JAG - one of the few shows on TV that combines the intriguing world of law with hard-hitting action - Elliot has made us sit up and take notice of the armed forces through a sexy, new perspective. With disarmingly good looks and intense smouldering gaze, it's no wonder that this red-hot hunk has been touted as the "Next Big Thing" on television. He was even nominated one of People magazine's 50 most beautiful people in 1996. Really now, can dreams get any better?

He's a lethal combination of law and discipline; good looks and killer charm. Elliot is the man in army [navy] togs, promising to set hearts a-flutter with a simple military salute. The handsome actor has never spent a day in the service but carries the officer's uniform as comfortably as if he were in jeans.

"I feel as though I'm in the service now," says the Canadian native. Prodding through the desert outback, hanging precariously from an airborne helicopter, and diving through the sea in a submarine have certainly taken their toll on the actor, considering that he does a lot of his own stunts. "I injure myself constantly," he confirms.

COMELY HERO
"There's absolutely nothing like JAG on TV now", reflects Elliot of the one-hour drama that revolves around the Judge Advocate Generals (JAG) in the Navy who investigate criminal cases.

The show could be just another lawyer drama in the lines of The Practice and Law and Order. However, in a refreshing move, much of the show takes place outside of the courtroom, allowing for deep sea dives, cross-country drives and pure unadulterated action.

Not surprising, considering that the series is written and produced by Don Bellisario, the man behind hits such as Quantum Leap and Magnum, P.I. The famed producer is also responsible for making a TV icon out of '80s hearthrob, Tom Selleck, when he cast him as the affable Magnum, P.I.

Can he do the same for Elliot?

"It doesn't hurt that he's the same size as Tom Selleck was," Bellisario cheekily admits. "He's a good actor with a wonderful charm. That's what I was looking for in this character, that Tom Selleck warmth and charm and vulnerability and sense of humour."

But Bellisario wasn't quite so sure about Elliot when the latter first came for an audition. It took five auditions before the actor was given the role. "I had a lot of actors come back a couple of times," reveals Bellisario. "David was the only one who kept improving."

"THE SHOES HAVE IT!"
Elliot, who recently guest-starred on Maggie Winters as Maggie's ex-husband, made the all-important decision to become an actor in his final year of high school. Since then, he's paved his way from drama student to theatre actor, to rising television star.

Growing up in Milton, Ontario, the dashing star modestly admits, "I couldn't even get a date in high school!" He later went to drama school and joined the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Theatre was his sole job until he ventured into television, appearing in several Canadian productions.

Moving to Hollywood, however, saw him grace the small screen in the long-running soap opera Knots Landing. He went on to star in the TV series, The Untouchables, guest-star on Seinfeld and secure a recurring role on Melrose Place. But it was upon nabbing the lead role in JAG that he hit the big time.

To get into the role of a military man, Elliott uses an offbeat acting technique - shoes! "Shoes are hugely important to who your character is," he dispensed during an interview with LA Times, while sporting a pair of black, thick-soled Navy-issue shoes. And he may be spot-on with this unique technique. As Bellisario will attest, "He has a military bearing. He brings great believability to the character." Bellisario should know - he was once a Marine.

HOME BASE
For all those dying to know the marital status of this gorgeous dude, be prepared for the worst. The 39-year-old actor, who will be co-starring with Courtney Cox in the upcoming comedy The Shrink Is In, is very much ineligible - he makes his home in Brentwood, LA , with wife and fellow actress Nancy Chambers, and their three-year-old daughter, Stephanie.

His after-work routine includes reading The Naval Officer's Guide amongst other books, playing golf and just plain hanging out at home with Nancy . "I've always been fairly reserved and laid-back. What do you expect? I'm Canadian!" he quipped to Entertainment Weekly.

Dashing debonair or devoted family man? Resilient officer or charming gentleman? Whatever Elliot may be, one thing is sure, it's going to be pure joy watching the officer at his finest.

---