Background
Elliott was born David William Smith on September 21, 1960, in Milton, Ontario, Canada, the son of Pat Farrow, an office manager, and Arnold Smith, a heating and plumbing wholesale contractor.
Elliott was born David William Smith on September 21, 1960, in Milton, Ontario, Canada, the son of Pat Farrow, an office manager, and Arnold Smith, a heating and plumbing wholesale contractor.
After graduating from high school, he attended Ryerson University in Toronto, auditioned for the Stratford Shakespearean Festival in Ontario and was accepted as a member of its Young Company.
He was the middle child of three boys. During his teenage years, he was part of a band, quitting Milton District High School in his final year to pursue his dream of becoming a rock star. However, at age 19, he realized this would not happen and returned to finish high school.
Subsequently moving to Los Angeles he took the stage name of David James Elliott having found there was already an actor named David Smith.
He appeared in the film Police Academy 3: Back in Training in 1986, and subsequently in the television series Street Legal, Knots Landing as Bill Nolan, and in 1993"s The Untouchables as Agent Paul Robbins. The following year Elliott landed a recurring role on the hit series Melrose Place, playing Terry Parsons, and a guest appearance in an episode of Seinfeld as "Carl" the anti-abortion furniture mover.
She also appeared in Judge Advocate General as the ambitious Lieutenant Loren Singer. David and Nanci both became United States. citizens.
In 1995, Elliott landed the role he would hold for ten years, the role of Naval Aviator-turned Judge Advocate General lawyer Harmon Rabb Junior. in the National Broadcasting Company/Columbia Broadcasting System television drama Judge Advocate General. In 1996, David Elliott starred in the made-for-cable movie Holiday Affair with Cynthia Gibb.
This is a remake of the 1949 classic Holiday Affair which starred Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh. In 2005, Elliott starred in a Canadian television movie The Manitoba Who Lost Himself, which was based on the true story of Terry Evanshen, a Canadian football player who was in a car accident and lost his memory due to severe head injuries. Nanci Chambers also appeared in this movie as a doctor.
In October 2006, Elliott joined the cast of legal drama Close to Home (2005–2007) as Chief Deputy Prosecutor James Conlon.
During 2008, he had a recurring role in the Canadian series The Guard. He starred in Sciences Fi Channel"s four-hour miniseries, Knights of Bloodsteel (2009).
Elliott was cast as an Internet millionaire in Terror Trap, directed by Dan Garcia. On March 19, 2010, Elliott replaced Neal McDonough as the male lead in the television series Scoundrels.
In 2010, Elliott was cast as Federal Bureau of Investigation Agent Russian Josephson on Computer Society of India: New York, a recurring role as Detective Jo Danville"s (Sela Ward) ex-husband, a role which he first portrayed in January, 2011.
In 2012, Elliott also co-starred as Ripp Cockburn, the husband of Kristin Chenoweth"s character Carlene, on American Broadcasting Company"s comedy-drama series Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. In 2014, Elliott appeared in Mad Men (season 7) as Dave Wooster. In 2015, Elliott guest starred in the television drama Scorpion. In 2015, Elliott played actor John Wayne in the film Trumbo.