Canadian American Actor of 'JAG'

David James Elliott | Biography

Actor of Series 'Street Legal' & 'The Untouchables'

• By Reena Chikanbanjar
• Update : December 03, 2021

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David James Elliott is a Canadian-American actor best known for playing lead character Harmon Rabb Jr. in the legal drama television series JAG (1995- 2005).

Who is David James Elliott?

David James Elliott kicked off his acting career in 1986. His first acting role was as a young man on a boat in the 1986 Canadian biographical sports drama film The Boy in Blue. Then, from 1988 to 1991, he portrayed the role of Nick Del Gado, a cop turned private eye, in a Canadian legal drama television series Street Legal. 

And in 1990, he moved to Los Angeles, California, to grab better acting opportunities. He then guest-starred in a couple of television shows before landing a role as Agent Paul Robbins in the ABC thriller crime drama series The Untouchables (1993-1994) as a series regular. The show was based on the 1987 film of the same name directed by Brian De Palma and the 1957 memoir of the same name written by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley.

Elliott landed a breakout role of Lieutenant/Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. in the legal drama series JAG from 1995 to 2005. The series was initially aired on NBC, but the network canceled the series after one season due to poor ratings. Later, CBS picked up the series and began airing in January 1997. And eventually, the series climbed in the ratings and successfully ran for nine additional seasons.

Elliott later appeared in numerous other television series, including Close to Home, The Guard, Knights of Bloodsteel, Scoundrels, GCB, Secrets and Lies, NCIS: Los Angeles, Impulse, Spinning Out, and Heels. He also appeared in multiple films and television movies, including Exploding Sun (2013), Trumbo (2015), and I Love Us (2021).
 

Age and Early Life

Elliott was born on 21 September 1960 in Toronto, Ontario, making him 61 years old as of 2021. His father was Arnold Smith, heating and plumbing wholesaler-contractor. While his mother, Pat Farrow, was an office manager. 

He lived in Milton, Ontario, with his parents and two brothers. But their family spent much of his time in the Bahamas. His father was Bahamian, so they often went to meet their relatives in the Bahamas. In addition to that, Elliott recalls that he was 'tall and gangly and painfully shy as a child.' He also showed interest in music from a young age. He was into the rock n roll genre, and during high school, he was also a band frontman. 

And before he could finish school, at age 17, he quit studying to play full-time in the band. However, he had issues and arguments with the bandmates, so he rejoined high school after six months. Eventually, he graduated high school at age 19. Then, he went on to study at the Toronto Ryerson Polytechnic University. 

After graduating from the university, he auditioned for the Stratford Shakespearean Festival in Stratford, Ontario, and became a member of its Young Company. And while working there for two years, he was named 'Most Promising Apprentice' of the company. 

Net Worth

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Elliott holds an estimated net worth of $15 million.

Wife and Children

Elliott met his future wife, actress, producer, and entrepreneur Nanci Chambers, on the set of Street Legal. Elliott had a recurring role as Nick Del Gado, and Chamber had a guest appearance as Nick's girlfriend. The episode they appeared in was titled 'The Legacy of Stanley Wall,' which aired on 4 October 1991.

Their reel romance developed into dating in real life. They ultimately tied the knot on 8 October 1992 in City Hall. Later, they had another wedding ceremony on 26 June 1999 in Santa Barbara, California, as compensation for the original marriage, which they did when they had less money.

In addition to Street Legal, the couple co-starred on JAG, in which Elliott was a series regular, while Chambers appeared as Lt. Loren Singer from 1997 to 2003. Her other television series credits included Check It Out in 1988, L.A. Heat in 1997, Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction in 1999 and 2000, and Ghost Whisperer in 2008. She also appeared in several television movies, including Dodson's Journey (2001), Code 11-14 (2003), and The Stranger I Married (2005). Chambers had made her acting debut in the 1983 film Screwballs.

The couple has two children together. They welcomed their daughter, Stephanie, on 15 March 1993, and son, Wyatt, on 3 March 2003. 

According to a Los Angeles Times coverage, published in August 2019, Elliott and Chambers share an 8,000 square-foot Italian villa-style home. Elliott says they made their home in collaboration with Los Angeles-based Italian artist Laura Capitanio and his wife took charge of finalizing the entire aesthetics of their home. They also have a menagerie that includes two dogs, two rats, and a lizard.