Sam Elliott & Katharine Ross: Here's How They Met & Fell In Love

Katharine Ross is forever linked to her performance in "The Graduate," in which her character, Elaine Robinson, eventually marries Dustin Hoffman's character, Benjamin Braddock. At the time the movie was released in 1967, Ross had already experienced two marriages and two divorces. It would take over a decade until Ross found lasting love with fellow actor Sam Elliott.

It took a while to get the timing right. When he and Ross first worked together on "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" in 1969, Elliott was still years away from his transformation into a '70s heartthrob, and he seemed to feel he needed to prove himself as an actor. "I didn't dare try to talk to her then," Elliott later informed AARP. "I was a shadow on the wall, a glorified extra in a bar scene." However, in a Life magazine article from around the same time, Ross was outspoken about being down to earth, so it's highly unlikely she would have snubbed Elliott. In fact, she probably would have thought Elliott's humble approach to acting was very refreshing. 

When Elliott and Ross worked together on "The Legacy" in 1978, Ross was already in a relationship. While the creepy movie, which also included Roger Daltrey of "The Who," might seem an unlikely atmosphere for creating romance, Elliott and Ross had some cozy and steamy scenes together. Elliott's resume — and his confidence in general — had clearly grown. He could do his job and showcase his considerable charm. Ross was smitten, and they launched a decades-long partnership soon after.

If Sam Elliott had read that Life interview with Katharine Ross, he would have found the perfect conversation opener to talk to Katharine Ross on the "Butch Cassidy" set. One photo from the article showed Ross riding one of the three horses she owned at the time. Although Elliott's riding experiences were intertwined with his acting career, he, too, was a longtime horse enthusiast. When he was a kid, Elliott loved to watch horse racing at the California State Fair.

Since Elliott and Ross' 1984 marriage, Elliott has racked up quite a few onscreen credits in westerns and other films that called for riding prowess. "Any of those parts that required some iota of horsemanship always got my attention and made me work harder," Elliott informed Cowboys & Indians in 2013. "If you're going to get on a horse, you want to look good on one." Although decades of physically demanding roles have taken a toll on Elliott as he ages, the actor continues to persevere with his craft.

Ross has been right beside her husband for some of those appearances, including "Conagher" in 1991 and "The Hero" in 2017. Both Ross and Elliott have had glowing reviews of their collaborative experiences, highlighting the tightness of their bond. The couple is equally committed during tough times. "I think really what it boils down to is we love each other, and we work at it," Elliott explained to NPR in 2017. "I think more importantly than anything, it takes wanting to be married."