In 1963, Elam received a rare chance to play the good guy, reformed gunfighter and Deputy U.S. Marshal J. D. Smith, in the ABC/Warner Bros. series "The Dakotas", a Western intended as the successor of "Cheyenne", but "The Dakotas" was telecast for only 19 episodes. He played George Taggart, a gunslinger-turned-marshal, in the NBC/WB series "Temple Houston", with Jeffrey Hunter in the title role. Elam got this part after James Coburn declined the role. Unfortunately for him, that series ran for only 26 weeks.