Clyde Tolson
Encyclopedia
Clyde Anderson Tolson was Associate Director of the FBI
, primarily responsible for personnel and discipline. He is best known as the protégé of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover
.
, and attended Cedar Rapids Business College, in Iowa
, then was a War Department
clerk. From 1919 to 1928, he was confidential secretary for the Secretary of War in three administrations, to Newton D. Baker
, John W. Weeks
, and Dwight F. Davis
. Tolson then was completing a B.A. degree at George Washington University
in 1925, and a law degree in 1927.
After initial rejection by the FBI, he was hired in 1927, seeing the opportunity as a stepping stone to a law practice in Cedar Rapids. After working in the Boston
and Washington, D.C.
, field offices, he became the chief FBI clerk, then was promoted to assistant director in 1930.
In 1936, Tolson joined Hoover to arrest bank robber Alvin Karpis
; later that year, Tolson was in a gun fight with New York City
gangster
Harry Brunette
, and, in 1942, participated in capturing Nazi
saboteurs on Long Island
and Florida
. In 1947, he was made FBI Associate Director, working in budget and administration.
, and as a result, remained somewhat frail for the remainder of his life. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson
awarded him a gold medal for distinguished federal civilian service saying Tolson “has been a vital force in raising the proficiency of law enforcement at all levels and in guiding the Federal Bureau of Investigation to new heights of accomplishment through periods of great National challenge.” In 1970, although Tolson was too old for police duty and past retirement age, Hoover kept him employed in the FBI.
It has been reported that Tolson once said of United States Attorney General
Robert F. Kennedy
: "I hope that someone shoots and kills the son of a bitch."
When Hoover died on May 2, 1972, Tolson was briefly the acting head of the FBI, but one day later he was replaced by acting director L. Patrick Gray
, appointed by President Richard Nixon
. Tolson left the FBI two weeks later, leaving W. Mark Felt
in operational charge of the FBI.
: They worked closely together in the daytime, ate their meals together, socialized together in the evenings, and even went on vacations together. Rumors circulated for years that the two had a romantic relationship. Some authors have dismissed the rumors about Hoover's sexual orientation
and a possible intimate relationship with Tolson, while others have described them as probable or even "confirmed", and still others have reported the rumors without stating an opinion.
When Hoover died, Tolson inherited his estate of $551,000 and moved into his house; he accepted the U.S. flag draped on Hoover's coffin. Tolson's grave is a few yards from Hoover's grave in the Congressional Cemetery
.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
, primarily responsible for personnel and discipline. He is best known as the protégé of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover
J. Edgar Hoover
John Edgar Hoover was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States. Appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation—predecessor to the FBI—in 1924, he was instrumental in founding the FBI in 1935, where he remained director until his death in 1972...
.
Early career
Tolson was born in Laredo, MissouriLaredo, Missouri
Laredo is a city in Grundy County, Missouri, United States. The population was 250 at the 2000 census. Laredo is pronounced "la-read-oh" which varies from the traditional pronouncation. Many Missouri towns which share spellings with other locations use alternate pronouncations Laredo is a city in...
, and attended Cedar Rapids Business College, in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, then was a War Department
War Department
War Department may refer to:* War Department * United States Department of War - See also :* War Office , a former department of the British Government...
clerk. From 1919 to 1928, he was confidential secretary for the Secretary of War in three administrations, to Newton D. Baker
Newton D. Baker
Newton Diehl Baker, Jr. was an American politician who belonged to the Democratic Party. He served as the 37th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 1912 to 1915 and as U.S. Secretary of War from 1916 to 1921.-Early years:...
, John W. Weeks
John W. Weeks
John Wingate Weeks was an American politician in the Republican Party. He served as a United States Representative for Massachusetts from 1905 to 1913, as a United States Senator from 1913 to 1919, and as Secretary of War from 1921 to 1925.-Life and career:Weeks was born and raised in Lancaster,...
, and Dwight F. Davis
Dwight F. Davis
Dwight Filley Davis was an American tennis player and politician. He is best remembered as the founder of the Davis Cup international tennis competition.-Biography:...
. Tolson then was completing a B.A. degree at George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in 1925, and a law degree in 1927.
After initial rejection by the FBI, he was hired in 1927, seeing the opportunity as a stepping stone to a law practice in Cedar Rapids. After working in the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, field offices, he became the chief FBI clerk, then was promoted to assistant director in 1930.
In 1936, Tolson joined Hoover to arrest bank robber Alvin Karpis
Alvin Karpis
Alvin Francis Karpis , nicknamed "Creepy" for his sinister smile, was an American criminal known for his alliance with the Barker gang in the 1930s. He was the last "public enemy" to be taken.-Early life:Karpis was born to Lithuanian immigrants in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and was raised in Topeka,...
; later that year, Tolson was in a gun fight with New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
Harry Brunette
Harry Brunette
Harry Brunette was an American bank robber and Depression-era outlaw. He was declared a national "public enemy" by the Federal Bureau of Investigation when he and partner Merle Vandenbush robbed a series of banks in the New York City-era and kidnapped New Jersey state trooper William A. Turnbull...
, and, in 1942, participated in capturing Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
saboteurs on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In 1947, he was made FBI Associate Director, working in budget and administration.
Later life
In 1964, he suffered a strokeStroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
, and as a result, remained somewhat frail for the remainder of his life. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
awarded him a gold medal for distinguished federal civilian service saying Tolson “has been a vital force in raising the proficiency of law enforcement at all levels and in guiding the Federal Bureau of Investigation to new heights of accomplishment through periods of great National challenge.” In 1970, although Tolson was too old for police duty and past retirement age, Hoover kept him employed in the FBI.
It has been reported that Tolson once said of United States Attorney General
United States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
: "I hope that someone shoots and kills the son of a bitch."
When Hoover died on May 2, 1972, Tolson was briefly the acting head of the FBI, but one day later he was replaced by acting director L. Patrick Gray
L. Patrick Gray
Louis Patrick Gray III was acting Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from May 2, 1972 to April 27, 1973. During this time, the FBI was in charge of the initial investigation into the burglaries that sparked the Watergate scandal, which eventually led to the resignation of President...
, appointed by President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
. Tolson left the FBI two weeks later, leaving W. Mark Felt
W. Mark Felt
William Mark Felt, Sr. was an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation , who retired in 1973 as the Bureau's Associate Director...
in operational charge of the FBI.
Relationship with Hoover
It has been stated that J. Edgar Hoover described Tolson as his alter egoAlter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
: They worked closely together in the daytime, ate their meals together, socialized together in the evenings, and even went on vacations together. Rumors circulated for years that the two had a romantic relationship. Some authors have dismissed the rumors about Hoover's sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
and a possible intimate relationship with Tolson, while others have described them as probable or even "confirmed", and still others have reported the rumors without stating an opinion.
When Hoover died, Tolson inherited his estate of $551,000 and moved into his house; he accepted the U.S. flag draped on Hoover's coffin. Tolson's grave is a few yards from Hoover's grave in the Congressional Cemetery
Congressional Cemetery
The Congressional Cemetery is a historic cemetery located at 1801 E Street, SE, in Washington, D.C., on the west bank of the Anacostia River. It is the final resting place of thousands of individuals who helped form the nation and the city of Washington in the early 19th century. Many members of...
.
Depictions in fiction
Tolson has been depicted numerous times in television and movies, including:- The 2011 film J. EdgarJ. EdgarJ. Edgar is a 2011 biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood, from a script by Dustin Lance Black. The film focuses on the career of FBI director J...
portrayed by Armie HammerArmie HammerArmand Douglas "Armie" Hammer is an American actor. After appearing on television and playing the title role in 2008's Billy: The Early Years, he became known for his portrayal of the Winklevoss twins in the 2010 film The Social Network, and Clyde Tolson in J. Edgar...
. - The 2011 miniseries The KennedysThe KennedysThe Kennedys may refer to:*The Kennedy family, an American political family*The Kennedys , a German museum about the Kennedy family*The Kennedys , an American folk rock band...
portrayed by Kevin JubinvilleKevin JubinvilleKevin Jubinville is a Canadian actor, best known for playing The Shep in Degrassi: The Next Generation and Bob Venton in Rabbit Fall.- Filmography :- External links :...
. - The 2009 film Public Enemies portrayed by Chandler Williams.
- The 2008 short film Size Ten or G-Men portrayed by Jeff Keel.
- The 2003 satirical radio play "J. Edgar," written by Harry ShearerHarry ShearerHarry Julius Shearer is an American actor, comedian, writer, voice artist, musician, author, radio host and director. He is known for his long-running role on The Simpsons, his work on Saturday Night Live, the comedy band Spinal Tap and his radio program Le Show...
, portrayed by Kelsey Grammer. - The TV series Millennium (TV series)Millennium (TV series)Millennium is an American television series created by Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files. Millennium aired on the Fox Network from 1996 to 1999. The series was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, though most episodes were ostensibly set in or around Seattle, Washington...
portrayed by Peter Hanlon. - The TV series Dark SkiesDark SkiesDark Skies is an American UFO conspiracy theory-based sci-fi television series that aired from the 1996 to 1997 season for 18 episodes, plus a two-hour pilot episode. The success of The X-Files on Fox proved there was an audience for science fiction shows, resulting in NBC commissioning this...
portrayed by Jack Ritschel. - The 1995 film NixonNixon (film)Nixon is a 1995 American biographical film directed by Oliver Stone for Cinergi Pictures that tells the story of the political and personal life of former US President Richard Nixon, played by Anthony Hopkins....
portrayed by Brian BedfordBrian BedfordBrian Bedford is an English actor. He has appeared on the stage and in film, and is known for both acting in and directing Shakespeare.-Life and career:...
. - The 1992 TV movie Citizen CohnCitizen CohnCitizen Cohn is a 1992 cable film covering the life of Joseph McCarthy's controversial chief counsel Roy Cohn. James Woods, who starred as Cohn, was nominated for both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his performance...
portrayed by Daniel von BargenDaniel von BargenDaniel von Bargen is an American film, stage, and television actor.Best-known for his roles as Mr. Kruger on Seinfeld and Commandant Edwin Spangler on the TV comedy Malcolm in the Middle, Von Bargen's film credits include RoboCop 3, Basic Instinct, Broken Arrow, Universal Soldier: The Return,...
. - The miniseries Robert Kennedy & His TimesRobert Kennedy & His TimesRobert Kennedy & His Times is a 1985 American television miniseries directed by Marvin J. Chomsky. The miniseries was released in three parts and depicts the life of Robert F. Kennedy.-Cast:- Crew :-Awards and nominations:...
portrayed by Jack Thibeau. - The 1984 TV movie Concealed EnemiesConcealed EnemiesConcealed Enemies is an American television docudrama of the events leading to the arrest, conviction, and imprisonment of former U.S. State Department official Alger Hiss....
portrayed by Ralph Byers. - The 1977 film The Private Files of J. Edgar HooverThe Private Files of J. Edgar HooverThe Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover is a 1977 film directed by Larry Cohen. It stars Broderick Crawford and James Wainwright. The all star cast includes Jose Ferrer, Michael Parks, Celeste Holm, Ronee Blakely, Tanya Roberts in a cameo role, and in final screen appearances, Jack Cassidy and Dan...
portrayed by Dan DaileyDan DaileyDaniel James Dailey Jr. was an American dancer and actor.-Early life and career:Born in New York City on December 14, 1915, to James J. and Helen Dailey, both born in New York City. He appeared in a minstrel show when very young, and appeared in vaudeville before his Broadway debut in 1937 in...
.