Marshall Thompson
Encyclopedia
Marshall Thompson was an American film and television actor.
He was born James Marshall Thompson in Peoria
, Illinois
. In 1943 Thompson, known for his boy-next-door good looks, was signed by Universal Pictures
. He played quiet, thoughtful teens in Universal's feature films, including a lead opposite singing star Gloria Jean
in Reckless Age, earning $350 weekly. During 1946 Universal discharged most of its contract players; that same year Thompson moved to MGM and his film roles steadily increased and improved.
Thompson became a freelance actor in the 1950s and worked for various studios on a variety of pictures, including a number of horror and science-fiction
features; this included the role of Carruthers in It! The Terror from Beyond Space
(1958), one of the two feature films that would later inspire the plot for director Ridley Scott
's 1979 big budget feature film Alien
. Thompson also starred as Mel Hunter in the syndicated science-fiction TV series
World of Giants, about a man who has been miniaturized and must live in a dollhouse.
By the 1960s, Thompson's boyish looks had matured and his screen persona became more authoritative. He co-starred with Annie Fargé
in the 33-episode CBS
sitcom Angel
(1960–1961) about an American architect
with a charming but scatterbrained French
wife, who often got into zany, Lucy Ricardo-esque situations, caused in part by her lack of English
; the show was canceled after 33 episodes due to low ratings, despite critical acclaim for French-born newcomer Annie Fargé. In the mid-1960s Thompson starred in CBS's Daktari
, a television series about a veterinarian
in Africa
; the series was based on Thompson's 1965 feature film Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion
. Later in his career, he appeared in many television episodes and in feature films such as The Turning Point
(1977) and The Formula (1980).
Thompson was a brother-in-law
of actor Richard Long
, best known for his role as Jarrod Barkley in ABC
's The Big Valley
. Thompson's wife, Barbara, was Long's sister.
Marshall Thompson died from congestive heart failure
at the age of sixty-six in Royal Oak
, Michigan
.
He was born James Marshall Thompson in Peoria
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. In 1943 Thompson, known for his boy-next-door good looks, was signed by Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
. He played quiet, thoughtful teens in Universal's feature films, including a lead opposite singing star Gloria Jean
Gloria Jean
Gloria Jean is an American singer and actress who starred or co-starred in 26 feature films between 1939 and 1959. She also made radio, television, stage, and nightclub appearances.-Career:...
in Reckless Age, earning $350 weekly. During 1946 Universal discharged most of its contract players; that same year Thompson moved to MGM and his film roles steadily increased and improved.
Thompson became a freelance actor in the 1950s and worked for various studios on a variety of pictures, including a number of horror and science-fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
features; this included the role of Carruthers in It! The Terror from Beyond Space
It! The Terror from Beyond Space
It! The Terror from Beyond Space is a 1958 black and white science fiction film directed by Edward L. Cahn.-Plot:The film opens with a nuclear-powered spaceship perched on the cratered surface of an alien world. A voice-over tells us that the year is 1973 and that this is the planet, Mars. This...
(1958), one of the two feature films that would later inspire the plot for director Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. His most famous films include The Duellists , Alien , Blade Runner , Legend , Thelma & Louise , G. I...
's 1979 big budget feature film Alien
Alien (film)
Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature which...
. Thompson also starred as Mel Hunter in the syndicated science-fiction TV series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
World of Giants, about a man who has been miniaturized and must live in a dollhouse.
By the 1960s, Thompson's boyish looks had matured and his screen persona became more authoritative. He co-starred with Annie Fargé
Annie Fargé
Annie Fargue was a French-born actress named "most promising new star in a situation comedy" in 1961 when she co-starred with Marshall Thompson, Doris Singleton, and Don Keefer in CBS's Angel....
in the 33-episode CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
sitcom Angel
Angel (1960 TV series)
Angel is an American sitcom that aired for one season on CBS during the 1960–1961 season. The series was created and executive produced by Jess Oppenheimer, and stars Annie Fargé as the title character.-Synopsis:...
(1960–1961) about an American architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
with a charming but scatterbrained French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
wife, who often got into zany, Lucy Ricardo-esque situations, caused in part by her lack of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
; the show was canceled after 33 episodes due to low ratings, despite critical acclaim for French-born newcomer Annie Fargé. In the mid-1960s Thompson starred in CBS's Daktari
Daktari
Daktari is an American children's drama series that aired on CBS between 1966 and 1969. The series, an Ivan Tors Films Production in association with MGM Television, stars Marshall Thompson as Dr. Marsh Tracy, a veterinarian at the fictional Wameru Study Centre for Animal Behaviour in East...
, a television series about a veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
; the series was based on Thompson's 1965 feature film Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion
Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion
Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion is a 1965 film directed by Andrew Marton and starring Marshall Thompson and Betsy Drake. The movie was shot in Miami, Florida, and became the basis for the television series Daktari.-Plot:...
. Later in his career, he appeared in many television episodes and in feature films such as The Turning Point
The Turning Point (1977 film)
The Turning Point is a 1977 film written by Arthur Laurents and directed by Herbert Ross. In starring roles were Shirley MacLaine, Anne Bancroft, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Leslie Browne, Tom Skerritt, Martha Scott, Anthony Zerbe, Marshall Thompson and James Mitchell.-Plot:This film tells the story of...
(1977) and The Formula (1980).
Thompson was a brother-in-law
Brother-in-law
A brother-in-law is the brother of one's spouse, the husband of one's sibling, or the husband of one's spouse's sibling.-See also:*Affinity *Sister-in-law*Brothers in Law , a 1955 British comedy novel...
of actor Richard Long
Richard Long (actor)
Richard Long was an American actor better known for his leading roles in several ABC television series, including The Big Valley, Nanny and the Professor and Bourbon Street Beat.-Early life:...
, best known for his role as Jarrod Barkley in ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's The Big Valley
The Big Valley
The Big Valley is an American television Western which ran on ABC from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969, which starred Barbara Stanwyck, as a California widowed mother. It was created by A.I. Bezzerides and Louis F. Edelman...
. Thompson's wife, Barbara, was Long's sister.
Marshall Thompson died from congestive heart failure
Congestive heart failure
Heart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition...
at the age of sixty-six in Royal Oak
Royal Oak, Michigan
Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 57,236. It should not be confused with Royal Oak Charter Township, a separate community located nearby....
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Partial filmography
- The Purple HeartThe Purple HeartThe Purple Heart is a 1944 American war film directed by Lewis Milestone.It is a dramatization of the trial of a number of US airmen by the Japanese during the Second World War...
(1944) - The ClockThe Clock (film)The Clock is a 1945 film starring Judy Garland and Robert Walker and directed by Garland's future husband, Vincente Minnelli. This was Garland's first dramatic role as well as her first starring vehicle in which she did not sing.-Plot:...
(1945) - The Valley of DecisionThe Valley of DecisionThe Valley of Decision is a film set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA in the late 19th century. It tells the story of a young Irish house maid who falls in love with the son of her employer, a local steel mill owner...
(1945) - They Were ExpendableThey Were ExpendableThey Were Expendable is a 1945 American war film directed by John Ford and starring Robert Montgomery and John Wayne. The film is based on the book by William L. White, relating the story of the exploits of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three, a PT boat unit defending the Philippines against Japanese...
(1945) - Bad BascombBad Bascomb (1946 film)Bad Bascomb is a 1946 western film starring Wallace Beery and Margaret O'Brien. The movie was directed by S. Sylvan Simon.-Plot:"Bad" Bascomb is a notorious outlaw wanted by federal marshals after outwitting every group sent to capture him. He and fellow bandit Bart Ramsay , a cold-blooded...
(1946) - The Cockeyed MiracleThe Cockeyed MiracleThe Cockeyed Miracle is a 1946 fantasy film about a ghost who, with the help of his father , stops his best friend from leaving his family penniless. The ghosts are played by Frank Morgan and Keenan Wynn, the villain by Cecil Kellaway...
(1946) - Gallant BessGallant BessGallant Bess is a motion picture released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1946. It was loosely based on the true story of U.S. Navy Warrant Officer Arthur Parker's rescuing of an injured filly during World War II. Portions of the movie were filmed on the coast of Santa Barbara, California, in October 1945...
(1946) - The Secret HeartThe Secret HeartThe Secret Heart is a 1946 film directed by Robert Z. Leonard, and starring Claudette Colbert, Walter Pidgeon and June Allyson.-Plot:Lee is engaged to marry Larry Adams, a spendthrift widower with two children, son Chase and daughter Penny...
(1946) - The Romance of Rosy RidgeThe Romance of Rosy RidgeThe Romance of Rosy Ridge is a 1947 drama film about a rural community still bitterly divided in the aftermath of the American Civil War. It stars Van Johnson, Thomas Mitchell, and Janet Leigh in her film debut...
(1947) - B.F.'s DaughterB.F.'s DaughterB.F.'s Daughter is a 1948 drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Van Heflin. It is adapted from John P. Marquand's controversial 1946 novel of the same name, but the movie script soft-pedals the controversial elements and is a fairly conventional love...
(1948) - HomecomingHomecoming (1948 film)Homecoming is a 1948 romantic drama starring Clark Gable and Lana Turner.-Plot:Ulysses Johnson is a surgeon coming back from World War II. As he is sitting on the transport boat taking him back to America, he is asked by a reporter about his experiences during the war. Johnson begins to tell him...
(1948) - Words and MusicWords and Music (1948 film)Words and Music is a 1948 movie loosely based on the creative partnership of the composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Lorenz Hart. The film starred Mickey Rooney, Tom Drake, Janet Leigh, Betty Garrett, and Ann Sothern, It is best remembered for the final screen pairing between Rooney and Judy...
(1948) - Command DecisionCommand Decision (film)Command Decision is a 1948 war film starring Clark Gable, Walter Pidgeon, Van Johnson and Brian Donlevy and directed by Sam Wood, based on a stage play of the same name written by William Wister Haines, which he based on his best-selling novel. The screenplay for the film was written by George...
(1948) - Roseanna McCoyRoseanna McCoyRoseanna McCoy is a 1949 American drama film directed by Irving Reis. The screenplay by John Collier, based on the 1947 novel of the same title by Alberta Hannum, is a romanticized and semi-fictionalized account of the Hatfield-McCoy feud.-Plot:...
(1949) - BattlegroundBattleground (1949 film)Battleground is a 1949 American war film that tells the story of the 2nd Squad, 3rd Platoon of Item Company, 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, trying to cope with the Siege of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. It stars Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo...
(1949) - Stars In My Crown (1950) (voice)
- Mystery StreetMystery StreetMystery Street is a black-and-white film noir directed by John Sturges with cinematography by famed lensman John Alton. The film stars Ricardo Montalban, Bruce Bennett, and Elsa Lanchester....
(1950) - Devil's DoorwayDevil's DoorwayDevil's Doorway is a 1950 western film directed by Anthony Mann and starring Robert Taylor as an Indian who returns home from the American Civil War a hero awarded the Medal of Honor. However, his hopes for a peaceful life are shattered by bigotry and greed.-Plot:The Civil War may be over back...
(1950) - Dial 1119Dial 1119Dial 1119 is a 1950 film noir starring Marshall Thompson as a deranged escaped killer holding the customers of a bar hostage. It was directed by Gerald Mayer, nephew of Louis B. Mayer.-Cast:*Marshall Thompson as Gunther Wyckoff*Virginia Field as Freddy...
(1950) - The Tall TargetThe Tall TargetThe Tall Target is a 1951 thriller film starring Dick Powell as a detective who tries to stop the assassination of Abraham Lincoln on a train taking the newly-elected president to his inauguration...
(1951) - My Six ConvictsMy Six ConvictsMy Six Convicts is an American 1952 comedy-drama film adapted from the autobiographical book written by Donald Powell Wilson. The film was adapted for the screen by screenwriter Michael Blankfort and directed by Hugo Fregonese who was nominated for the Directors Guild of America Award for...
(1952) - The CaddyThe CaddyThe Caddy is a 1953 American film starring the comedy team of Martin and Lewis. It was filmed from November 24, 1952 through February 23, 1953. It was released by Paramount Pictures on August 10, 1953...
(1953) - The Public Defender (TV series)The Public Defender (TV series)The Public Defender is a half-hour 69-episode television dramatic series starring Reed Hadley as Bart Matthews, an attorney for the indigent. The series aired on CBS from March 11, 1954 to June 23, 1955, a season and a half.-Premise:...
(1954) - CrashoutCrashout-Plot:Convict Van Duff is the leader of a large-scale prison break. The breakout works as the six survivors hide out in a forgotten mine working near the prison....
(1955) - Cult of the CobraCult of the CobraCult of the Cobra is a horror film, released by Universal Pictures and starring Faith Domergue, Richard Long, Jack Kelly, William Reynolds and David Janssen. In it, the discoverers of a secret cult of women who can transform into cobras begin to die one by one...
(1955) - To Hell and BackTo Hell and Back (film)To Hell and Back is a CinemaScope war film released in 1955. It was directed by Jesse Hibbs and starred Audie Murphy as himself and Kyle Sanville. It is based on the 1949 autobiography of the same name and is an account of Murphy's World War II experiences as a soldier in the U.S. Army...
(1955) - Good Morning, Miss Dove (1955)
- Fiend Without a FaceFiend Without a FaceFiend Without a Face is a 1958 British black-and-white science fiction film directed by Arthur Crabtree. It tells the story of mysterious deaths at the hands of an invisible life-form that steals human brains and spinal columns...
(1958) - It! The Terror from Beyond SpaceIt! The Terror from Beyond SpaceIt! The Terror from Beyond Space is a 1958 black and white science fiction film directed by Edward L. Cahn.-Plot:The film opens with a nuclear-powered spaceship perched on the cratered surface of an alien world. A voice-over tells us that the year is 1973 and that this is the planet, Mars. This...
(1958) - First Man into SpaceFirst Man into SpaceFirst Man into Space is a 1959 science fiction horror film directed by Robert Day and distributed by Amalgamated films.- Plot :...
(1959) - No Man Is an IslandNo Man Is an Island (film)No Man Is an Island is a 1962 war film about the exploits of George Ray Tweed, a United States Navy radioman who avoided capture and execution by the Japanese during their years-long World War II occupation of Guam. It stars Jeffrey Hunter as Tweed...
(1962) - A Yank in Viet-NamA Yank in Viet-NamA Yank in Viet-Nam is a 1964 war drama film. It was filmed entirely in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.The film follows a U.S. Marine Corps pilot who is shot down over the Vietnamese jungle...
(1964) - Clarence, the Cross-Eyed LionClarence, the Cross-Eyed LionClarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion is a 1965 film directed by Andrew Marton and starring Marshall Thompson and Betsy Drake. The movie was shot in Miami, Florida, and became the basis for the television series Daktari.-Plot:...
(1965) - To the Shores of HellTo the Shores of HellTo the Shores of Hell is a 1966 Vietnam war film directed by Will Zens and starring Marshall Thompson, Richard Arlen, Dick O'Neill and Robert Dornan that was distributed by Crown International Pictures. Dornan may possibly have co-written the film as his Mother's maiden name was "McFadden".-Plot...
(1966) - Around the World Under the SeaAround the World Under the SeaAround the World Under the Sea is a 1966 science fiction film directed by Andrew Marton and starring Lloyd Bridges, with Marshall Thompson, Shirley Eaton, Gary Merrill, and David McCallum...
(1966) - DaktariDaktariDaktari is an American children's drama series that aired on CBS between 1966 and 1969. The series, an Ivan Tors Films Production in association with MGM Television, stars Marshall Thompson as Dr. Marsh Tracy, a veterinarian at the fictional Wameru Study Centre for Animal Behaviour in East...
(TV series) (1966–1969) - GeorgeGeorge (TV series)George was a Swiss-Canadian television series which aired on CTV on Thursday evenings in 1972-74.The series was based on the 1971 film George!, about the adventures of a St. Bernard dog and his owner who live in Switzerland. Marshall Thompson starred in both the film and the resulting half-hour...
(TV series) (1972–1973) - The Turning PointThe Turning Point (1977 film)The Turning Point is a 1977 film written by Arthur Laurents and directed by Herbert Ross. In starring roles were Shirley MacLaine, Anne Bancroft, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Leslie Browne, Tom Skerritt, Martha Scott, Anthony Zerbe, Marshall Thompson and James Mitchell.-Plot:This film tells the story of...
(1977) - The Formula (1980)
- White DogWhite DogWhite Dog is a 1982 American drama film directed by Samuel Fuller using a screenplay written by Fuller and Curtis Hanson loosely based on Romain Gary's 1970 novel of the same title...
(1982) - Dallas: The Early YearsDallas: The Early YearsDallas: The Early Years was a made for television movie that first aired on March 23, 1986 on CBS during the eighth season of the TV series Dallas...
(1986) (TV) - McBainMcBainMcBain may refer to:*Clan MacBain*McBain *McBain, Michigan, United States*Diane McBain, American actress*Ed McBain, pen name used by American author Evan Hunter*Scott McBain, British author...
(1991)