T. C. Jones
Encyclopedia
Thomas Craig "T. C." Jones (October 26, 1920–September 21, 1971) was an American female impersonator
. He was known for his impersonations of stars such as Tallulah Bankhead
, Judy Garland
, Katharine Hepburn
and others. He has been described as "probably the best female impersonator since vaudeville's late famed Julian Eltinge
".
shows in the mid-1940s before beginning his career as an impersonator in 1946 in a stint with the Provincetown Players
. "One night...another of the players brought me some...material that was hilarious. The only catch was that it more or less required a woman to deliver it. He suggested I do an impersonation." He moved to the Jewel Box Revue in Miami, performing impersonations of Bankhead, Hepburn, Edith Piaf
, Claudette Colbert
and Bette Davis
.
Jones's portrayal of Bankhead brought him to the attention of theatrical producer Leonard Sillman
. Sillman cast him in the revue
New Faces of 1956, directed by Paul Lynde
. Sillman was strongly advised not to cast Jones but stated, "I never think of T. C. as a female impersonator, as a man imitating a woman. T. C. on stage is simply an extraordinarily talented woman." Jones entered the stage by descending a staircase to the tune "Isn't She Lovely" and, as Bankhead, acted as mistress of ceremonies. The show ran 220 performances. The following year Jones starred in Mask and Gown, another Broadway revue. Jones toured with Mask and Gown but it was unsuccessful.
Jones appeared in regional theatrical productions, including The Man Who Came to Dinner
in 1959. He also played the nightclub circuit and recorded two albums, the original cast recording of Mask and Gown (1958) and T. C. Jones Himself! (1959). Jones appears on the original cast recording for New Faces of 1956 (1956) and released the single "Champagne Cocktails" b/w "Sunless Sunday" (1957).
Jones made a number of television appearances, including portraying a homicidal transvestite with a penchant for strangling nurses in "An Unlocked Window", an Edgar Award
-winning episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour in 1965 and another killer transvestite in "Night of the Running Death", a 1967 episode of The Wild Wild West
. Jones appeared in a male role opposite Jayne Mansfield
and Mamie Van Doren
in the film Three Nuts in Search of a Bolt (1964) and played dual male/female roles as Mr. and Mrs. Ace in The Monkees
' film Head
(1968).
and studied to be a minister at Bethany College
in West Virginia
. He was married to the former Connie Dickson, who had previously been an actress, competitive fencer
and proprietor of several beauty parlors. She and Jones met when he patronized one of her shops in search of a new wig. T. C. Jones died of cancer on September 21, 1971 at the age of 50. He was survived by his wife. He is interred at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, CA - Skyview Lawn, Lot 1207, Grave #4.
Drag queen
A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
. He was known for his impersonations of stars such as Tallulah Bankhead
Tallulah Bankhead
Tallulah Brockman Bankhead was an award-winning American actress of the stage and screen, talk-show host, and bonne vivante...
, Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
, Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress of film, stage, and television. In a career that spanned 62 years as a leading lady, she was best known for playing strong-willed, sophisticated women in both dramas and comedies...
and others. He has been described as "probably the best female impersonator since vaudeville's late famed Julian Eltinge
Julian Eltinge
Julian Eltinge , born William Julian Dalton, was an American stage and screen actor and female impersonator. After appearing in the Boston Cadets Revue at the age of ten in feminine garb, Eltinge garnered notice from other producers and made his first appearance on Broadway in 1904...
".
Professional career
Jones danced in two BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
shows in the mid-1940s before beginning his career as an impersonator in 1946 in a stint with the Provincetown Players
Provincetown Players
The Provincetown Players was an amateur group of writers and artists who, at the early part of the 20th Century, wanted to see a change in American theatre and created a company committed to producing new plays by exclusively American playwrights...
. "One night...another of the players brought me some...material that was hilarious. The only catch was that it more or less required a woman to deliver it. He suggested I do an impersonation." He moved to the Jewel Box Revue in Miami, performing impersonations of Bankhead, Hepburn, Edith Piaf
Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf , born Édith Giovanna Gassion, was a French singer and cultural icon who became widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer. Her singing reflected her life, with her specialty being ballads...
, Claudette Colbert
Claudette Colbert
Claudette Colbert was a French-born American-based actress of stage and film.Born in Paris, France and raised in New York City, Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the 1920s, progressing to film with the advent of talking pictures...
and Bette Davis
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
.
Leonard Sillman
Leonard Sillman was an American Broadway producer. Born in Detroit, Michigan on May 9, 1908, he was the brother of June Carroll, the brother-in-law of Sidney Carroll and the uncle of Steve Reich and Jonathan Carroll...
. Sillman cast him in the revue
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
New Faces of 1956, directed by Paul Lynde
Paul Lynde
Paul Edward Lynde was an American comedian and actor. A noted character actor, Lynde was well known for his roles as Uncle Arthur on Bewitched and Harry MacAfee, the befuddled father in Bye Bye Birdie...
. Sillman was strongly advised not to cast Jones but stated, "I never think of T. C. as a female impersonator, as a man imitating a woman. T. C. on stage is simply an extraordinarily talented woman." Jones entered the stage by descending a staircase to the tune "Isn't She Lovely" and, as Bankhead, acted as mistress of ceremonies. The show ran 220 performances. The following year Jones starred in Mask and Gown, another Broadway revue. Jones toured with Mask and Gown but it was unsuccessful.
Jones appeared in regional theatrical productions, including The Man Who Came to Dinner
The Man Who Came to Dinner
The Man Who Came to Dinner is a comedy in three acts by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. It debuted on October 16, 1939 at the Music Box Theatre in New York City. It then enjoyed a number of New York and London revivals. The first London production was staged at The Savoy Theatre starring Robert...
in 1959. He also played the nightclub circuit and recorded two albums, the original cast recording of Mask and Gown (1958) and T. C. Jones Himself! (1959). Jones appears on the original cast recording for New Faces of 1956 (1956) and released the single "Champagne Cocktails" b/w "Sunless Sunday" (1957).
Jones made a number of television appearances, including portraying a homicidal transvestite with a penchant for strangling nurses in "An Unlocked Window", an Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
-winning episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour in 1965 and another killer transvestite in "Night of the Running Death", a 1967 episode of The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West is an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons from September 17, 1965 to April 4, 1969....
. Jones appeared in a male role opposite Jayne Mansfield
Jayne Mansfield
Jayne Mansfield was an American actress working both in Hollywood and on the Broadway theatre...
and Mamie Van Doren
Mamie Van Doren
Mamie Van Doren is an American actress and singer; who rose to popularity as Universal Pictures's version of 20th Century Fox's Marilyn Monroe....
in the film Three Nuts in Search of a Bolt (1964) and played dual male/female roles as Mr. and Mrs. Ace in The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
' film Head
Head (film)
Head is a 1968 psychedelic comedy-adventure major motion picture, starring TV group The Monkees , and distributed by Columbia Pictures...
(1968).
Personal life
Thomas Craig Jones was born October 26, 1920 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Prior to beginning his performing career, Jones served in the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and studied to be a minister at Bethany College
Bethany College (West Virginia)
Bethany College is a private liberal arts college located in Bethany, West Virginia, United States. Founded in 1840, Bethany is the oldest institution of Higher Education in West Virginia.-Location:...
in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. He was married to the former Connie Dickson, who had previously been an actress, competitive fencer
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
and proprietor of several beauty parlors. She and Jones met when he patronized one of her shops in search of a new wig. T. C. Jones died of cancer on September 21, 1971 at the age of 50. He was survived by his wife. He is interred at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, CA - Skyview Lawn, Lot 1207, Grave #4.
External links
- T. C. Jones fansite, includes link to Jones as Bette Davis singing "Bill"
- T.C. Jones as Nurse Ames in episode of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour": "The Unlocked Window", licensed by NBC to Hulu.com