Tom London
Born: 1889-08-23 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Died: 1963-12-05
Known For: Acting
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Tom London (August 24, 1889 – December 5, 1963) was an American veteran actor who played frequently in B-Westerns. According to The Guinness Book of Movie Records, London is credited with appearing in the most films in the history of Hollywood, this according to the 2001 book Film Facts, where it states that the performer who played in the most films was "Tom London, who made his first of over 2000 appearances in The Great Train Robbery, 1903. Born Leonard Clapham in Louisville, Kentucky, he got his start in movies as a props man in Chicago, Illinois. His debut was in 1915 in the Western Lone Larry, performing under his own name. In 1925, after having appeared in many silent films, he changed his name to Tom London, and used that name for the rest of his career. The first film in which he was billed under his new name was Winds of Chance, a World War I film, in which he played "Sgt. Rock". London was a trick rider and roper, and used his trick skills in scores of Westerns. In the silent film era he often played villainous roles, while in later years he often appeared as the sidekick to Western stars like Sunset Carson in several films. One of the busiest character actors, he appeared in over 600 films. London made many guest appearances in television shows through the 1950s, such as The Range Rider, with Jock Mahoney and Dick Jones. He also played Sam, the attendant of Helen Ramirez (Katy Jurado) in High Noon. His last movie was Underworld U.S.A. in 1961, and his final roles on TV were in Lawman and The Dakotas. London died at his home in North Hollywood at age 81 and was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
Filmography
1978
- Western von gestern as O'Shea
1966
- Spy Smasher Returns as Crane
1962
- 13 West Street as Prisoner (uncredited)
1960
- Let No Man Write My Epitaph as Bum at Bar (uncredited)
1959
- Law of the Plainsman as Stagecoach Driver
- Lock-Up as Carrey - Watchman
- Lone Texan as Old Dan (uncredited)
1958
- Lawman as Pete
- Bat Masterson as Prisoner (uncredited)
- The Sheepman as Shopkeeper (uncredited)
- Man of the West as Tom (uncredited)
- Money, Women and Guns as Old Prospector (uncredited)
1957
- Perry Mason as Cabbie
- Wagon Train as Man Holding Booth's Horse (uncredited)
- Maverick as Farmer
- Domino Kid
- The Tall Stranger
1956
- Broken Arrow as (uncredited)
- Friendly Persuasion as Farmer on Front Line with Gard (uncredited)
- Quincannon, Frontier Scout as Livery Stableman (uncredited)
1955
- Cheyenne as Old-Timer (uncredited)
- The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp as Old Man Craig (uncredited)
1954
- Annie Oakley as Ranch Hand
- The Wonderful World of Disney as Deputy Sheriff Carlson (uncredited)
1953
- The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
- Pack Train as Dan Coleman
1952
- Adventures of Superman as Peter Thomas
- High Noon as Sam (uncredited)
- The Ford Television Theatre as Ranson
- Apache Country as Patches - Stage Driver (uncredited)
- The Old West as Chadwick (uncredited)
- Rancho Notorious as Deputy in Gunsight (uncredited)
- Blue Canadian Rockies as Pop Phillips
- Trail Guide as Old Timer
1951
- The Secret of Convict Lake as Jerry - Posse Member (uncredited)
- Rough Riders of Durango as Rancher Evans
1950
- The Gene Autry Show as The Sheriff
- The Blazing Sun as Tom Ellis
- Cody of the Pony Express as Doc Laramie
- The Old Frontier as Banker
1949
- The Lone Ranger as Sheriff Allbright
- Red Desert as Colonel
- Brand of Fear as Marshal Blackjack Flint
- San Antone Ambush as Bartender Tim
- Riders in the Sky as Old Man Robert
- Frontier Investigator as Jed
- South of Rio as Jim Weston
1948
- Mark of the Lash as Lem Kimmerly
- Marshal of Amarillo as Mr. Snodgrass
1947
- Blackmail as Tom - Cashier
- Saddle Pals as Dad Gardner
- Jesse James Rides Again as Sam Bolton
- Dick Tracy's Dilemma as Cop in Squad Car (uncredited)
- Last Frontier Uprising as Skillet (Ranch Hand)
- Homesteaders of Paradise Valley as Rancher
- Rustlers of Devil's Canyon as The Sheriff
- Twilight on the Rio Grande as U.S. Customs Agent Tom
- Marshal of Cripple Creek as Baker
- The Wild Frontier as Patrick MacSween
- Along the Oregon Trail as Wagon Boss
- Under Colorado Skies as Sheriff Blanchard
1946
- Crime of the Century as Dr. Jackson
- Days of Buffalo Bill as Banty McCabe
- Night Train to Memphis as Train Conductor
- Santa Fe Uprising as Lafe Dibble
- The Undercover Woman as Lem
- Sun Valley Cyclone as Sheriff
- Red River Renegades as Pop Underwood
- King of the Forest Rangers as Tom Judson
- The Invisible Informer as Eph Shroud
- California Gold Rush as Sheriff Peabody
- Alias Billy the Kid as Dakota
- The Phantom Rider as Medicine Man Ceta
- Rio Grande Raiders as Sheriff Tom Hammon
- Man from Rainbow Valley as Healey
- Sheriff of Redwood Valley as Sheriff
- Conquest of Cheyenne as Sheriff Dan Perkins
- Roll on Texas Moon as Sheriff Bert Morris
- Passkey to Danger as Gerald Bates
- Out California Way as Johnny
1945
- Federal Operator 99 as Prof. Crawford
- Oregon Trail as Sheriff Plenner
- Colorado Pioneers as Sand Snipe
- Flame of Barbary Coast as Thompson, Townsman in Mob
- Sunset in El Dorado as Sheriff Gridley
- Girls of the Big House as Sheriff at Alma's Cell
- Corpus Christi Bandits as Rocky - Henchman
- Earl Carroll Vanities as Tom the Doorman
- The Cherokee Flash as Utah
- Sheriff of Cimarron as Frank Holden
- Rough Riders of Cheyenne as Sheriff Edwards
- Grissly's Millions as Policeman Ralph
- Don't Fence Me In as Ben Duncan
- Wagon Wheels Westward as Fake Judge Worth
- Marshal of Laredo as Barton
- Trail of Kit Carson as John Benton
1944
- Captain America as Mack
- Faces in the Fog as Auto Court Manager
- Cheyenne Wildcat as Harrison Colby
- The Lady and the Monster as Man Who Tails Cory (Uncredited)
- Vigilantes of Dodge City as Denver
- The Yellow Rose of Texas as Sheriff Allen
- The Fighting Seabees as Johnson (uncredited)
- Sheriff of Sundown as Sheriff Tom Carpenter
- Silver City Kid as Sheriff Gibson
- San Antonio Kid as Long
- Firebrands of Arizona as Wagon Driver
- Beneath Western Skies as Earl Phillips
- Call of the Rockies as Henchman Hansen
- Hidden Valley Outlaws as Sheriff McBride
- The Girl Who Dared as Neilson - Gas Station Owner (uncredited)
- Zorro's Black Whip as James Bradley
- Stagecoach to Monterey as Chester Wade
- Marshal of Reno as Sheriff
- Code of the Prairie as Henchman Loomis
- Thoroughbreds as Pop
1943
- The Ox-Bow Incident as Deputy (uncredited)
- Canyon City as Sheriff Slocum
- Idaho as Henchman
- Silver Spurs as Henchman
- False Colors as Poncho Townsman
- The Woman of the Town as Crockett Henchman
- Batman as Andrews
- Wild Horse Stampede as Henchman Lefty
- Hail to the Rangers as Jessup
- The Renegade as Pete
- Captive Wild Woman as Ship's Captain (archive footage)
- West of Texas as Steve Conlon
- Song of Texas as Race Official
- Wagon Tracks West as Lem Martin
- Santa Fe Scouts as Billy Dawson
- Overland Mail Robbery as Sheriff
- No Place for a Lady as Air Raid Warden (? - ever seen in final cut?)
- Bad Men of Thunder Gap as Hank Turner
- Bullets and Saddles as Marshal (archive footage)
- Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground as Henchman Pete
1942
- Arizona Terrors as Second Dialogue Tenant-Rancher
- Bandit Ranger as Cattle Rustler (uncredited)
- Spy Smasher as Crane
- Sons of the Pioneers as Joe #1 - Henchman
- Shadows on the Sage as Franklin
- Valley of the Sun as Trooper Parker (uncredited)
- The Omaha Trail as Oxen Train Bullwhacker
- Riders of the West as Slim - Lanky Henchman
- West of Tombstone as Morris
- Stardust on the Sage as Henchman MacGowan
- The Secret Code as Weather Bureau Guard
- The Valley of Vanishing Men as Slater
- Perils of the Royal Mounted as Gaynor
- Land of the Open Range as Henchman Tracy Briggs
- American Empire as Rider with Crowder's Posse (uncredited)
- Lone Star Ranger as Henchman (uncredited)
- Down Texas Way as Bartender Pete
- Ridin' Down the Canyon as Henchman
- Red River Robin Hood as Del Auston
- Ghost Town Law as Ace, Chief Thug
1941
- Underground Rustlers as Henchman Tom Harris
- Western Union as Slade Henchman #3
- Fugitive Valley as Marshal Warren
- Dynamite Canyon as Captain Gray
- Dude Cowboy as Silver City Sheriff
- Billy the Kid as Leader (uncredited)
- The Son of Davy Crockett as Ranger Logan
- The Lone Rider in Frontier Fury as Curley - Saloon Henchman
- The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance as Cop Getting Crane
- Robbers of the Range as Henchman Monk Saunders
- Riding the Sunset Trail as Sheriff Hays
- The Spider Returns as Detective
- Wanderers of the West as Montana Sheriff
- Twilight on the Trail as Henchman Gregg
- Romance of the Rio Grande as U. S. Marshal
- Stick to Your Guns as Ranch Foreman Waffles
- Across the Sierras as Man on Wagon
- Forbidden Trails as Marshal Tom
- Bad Man of Deadwood as Townsman
1940
- The Green Hornet Strikes Again! as Thug with Explosives
- Northwest Passage as Ranger
- Stage to Chino as Dolan - Henchman
- Phantom Rancher as Sheriff Parker
- Dark Command as Messenger
- The Shadow as Hijacked Truck Driver
- Gaucho Serenade as Sheriff Tom Olson
- Brigham Young as Raider
- When the Daltons Rode as Lyncher
- Winners of the West as Henchman Webb
- Roll Wagons Roll as Henchman Matt Grimes
- Trailing Double Trouble as Henchman Kirk
- The Gay Caballero as Man at Fiesta
- Riders from Nowhere as Mason
- Hi-Yo Silver as Felton
- Ghost Valley Raiders as Sheriff
- Viva Cisco Kid as Town Marshal
- Five Little Peppers at Home as Miner
- The Ranger and the Lady as Independent Freight Wagon Driver
- The Green Archer as Detective with Shiner
- Wild Horse Range as Arnold
- Boom Town as Sheriff Harris (uncredited)
- Lillian Russell as Frank
- Melody Ranch as Henchman Joe #2
- Wagon Train as Henchman Charlie
- Junior G-Men as Kearney - Riot Squad Cop (uncredited)
- Shooting High as Eph Carson
- Deadwood Dick as Jake
1939
- Jesse James as Soldier (uncredited)
- Westbound Stage as Henchman Parker
- Mountain Rhythm as Deputy Tom
- Rollin' Westward as Sheriff
- Southward Ho! as Phoney Union Sergeant
- Allegheny Uprising as Settler at McDowell's Mill
- Sunset Trail as Jake
- Full Confession as Prison Guard (uncredited)
- Made for Each Other as Ranger (uncredited)
- The Oregon Trail as Pete Cave Henchman
- Mandrake the Magician as Mill River Inn Henchman
- The Man from Texas as Henchman Slim
- The Night Riders as Rancher Wilson
- Let Us Live as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
- Flaming Lead as Bart Daggett
- Lure of the Wasteland as Foreman
- Fangs of the Wild as Larry Dean
1938
- Phantom Ranger as Reynolds
- Black Bandit
- Santa Fe Stampede as Marshal Jim Wood
- Riders of the Black Hills as Henchman Red Stevens
- Song of the Buckaroo as Sheriff Wade
- The Renegade Ranger as Henchman Red
- Six Shootin' Sheriff as Bar X Foreman
- Outlaws of Sonora as Sheriff Trask
- The Fighting Devil Dogs as Henchman Wilson
- The Lone Ranger as Henchman Felton
- Juvenile Court as Policeman at Accident (uncredited)
- Pioneer Trail as Sam Harden
- Smashing the Rackets as Dixon - Detective
- Prairie Moon as Henchman Steve
1937
- Secret Valley as 2nd Taxi Driver (uncredited)
- Jungle Menace as Detective Interrogating Pete
- Radio Patrol as Eddie Lewis
- Roaring Timber as Henchman Duke
- Sky Racket as Agent-Passenger (Car Chase)
- Western Gold as Clem
- Springtime in the Rockies as Tracy
- Blossoms On Broadway as Cop (uncredited)
- The Frame-Up as Fred (uncredited)
- Bar-Z Bad Men as Sig Bostell
- Law of the Ranger as Henchman Pete
- Angel's Holiday as Truck Driver
- The Silver Trail as Looney
1936
- Rio Grande Ranger as Henchman Sneed
- The Lawless Nineties as Henchman Ward
- O'Malley of the Mounted as Lefty - Henchman
- Call of the Prairie as Dealer
- The Border Patrolman as Johnson
- Heroes of the Range as Bud
- Wildcat Saunders as Pete Hawkins
- Avenging Waters as Henchman Huffy
- Sworn Enemy as Gangster (uncredited)
- Guns and Guitars as Henchman Connor
1935
- Gun Play as Meeker
- Rio Rattler as Ranger Bob Adams
- The Test as Trapper (uncredited)
- The Cactus Kid as Sheriff
- The Last of the Clintons as Luke Todd
- The Miracle Rider as Sewell
- Way Down East as Town Choir Singer (uncredited)
- The Fighting Marines as Miller
- Skull and Crown as Henchman Jennings
- Courage of the North as Mordant
- Toll of the Desert as Sheriff Jackson
- Hong Kong Nights as Blake
- Timber Terrors as Burke
1934
- Twisted Rails as Sheriff James
- Mystery Mountain as Rattler Henchman Morgan
- Ferocious Pal as Dave Brownell
- Bachelor Bait as Detective (uncredited)
- Rawhide Mail as Barfly Al
- Mills of the Gods as Workman
- Fighting Fury as Chet
- The Countess of Monte Cristo as Police Detective (uncredited)
- Beggars in Ermine as Steel Worker (uncredited)
- The Oil Raider as Oil Well Driller (uncredited)
- St. Louis Woman as Lions Coach Ryan
- The Crime Doctor as Detective at Airport Arrest (uncredited)
- Baby Take a Bow as Man on Train (Uncredited)
- I Believed in You as Policeman
- Mystery Ranch as Holdup man
- When Lightning Strikes as Wolf
1933
- Smoky as Horse Trader
- Sunset Pass as Ben
- Lone Cowboy as Conductor (uncredited)
- Clancy of the Mounted as Corporal McGregor
- Made on Broadway as Plainclothesman
- King of the Jungle as Lion Attendant (uncredited)
- The Iron Master as Turner
- Lady for a Day as Reception Guest (uncredited)
- Perils of Pauline as Soldier at American Consulate
- Broadway Thru a Keyhole as Member of Rocci's Mob
- The Wolf Dog as Brooks
- The Big Cage as Ship Captain
- Police Car 17 as Detective (uncredited)
- I'm No Angel as Sideshow Spectator (uncredited)
- Gordon of Ghost City as Pat Campbell
- The Nuisance as Kelley's Associate (uncredited)
- The Fugitive as Tom
1932
- Manhattan Tower as Mechanic (uncredited)
- Gold as Sheriff
- Without Honor as 'Sholt' Fletcher
- The Night Rider as Jeff Barton
- The Thirteenth Guest as Detective Carter (Uncredited)
- The Lost Special as Dirk / Detective Dane
- Honor of the Mounted as Henchman
- Beyond the Rockies as Kirk Tracy
- Cock of the Air as Military Policeman
- Trailing the Killer as Sheriff
- The Boiling Point as Pete Mallis - Henchman
1931
- Quick Millions as Atlas Newsreel Man (uncredited)
- Range Law as Henchman Cleve
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as Undetermined Role (uncredited)
- Platinum Blonde as Reporter (uncredited)
- West of Broadway as Cowhand (uncredited)
- The Arizona Terror as Henchman Chuckawalla
- The Secret Six as Blackjacking Gangster (uncredited)
- The Two Gun Man as Lem Tolliver
- Trails of the Golden West
- The Galloping Ghost as Mullins
- Sheer Luck as Police Lieutenant
- Gun Smoke as Hank Bailey (uncredited)
1930
- Firebrand Jordan as Ed Burns
- Borrowed Wives as Mac, the Motorcycle Cop
- All Quiet on the Western Front as 1st Medic Orderly (uncredited)
- The Storm as Head Mountie
- Westward Bound as Dick - Rustler
- Safety in Numbers as Motorist (uncredited)
- The Third Alarm as Fireman Tom
- River's End as Mountie
- Spell of the Circus as Butte Morgan
- Bar-L Ranch as Henchman (uncredited)
- Romance of the West
- Sid's Long Count as Policeman
- Under Texas Skies as Fake Captain Hartford
- Troopers Three as Sgt. Hank Darby
- See America Thirst as Spumoni Hood (uncredited)
- The Woman Racket as Hennessy
1929
- Chinatown Nights as Cop
- Hell's Heroes as Croupier (uncredited)
- Queen of the Northwoods as Garvin / The Wolf-Devil
- The Harvest of Hate as Martin Trask
1928
- The Michigan Kid as Minor Role (uncredited)
- In Old Arizona as Man in Saloon (uncredited)
- The Mystery Rider as David Manning / The Claw
- The Yellow Cameo as Spraker
1927
- The Golden Stallion as Jules La Roux
1926
- Desert Greed as Ranger (uncredited)
- Snowed In as U.S. Marshal Thayer
- Code of the Northwest as Pvt. Frank Stafford
- The Bar-C Mystery
- West of the Rainbow's End as Harry Palmer
- A String of Diamonds as Slippery Jack Elmm
- Dangerous Traffic as Marc Brandon
1925
- Three in Exile as Jed Hawkings
- Silent Sheldon as Bill Fadden
- Border Vengeance as Flash Denby
- The Demon Rider as Black Hawk
- The Cowboy Musketeer as Joe Dokes
1924
- The Heritage of the Desert as Dave Naab
- Mile-a-Minute Morgan as Kenneth Winster
1923
- The Call of the Canyon as Lee Stanton
- Our Hospitality as James Canfield (uncredited)
- The Dangerous Maid as Guard
- To the Last Man as Guy
- Shell Shocked Sammy
1922
- The Long Chance as John Corbaly (as Leonard Clapham)
- The Cowboy and the Lady as Joe
- Nan of the North as Dick Driscoll (as Leonard Clapham)
1921
- Colorado as David Collins (as Leonard Clapham)
1920
- Masked
- Wolf Tracks
- 'in Wrong' Wright as Sheriff
- King of the Circus
- The Texas Kid
- Under Northern Lights as Jacques Foucharde
1919
- The Lone Star Ranger as Undetermined Role (as Leonard Clapham)
- The Last of the Duanes as (as Leonard Clapham)
- Leave It to Susan
- The Boss of the Rancho
- The Lion Man as Lacey
- The Great Air Robbery as Undetermined Role (as Leonard Clapham)
1916
- Liberty as (as Leonard Clapham)
- The Purple Mask as Robert Jackson, Inventor (as Leonard Clapham)