Frankie Thomas

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Frankie Thomas
Sherman Oaks, California
, U.S.
Other namesFrankie Thomas Jr.
Frank M. Thomas Jr.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • author
  • bridge-strategy expert
Years active1932–1955
Spouse
Virginia Thomas
(died 1997)

Frank Marion Thomas Jr. (April 9, 1921 – May 11, 2006), was an American actor, author and

Tom Corbett, Space Cadet.[1][2]

Early years

Thomas was born in New York City to actors Frank M. Thomas and Mona Bruns. His uncle, Calvin Thomas, was also an actor.[3]

Thomas portrayed a Kiowan youth in the Broadway play Carry Nation (1932). He appeared in six other Broadway plays between 1932 and 1936, including Little Ol' Boy, Thunder on the Left, Wednesday's Child, The First Legion, Remember the Day, and Seen But Not Heard.[4]

Thomas's last "A" film was Boys' Town (1938) with Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney. Thomas was Freddy Fuller, Boys' Town's mayor, and was not asked to appear in the sequel, Men of Boys' Town (1941). He then appeared in a string of "B" films such as Little Tough Guys in Society and Nancy Drew... Detective (both 1938), Nancy Drew... Reporter, Code of the Streets, Nancy Drew… Trouble Shooter, The Angels Wash Their Faces, Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, On Dress Parade and Invisible Stripes (all 1939).

In the summer of 1940, Thomas acted with the Guy Palmerton Players.[5]

In 1941 he had small parts in Flying Cadets and One Foot in Heaven. His last film roles were small roles in Always in My Heart and The Major and the Minor (1942), where he played a military school cadet who flirted with Ginger Rogers' character.

Death

Thomas died in 2006 at age 85 at a

Sherman Oaks, California, hospital of respiratory failure, following a stroke. At his request, he was buried in his Space Cadet uniform. His wife, Virginia, had preceded him in death in 1997.[6]

Partial filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1934 Wednesday's Child Bobby Phillips
1935 A Dog of Flanders Nello Daas
1937 Tim Tyler's Luck Tim Tyler Serial
1938 Boys' Town Freddie Fuller
Little Tough Guys in Society Danny
1939 Nancy Drew... Detective Ted Nickerson
Nancy Drew... Reporter
Code of the Streets Bob Lewis
Nancy Drew… Trouble Shooter Ted Nickerson
The Angels Wash Their Faces Gabe Ryan
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase Ted Nickerson
On Dress Parade Cadet Lt. Murphy
Invisible Stripes Tommy
1941 One Foot in Heaven Hartzell Spence
Flying Cadets Newton R. Adams / Ames
1942 Always in My Heart Martin Scott
The Major and the Minor Cadet Osborne

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ Obituary Los Angeles Times, May 17, 2010.
  2. ^ Obituary The New York Times, May 18, 2010.
  3. ^ "Frankie Thomas". The Independent. London. May 16, 2006. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
  4. ^ "Frankie Thomas". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  5. Newspapers.com
    .
  6. ^ McLellan, Dennis. "Frankie Thomas, 85; actor starred as a TV space cadet". Boston.com News. Archived from the original on September 22, 2017. Retrieved July 4, 2020.

External links