Ron Thompson (born January 31, 1941) is an American film, television, theatre actor, singer, dancer, and songwriter. Born in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

, Thompson is perhaps best known for his dual lead roles in Ralph Bakshi's critically acclaimed rotoscope film '' American Pop'' and the 1970s TV series ''

Baretta ''Baretta'' is an American detective television series which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1978. The show was a revised and milder version of a 1973–1974 ABC series, '' Toma'', starring Tony Musante as chameleon-like, real-life New Jersey pol ...

'' in the role of Detective Nopke. Thompson had a brief career as a rock singer in the 1960s and wrote and recorded a number of singles as Ronnie Thompson under the guidance of his mentor and friend,

rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western musical styles such as country with that of rhythm and b ...

singer Ersel Hickey. Thompson originated the role of Shanty Mulligan in the 1969

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made ...

winning play '' No Place to be Somebody'' by Charles Gordone and won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for his 1973 theatre lead performance in the play ''

Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? ''Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?'' is a play written in 1969 by Don Petersen. It has three acts, and helped to launch the careers of actors Al Pacino and Ron Thompson. Title The title of the play is explained by the character Fullendorf, who sai ...

'' The ''Progress Bulletin'' praised Thompson's performance in the 1976 Felton Perry play '' Buy the Bi and Bye'' calling it an "offbeat and hilarious black satire with a zinging performance by Ron Thompson." Thompson did a dramatic portrayal of

Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau (July 12, 1817May 6, 1862) was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading transcendentalist, he is best known for his book ''Walden'', a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and h ...

on the 1976

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

television series '' The Rebels''. Thompson starred in the

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...

Cargo Cargo consists of bulk goods conveyed by water, air, or land. In economics, freight is cargo that is transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. ''Cargo'' was originally a shipload but now covers all types of freight, including tra ...

''.

Theatre

Film

Television

References

External links

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'American Pop'... Matters: Ron Thompson, the Illustrated Man Unsung
interview at ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television ...

'' * *
Beyond the Marquee - EXCLUSIVE: Ralph Bakshi's AMERICAN POP – Video of Historic Q&A with Actor Ron Thompson
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The Only One In The Room PodcastRon Thompson WPWL 103.7 radio interview
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Ron Living people 1941 births 1940s births Male actors from Louisville, Kentucky American male film actors American male television actors American male stage actors American male voice actors Songwriters from Kentucky Musicians from Louisville, Kentucky American rock singers 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors Singers from Kentucky Rock musicians from Kentucky