John Compton (born John Compton Tolley; June 21, 1923 – May 12, 2015) was an American actor.
Compton was born John Compton Tolley in
Lynchburg, Tennessee
Lynchburg is a city in the south-central region of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is governed by a consolidated city-county government unit whose boundaries coincide with those of Moore County. Lynchburg is best known as the location of Jack ...
.
In 1943, Compton left Lynchburg and went to Hollywood hoping to become an actor. He washed dishes at a restaurant and spent time around union halls seeking a break in the film industry. His next job was answering a telephone at Columbia Pictures Studio. Eventually he paid $100 to get a bit part in a film, but the results of that appearance offered little hope for his future. He gained experience by acting in other films, in summer stock theater, and on stage in New York.
Compton starred in the television series ''
The D.A.'s Man'' (1959). He appeared in the films ''
Mildred Pierce
''Mildred Pierce'' is a psychological drama by James M. Cain published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1941.
A story of “social inequity and opportunity in America" set during the Great Depression, ''Mildred Pierce'' follows the trajectory of a lower ...
'', ''
Cheyenne
The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne comprise two Native American tribes, the Só'taeo'o or Só'taétaneo'o (more commonly spelled as Suhtai or Sutaio) and the (also spelled Tsitsistas, The term for th ...
'', ''
Jesse James Rides Again
''Jesse James Rides Again'' is a 1947 American Republic Western film serial.
Plot
Gunfighter Jesse James is framed for a Missouri bank job and murder by a black-cowled outlaw gang, known as "The Black Raiders". Unable to clear his name, he an ...
'', ''
Oh! Susanna
"Oh! Susanna" is a folk song by Stephen Foster (1826–1864), first published in 1848. It is among the most popular American songs ever written. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.
...
'', ''
Thunder Over Arizona'' and ''
Spoilers of the Forest
''Spoilers of the Forest'' is a 1957 American drama film directed by Joseph Kane, written by Bruce Manning, and starring Rod Cameron, Vera Ralston, Ray Collins, Hillary Brooke, Edgar Buchanan and Carl Benton Reid. It was released on April 5 ...
'', among others.
Compton also sold real estate in California.
He died of
natural causes
In many legal jurisdictions, the manner of death is a determination, typically made by the coroner, medical examiner, police, or similar officials, and recorded as a vital statistic. Within the United States and the United Kingdom, a distinc ...
on May 12, 2015, in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
,
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
at age 91.
Filmography
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Compton, John
1923 births
2015 deaths
20th-century American male actors
American male film actors
People from Lynchburg, Tennessee