James Marshall Thompson (November 27, 1925Ancestry.com. ''U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007'' atabase on-line Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007. – May 18, 1992) was an American film and television actor.

Early years

Thompson was born in

Peoria, Illinois Peoria ( ) is a city in Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. Located on the Illinois River, the city had a population of 113,150 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Ill ...

. He and his parents, Dr. Laurence B. Thompson and Pauline (née Marshall), moved to California when he was a year old. He attended University High School where he was a classmate of Norma Jean Baker, later to be known worldwide as

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( ; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde stereotype#Blonde bombshell, blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex ...

. Thompson enrolled at

Occidental College Occidental College (informally Oxy) is a private liberal arts college in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1887 as a coeducational college by clergy and members of the Presbyterian Church, it became non-sectarian in 1910. It is ...

with plans to become a dentist, but he switched to divinity studies.

1940s

In 1943, Thompson, known for his boy-next-door good looks, was signed by

Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...

. He played quiet, thoughtful teens in Universal's

feature film A feature film or feature-length film (often abbreviated to feature), also called a theatrical film, is a film (Film, motion picture, "movie" or simply “picture”) with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole present ...

s, including a lead opposite singing star Gloria Jean in ''Reckless Age'', earning $350 weekly. During 1946, Universal discharged most of its contract players, so that same year Thompson moved over to

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

. His film roles steadily increased and improved with appearances in '' The Clock'', the lead in '' Gallant Bess'', MGM's first film shot in

Cinecolor Cinecolor was an early subtractive color-model two-color motion picture process that was based upon the Prizma system of the 1910s and 1920s and the Multicolor system of the late 1920s and the 1930s. It was developed by William T. Crispinel an ...

, and as one of the main stars in ''

Battleground A battlefield, battleground, or field of battle is the location of a present or historic battle involving ground warfare. It is commonly understood to be limited to the point of contact between opposing forces, though battles may involve troop ...

'', as a green replacement in the

101st Airborne Division The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division (military), division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault military operation, operations. The 101st is designed to plan, coordinat ...

during the

Siege of Bastogne The siege of Bastogne () was an engagement in December 1944 between American and German forces at the Belgian town of Bastogne, as part of the larger Battle of the Bulge. The goal of the German offensive was the harbor at Antwerp. In order to re ...

1950s

At the age of 24, Thompson narrated the storyline in '' Stars in My Crown'' (1950). He became a freelance actor during the 1950s and worked for various studios on a variety of pictures, including the horror and

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

films '' Cult of the Cobra'' (1955), '' Fiend Without a Face'' (1958), and ''

First Man Into Space ''First Man into Space'' is a 1959 independent film, independently made British-American black-and-white Science fiction film, science fiction-horror film directed by Robert Day (director), Robert Day and starring Marshall Thompson, Marla Land ...

'' (1959), as well as Audie Murphy's '' To Hell and Back'' (1955). His starring role as Carruthers in '' It! The Terror from Beyond Space'' (1958) was one of the two genre films that later inspired the plot for director

Ridley Scott Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is an English film director and producer. He directs films in the Science fiction film, science fiction, Crime film, crime, and historical drama, historical epic genres, with an atmospheric and highly co ...

's 1979 big-budget feature '' Alien''. Thompson also starred in the short-lived (13-episodes) 1959 syndicated science fiction

TV series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming platf ...

'' World of Giants''. The drama follows Mel Hunter, a U. S. counter-espionage agent, accidentally miniaturized to just six inches in height, who must live in a dollhouse when not on missions.

1960s

By the 1960s, Thompson's boyish looks had matured and his screen persona became more authoritative. He co-starred with the Belgian-born Annie Fargé in the 33-episode CBS

sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...

Angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

'' (1960–1961) about an American

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

with a charming but scatterbrained French wife, who often got into zany, Lucy Ricardo-esque situations, caused in part by her lack of fluency in the

English language English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...

. The show was canceled after 33 episodes due to low ratings, despite critical acclaim for the newcomer Fargé. He also guest starred as murderer Arthur Poe in the 1960 '' Perry Mason'' episode "The Case of the Wayward Wife". Thompson went on to star in two

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

films: '' A Yank in Viet-Nam'' (1964), which he also directed, and '' To the Shores of Hell'' (1965). The former was

directed Direct may refer to: Mathematics * Directed set, in order theory * Direct limit of (pre), sheaves * Direct sum of modules, a construction in abstract algebra which combines several vector spaces Computing * Direct access (disambiguation), a ...

by Thompson and was shot on location in

South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...

. In 1965 he returned to MGM to play the lead in the

Ivan Tors Ivan Tors (born Iván Törzs; June 12, 1916 – June 4, 1983) was a Hungary, Hungarian playwright, film director, screenwriter, and Film producer, film and television producer with an emphasis on non-violent but exciting science fiction, underwat ...

produced comedy-adventure film '' Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion'' (1965). He played Marsh Tracy, a

veterinarian A veterinarian (vet) or veterinary surgeon is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, veterinarians also play a role in animal r ...

and single father, who is raising his daughter (played by animal whisperer and Golden Globe-winning

Cheryl Miller Cheryl Deann Miller (born January 3, 1964) is an American former basketball player. She was formerly a sideline reporter for NBA on TNT, NBA games on Turner Sports, TNT Sports and also works for NBA TV as a reporter and analyst, having worked ...

) alone in

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

. The film was then spun off into the TV series '' Daktari'' (1966–1969), in which Thompson played the same role. Since the series was shot in California and Africa, Thompson and his wife made several trips to various African nations to film

second unit A second unit is a discrete team of filmmakers tasked with filming shots or sequences of a production, separate from the main or "first" unit. The second unit will often shoot simultaneously with the other unit or units, allowing the filming s ...

footage that was then used in the series and in the film ''The Mighty Jungle'' (1965). Thompson also was the host and storyteller for the TV anthology series ''Jambo'' (1969–1971).

Later years

Later in his career, he appeared in many television episodes and in feature films such as '' The Turning Point'' (1977), the Don Keeslar-directed creature feature ''

Bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and musk ...

'' (1979), and '' The Formula'' (1980).

Personal life

Thompson married Barbara Long in 1949, making him a brother-in-law of actor Richard Long, best known for his role as Jarrod Barkley in ABC's '' The Big Valley''. Thompson appeared together with his brother-in-law in the 1955

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Mo ...

thriller '' Cult of the Cobra''. Thompson supported

Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and major general in the United States Air Force, Air Force Reserve who served as a United States senator from 1953 to 1965 and 1969 to 1987, and was the Re ...

in the

1964 United States presidential election United States presidential election, Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 3, 1964, less than a year following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, who won the previous presidential election. The Democratic Party (U ...

. Thompson died on May 18, 1992, from

congestive heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to fill with and pump blood. Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF typically pr ...

at age 66 in

Royal Oak, Michigan Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring suburb of Metro Detroit, Detroit, Royal Oak is located roughly north of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 cens ...

Filmography

Film

Thompson's 60+ film roles include: *'' Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout'' (1944) - Senior Patrol Leader (uncredited) *'' The Purple Heart'' (1944) - Morrison (uncredited) *'' Reckless Age'' (1944) - Roy Connors *'' Blonde Fever'' (1944) - Freddie Bilson *'' The Clock'' (1945) - Bill *'' The Valley of Decision'' (1945) - Ted Scott *'' Twice Blessed'' (1945) - Jimmy *''

They Were Expendable ''They Were Expendable'' is a 1945 American war film directed by John Ford, starring Robert Montgomery and John Wayne, and featuring Donna Reed. The film is based on the 1942 novel of the same name by William Lindsay White, relating the stor ...

'' (1945) - Ens. 'Snake' Gardner *'' Bad Bascomb'' (1946) - Jimmy Holden *'' The Cockeyed Miracle'' (1946) - Jim Griggs *'' The Show-Off'' (1946) - Joe Fisher *'' Gallant Bess'' (1946) - Tex Barton *'' The Secret Heart'' (1946) - Brandon Reynolds *'' The Romance of Rosy Ridge'' (1947) - Ben Mac Bean *'' B.F.'s Daughter'' (1948) - The Sailor *''

Homecoming Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States and Canada. United St ...

'' (1948) - Staff Sgt. 'Mac' McKeen *'' Words and Music'' (1948) - Herbert Fields *'' Command Decision'' (1948) - Captain George Washington Bellpepper Lee *'' Scene of the Crime'' (1949) - Announcer at Fol De Rol Club (uncredited) *'' Roseanna McCoy'' (1949) - Tolbert McCoy *''

'' (1949) - Jim Layton *'' Stars In My Crown'' (1950) - Narrator (voice) *'' Mystery Street'' (1950) - Henry Shanway *'' Devil's Doorway'' (1950) - Rod MacDougall *'' Dial 1119'' (1950) - Gunther Wyckoff *'' The Basketball Fix'' (1951) - Johnny Long *'' The Tall Target'' (1951) - Lance Beaufort *'' My Six Convicts'' (1952) - Blivens Scott *'' The Rose Bowl Story'' (1952) - Steve Davis *'' The Caddy'' (1953) - Bruce Reeber *'' Port of Hell'' (1954) - Marshall 'Marsh' Walker *'' Battle Taxi'' (1955) - 2nd Lt. Tim Vernon *'' Crashout'' (1955) - Billy Lang *'' Cult of the Cobra'' (1955) - Tom Markel *'' To Hell and Back'' (1955) - Johnson *'' Good Morning, Miss Dove'' (1955) - Wilfred Banning Pendleton III *'' Lure of the Swamp'' (1957) - Simon Lewt *''La Grande caccia'' (1957) - Marsh Connors *'' Fiend Without a Face'' (1958) - Maj. Cummings *'' It! The Terror from Beyond Space'' (1958) - Col. Edward Carruthers *'' The Secret Man (1959 film)'' (1959) - Dr. Cliff Mitchell *''

First Man into Space ''First Man into Space'' is a 1959 independent film, independently made British-American black-and-white Science fiction film, science fiction-horror film directed by Robert Day (director), Robert Day and starring Marshall Thompson, Marla Land ...

'' (1959) - Cmdr. Charles Ernest Prescott *'' Flight of the Lost Balloon'' (1961) - Dr. Joseph Farady *'' No Man Is an Island'' (1962) - Jonn Sonnenberg *'' A Yank in Viet-Nam'' (1964) - Maj. Benson *''The Mighty Jungle'' (1964) - Marsh Connors *'' Zebra in the Kitchen'' (1965) - Shaving Man (uncredited) *'' Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion'' (1965) - Dr. Marsh Tracy *'' To the Shores of Hell'' (1966) - Maj. Greg Donahue *'' Around the World Under the Sea'' (1966) - Dr. Orin Hillyard *''George!'' (1972) - Jim *'' The Turning Point'' (1977) - Carter *'' Cruise Into Terror'' (1978) - Bennett *''

'' (1979) - Dr. Brad Wednesday *'' The Formula'' (1980) - Geologist #1 *'' White Dog'' (1982) - Director *'' Dallas: The Early Years'' (1986, TV Movie) - Dr. Ted Johnson *'' McBain'' (1991) - Mr. Rich (final film role)

Television

Thompson's 50+ television roles include: *'' The Public Defender'' (1954) - Jeff Norton *''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central charact ...

'' (1958) - Leach Fields - episode "Widow's Mite" (S3E35) *'' Colgate Theatre'' (1958), episode "The Last Marshal" (S1E2) *'' World of Giants'' (1959, 13 episodes) - Mel Hunter *'' Perry Mason'' (1960), episode "The Case of the Wayward Wife" *''

'' (1960–1961) - Johnny Smith *'' Daktari'' (1966–1969) - Dr. Marsh Tracy *'' George'' (1972) - Jim Hunter *''

Centennial A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century. Notable events Notable centennial events at a national or world-level include: * Centennial Exhibition, 1876, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...

'' (1979 miniseries) - Dennis

Notes

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Marshall 1925 births 1992 deaths University High School (Los Angeles) alumni American male film actors American male television actors 20th-century American male actors Male actors from Peoria, Illinois Male actors from Greater Los Angeles People from Royal Oak, Michigan Occidental College alumni Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery