Tom Forman (February 22, 1893 – November 7, 1926) was an American motion picture actor, director, writer, and producer of the early 1920s.

Life and career

Texas-born Forman made his first film for Jesse L. Lasky's production company in 1914. With the exception of service at the front during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, he had a successful career as both an actor and director. Forman directed

Lon Chaney Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930) was an American actor. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and affli ...

's '' Shadows'' (1922), but his biggest achievement was realised directing the second screen version of

Owen Wister Owen Wister (July 14, 1860 – July 21, 1938) was an American writer and historian, considered the "father" of western fiction. He is best remembered for writing '' The Virginian'' and a biography of Ulysses S. Grant. Biography Early lif ...

's '' The Virginian'' (1923). After his career faltered, he was reduced to working on cheap

Poverty Row Poverty Row is a slang term used to refer to Hollywood films produced from the 1920s to the 1950s by small (and mostly short-lived) B movie studios. Although many of them were based on (or near) today's Gower Street in Hollywood, the term did ...

melodramas A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exce ...

. Forman is also known for his work with

Edith Taliaferro Edith Taliaferro (December 21, 1894 – March 2, 1958) was an American stage and film actress of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was active on the stage until 1935 and had roles in three silent films. She is best known for portrayin ...

in ''

Young Romance ''Young Romance'' is a romantic comic book series created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby for the Crestwood Publications imprint Prize Comics in 1947. Generally considered the first romance comic,Ro, Ronin. ''Tales to Astonish: Jack Kirby, Stan ...

''. Forman was set to direct the

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

film ''The Wreck'', which was to start shooting on November 8, 1926; however on the evening of November 7, Forman died by suicide by shooting himself through the heart at his parents' home in

Venice, California Venice is a neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles within the Westside (Los Angeles County), Westside region of Los Angeles County, California. Venice was founded by Abbot Kinney in 1905 as a seaside resort town. It was an independent city unti ...

. Adela Rogers St. Johns based the character of Maximillan Carey in her original story for '' What Price Hollywood?'' (1932) on Forman.''TV Guide'' review of ''What Price Hollywood?''
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Family

He was a cousin of silent screen star Madge Bellamy.

Filmography

Actor

* ''The Treachery of a Scar'' (1913) * ''John, the Wagoner'' (1913) * ''Baffled, But Not Beaten'' (1913) * ''The Alibi'' (1913) * '' Virtue Is Its Own Reward'' (1914) * ''

Lights and Shadows Light is an electromagnetic radiation, part of which stimulates the sense of vision. Light or Lights may also refer to: Illumination * Light bulb * Traffic light Arts and entertainment Music * Lights (musician) (born 1987), Canadian singer-songw ...

'' (1914) * ''

'' (1915) * ''

A Gentleman of Leisure ''A Gentleman of Leisure'' is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse. The basic plot first appeared in a novella, ''The Gem Collector'', in the December 1909 issue of ''Ainslee's Magazine''. It was substantially revised and expanded for publication as a ...

'' (1915) * '' The Governor's Lady'' (1915) * '' The Woman'' (1915) * ''Stolen Goods'' (1915) * '' The Wild Goose Chase'' (1915) * '' Chimmie Fadden'' (1915) * '' Kindling'' (1915) * ''The Fighting Hope'' (1915) * ''The Puppet Crown'' (1915) * ''The Marriage of Kitty'' (1915) * ''Out of the Darkness'' (1915) * ''The Explorer'' (1915) * '' Chimmie Fadden Out West'' (1915) * '' The Unknown'' (1915) * '' The Ragamuffin'' (1916) * '' To Have and to Hold'' (1916) * '' Sweet Kitty Bellairs'' (1916) * ''

The Thousand-Dollar Husband ''The Thousand-Dollar Husband'' is a lost 1916 American silent drama film written and directed by James Young and starring Blanche Sweet, Theodore Roberts, Tom Forman, James Neill, Horace B. Carpenter, and Lucille La Verne. The film was relea ...

'' (1916) * '' The Clown'' (1916) * ''

Public Opinion Public opinion is the collective opinion on a specific topic or voting intention relevant to a society. It is the people's views on matters affecting them. Etymology The term "public opinion" was derived from the French ', which was first use ...

'' (1916) * ''Unprotected'' (1916) * ''The Yellow Pawn'' (1916) * '' The Evil Eye'' (1917) * ''

The American Consul ''The American Consul'' is a 1917 American drama silent film directed by Rollin S. Sturgeon and written by Thomas J. Geraghty, Harvey F. Thew and Paul West. The film stars Theodore Roberts, Ernest Joy, Maude Fealy, Charles West, Raymond Hat ...

'' (1917) * '' On Record'' (1917) * '' Those Without Sin'' (1917) * ''

The Cost of Hatred ''The Cost of Hatred'' is a 1917 American drama silent film directed by George Melford and written by Beulah Marie Dix. The film stars Kathlyn Williams, Theodore Roberts, Tom Forman, Jack W. Johnston, Jack Holt and Charles Ogle. The film was re ...

'' (1917) * ''

The Tides of Barnegat ''The Tides of Barnegat'' is a 1917 American drama silent film directed by Marshall Neilan and written by Francis Hopkinson Smith and Eve Unsell. The film stars Blanche Sweet, Elliott Dexter, Tom Forman, Norma Nichols, Billy Jacobs and Walter R ...

'' (1917) * ''

The Jaguar's Claws ''The Jaguar's Claws'' is a 1917 American Western silent film directed by Marshall Neilan and written by William M. McCoy, Beatrice DeMille and Leighton Osmun. The film stars Sessue Hayakawa, Fritzi Brunette, Tom Moore, Marjorie Daw, Tom For ...

'' (1917) * ''

Her Strange Wedding ''Her Strange Wedding'' is a lost 1917 American drama silent film directed by George Melford and written by Charles Maigne and George Middleton. The film stars Fannie Ward, Jack Dean, Tom Forman and William Elmer. The film was released on Ju ...

'' (1917) * ''

Forbidden Paths ''Forbidden Paths'' is a 1917 American drama silent film directed by Robert Thornby and written by Beatrice DeMille, Leighton Osmun and Eve Unsell. The film stars Vivian Martin, Sessue Hayakawa, Tom Forman, Carmen Phillips, James Neill and E ...

'' (1917) * '' A Kiss for Susie'' (1917) * ''Hashimura Togo'' (1917) * '' For Better, for Worse'' (1919) * ''

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...

'' (1919) * ''The Heart of Youth'' (1919) * '' Told in the Hills'' (1919) * '' The Tree of Knowledge'' (1920) * '' The Sea Wolf'' (1920) with

Noah Beery Sr. Noah Nicholas Beery (January 17, 1882 – April 1, 1946) was an American actor who appeared in films from 1913 until his death in 1946. He was the older brother of Academy Award-winning actor Wallace Beery as well as the father of promine ...

* '' The Round-Up'' (1920) with

Roscoe Arbuckle Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle (; March 24, 1887 – June 29, 1933) was an American silent film actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. He started at the Selig Polyscope Company and eventually moved to Keystone Studios, where he worked ...

and

Wallace Beery Wallace Fitzgerald Beery (April 1, 1885 – April 15, 1949) was an American film and stage actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in '' Min and Bill'' (1930) opposite Marie Dressler, as General Director Preysing in '' Grand Hotel'' (1 ...

* '' White Shoulders'' (1922) * '' Hoboken to Hollywood'' (1926) * ''Devil's Dice'' (1926) * ''

Sagebrush Politics ''Sagebrush Politics'' is a 1930 American silent Western film with sound sequences, directed by Denver Dixon, starring Art Mix, Wally Merrill, and Lilian Bond. Cast * Art Mix as Tom Williams * Lilian Bond as Sheriff's Daughter * Gilbert Holm ...

'' (1930) * '' Pals of the Range'' (1935)

Director

* ''The Ladder of Lies'' (1920) * '' The Sins of Rosanne'' (1920) * ''The Easy Road'' (1921) * ''The City of Silent Men'' (1921) * ''White and Unmarried'' (1921) * '' Cappy Ricks'' (1921) * ''A Prince There Was'' (1921) * ''If You Believe It, It's So'' (1922) * '' White Shoulders'' (1922) * '' Shadows'' (1922) * '' The Woman Conquers'' (1922) * ''Money! Money! Money!'' (1923) * '' The Girl Who Came Back'' (1923) * ''

Are You a Failure? ''Are You a Failure?'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film directed by Tom Forman and starring Madge Bellamy, Lloyd Hughes and Tom Santschi.Munden p.24 Plot Summary Pampered by his single aunts and seemingly indecisive, Oliver Wendell Blaine ...

'' (1923) * '' The Broken Wing'' (1923) * '' The Virginian'' (1923) * ''April Showers'' (1923) * '' The Fighting American'' (1924) * '' Roaring Rails'' (1924) * '' The Flaming Forties'' (1924) * ''

Flattery Flattery (also called adulation or blandishment) is the act of giving excessive compliments, generally for the purpose of ingratiating oneself with the subject. It is also used in pick-up lines when attempting to initiate sexual or romantic cou ...

'' (1925) * ''

The Crimson Runner ''The Crimson Runner'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Tom Forman and starring Priscilla Dean, Bernard Siegel, and Alan Hale. Plot As describ