Thomas Ligon (born September 10, 1940) is an actor of

Cajun The Cajuns (; French: ''les Cadjins'' or ''les Cadiens'' ), also known as Louisiana ''Acadians'' (French: ''les Acadiens''), are a Louisiana French ethnicity mainly found in the U.S. state of Louisiana. While Cajuns are usually described as ...

ancestry. He appeared in the films '' Paint Your Wagon'', ''

Jump Jumping is a form of locomotion or movement in which an organism or non-living (e.g., robotic) mechanical system propels itself through the air along a ballistic trajectory. Jump or Jumping also may refer to: Places * Jump, Kentucky or Jump S ...

'', and ''

Bang the Drum Slowly ''Bang the Drum Slowly'' is a novel by Mark Harris, first published in 1956 by Knopf. The novel is the second in a series of four novels written by Harris that chronicles the career of baseball player Henry W. Wiggen. ''Bang the Drum Slowly'' ...

'' (in which he also sang the title song) as well as the television series ''

The Young and the Restless ''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City ...

'', and '' Oz''.

Life and career

Mentored by folksinger and actor

Gordon Heath Gordon Heath (September 20, 1918 – August 27, 1991) was an American actor and musician who narrated the animated feature film ''Animal Farm'' (1954) and appeared in the title role of ''The Emperor Jones'' (1953) and ''Othello'' (1955), both l ...

in Paris, beginning in the mid 1950s, Ligon then attended

St. Albans School (Washington, D.C.) , motto_translation = For Church and For State , streetaddress = 3001 Wisconsin Ave NW , city = Washington, D.C. , country = United States , zipcode = 20016 , ceeb = 090165 , established ...

, where he suffered a broken leg while playing football, and, sans sports, his interests turned solidly toward theater. At

Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

, where he was a member of

Skull and Bones Skull and Bones, also known as The Order, Order 322 or The Brotherhood of Death, is an undergraduate senior secret student society at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The oldest senior class society at the university, Skull and Bone ...

and graduated as an English major (1962), he was discovered by

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...

, who saw his performance as Kilroy in Williams' play, ''

Camino Real Camino may refer to: Places *Camino, California, United States, a census-designated place *Camino, Piedmont, Italy, a town *Camino, Veneto, Italy, a town People *Jaime Camino (1936–2015), Spanish film director and screenwriter *Renae Camino ...

'' at the

Yale Dramatic Association The Yale Dramatic Association, also known as the "Yale Dramat," is the third oldest college theater company in the United States. Founded in 1901 by undergraduates at Yale University, the Dramat has been producing student theatre in the United ...

. Ligon became one of the most sought after young actors in New York in the 1960s. Ligon has appeared on many prominent regional stages in the U.S., notably the

Arena Stage Arena Stage is a not-for-profit regional theater based in Southwest, Washington, D.C. Established in 1950, it was the first racially integrated theater in Washington, D.C. and its founders helped start the U.S. regional theater movement. It is ...

where he played the title role in ''Billy Budd'' and in ''Hard Travelin' '' by

Millard Lampell Millard Lampell (born Milton Lampell, January 23, 1919 – October 3, 1997) was an American movie and television screenwriter who first became publicly known as a member of the Almanac Singers in the 1940s. Early life and career Lampell was born ...

in 1964, and Actors Theatre of Louisville, where he played Hank Czerniak, the polka king, in ''Evelyn and the Polka King''. Tom Ligon and Katharine Dunfee Clarke (K.C. Ligon - 1948-2009) were married on New Year's Eve in 1976. K.C. was born into a theatrical family (her mother was actress and dialect coach Nora Dunfee and her father was veteran Broadway and noir film actor, David Clarke). She made her Broadway debut in ''

Under Milk Wood ''Under Milk Wood'' is a 1954 radio drama by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, commissioned by the BBC and later adapted for the stage. A film version, '' Under Milk Wood'' directed by Andrew Sinclair, was released in 1972, and another adaptatio ...

'' at the age of eight, and subsequently appeared with her parents in the National Tour of '' The Visit'' with

Alfred Lunt Alfred David Lunt (August 12, 1892 – August 3, 1977) was an American actor and director, best known for his long stage partnership with his wife, Lynn Fontanne, from the 1920s to 1960, co-starring in Broadway and West End productions. After th ...

and

Lynn Fontanne Lynn Fontanne (; 6 December 1887 – 30 July 1983) was an English actress. After early success in supporting roles in the West End, she met the American actor Alfred Lunt, whom she married in 1922 and with whom she co-starred in Broadway and We ...

. K.C. taught speech at

Circle in the Square Theatre School Circle in the Square Theatre School is a non-profit, tax exempt drama school associated with Circle in the Square Theatre; it is the only accredited conservatory attached to a Broadway theatre. It offers two 2-year full-time programs: a Profes ...

and was a dialect coach on Broadway and did extensive private coaching of prominent performers for theater and film. A writer and leader of the modern Oxfordian movement, K.C. was deeply involved in the effort to establish

Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford (; 12 April 155024 June 1604) was an English peer and courtier of the Elizabethan era. Oxford was heir to the second oldest earldom in the kingdom, a court favourite for a time, a sought-after patron of ...

as Shakespeare. Tom Ligon created the role of Orson in the prize-winning Off-Broadway musical ''

Your Own Thing ''Your Own Thing'' is a rock-styled musical comedy loosely based on ''Twelfth Night'' by William Shakespeare. It premiered off-Broadway in early 1968. The music and lyrics are by Hal Hester and Danny Apolinar Lambert, Bruc"Hal Hester, 63; Helped t ...

'' (1968), and starred on Broadway opposite

Geraldine Page Geraldine Sue Page (November 22, 1924June 13, 1987) was an American actress. With a career which spanned four decades across film, stage, and television, Page was the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Acad ...

in ''Angela'', by Sumner Arthur Long, and with

Sandy Duncan Sandra Kay Duncan (born February 20, 1946) is an American actress, comedian, dancer and singer. She is known for her performances in the Broadway revival of '' Peter Pan'' and in the sitcom '' The Hogan Family''. Duncan has been nominated for ...

in John Patrick's ''Love is a Time of Day''. This work on stage led to appearing in two films, '' Paint Your Wagon'' and ''

''. Concerning Ligon's third film, ''

'' (1971):

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensemb ...

called it "this amazing film that no one’s ever seen – I’ve only seen it once and I’d love to see it again – this really good Seventies backtrack exploitation movie... It’s hilarious and very satirical. I remember really liking that." Ligon played the Tiger in

Rajiv Joseph Rajiv Joseph (born June 16, 1974) is an American playwright. He was named a finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play '' Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo'', and he won an Obie Award for Best New American Play for his play ''Desc ...

's ''

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo ''Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo'' is a play by Rajiv Joseph. The show is about "a tiger that haunts the streets of present-day Baghdad seeking the meaning of life. As he witnesses the puzzling absurdities of war, the tiger encounters Americans ...

'' in its original iteration, directed by Giovanna Sardelli at the

Lark Play Development Center The Lark, formerly Lark Play Development Center, was a non-profit organization, headquartered in Manhattan, New York that sought to help discover and develop playwrights A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The wo ...

in New York City. Other noteworthy appearances on the New York stage include ''Geniuses'', ''BAFO (Best and Final Offer)'', ''Den of Thieves'', ''The Golf Ball'', ''Tartuffe: Born Again'', ''A Backer's Audition'', ''Another Paradise'', and ''Have I Got A Girl for You''. At the age of 60, Ligon appeared in a critically acclaimed New York production of ''

Our Town ''Our Town'' is a 1938 Metatheatre, metatheatrical Three act structure, three-act play by American playwright Thornton Wilder which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play tells the story of the fictional American small town of Grover's Cor ...

'', directed by Jack Cummings III, where he played George Gibbs, with an actress of the same age playing Emily Webb. Also, for

Transport Group Transport Group Theatre Company is a non-profit, off-Broadway theatre company in New York City that stages new works and revivals of plays and musicals, with a focus on American stories told in visually progressive way. History Transport Group was ...

, he subsequently played in ''Requiem For William'', ''All the Way Home'', and ''The Audience'', all directed by Jack Cummings III. In August 2013, when Ligon was age 72, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' reported that he sent an intruder tumbling to the pavement below with a fist to the forehead and a ninja shout after the man had entered his

Greenwich Village Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...

apartment through a window. Responding to later news that it was a "career burglar" he had chased away, and who was now in jail, Ligon told ''The Times'': "Well, I guess he's not having much of a 'career' right now. It's like acting – you’ve got your ups and downs." Ligon served many years as

SAG-AFTRA The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA, stylized as SAG·AFTRA ) is an American labor union representing approximately 160,000 film and television actors, journalists, radio personalities, recor ...

's Chair, National Seniors Committee. He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors, New York Screen Actors Guild (2005–07).

Filmography

Film

* '' Nothing But a Man'' (1964) - Teenager #1 * '' Paint Your Wagon'' (1969) - Horton Fenty * ''

'' (1971) - Chester Jump * ''

The Last American Hero ''The Last American Hero'' (also known as ''Hard Driver'') is a 1973 American sports drama film based on the true story of NASCAR driver Junior Johnson. Directed by Lamont Johnson (no relation), the film stars Jeff Bridges as Junior Jackson, a cha ...

'' (1973) - Lamar * ''

'' (1973) - Piney Woods * '' Joyride'' (1977) - Sanders * ''

Young Doctors in Love ''Young Doctors in Love'' is a 1982 American comedy film directed by Garry Marshall. It spoofs a variety of medical shows (in particular, '' General Hospital'') and has many guest stars from ABC soap operas. The film stars Sean Young, Michael ...

'' (1982) - Soap Cameos * ''

Cutting Class ''Cutting Class'' is a 1989 American black comedy slasher film directed by Rospo Pallenberg in his directorial debut, written by Steve Slavkin, and starring Donovan Leitch, Jill Schoelen, Brad Pitt, Roddy McDowall, and Martin Mull. It was Pit ...

'' (1989) - Mr. Ingalls * ''I Believe in America'' (2007) - Oliver * ''Serial'' (2007) - Chief Joseph Spataford * ''Lost Revolution'' (2007) - Oliver * ''Front Cover'' (2015) - Gus LaMar

Television

* ''

Hawk Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. This subfa ...

'' (1966) * ''The 39th Witness'' (TV film) (1968) * ''

The Jackie Gleason Show ''The Jackie Gleason Show'' is the name of a series of American network television shows that starred Jackie Gleason, which ran from 1952 to 1970, in various forms. ''Cavalcade of Stars'' Gleason's first variety series, which aired on the DuMon ...

'' "Operation Protest" (1970) * '' A World Apart'' (original cast, 1969-1971) * ''

Medical Center Medical center or medical centre may refer to: Medical care * A collection of medical services on the same site, such as the services of a general practitioner, pharmacist, pathology, radiology, dentist etc. * Clinic * Hospital * Academic medic ...

'' (1971) * ''

The Execution of Private Slovik ''The Execution of Private Slovik'' is a nonfiction book by William Bradford Huie, published in 1954, and an American made-for-television movie that aired on NBC on March 13, 1974. The film was written for the screen by Richard Levinson, Wi ...

'' (TV film) (1974) * ''F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood'' (TV film (1975) * ''The Black Box Murders'' (TV film) (1975) * ''Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys'' (TV film) (1976) * ''

The Adams Chronicles ''The Adams Chronicles'' is a thirteen-episode miniseries by PBS that aired in 1976 to commemorate the American Bicentennial. Synopsis The series chronicles the story of the Adams political family over a 150-year span, including John Adams (dra ...

'' (1976) * ''

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 poli ...

'' (1977) * ''

Rosetti and Ryan ''Rosetti and Ryan'' is an American legal drama television series that aired on NBC from September 22 until November 10, 1977, from 10 to 11 p.m. Eastern Time. Premise Legal drama about two completely different lawyers; Rosetti is outgoing and de ...

'' (1977) * ''

Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 115 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by ...

'' (1977) * ''

Police Woman The integration of women into law enforcement positions can be considered a large social change. A century ago, there were few jobs open to women in law enforcement. A small number of women worked as correctional officers, and their assignment ...

'' (1977) * ''

Starsky and Hutch ''Starsky & Hutch'' is an American action television series, which consisted of a 72-minute pilot movie (originally aired as a '' Movie of the Week'' entry) and 92 episodes of 50 minutes each. The show was created by William Blinn (inspired by ...

'' (1977) * ''

'' (1978-1982) * ''

Baa Baa Black Sheep "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" is an English nursery rhyme, the earliest printed version of which dates from around 1744. The words have not changed very much in two and a half centuries. It is sung to a variant of the 1761 French melody ''Ah! vous dira ...

'' (1978) * ''

Loving Loving may refer to: * Love, a range of human emotions * Loving (surname) * ''Loving v. Virginia'', a 1967 landmark United States Supreme Court civil rights case Film and television * ''Loving'' (1970 film), an American film * ''Loving'' (1 ...

'' (original cast, 1983-1984) * ''The Demon Murder Case'' (TV film) (1983) * '' Santa Barbara'' (1987) * ''

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

'' (1987) * ''

The American Experience ''American Experience'' is a television program airing on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States. The program airs documentaries, many of which have won awards, about important or interesting events and people in American ...

'' – "Simple Justice" (TV Film) (1993) * ''

All My Children ''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 2013, via Hulu, Hulu Plus, and ...

'' (1994) * '' Another World'' (1990, 1995) * '' Oz'' (2001–2003) * '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' (2001) * ''

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering o ...

'' (1995–2003) * '' Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' (2007) * '' The Heart, She Holler'' (original cast, 2011–2013)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ligon, Tom 1940 births Living people Male actors from New York City 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors Male actors from New Orleans American male film actors American male television actors American male voice actors American male Shakespearean actors American male stage actors Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship Yale University alumni American expatriates in France St. Albans School (Washington, D.C.) alumni