Tom Tyler (August 9, 1903 – May 1, 1954) was an American actor known for his leading roles in low-budget

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

films, and for his portrayal of superheroes in movie serials ''

The Adventures of Captain Marvel ''Adventures of Captain Marvel'' is a 1941 American 12-chapter black-and-white movie serial from Republic Pictures. The serial was produced by Hiram S. Brown, Jr., directed by John English and William Witney, and stars Tom Tyler as the super ...

'' and ''

The Phantom ''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. The char ...

''. Tyler also played the mummy Kharis in 1940's ''

The Mummy's Hand ''The Mummy's Hand'' is a 1940 American horror film directed by Christy Cabanne and produced by Ben Pivar for Universal Studios. Shot in black-and-white, the film is about the ancient Egyptian mummy of Kharis ( Tom Tyler), who is kept alive wit ...

'', a popular film in the

Universal Monsters The Universal Monsters (also known as Universal Classic Monsters and Universal Studios Monsters) is a media franchise comprising various horror film series distributed by Universal Pictures. It consists of different horror creature characters o ...

franchise.

Early years

Tyler was born either Vincent Markowski or Vincentas Markauskas (sources differ) in Port Henry, Essex County, New York to Lithuanian-American parents,Chapman, p. 9. Helen ( Elena Montvila) and Frank Markowski (nee Pranas Markauskas). he had two brothers: Frank Jr. and Joe (who changed his last name to Marko) and two sisters: Katherine and Maliane (Molly). His father and older brother worked as coal miners for the Witherbee Sherman Company.Chapman, p. 10. In 1913, his family moved to Hamtramck, Michigan, where he attended St. Florian Elementary School and Hamtramck High School. After graduating from high school, he left home and made his way west, finding work as a seaman on a merchant steamer in the U.S. Merchant Marine, a coal miner in Pennsylvania, a lumberjack in the Pacific Northwest, and even a prizefighter.Rainey, p. 137.

Weightlifting

Tyler was an amateur weightlifter sponsored by the Los Angeles Athletic Club during the late 1920s. He set a new world's amateur record for the right-hand

clean and jerk The clean and jerk is a composite of two weightlifting movements, most often performed with a barbell: the clean and the jerk. During the ''clean'', the lifter moves the barbell from the floor to a racked position across the deltoids, without rest ...

by lifting .Rainey, p. 138. In 1928, he won the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) heavyweight weightlifting championship, lifting —a record that stood for fourteen years.

Early film career

Around 1924, Tyler arrived in California and found work in the film industry as a prop man and extra. His first screen appearances as an extra included ''Three Weeks'' (1924), ''Leatherstocking'' (1924), and ''Wild Horse Mesa'' (1925). In 1925, Tyler was signed to a contract with

Film Booking Offices of America Film Booking Offices of America (FBO), registered as FBO Pictures Corp., was an American film studio of the Silent film, silent era, a midsize producer and distributor of mostly low-budget films. The business began in 1918 as Robertson-Cole, an ...

(FBO) to star in a series of Western adventures with a starting salary of about $75 per week. His first starring role was in ''Let's Go, Gallagher'' (1925). Over the next four years, he starred in 28 additional Westerns for FBO, including ''The Masquerade Bandit'' (1926), ''The Sonora Kid'' (1927), ''The Texas Tornado'' (1928), ''The Avenging Rider'' (1928), and ''Pride of the Pawnee'' (1929). While romance was generally underplayed in these early Westerns, a number of up-and-coming heroines—including Doris Hill,

Jean Arthur Jean Arthur (born Gladys Georgianna Greene; October 17, 1900 – June 19, 1991) was an American film and theater actress whose career began in silent films in the early 1920s and lasted until the early 1950s. Arthur had feature roles in three F ...

, and

Nora Lane Nora Lane (September 12, 1905 – October 16, 1948) was an American film actress. She appeared in more than 80 films between 1927 and 1944. Lane was born in Chester, Illinois. She and her family moved to St. Louis when she was 10 years old. ...

—contributed to the overall appeal of Tyler's films,Rainey, p. 139. which enjoyed critical praise and were popular with Saturday-matinée audiences. His four years with FBO gave him valuable riding and acting experience, and made him a popular cowboy hero in the latter years of the silent-film era. In 1929, Tyler signed with producer W. Ray Johnston of Syndicate Pictures (later known as

Monogram Pictures Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios i ...

), where he made his last eight silent films, including ''The Man from Nevada'' (1929), ''Pioneers of the West'' (1929), ''The Canyon of Missing Men'' (1930), and ''Call of the Desert'' (1930). Producer Johnston shrewdly recognized that there was still a market for new silent westerns, because many small-town theaters had not yet converted to the new talking pictures. In 1930, Tyler was loaned out to Mascot Pictures for his first "all-talking" sound film, ''The Phantom of the West'', a ten-chapter cliffhanger featuring a mysterious secret villain and numerous stunts and action sequences.

Kermit Maynard Kermit Maynard (September 20, 1897 – January 16, 1971) was an American actor and stuntman. He appeared in 280 films between 1927 and 1962. Early years Born in Vevay, Indiana, he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Maynard and a lookalike ...

, brother of

Ken Maynard Kenneth Olin Maynard (July 21, 1895 – March 23, 1973) was an American actor and producer. He was mostly active from the 1920s to the 1940s and considered one of the biggest Western (genre), Western stars in Hollywood. Maynard was also an occa ...

, was Tyler's stunt double in the more dangerous sequences. In 1931, Tyler made his first Syndicate sound film, ''West of Cheyenne''; his baritone speaking voice recorded well, despite his awkward delivery of lines. Tyler concluded his Syndicate tenure with ''Rider of the Plains'' (1931) and ''God's Country and the Man'' (1931). He was also strongly considered for the role of

Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, a feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer. Creat ...

by MGM in their '' Tarzan the Ape Man'' (1932)

Monogram Pictures

Ray Johnston retired Syndicate and renamed the company

. He signed Tom Tyler to an eight-picture contract as part of the company's sagebrush series. These typical low-budget "quickies" included ''Man from Death Valley'' (1931), ''Single-Handed Sanders'' (1932), ''The Man from New Mexico'' (1932), and ''Honor of the Mounted'' (1932), each made for about $8000. All of his Monogram films received critical and popular support. At the time, a small studio would sign a cowboy star for only one year; the studio would then offer a new series with a new cowboy. When Monogram signed Bob Steele to star in the next season's series, Tyler signed with

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company that is a subsidiary of Comcast ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of N ...

for three serials: '' Jungle Mystery'' (1932), ''Clancy of the Mounted'' (1933), and ''Phantom of the Air'' (1933). During this period he also starred in four low-budget Westerns for John R. Freuler's Monarch Pictures, including ''The Forty-Niners'' (1932), '' When a Man Rides Alone'' (1933), ''

Deadwood Pass Deadwood Pass is a 1933 American Western pre-Code film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Tom Tyler, Alice Dahl, and Wally Wales. The film was shot in Newhall, Santa Clarita, CaliforniaSchneider, Jerry L. ''Western Movie Making Locations V ...

'' (1933), and '' War of the Range'' (1933).

Reliable Pictures and Victory Pictures

In 1934, Tyler signed a two-year contract with Harry S. Webb's Reliable Pictures for eighteen low-budget Western films, tailored as second features on double bills for second- and third-tier movie houses. These films included '' Mystery Ranch'' (1934), ''

The Silver Bullet The Silver Bullet was an independent live music venue in Finsbury Park (area), Finsbury Park, London, regularly hosting live music and DJ acts until it closed in June 2016. 1930s to 2010 The Silver Bullet pub opened opposite Finsbury Park s ...

'' (1935), '' Born to Battle'' (1935), '' Silent Valley'' (1935), '' Fast Bullets'' (1936), and '' Santa Fe Bound'' (1936). Despite a few well-done scenes and some good performances by supporting players such as

Slim Whitaker Charles Orbie "Slim" Whitaker (July 29, 1893 – June 27, 1960) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 340 films between 1914 and 1949. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and died in Los Angeles, California, from a heart attack ...

, Charles King,

Earl Dwire Earl Dwire (October 3, 1883 – January 16, 1940), born Earl Dean Dwire, was an American character actor who appeared in more than 150 movies between 1921 and his death in 1940. Biography Dwire acted for three years in stock theater with c ...

, and even the silent-era "Hebrew" comedian

Max Davidson Max Davidson (May 23, 1875 – September 4, 1950) was a German-American film actor known for his comedic Jewish persona during the silent film era. With a career spanning over thirty years, Davidson appeared in over 180 films. Career Born i ...

, most of these films were of average quality with production shortcomings that restricted the effectiveness of Tyler's performances. By 1936, companies such as

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures is currently an acquisition-only label owned by Paramount Pictures. Its history dates back to Republic Pictures Corporation, an American film studio that originally operated from 1935 to 1967, based in Los Angeles, California ...

and

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

were producing larger-budget, better-quality Western films with impressive exterior locations that overshadowed the type of Poverty Row low-budget offerings that brought Tyler to fame. In 1936, Tyler signed a two-year contract with

Sam Katzman Sam Katzman (July 7, 1901 – August 4, 1973) was an American film producer and director. Katzman's specialty was producing low-budget genre films, including serials, which had disproportionately high returns for the studios and his financi ...

's new Victory Pictures for eight Western films, each budgeted at about $6000. The first five of these films were directed by

Bob Hill Robert W. Hill''The Sporting News: 1992-93 Official NBA Register''. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News Publishing Co. 1992. (born November 24, 1948) is an American basketball coach. Hill grew up in Mount Sterling, Ohio, moving to Worthingt ...

and included '' Cheyenne Rides Again'' (1937) with

Lucile Browne Lucile Ruth Browne (March 18, 1907 – May 10, 1976) was an American film actress. She starred opposite John Wayne in the 1935 films '' Texas Terror'' and '' Rainbow Valley''. Personal life The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harris L. Browne, s ...

and '' Feud of the Trail'' (1937), in which Tyler played a dual role. Two of the Victory features co-starred Tyler's wife, Jeanne Martel: '' Orphan of the Pecos'' (1937) and '' Lost Ranch'' (1937), the latter containing a rare scene in which Tyler

lip sync Lip sync or lip synch (pronounced , like the word ''sink'', despite the Hard and soft C, spelling of the participial forms ''synced'' and ''syncing''), short for lip synchronization, is a technical term for matching a Speech, speaking or singin ...

s two songs, "Tucson Mary" and "Home on the Range" (this being an attempt to compete with the "singing cowboys" then in vogue, like

Gene Autry Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American actor, musician, singer, composer, rodeo performer, and baseball team owner, who largely gained fame by singing in a Crooner ...

and

Tex Ritter Woodward Maurice "Tex" Ritter (January 12, 1905 – January 2, 1974) was a pioneer of American country music, a singer, and an actor from the mid-1930s into the 1960s. He was the patriarch of the Ritter acting family (son John Ritter, grandso ...

). Following '' Brothers of the West'' (1937), Katzman did not renew Tyler's contract, replacing him with

Tim McCoy Tim McCoy (April 10, 1891 – January 29, 1978) was an American actor, military officer, and expert on Indigenous peoples of the Americas, American Indian life. McCoy is most noted for his roles in B-grade Western films. As a popular cowboy ...

as the company's Western star until Katzman suspended production in 1939. With no starring roles being offered to him, Tyler took a job with the Wallace Brothers Circus in 1938. He returned to Hollywood and appeared in supporting roles and bit parts in several feature films, including

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), better known as John Ford, was an American film director and producer. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers during the Golden Age of Hollywood, and w ...

's ''

Stagecoach A stagecoach (also: stage coach, stage, road coach, ) is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by ...

'' (1939) with

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...

, ''

Drums Along the Mohawk ''Drums Along the Mohawk'' is a 1939 American historical drama film based upon a 1936 novel of the same name by American author Walter D. Edmonds. The film stars Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert, was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, and direct ...

'' (1939) with

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor whose career spanned five decades on Broadway theatre, Broadway and in Hollywood. On screen and stage, he often portrayed characters who embodied an everyman image. Bo ...

, ''

Gone With the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * Gone with the Wind (novel), ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * Gone with the Wind (film), ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind ...

'' (1939) with

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American actor often referred to as the "King of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". He appeared in more than 60 Film, motion pictures across a variety of Film genre, genres dur ...

, '' The Westerner'' (1940) with

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, silent screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, ...

, John Ford's ''

The Grapes of Wrath ''The Grapes of Wrath'' is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize ...

'' (1940) (also with Henry Fonda), and '' Buck Privates'' (1941) with

Abbott and Costello Abbott and Costello were an American comedy duo composed of comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, whose work in radio, film, and television made them the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and 1950s, and the highest-paid entertainers in t ...

. His most unusual role was that of the mummy Kharis in Universal's ''

'' (1940), in which he was cast because the studio felt he resembled a younger

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), known professionally as Boris Karloff () and occasionally billed as Karloff the Uncanny, was a British actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstei ...

to match stock footage of Karloff from '' The Mummy'' (1932).

Republic Pictures and popular serials

In 1941, Tyler signed a two-year contract with

to star in 13 films in the popular '' Three Mesquiteers'' series in the role of Stony Brooke opposite Bob Steele playing Tucson Smith, and

Rufe Davis Rufus Davidson (December 2, 1908 – December 13, 1974), known as Rufe Davis, was an American actor. He appeared in over 30 films between 1937 and 1969, including 14 of the Three Mesquiteers titles. Davis played railroad conductor Floyd Smo ...

Jimmie Dodd James Wesley Dodd (March 28, 1910 – November 10, 1964) was an American actor, singer, and songwriter best known as the master of ceremonies for the popular 1950s Walt Disney television series ''The Mickey Mouse Club,'' as well as the writer o ...

playing Lullaby Joslin. Tyler's $150-per-week salary during the first year was increased to $200 per week for the second year. These final 13 films in the ''Three Mesquiteers'' series (39 through 51) represent some of Tyler's best work, and his last leading roles: '' Outlaws of Cherokee Trail'' (1941), '' Gauchos of El Dorado'' (1941), '' West of Cimarron'' (1941), '' Code of the Outlaw'' (1942), '' Raiders of the Range'' (1942), '' Westward Ho'' (1942), ''

The Phantom Plainsmen ''The Phantom Plainsmen'' is a 1942 American Western " Three Mesquiteers" B-movie directed by John English and starring Bob Steele, Tom Tyler, and Rufe Davis. Plot Cast * Bob Steele as Tucson Smith * Tom Tyler as Stony Brooke * Rufe ...

'' (1942), '' Shadows on the Sage'' (1942), '' Valley of Hunted Men'' (1942), '' Thundering Trails'' (1943), ''

The Blocked Trail ''The Blocked Trail'' is a 1943 American Western " Three Mesquiteers" B-movie directed by Elmer Clifton and starring Bob Steele, Tom Tyler, and Jimmie Dodd. Plot Cast * Bob Steele as Tucson Smith * Tom Tyler as Stony Brooke * Jimmie Do ...

'' (1943), '' Santa Fe Scouts'' (1943), and '' Riders of the Rio Grande'' (1943), the last film in the series. During this period Republic, which failed to secure the rights to ''Superman'', purchased the rights to the comic-book superhero Captain Marvel. In his late 30s at the time, the muscular Tyler was in good shape and was offered the title role at $250 per week for four weeks' work. In the title role in ''

'' (1941), Tyler portrayed the first film adaptation of a comic-book superhero. Tyler's last leading role was in the

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

serial ''

'' (1943), based on

Lee Falk Lee Falk (), born Leon Harrison Gross (; April 28, 1911 – March 13, 1999), was an American cartoonist, writer, theater director, and producer, best known as the creator of the comic strips ''Mandrake the Magician'' and ''The Phantom''. At the ...

's comic strip. In costume, Tyler bore a striking resemblance to the Phantom character. Columbia filmed a sequel to ''The Phantom'' more than a decade later with actor John Hart wearing the Phantom costume. Unbeknownst to producer Sam Katzman, the studio's rights to the Phantom property had already lapsed. Katzman was forced to salvage the film by renaming the lead character "Captain Africa" and filming additional scenes, with Hart wearing a new costume that only vaguely resembled the Phantom outfit. The patchwork was released as ''

The Adventures of Captain Africa ''The Adventures of Captain Africa'' is a 1955 adventure serial film directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet and starring John Hart. Plot Trapper Nat Coleman and government agent Ted Arnold come upon a plot to take over an African nation. Its leade ...

'' (1955), and footage of Tom Tyler's Phantom appears in some of the long shots.

Later years

''The Phantom'' was Tom Tyler's last starring film. In 1943, the 40-year-old Tyler was diagnosed with severe

rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects synovial joint, joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and h ...

, limiting his mobility and confining him to occasional supporting roles in Western films, including ''

San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...

'' (1945) with

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian and American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Oliv ...

; ''

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), '' Red River'' (1948), and ''

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon ''She Wore a Yellow Ribbon'' is a 1949 American Technicolor Western film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne. It is the second film in Ford's "Cavalry Trilogy", along with '' Fort Apache'' (1948) and ''Rio Grande'' (1950). With a budge ...

'' (1949) with John Wayne; ''Badman's Territory'' (1946) with

Randolph Scott George Randolph Scott (January 23, 1898 – March 2, 1987) was an American film actor, whose Hollywood career spanned from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in dramas, come ...

; ''Masked Raiders'' (1949), ''Riders of the Range'' (1950), ''Rio Grande Patrol'' (1951), and ''Road Agent'' (1952) with

Tim Holt Charles John "Tim" Holt III (February 5, 1919 – February 15, 1973) was an American actor. He was a popular Western star during the 1940s and early 1950s, appearing in forty-six B westerns released by RKO Pictures. In a career spanning more ...

; six westerns filmed concurrently in 1950, co-starring Russell Hayden and

James Ellison James Ellison may refer to: * James O. Ellison (1929–2014), U.S. federal judge * James T. Ellison (1862–1920s), New York gangster *James Ellison (actor) (1910–1993), American film actor * James Ellison (footballer, born 1901) (1901–1958), E ...

; '' Trail of Robin Hood'' (1950) with

Roy Rogers Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998), nicknamed the King of the Cowboys, was an American singer, actor, television host, and Rodeo, rodeo performer. Following early work under his given name, first as a c ...

; and ''Best of the Badmen'' (1951) with

Robert Ryan Robert Bushnell Ryan (November 11, 1909 – July 11, 1973) was an American actor and activist. Known for his portrayals of hardened cops and ruthless villains, Ryan performed for over three decades. He was nominated for the Academy Award for B ...

. Tyler was one of the

John Ford Stock Company The John Ford Stock Company is the name given to the large collection of actors used repeatedly in the films of American director John Ford. Most famous among these was John Wayne, who appeared in twenty-four films and three television episodes for ...

, appearing in six of the director's films. Beginning in 1950, Tyler transitioned to television work, finding minor roles on ''The Lone Ranger'' (1950), ''Dick Tracy'' (1950), ''The Cisco Kid'' (1950–1951), ''The Range Rider'' (1951–1952), and ''The Roy Rogers Show'' (1952). He also co-starred with Tom Keene in an unsold TV pilot, '' Crossroad Avenger'' (1953), written and directed by

Ed Wood Edward Davis Wood Jr. (October 10, 1924 – December 10, 1978) was an American filmmaker, actor, and pulp novelist. In the 1950s, Wood directed several B movie, low-budget science fiction, crime and horror films that later became cult c ...

. His final television appearances were in four episodes of ''

The Gene Autry Show ''The Gene Autry Show'' is an American western/cowboy television series which aired for 91 episodes on CBS from July 23, 1950 until August 7, 1956, originally sponsored by Wrigley's Doublemint chewing gum. Overview Series star Gene Autry h ...

'' in 1952 and 1953.

Marriage

Tyler married actress Jeanne Martel, listed as Jeanne Martel-Pezoldt i
California, U.S., County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1849–1980 for Jeanne Martel-Pezoldt
in September 1937; they met the previous year while filming ''Santa Fe Bound'', in which she was his leading lady. They appeared in two other films together in 1937, '' Lost Ranch'' and '' Orphan of the Pecos''. According to a United States census, they were still married in May 1940; Tyler's own resumé, published in 1947, lists Martel as his wife.

Death

In 1953 Tyler, suffering from severe rheumatoid arthritis and nearly destitute, moved back to Hamtramck and lived with his sister, Katherine Slepski. He died on May 1, 1954, aged 50, of heart failure and complications from scleroderma. He was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

, Michigan. Tyler's last show-business credit was posthumous: an episode of '' Steve Donovan, Western Marshal'' called "Comanche Kid." It premiered on January 14, 1956, almost two years after Tyler's passing, but had been filmed as a pilot in 1950. In it, Tyler had difficulty drawing his gun because of his arthritis.

Filmography

* '' Three Weeks'' (1924) – Extra (uncredited) * '' Leatherstocking'' (1924) – Indian * '' Wild Horse Mesa'' (1925) – Cowboy *'' Let's Go, Gallagher'' (1925) – Tom Gallagher *'' The Wyoming Wildcat'' (1925) – Phil Stone * '' The Only Thing'' (1925) – Party Guest (uncredited) * '' The Cowboy Musketeer'' (1925) – Tom Latigo * '' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'' (1925) – Charioteer (uncredited) * '' Born to Battle'' (1926) – Dennis Terhune * '' The Arizona Streak '' (1926) – Dandy Carrell * '' Wild to Go'' (1926) – Tom Blake * '' The Masquerade Bandit'' (1926) – Jeff Morton * '' The Cowboy Cop'' (1926) – Jerry McGill * '' Tom and His Pals'' (1926) – Tom Duffy * '' Out of the West'' (1926) – Tom Hanley * ''

Red Hot Hoofs ''Red Hot Hoofs'' is a 1926 American silent Western film directed by Robert De Lacey and starring Tom Tyler, Frankie Darro and Dorothy Dunbar.Darby p.353 Cast * Tom Tyler as Tom Buckley * Frankie Darro as Frankie Buckley * Dorothy Du ...

'' (1926) – Tom Buckley * '' Lightning Lariats'' (1927) – Tom Potter * '' The Sonora Kid'' (1927) – Tom MacReady * '' Cyclone of the Range'' (1927) – Tom MacKay * ''

Splitting the Breeze ''Splitting the Breeze'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by Robert De Lacey and starring Tom Tyler, Harry Woods and Peggy Montgomery.Munden, p. 757 Cast * Tom Tyler as Death Valley Drake * Harry Woods as Dave Matlock * ...

'' (1927) – Death Valley Drake * ''

Tom's Gang ''Tom's Gang'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by Robert De Lacey and starring Tom Tyler, Sharon Lynn and Frankie Darro.Langman, p. 459 Cast * Tom Tyler as Dave Collins * Sharon Lynn as Lucille Rogers * Frankie Darro ...

'' (1927) – Dave Collins * ''

The Flying U Ranch ''The Flying U Ranch'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by Robert De Lacey and starring Tom Tyler, Nora Lane and Bert Hadley. Cast * Tom Tyler as Señor Miguel García * Nora Lane as Sally Denson * Bert Hadley as Chip ...

'' (1927) – Señor Miguel García * ''

The Cherokee Kid ''The Cherokee Kid'' is a 1996 American made for television western film directed by Paris Barclay for HBO. The film's stars were Sinbad, James Coburn, Burt Reynolds, Gregory Hines, A Martinez, Ernie Hudson, Dawnn Lewis and Vanessa Bell Callow ...

'' (1927) – Bill Duncan * '' The Desert Pirate'' (1927) – Tom Corrigan * '' The Texas Tornado'' (1928) – Tom Jones * '' When the Law Rides'' (1928) – Tom O'Malley * '' Phantom of the Range'' (1928) – Duke Carlton * ''Terror Mountain'' (1928) – Himself * '' The Avenging Rider'' (1928) – Tom Larkin * ''

Tyrant of Red Gulch ''Tyrant of Red Gulch'', also known as ''The Sorcerer'', is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by Robert De Lacey and starring Tom Tyler, Frankie Darro and Josephine Borio.Langman, p. 484 It was made by Joseph Kennedy's FBO st ...

'' (1928) – Tom Masters * ''Trail of the Horse Thieves'' (1929) – Vic Stanley * ''Gun Law'' (1929) – Tom O'Brien * '' Idaho Red'' (1929) – Andy Thornton * '' The Pride of Pawnee'' (1929) – Kirk Stockton * ''The Law of the Plains'' (1929) – O'Brien * '' The Man from Nevada'' (1929) – Jack Carter * ''The Phantom Rider'' (1929) – Dick Cartwright * ''The Lone Horseman'' (1929) – Jack Gardner * ''Pioneers of the West'' (1929) – Phil Sampson * Neath Western Skies'' (1929) – Tex McCloud * '' Call of the Desert'' (1930) – Rex Carson * ''Half Pint Polly'' (1930, Short) – Don Wilson * '' The Canyon of Missing Men'' (1930) – Dave Brandon * '' Her Man'' (1930) – Sailor (uncredited) * '' The Phantom of the West'' (1931, serial) – Jim Lester * '' West of Cheyenne'' (1931) – Tom Langdon * '' God's Country and the Man'' (1931) – Tex Malone * '' Rider of the Plains'' (1931) – Blackie Saunders * '' Partners of the Trail'' (1931) – Larry Condon * ''The Man from Death Valley'' (1931) – Dave * '' Two Fisted Justice'' (1931) – "Kentucky" Carson * '' Battling with Buffalo Bill'' (1931) – William Cody * '' Galloping Thru'' (1931) – Tom McGuire * '' Single-Handed Sanders'' (1932) – Matt Sanders * '' The Man from New Mexico'' (1932) – Jess Ryder * '' Vanishing Men'' (1932) – Sheriff Doug Barrett * '' Honor of the Mounted'' (1932) – Constable Tom Halliday * '' Jungle Mystery'' (1932, serial) – Kirk Montgomery * '' The Forty-Niners'' (1932) – "Tennessee" Matthews * '' When a Man Rides Alone'' (1933) – The Llano Kid * '' Clancy of the Mounted'' (1933, serial) – Sergeant Tom Clancy * '' The Phantom of the Air'' (1933, serial) – Bob Raymond * ''

'' (1933) – Tom * '' War of the Range'' (1933) – Tom Bradley * '' Ridin' Thru'' (1934) – Tom Saunders * '' Mystery Ranch'' (1934) – Bob Morris * '' Fighting Hero'' (1934) – Tom Hall * '' Terror of the Plains'' (1934) – Tom Lansing * '' Unconquered Bandit'' (1935) – Tom Morgan * ''

Coyote Trails ''Coyote Trails'' is a 1935 American Western film produced and directed by Bernard B. Ray starring Tom Tyler. There are no coyotes or their trails featured in the film. Plot A ranch is having their horses disappear with it believed that a ...

'' (1935) – Tom Riley * '' Tracy Rides'' (1935) – Sheriff Tom Tracy * '' Born to Battle'' (1935) – "Cyclone" Tom Saunders * '' Silent Valley'' (1935) – Sheriff Tom Hall * ''

'' (1935) – Tom Henderson * ''

The Laramie Kid ''The Laramie Kid'' is a 1935 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Harry S. Webb and starring Tom Tyler, Alberta Vaughn in her penultimate film and Al Ferguson.Pitts p.315 Plot Tom Talbot has earned a large amount of money in brea ...

'' (1935) – Tom Talbot * '' Rio Rattler'' (1935) – Tom Denton * '' Powdersmoke Range'' (1935) – Sundown Saunders * '' Trigger Tom'' (1935) – Tom Hunter * '' Fast Bullets'' (1936) – Ranger Tom Hilton * '' Ridin' On'' (1936) – Tom Roarke * '' Roamin' Wild'' (1936) – Tom Barton * '' Pinto Rustlers'' (1936) – Tom Evans * '' The Last Outlaw'' (1936) – Al Goss * '' Santa Fe Bound'' (1936) – Tom Crenshaw * '' Rip Roarin' Buckaroo'' (1936) – "Scotty" McQuade * '' The Phantom of the Range'' (1936) – Jerry Lane * '' Cheyenne Rides Again'' (1937) – Tom "Cheyenne Tommy" Wade * '' Feud of the Trail'' (1937) – Tom Wade / Jack Granger * '' Mystery Range'' (1937) – Tom Wade * '' Orphan of the Pecos'' (1937) – Tom Rayburn * '' Brothers of the West'' (1937) – Tom Wade * '' Lost Ranch'' (1937) – Tom Wade * '' King of Alcatraz'' (1938) – Gus Banshek * ''

'' (1939) – Luke Plummer * '' The Night Riders'' (1939) – Jackson * '' Frontier Marshal'' (1939) – Buck Newton (uncredited) * ''

'' (1939) – Capt. Morgan (uncredited) * ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * Gone with the Wind (novel), ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * Gone with the Wind (film), ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind ...

'' (1939) – Commanding Officer During Evacuation (uncredited) * ''

'' (1940) – Deputy (uncredited) * '' The Light of Western Stars'' (1940) – Sheriff Tom Hawes * ''

Brother Orchid ''Brother Orchid'' is a 1940 American crime/comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Edward G. Robinson, Ann Sothern and Humphrey Bogart, with featured performances by Donald Crisp, Ralph Bellamy and Allen Jenkins. The screenplay was w ...

'' (1940) – Curley Matthews * '' The Westerner'' (1940) – King Evans * ''

'' (1940) – Kharis * ''

Cherokee Strip The Cherokee Outlet, or Cherokee Strip, was located in what is now the state of Oklahoma in the United States. It was a parcel of land south of the Oklahoma–Kansas border between 96 and 100°W. The Cherokee Outlet was created in 1836. The U ...

'' (1940) – Frank Lovell * ''

Texas Rangers Ride Again ''Texas Rangers Ride Again'' is a 1940 American Western film directed by James P. Hogan, written by William R. Lipman and Horace McCoy, and starring Ellen Drew, John Howard, Akim Tamiroff, May Robson, Broderick Crawford, Charley Grapewin, and ...

'' (1940) – Ranger Gilpin (uncredited) * '' Buck Privates'' (1941) – Ring Announcer at Boxing Match (uncredited) * ''

Adventures of Captain Marvel ''Adventures of Captain Marvel'' is a 1941 American 12-chapter black-and-white movie serial from Republic Pictures. The serial was produced by Hiram S. Brown, Jr., directed by John English and William Witney, and stars Tom Tyler as the super ...

'' (1941, serial) – Captain Marvel * '' Border Vigilantes'' (1941) – Henchman Yager * '' Bad Men of Missouri'' (1941) – Deputy Sheriff Dave (uncredited) * '' Outlaws of Cherokee Trail'' (1941) – Stony Brooke * '' Riders of the Timberline'' (1941) – Henchman Bill Slade * '' Gauchos of El Dorado'' (1941) – "Stony" Brooke * '' West of Cimarron'' (1941) – Stony Brooke * '' Code of the Outlaw'' (1942) – Stony Brooke * ''

Valley of the Sun A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains and typically containing a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over a ve ...

'' (1942) – Geronimo * '' Raiders of the Range'' (1942) – Stony Brooke * '' Westward Ho'' (1942) – Stony Brooke * ''

'' (1942) – Stony Brooke * '' The Talk of the Town'' (1942) – Clyde Bracken * '' Shadows on the Sage'' (1942) – Stony Brooke * '' Valley of Hunted Men'' (1942) – Stony Brooke * '' Thundering Trails'' (1943) – Stony Brooke * ''

'' (1943) – Stony Brooke * '' Santa Fe Scouts'' (1943) – Stony Brooke * '' Riders of the Rio Grande'' (1943) – Stony Brooke * '' Wagon Tracks West'' (1943) – Clawtooth * ''

'' (1943, serial) – Jeffrey Prescott, the Phantom * '' Gun to Gun'' (1944, Short) – Captain Haines (uncredited) * '' The Navy Way'' (1944) – Triangle A Ranch Hand (uncredited) * '' Boss of Boomtown'' (1944) – Jim Ward * ''

Ladies of Washington ''Ladies of Washington'' is a 1944 American drama film directed by Louis King and starring Trudy Marshall, Ronald Graham and Anthony Quinn.Rowan p.9 The film's sets were designed by the art directors James Basevi and Leland Fuller. Plot A g ...

'' (1944) – Agent (uncredited) * ''

The Princess and the Pirate ''The Princess and the Pirate'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by David Butler, and starring Bob Hope and Virginia Mayo. Based on a story by Sy Bartlett, the film is about a princess who travels incognito to elope with her true love ins ...

'' (1944) – Lieutenant (uncredited) * '' Sing Me a Song of Texas'' (1945) – Steve Andrews * ''

'' (1945) – Captain at Airport (uncredited) * ''

'' (1945) – Lafe McWilliams * '' Badman's Territory'' (1946) – Frank James * '' Never Say Goodbye'' (1946) – Policeman (uncredited) * ''

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 ...

'' (1947) – Pecos * '' The Dude Goes West'' (1948) – Spiggoty * '' Return of the Bad Men'' (1948) – Wild Bill Yeager * '' Red River'' (1948) – Quitter (uncredited) * '' The Golden Eye'' (1948) – Minor Role (scenes deleted) * ''

The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' () is a French historical adventure novel written and published in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is the first of the author's three d'Artagnan Romances. As with some of his other works, he wrote it in col ...

'' (1948) – 1st Traveller (uncredited) * ''

Blood on the Moon ''Blood on the Moon'' is a 1948 RKO black-and-white "psychological" Western film noir starring Robert Mitchum, Barbara Bel Geddes, Robert Preston and Walter Brennan. Directed by Robert Wise, the cinematography is by Nicholas Musuraca. The m ...

'' (1948) – Frank Reardon * '' I Shot Jesse James'' (1949) – Frank James * '' The Younger Brothers'' (1949) – Hatch * '' The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend'' (1949) – Townsman (uncredited) * '' Lust for Gold'' (1949) – Luke (uncredited) * ''

'' (1949) – Cpl. Mike Quayne * '' Masked Raiders'' (1949) – Trig Trevett * '' Square Dance Jubilee'' (1949) – Henchman Buck * '' Samson and Delilah'' (1949) – Gristmill Captain (uncredited) * '' Riders of the Range'' (1950) – The Ringo Kid * ''

The Daltons' Women ''The Daltons' Women'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Thomas Carr starring Lash LaRue and Al "Fuzzy" St. John. It was the seventh of LaRue's films for Ron Ormond's Western Adventures Productions Inc.p. 959 Pitts, Michael R. ''W ...

'' (1950) – Emmett Dalton * '' Hostile Country'' (1950) – Tom Brady * ''

Marshal of Heldorado ''Marshall of Heldorado'' is a 1950 American Western (genre), Western film. Plot Cast *James Ellison (actor), James Ellison as James "Shamrock" Ellison *Russell Hayden, Russ "Lucky" Hayden as Russ "Lucky" Hayden *Raymond Hatton as The colonel ...

'' (1950) – Mike Tulliver * '' Crooked River'' (1950) – Henchman Weston * '' Colorado Ranger'' (1950) – Henchman Pete * '' West of the Brazos'' (1950) – Henchman Sam * ''

The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in a ...

'' (1950, TV Series) – Jeff Garth * '' Fast on the Draw'' (1950) – Outlaw Leader * '' Rio Grande Patrol'' (1950) – Chet Yance * ''

Dick Tracy ''Dick Tracy'' is an American comic strip featuring Dick Tracy, a tough and intelligent police detective created by Chester Gould. It made its debut on Sunday, October 4, 1931, in the '' Detroit Mirror'', and was distributed by the Chicago T ...

'' (1950, TV Series) – Coffyhead * '' Trail of Robin Hood'' (1950) – Himself * ''

The Cisco Kid The Cisco Kid is a fictional character found in numerous film, radio, television and comic book series based on the fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his 1907 short story "The Caballero's Way", published in ''Everybody's Maga ...

'' (1950–1951, TV Series) – Sheriff Jim Turner * ''

The Great Missouri Raid ''The Great Missouri Raid'' is a 1951 American Western released by Paramount Pictures starring Wendell Corey, Macdonald Carey, and Ward Bond, with Ellen Drew, Bruce Bennett, Bill Williams and Anne Revere in support. It was directed by Gord ...

'' (1951) – Allen Parmer * '' Best of the Badmen'' (1951) – Frank James * '' Mysterious Island'' (1951) – Union Dispatch Rider (uncredited) * ''

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok ''The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok'' is an American Western television series that ran for eight seasons from April 15, 1951, through September 24, 1958. The Screen Gems series began in syndication, but ran on CBS from June 5, 1955, throug ...

'' (1951–1952, TV Series) – Sheriff * '' The Roy Rogers Show'' (1952, TV Series) – Henchman / Andy * ''Boston Blackie'' (1951–1952, TV Series) * '' Road Agent'' (1952) – Larkin – Henchman * '' Outlaw Women'' (1952) – Chillawaka Charlie * ''

The Lion and the Horse ''The Lion and the Horse'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Louis King, written by Crane Wilbur, and starring Steve Cochran, Ray Teal and Bob Steele. It was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Plot Drama of a cowboy and his l ...

'' (1952) – Bud Sabin * ''

What Price Glory What Price Glory? may refer to: * ''What Price Glory?'' (1926 film), directed by Raoul Walsh * ''What Price Glory'' (1952 film), directed by John Ford * ''What Price Glory?'' (play), a 1924 play by Maxwell Anderson and Laurence Stallings; basis for ...

'' (1952) – Capt. Davis (uncredited) * ''

Sky King ''Sky King'' is an American radio and television series. Its lead character was Arizona rancher and aircraft pilot Schuyler "Sky" King. The series had strong Western elements. Cattle rancher King usually captured criminals and spies and found ...

'' (1952, TV Series) – Al * '' Cowboy G-Men'' (1952, TV Series) – Henchman Cactus * ''

The Range Rider ''The Range Rider'' is an American Western television series that was first broadcast in syndication from 1951 to 1952. A single lost episode surfaced and was broadcast in 1959. In 1954, the BBC purchased rights to show the program in the UK . ...

'' (1951–1952, TV Series) – Shotgun Guard / Indian * '' Cow Country'' (1953) – Pete * ''

'' (1952–1953, TV series) – Lanky henchman at Hideout / Slender Thug in the White Hat / Henchman Snake-Eye

References

Bibliography

* * * * * *

External links

*
Tom Tyler fansite
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tyler, Tom 1903 births 1954 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male silent film actors American people of Lithuanian descent Male film serial actors Male actors from New York (state) People from Port Henry, New York People from Hamtramck, Michigan Male Western (genre) film actors Deaths from scleroderma American Roman Catholics