Thomas A. Curran
Thomas A. Curran (May 29, 1879 – January 24, 1941), was an Australian-born American actor on the stage and in motion pictures. Between 1915 and 1941 he appeared in 60 films, the last of which was Citizen Kane, in which he played the uncredited role of Theodore Roosevelt in the "News on the March" newsreel sequence.
Thomas A. Curran | |
|---|---|
Curran in 1916 | |
| Born | May 29, 1879 |
| Died | January 24, 1941 (aged 61) Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1897–1941 |
Biography edit
Thomas A. Curran was born on May 29, 1879, in Sydney, Australia. He studied acting in the United States, where he made his stage debut in 1897. After returning to Australia for a few years, he returned to the U.S. in 1912 or 1913 and worked in vaudeville and repertory theatre. He acted in the original productions of Excuse Me written by Rupert Hughes (later adapted twice for the screen) and Oh! Oh! Delphine.[1]
Curran was signed to a three-year contract by the Thanhouser Company in 1915 and made 22 films, including The World and the Woman with Jeanne Eagels and Inspiration, the first non-pornographic American film to show full female nudity. In his later years he moved to California and made his living playing bit parts and small roles in studio films. His last film appearance was as Teddy Roosevelt in the "News on the March" sequence in Citizen Kane. The film had not yet been released when Curran, aged 61, died in Hollywood January 24, 1941.[1]
Filmography edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | From the River's Depths | [1] | |
| 1915 | The Price of Her Silence | The Artist | [2] |
| 1915 | The Earl of Pawtucket | Fordyce | [2] |
| 1915 | Greater Love Hath No Man | Dr. Merton | [2] |
| 1915 | The Commuted Sentence | Governor | [1][3] |
| 1915 | In Baby's Garden | Jack | [1][4] |
| 1915 | Inspiration | The Artist | Reissued as The Perfect Model (1918)[1] |
| 1915 | Her Confession | Emerald Vinton | [1][5] |
| 1915 | The Necklace of Pearls | The Banker | [1][6] |
| 1916 | The Bubbles in the Glass | [1] | |
| 1916 | Silas Marner | Godfrey | [2] |
| 1916 | The Cruise of Fate | [1] | |
| 1916 | The Sailor's Smiling Spirit | [1] | |
| 1916 | The Weakling | [1] | |
| 1916 | The Nymph | [1] | |
| 1916 | Brothers Equal | [1] | |
| 1916 | The Black Terror | [1] | |
| 1916 | The World and the Woman | James Palmer | [1] |
| 1917 | A Modern Monte Cristo | William Deane | [2] |
| 1917 | The Vicar of Wakefield | Geoffrey; Mr. Burchell | [1][7] |
| 1917 | When Love Was Blind | John Grayson | [2] |
| 1917 | The Candy Girl | [1] | |
| 1917 | An Amateur Orphan | [1] | |
| 1917 | The Heart of Ezra Greer | Denbeigh's guardian | [1] |
| 1918 | The Girl and the Judge | Frank Lorimer | [2] |
| 1928 | Ships of the Night | Police chief | [8] |
| 1928 | The Black Pearl | Silas Lathrop | [2] |
| 1929 | Object: Alimony | Philip Stone | [2] |
| 1929 | Two Sisters | Judge Rhodes | [2] |
| 1929 | Anne Against the World | Emmett | [2] |
| 1929 | The Phantom in the House | Judge Thompson | [9] |
| 1930 | The Kibitzer | Briggs | [2] |
| 1930 | Worldly Goods | Secretary | [2] |
| 1930 | Morocco | [10] | |
| 1931 | Mother and Son | Broker | [11] |
| 1932 | Ghost City | [2] | |
| 1934 | David Harum | Banker | [2] |
| 1935 | The Cowboy Millionaire | Hotel clerk | [2] |
| 1935 | Annapolis Farewell | Officer on Congress | [2] |
| 1936 | The Milky Way | [2] | |
| 1936 | Mr. Deeds Goes to Town | [2] | |
| 1936 | The White Angel | Officer in barracks | [2] |
| 1936 | Yours for the Asking | [2] | |
| 1936 | Wanted! Jane Turner | [2] | |
| 1936 | Swing Time | [2] | |
| 1936 | Parole! | Board chairman | [2] |
| 1937 | Champagne Waltz | [2] | |
| 1937 | Wells Fargo | [2] | |
| 1939 | Our Leading Citizen | Member | [2] |
| 1941 | Citizen Kane | Theodore Roosevelt | [2] |
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Thomas A. Curran Biography". thanhouser.org. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "Thomas Curran". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
- ^ "New Releases on the Mutual Program: The Commuted Sentence". Reel Life. November 6, 1915. p. 5. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- ^ "New Releases on the Mutual Program: In Baby's Garden". Reel Life. November 6, 1915. p. 10. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- ^ "New Releases on the Mutual Program: Her Confession". Reel Life. December 4, 1915. p. 9. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- ^ "New Releases on the Mutual Program: The Necklace of Pearls". Reel Life. December 11, 1915. p. 9. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- ^ "The Vicar of Wakefield". The Progressive Silent Film List. The Silent Era Company. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ "Ships of the Night". The Progressive Silent Film List. The Silent Era Company. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ "The Phantom in the House". The Progressive Silent Film List. The Silent Era Company. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ Reid, John Howard (2008). Silent Films & Early Talkies on DVD: A Classic Movie Fan's Guide. Morrisville, North Carolina: Lulu Press. p. 178. ISBN 9781435710733.
- ^ . BFI Film & TV Database. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
External links edit
- Thomas A. Curran at IMDb