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Tom Powers

March 14, 2023

For other people named Tom Powers, see Tom Powers (disambiguation).

Thomas McCreery Powers (July 7, 1890 – November 9, 1955) was an American actor in theatre, films, radio and television. A veteran of the Broadway stage, notably in plays by George Bernard Shaw, he created the role of Charles Marsden in Eugene O'Neill's Strange Interlude. He succeeded Orson Welles in the role of Brutus in the Mercury Theatre's debut production, Caesar. In films, he was a star of Vitagraph Pictures and later became best known for his role as the victim of scheming wife Barbara Stanwyck and crooked insurance salesman Fred MacMurray in the film noir classic, Double Indemnity (1944).

Tom Powers
Powers in 1922
Born
Thomas McCreery Powers

(1890-07-07)July 7, 1890
Owensboro, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedNovember 9, 1955(1955-11-09) (aged 65)
Manhattan Beach, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1911–1955
Spouse
Meta Murray Janney
​
(m. 1929)​

Career

 
Powers with Beatrice Lillie (1919)
 
Powers played Brutus in the Mercury Theatre's national touring production of Caesar, then succeeded Orson Welles in the Broadway production (1938).

Thomas McCreery Powers[1] was born in 1890 in Owensboro, Kentucky. His father, Colonel Joshua D. Powers, was a banker; his uncle was sculptor Hiram Powers. Tom Powers' mother loved the theatre and enrolled him at ballet school at age three. He entered the American Academy of Dramatic Arts at age 16, and he studied drama, wrote and produced plays, and practiced stage design in a small theatre in the attic of his home.[2] Powers apprenticed to a pantomime troupe for ten years and became a star of Vitagraph Westerns.[3] Powers appeared in over 70 silent films from 1911 to 1917 opposite such actors as Florence Turner, Harry T. Morey, Clara Kimball Young, Alma Taylor and John Bunny.

Powers had great success in his first Broadway appearance, as William Booth in Mr. Lazarus (1916). He became a star in musical comedies, and won acclaim as a leading player and character actor. His best-known roles included Gregers Werle in The Wild Duck, the captain in Androcles and the Lion, and Bluntschli in Arms and the Man — all in 1925 — and King Magnus in The Apple Cart (1930). He created the role of Charles Marsden in Eugene O'Neill's long-running drama, Strange Interlude (1928–29). In 1938 he succeeded Orson Welles as Brutus in the Mercury Theatre's debut stage production, Caesar, and in 1941 he toured nationwide in The Man Who Came to Dinner. His last significant Broadway role was in Three Sisters (1942), with Judith Anderson, Katharine Cornell and Ruth Gordon.[3][4]

 
Powers with Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray in Double Indemnity (1944)

His radio credits include Tom Powers' Life Studies (1935–36), a 15-minute series consisting of true-life stories broadcast on NBC.[5][6] Powers published two books of monologues, Life Studies (1939)[7] and More Life Studies (1940).[8] He also wrote four plays and two romantic novels,[3] Virgin with Butterflies (1945)[9] and Sheba on Trampled Grass (1946).[10]

Powers moved to the West Coast after becoming ill with arthritis,[3] and became a full-time movie actor when Billy Wilder invited him to play the murder victim in the 1944 film noir classic, Double Indemnity. For the next dozen years or so, Powers appeared in over 80 film and television roles, usually playing middle-aged business men, military or police officers. His performance as Metallus Cimber in Julius Caesar (1953) is regarded as Powers' best during his Hollywood years.[3]

Personal life

Tom Powers was married to Meta Murray Janney of Philadelphia on September 7, 1929.[1] Powers died of heart disease at his home in Manhattan Beach, California, on November 9, 1955, at age 65.[3] He was interred in Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park, in North Hollywood, California.

Partial filmography

 
Powers and Charles Kent in A Window on Washington Park (1913)
 
Florence Turner and Powers in As Ye Repent (1915), retitled Redeemed for US distribution

References

  1. ^ a b "She Marries Tom Powers, the Actor, in Philadelphia". The New York Times. September 8, 1929. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  2. ^ "In the Spotlight". The Theatre. XXV: 18. January 1917. Retrieved 2015-10-24.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Tom Powers Dies; Stage, Film Actor". The New York Times. November 10, 1955. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  4. ^ Digital Collections, The New York Public Library. "Judith Anderson, Ruth Gordon, Gertrude Musgrove, Tom Powers and Katherine Cornell in the stage production Three Sisters (1942)". The New York Public Library, Astor, Lennox, and Tilden Foundation. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
  5. ^ "Tom Powers' Life Studies". RadioGOLDINdex. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
  6. ^ Behind the Mike. Internet Archive. February 23, 1941. Event occurs at 22:17. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
  7. ^ Powers, Tom (1939). Life Studies. New York: Samuel French, Inc. OCLC 1024181.
  8. ^ Powers, Tom (1940). More Life Studies. New York: Samuel French, Inc. OCLC 2910404.
  9. ^ Powers, Tom (1945). Virgin with Butterflies. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill Company. OCLC 1422543.
  10. ^ Powers, Tom (1946). Sheba on Trampled Grass. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill Company. OCLC 4300358.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tom Powers.

March 14, 2023
powers, other, people, named, disambiguation, thomas, mccreery, powers, july, 1890, november, 1955, american, actor, theatre, films, radio, television, veteran, broadway, stage, notably, plays, george, bernard, shaw, created, role, charles, marsden, eugene, ne. For other people named Tom Powers see Tom Powers disambiguation Thomas McCreery Powers July 7 1890 November 9 1955 was an American actor in theatre films radio and television A veteran of the Broadway stage notably in plays by George Bernard Shaw he created the role of Charles Marsden in Eugene O Neill s Strange Interlude He succeeded Orson Welles in the role of Brutus in the Mercury Theatre s debut production Caesar In films he was a star of Vitagraph Pictures and later became best known for his role as the victim of scheming wife Barbara Stanwyck and crooked insurance salesman Fred MacMurray in the film noir classic Double Indemnity 1944 Tom PowersPowers in 1922BornThomas McCreery Powers 1890 07 07 July 7 1890Owensboro Kentucky U S DiedNovember 9 1955 1955 11 09 aged 65 Manhattan Beach California U S OccupationActorYears active1911 1955SpouseMeta Murray Janney m 1929 wbr Contents 1 Career 2 Personal life 3 Partial filmography 4 References 5 External linksCareer Edit Powers with Beatrice Lillie 1919 Powers played Brutus in the Mercury Theatre s national touring production of Caesar then succeeded Orson Welles in the Broadway production 1938 Thomas McCreery Powers 1 was born in 1890 in Owensboro Kentucky His father Colonel Joshua D Powers was a banker his uncle was sculptor Hiram Powers Tom Powers mother loved the theatre and enrolled him at ballet school at age three He entered the American Academy of Dramatic Arts at age 16 and he studied drama wrote and produced plays and practiced stage design in a small theatre in the attic of his home 2 Powers apprenticed to a pantomime troupe for ten years and became a star of Vitagraph Westerns 3 Powers appeared in over 70 silent films from 1911 to 1917 opposite such actors as Florence Turner Harry T Morey Clara Kimball Young Alma Taylor and John Bunny Powers had great success in his first Broadway appearance as William Booth in Mr Lazarus 1916 He became a star in musical comedies and won acclaim as a leading player and character actor His best known roles included Gregers Werle in The Wild Duck the captain in Androcles and the Lion and Bluntschli in Arms and the Man all in 1925 and King Magnus in The Apple Cart 1930 He created the role of Charles Marsden in Eugene O Neill s long running drama Strange Interlude 1928 29 In 1938 he succeeded Orson Welles as Brutus in the Mercury Theatre s debut stage production Caesar and in 1941 he toured nationwide in The Man Who Came to Dinner His last significant Broadway role was in Three Sisters 1942 with Judith Anderson Katharine Cornell and Ruth Gordon 3 4 Powers with Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray in Double Indemnity 1944 His radio credits include Tom Powers Life Studies 1935 36 a 15 minute series consisting of true life stories broadcast on NBC 5 6 Powers published two books of monologues Life Studies 1939 7 and More Life Studies 1940 8 He also wrote four plays and two romantic novels 3 Virgin with Butterflies 1945 9 and Sheba on Trampled Grass 1946 10 Powers moved to the West Coast after becoming ill with arthritis 3 and became a full time movie actor when Billy Wilder invited him to play the murder victim in the 1944 film noir classic Double Indemnity For the next dozen years or so Powers appeared in over 80 film and television roles usually playing middle aged business men military or police officers His performance as Metallus Cimber in Julius Caesar 1953 is regarded as Powers best during his Hollywood years 3 Personal life EditTom Powers was married to Meta Murray Janney of Philadelphia on September 7 1929 1 Powers died of heart disease at his home in Manhattan Beach California on November 9 1955 at age 65 3 He was interred in Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park in North Hollywood California Partial filmography Edit Powers and Charles Kent in A Window on Washington Park 1913 Florence Turner and Powers in As Ye Repent 1915 retitled Redeemed for US distribution A Window on Washington Park 1913 The young millionaire Barnaby Rudge 1915 Barnaby Rudge As Ye Repent 1915 Harry Somers The Auction Block 1917 Bob Wharton Double Indemnity 1944 Mr Dietrichson Practically Yours 1944 Commander Harry Harpe The Phantom Speaks 1945 Harvey Bogardus The Chicago Kid 1945 Mike Thurber Two Years Before the Mast 1946 Bellamer The Blue Dahlia 1946 Capt Hendrickson Her Adventurous Night 1946 Dan Carter The Last Crooked Mile 1946 Floyd Sorelson Angel and the Badman 1947 Dr Mangram The Farmer s Daughter 1947 Hy Nordick For the Love of Rusty 1947 Hugh Mitchell They Won t Believe Me 1947 Trenton The Son of Rusty 1947 Hugh Mitchell I Love Trouble 1948 Ralph Johnston Up in Central Park 1948 Rogan The Time of Your Life 1948 Freddy Blick a stool pigeon and frame up artist The Velvet Touch 1948 Detective uncredited Station West 1948 Capt Iles Angel in Exile 1948 Warden Mexican Hayride 1948 Ed Mason Special Agent 1949 Chief Special Agent Wilcox Scene of the Crime 1949 Umpire Menafoe Chicago Deadline 1949 Glenn Howard Chinatown at Midnight 1949 Capt Howard Brown East Side West Side 1949 Owen Lee The Nevadan 1950 Bill Martin Destination Moon 1950 General Thayer Right Cross 1950 Tom Balford Again Pioneers 1950 Ken Keeler Fighting Coast Guard 1951 Admiral Ryan The Strip 1951 Detective Lt Bonnabel The Tall Target 1951 Simon G Stroud uncredited The Well 1951 Mayor Phone Call from a Stranger 1952 Dr Fernwood uncredited Flesh and Fury 1952 Andy Randolph Deadline U S A 1952 Andrew Wharton uncredited The Fabulous Senorita 1952 Delaney Jet Job 1952 Oscar Collins Denver and Rio Grande 1952 Sloan Bal Tabarin 1952 Eddie Mendies Diplomatic Courier 1952 Cherney uncredited We re Not Married 1952 Atty Gen Frank Bush uncredited The WAC from Walla Walla 1952 General uncredited Horizons West 1952 Frank Tarleton The Steel Trap 1952 Valcourt Travel Agent The Marksman 1953 Lt Governor Watson Scared Stiff 1953 Police Lieutenant uncredited Julius Caesar 1953 Metellus Cimber Hannah Lee 1953 Sheriff The Last Posse 1953 Frank White Devil s Canyon 1953 Joe Holbert uncredited I the Jury 1953 Milt Miller Donovan s Brain 1953 Donovan s Washington Advisor Sea of Lost Ships 1953 Rear Admiral Lucky Me 1954 Thayer Crony uncredited The Mad Magician 1954 Inspector uncredited The Americano 1955 Jim Rogers Ten Wanted Men 1955 Henry Green New York Confidential 1955 District Attorney Rossi The Eternal Sea 1955 General uncredited Double Jeopardy 1955 Harry Sheldon The Go Getter 1956 Miller s Business PartnerReferences Edit a b She Marries Tom Powers the Actor in Philadelphia The New York Times September 8 1929 Retrieved 2015 10 23 In the Spotlight The Theatre XXV 18 January 1917 Retrieved 2015 10 24 a b c d e f Tom Powers Dies Stage Film Actor The New York Times November 10 1955 Retrieved 2015 10 23 Digital Collections The New York Public Library Judith Anderson Ruth Gordon Gertrude Musgrove Tom Powers and Katherine Cornell in the stage production Three Sisters 1942 The New York Public Library Astor Lennox and Tilden Foundation Retrieved 2015 11 11 Tom Powers Life Studies RadioGOLDINdex Retrieved 2015 11 04 Behind the Mike Internet Archive February 23 1941 Event occurs at 22 17 Retrieved 2015 11 04 Powers Tom 1939 Life Studies New York Samuel French Inc OCLC 1024181 Powers Tom 1940 More Life Studies New York Samuel French Inc OCLC 2910404 Powers Tom 1945 Virgin with Butterflies Indianapolis Bobbs Merrill Company OCLC 1422543 Powers Tom 1946 Sheba on Trampled Grass Indianapolis Bobbs Merrill Company OCLC 4300358 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tom Powers Tom Powers at IMDb Tom Powers at the TCM Movie Database Tom Powers at the Internet Broadway Database Tom Powers at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tom Powers amp oldid 1084247198, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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