Home | American actors | Marshall Thompson
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He was born in Peoria, Illinois. In 1943, Thompson, known for his boy-next-door good looks, was signed by Universal Pictures. He played quiet, thoughtful teens in Universal's feature films, including a lead opposite singing star Gloria Jean in Reckless Age, earning $350 weekly. In 1946, Universal discharged most of its contract players. That same year Thompson moved to MGM and his roles steadily increased and improved. In the 1950s, Thompson became a freelance actor and worked for various studios. He appeared in a number of horror and science-fiction films, including the role of Carruthers in It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958). He also starred as Mel Hunter in the TV series World Of Giants. By the 1960s, Thompson's boyish looks had matured and his screen persona became more authoritative. He co-starred with Annie Fargé in the 33-episode CBS sitcom Angel (1960 � 1961) about an American architect with a charming but scatterbrained French wife who often got into zany, Lucy Ricardo-esque situations, caused in part by her lack of English. The show was cancelled after 33 episodes due to low ratings, despite critical acclaim for French-born newcomer Annie Fargé. Thompson starred in CBS's Daktari, a television series about a veterinarian in Africa. Later in his career, he appeared in many television programs and such films as The Turning Point (1977) and The Formula (1980). Thompson was a brother-in-law of actor Richard Long, best known for his role as Jarrod Barkley in ABC's The Big Valley. Thompson's wife, Barbara, was Long's sister.Marshall Thompson died from congestive heart failure at the age of sixty-six in Royal Oak, Michigan. |