Ron Thompson (actor)
Ron Thompson (born January 31, 1941) is an American film, television, theatre actor, singer and songwriter.
Ron Thompson | |
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Ron Thompson, Beverly Hills, California, July 17, 2018 | |
Born | Louisville, Kentucky, United States | January 31, 1941
Other names | Ronnie Thompson |
Occupation | Actor |
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Thompson is perhaps best known for his dual lead roles in Ralph Bakshi's critically acclaimed rotoscope film American Pop[1][2][3][4] and the 1970s TV series Baretta in the role of Detective Nopke.[2][5]
Thompson had a brief career as a rock singer in the 1960s and wrote and recorded a number of singles as Ronnie Thompson under the guidance of his mentor and friend, rockabilly singer Ersel Hickey.[2]
Thompson originated the role of Shanty Mulligan in the 1969 Pulitzer Prize winning play No Place to be Somebody[2][6][7][8][9] by Charles Gordone[10][11] and won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for his 1973 theatre lead performance in the play Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?[2][12]
The Progress Bulletin praised Thompson's performance in the 1976 Felton Perry play Buy the Bi and Bye calling it an "offbeat and hilarious black satire with a zinging performance by Ron Thompson."[13]
Thompson did a dramatic portrayal of Henry David Thoreau on the 1976 NBC television series The Rebels.[14][15]
Thompson starred in the 2018 thriller film Cargo.[16][17][18]
Theatre
Date | Production | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1969 | No Place to be Somebody | Shanty Mulligan | |
1972 | The Time of Your Life | Willie | |
1973 | Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? | Bickham | Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award (Lead Performance) |
1976 | Buy the Bi and Bye | WD |
Film
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1967 | Brown Eye, Evil Eye | Freddy St. Claire | |
1973 | The No Mercy Man | John Dunn | aka "The Vietnam Soldier" – Europe (English title) (video title) aka "Trained to Kill: USA" – USA (DVD title) |
1977 | The White Buffalo | Frozen Dog Pimp | aka "Hunt to Kill" – USA (TV title) |
1981 | American Pop | Tony Belinsky and Pete Belinsky | |
1992 | American Me | Junkie | |
Deep Cover | Store Owner | ||
1993 | Death Ring | Needles, Tattooer | |
1998 | Fallen Arches | Leslie | |
2006 | Bottleneck | Husband | |
2015 | Last Days of Coney Island | Cops | Voice |
2017 | Stitches | Ron | |
2017 | Hate Horses | Rex Napier | |
2017 | Low Town | Langston Bedry | |
2018 | Cargo | Anthony Peterson | |
2018 | Chicks, Man | Sherman | |
2018 | Gena | John | |
2019 | Tellers | Harry Dawn | |
Television
Year | Program | Role | Episodes | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
1962 | Armstrong Circle Theatre | Larry Larry Junkie Junkie |
2 2 |
Securities for Suckers Runaway Road-Story of a Missing Person Assignment: Teenage Junkies Assignment: Teenage Junkies |
1963 | Armstrong Circle Theatre | Junkie | 1 | Assignment: Teenage Junkies |
1974 | Mannix | Kirk Bullard | 1 | Death Has No Face |
1974 | Ironside | Bartender | 1 | Amy Prentiss: Part 1 |
1974 | Ironside | Jamie | 1 | Run Scared |
1974 | The Gun | Tom | TV Movie | |
1975 | The Dream Makers | Dave | TV Movie | |
1975 | The Streets of San Francisco | Willie | 1 | Web of Lies |
1975 | Bronk | 1 | Crackback | |
1975 | Baretta | Penguin | 1 | Count the Days I'm Gone |
1976 | Baretta | Detective Nopke | 5 | Murder For Me Pay or Die The Dippers Death on the Run Street Edition |
1976 | The Rebels | Henry David Thoreau | 1 | Henry David Thoreau |
1977 | Quincy, M.E. | Claude Stern | 1 | The Thigh Bone's Connected to the Knee Bone |
1980 | The Waltons | GI | 1 | The Prodigals |
1982 | The Greatest American Hero | Guard | 1 | Good Samaritan |
1985 | Cagney & Lacey | Jimmy MacDonald | 1 | Organized Crime |
1989 | Imagining America | Beatnik Poet | 1 | This Ain't Bebop |
1997 | Crisis Center | Junkie | 1 | He Said, She Said |
2019 | Ethnically Ambiguous | Ralph | 1 |
References
- "Ron Thompson". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 22, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
- Maçek III, J.C. (August 2, 2012). "'American Pop'... Matters: Ron Thompson, the Illustrated Man Unsung". PopMatters.
- Canby, Vincent (February 13, 1981). "'American Pop' Grown-Up Animation". The New York Times. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
- Vespe, Eric (November 5, 2012). "What does the Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day look like, man? A soda fountain?". Ain't It Cool News.
- "Ron Thompson – Filmography – MSN Movies". Movies.msn.com. 2010. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
- Gussow, Mel (December 31, 1969). "Theater: 'No Place to Be Somebody' Opens Run" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
- "No Place to be Somebody". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
- Drake, Sylvie (July 24, 1987). "This Revival Of 'No Place' Goes Places". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
- "No Place to be Somebody". The Matrix Theatre Company. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
- "Jet Has Role In Broadway Play, 'To Be Somebody'". Jet: 57. May 14, 1970.
- Garland, Phyl (July 1970). "The Prize Winners". Ebony: 30.
- "Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle – 1969–1979 LADCC Awards". Ladramacriticscircle.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
- "Entertainment In The Valley". Progress Buelltin. Pomona, California. February 7, 1976. p. 28.
- "Tele-Vues, Sunday, June 6, 1976". Independent Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. June 6, 1976. p. 170.
- "TV Log". Redlands Daily Facts. Redlands, California. June 5, 1976. p. 10.
- Roy, Precious (May 1, 2018). "[CARGO] teaser has unpacked!". Ain't It Cool News.
- Gingold, Michael (May 3, 2018). "Another "[CARGO]" Opens This Summer; Poster, Trailer, Novel And Soundtrack Info/Art". Rue Morgue.
- DiVincenzo, Alex (June 28, 2017). "Watch the trailer for [Cargo], a contained thriller". Broke Horror Fan.
External links
- Official website
- Ron Thompson at IMDb
- Ron Thompson on Facebook
- Ron Thompson on Instagram
- Ron Thompson's channel on YouTube
- 'American Pop'... Matters: Ron Thompson, the Illustrated Man Unsung interview at PopMatters
- Radio interview with actor Ron Thompson of American Pop on YouTube
- American Pop - Q&A video with actor Ron Thompson at The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, California on Vimeo
- Beyond the Marquee - EXCLUSIVE: Ralph Bakshi's AMERICAN POP – Video of Historic Q&A with Actor Ron Thompson
- Hate Horses - Official feature film trailer starring Ron Thompson on YouTube
- Ron Thompson Skype Interview on YouTube
- The Only One In The Room Podcast
- Ron Thompson WPWL 103.7 radio interview
- Cargo - Official trailer starring Ron Thompson on YouTube