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American actor (1941–2024) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ron Thompson (January 31, 1941 – April 13, 2024) was an American actor, singer-songwriter and dancer.
Ron Thompson | |
|---|---|
 Thompson in 2018 at the Cargo premiere | |
| Born | January 31, 1941[1] Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | April 13, 2024 (aged 83) |
| Other names | Ronnie Thompson |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, singer, dancer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1962–2023 |
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Thompson was perhaps best known for his dual lead roles in Ralph Bakshi's critically acclaimed rotoscope film American Pop[2][3][4][5] and the 1970s TV series Baretta in the role of Detective Nopke.[3][6]
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.[3]
Thompson originated the role of Shanty Mulligan in the 1969 Pulitzer Prize winning play No Place to Be Somebody[3][7][8][9][10] by Charles Gordone.[11][12] In his review for The New York Times, Mel Gussow wrote that Thompson was "splendid" in his role.[13]
Thompson won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for his 1973 theatre lead performance in the play Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?[3][14] A young Al Pacino had won a Tony for playing the part in 1969.[1]
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."[15]
Thompson did a dramatic portrayal of Henry David Thoreau on the 1976 NBC television series The Rebels.[16][17]
Thompson starred in the 2018 thriller film Cargo.[18][19][20]
Thompson died at his apartment in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, on April 13, 2024, at the age of 83.[21] He was found dead by filmmaker Joe Black.[1]
| 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 |
| 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 / 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 | |
| 2021 | Natasha Hall | Marlon Franklin | Voice |
| 2023 | Suffrage | Harry Dawn | |
| Year | Program | Role | Episodes | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Armstrong Circle Theatre | Larry / Junkie | 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 | The 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 | Unknown | 1 | Crackback |
| 1975–1976 | Baretta | Penguin / Detective Nopke | 6 | Count the Days I'm Gone 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 |
| 2020 | Ethnically Ambiguous | Ralph | 1 | Asian Persuasion |
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