{{short description|American actor}} {{Infobox person | name = Tom Reese | image = Publicity_Photo_of_Tom_Reese.jpg | caption = Publicity Photo of Tom Reese | birth_name = Tom Allen<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> | birth_date = {{birth date|1928|08|08}} | birth_place = Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2017|12|12|1928|08|08}} | death_place = Studio City, California, U.S. | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1958–2009 | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 3 }}
'''Tom Reese''' (August 8, 1928<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> – December 12, 2017) was an American actor who appeared in many westerns on both the big- and small-screens.<ref name="PerfArtsObit">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BfWaDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT437|title=Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2018|page=423|first=Harris|last=Lentz|publisher=McFarland|date=June 3, 2019|isbn=9781476670331|via=Google Books}}</ref>
==Early life==
Reese's father and uncle were country-western singers known as "The Allen Brothers,"<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> who traveled and performed bluegrass music with the family. Reese served two tours in the United States Marine Corps, and was a military policeman.<ref name="ClassFights" /> His G.I. Bill enabled him to study dramatics at the American Theater Wing.<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> Reese spent fifteen years on the road working nightclubs, studied with Lee Strasberg, and performed off-Broadway and in local TV shows.
==Career==
His film debut was in John Cassavetes' New York-made ''Shadows'' (1958). His next film credit was in the Elvis Presley western ''Flaming Star'' (1960).<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /><ref name="ClassFights" /> His early film credits also include, ''Marines, Let's Go'' (1961), ''40 Pounds of Trouble'' (1962), and ''Murderers' Row'' (1966), among others.<ref name="ClassFights" /> In 2009 Reese played the part of Inspector Riley in ''Dark and Stormy Night'', an independent film that spoofs both the haunted house and murder mystery genres.<ref name="TfromH" /><ref name="RTstormy" />
For his television debut in 1959, Cassavetes also cast Reese in an episode of his detective series ''Johnny Staccato''.<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> He would go on to make guest appearances in shows such as ''Bonanza'', ''Branded'', ''Charlie's Angels'', ''Eight Is Enough'', ''Emergency!'', ''The Fugitive'', ''Gunsmoke'', ''The Guns of Will Sonnett'', ''Have Gun – Will Travel'', ''The High Chaparral'', ''Knight Rider'', ''Kung Fu'', ''Laredo'', ''Lawman'', ''Mannix'', ''Police Woman'', ''Rawhide'', ''Simon & Simon'', ''The Six Million Dollar Man'', ''The Twilight Zone'', ''The Untouchables'', ''The Virginian'', ''The Wild Wild West'', and ''Wonder Woman'', among others.<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /><ref name="ClassFights" />
His television career also includes miniseries and movies, such as ''Dick Tracy''<ref name="DTnAC">{{cite book |last1=Roberts |first1=Garyn G. |title=Dick Tracy and American Culture: Morality and Mythology, Text and Context |date=2003 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9780786416981 |page=276 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K-OCBcT1O4UC |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> (1967), ''The Hollywood Detective''<ref name="JDactor">{{cite book |last1=Ferguson |first1=Michael |title=Joe Dallesandro: Warhol Superstar, Underground Film Icon, Actor |date=17 February 2015 |publisher=Open Road Media |isbn=9781504006545 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3-cVBgAAQBAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> (1989), ''Once an Eagle''<ref name="MMTVeagle">{{cite book |last1=Marill |first1=Alvin H. |title=Movies Made for Television, 1964-2004: 1964-1979 |date=2005 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |page=164 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lEEOAQAAMAAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> (1976), ''Six Against the Rock''<ref name="PrizPics">{{cite book |last1=Parish |first1=James Robert |title=Prison Pictures from Hollywood: Plots, Critiques, Casts, and Credits for 293 Theatrical and Made-for-television Releases |date=1991 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9780899505633 |page=382 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3c8dAAAAMAAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> (1987), ''Stranger on the Run''{{R|name=5105films|page=337}} (1967), and ''The Virginia Hill Story''<ref name="DirectorsOwn">{{cite book |last1=Emery |first1=Robert J. |title=The Directors: In Their Own Words · Volume 2 |date=1999 |publisher=TV Books |isbn=9781575001296 |page=39 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5yLuAAAAMAAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> (1974) about the real-life girlfriend of mobster Bugsy Siegel.
From 1975 to 1976, Reese had a recurring role as Sergeant Thomas Velie in the television series ''Ellery Queen''.<ref name="EQsgtVelie">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YX_daEhlnbsC|title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 Through 2010, 2d Ed.|first=Vincent|last=Terrace|page=305|publisher=McFarland|date=January 10, 2014|isbn=9780786486410|via=Google Books}}</ref> He also appeared in three episodes of ''The Red Hand Gang'' (1977) as Dolan's Partner.
At 6'3" and around 230 pounds, Reese has been in a number of notable fight scenes, going up against characters portrayed by other large actors, including James Arness, Chuck Connors, Mike Connors, Tony Curtis, Glenn Ford, Roy Jenson, Dean Martin, Doug McClure, and Elvis Presley, among others. In a comedic fight opposite Woody Allen in ''Sleeper'' (1973), Reese was out of action for twelve weeks after being injured.<ref name="ClassFights" />
==Death==
Reese died in December 2017 in Studio City, California, at the age of 89.<ref name="HollyWoodRObit">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tom-reese-dead-actor-famous-his-movie-fistfights-was-89-1093195/|title=Tom Reese, Burly Actor Famous for His Movie Fistfights, Dies at 89|first=Mike|last=Barnes|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=March 26, 2018|access-date=July 18, 2022}}</ref>
==Filmography==
===Film=== {{div col|colwidth=26em}} * ''Shadows'' (1958) as Tom<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> * ''Flaming Star'' (1960) as Jute<ref name="ClassFights" /> * ''Marines, Let's Go''<ref name="ClassFights">{{cite book |last1=Freese |first1=Gene |title=Classic Movie Fight Scenes: 75 Years of Bare Knuckle Brawls, 1914-1989 |date=11 September 2017 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9781476629353 |page=141 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=79g1DwAAQBAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> (1961) as Pfc. Desmond "Let's Go" McCaffrey * ''40 Pounds of Trouble'' (1962) as Bassett / Uncle Norman<ref name="ClassFights" /> * ''Taggart'' (1964) as Vince August<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> * ''Blood on the Arrow'' (1964) as Charlie<ref name="5105films">{{cite book |last1=Pitts |first1=Michael R. |title=Western Movies: A Guide to 5,105 Feature Films, 2d Ed. |date=21 December 2012 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9780786463725 |page=35 |edition=2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aTX2mv0uX7UC |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> * ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' (1965) as Thomas<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> * ''The Money Trap'' (1966) as Matthews<ref name="ClassFights" /> * ''Murderers' Row'' (1966) as Ironhead <ref name="ClassFights" /> * ''The St. Valentine's Day Massacre'' (1967) as Ted Newberry<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> * ''Support Your Local Sheriff!'' (1969) as Gunfighter (uncredited)<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> * ''Vanishing Point'' (1971) as Sheriff<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> * ''The Outfit'' (1973) as Hit Man<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> * ''The Wild Party'' (1975) as Eddy<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> * ''North Dallas Forty'' (1979) as Coach Waddy<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> * ''Dark and Stormy Night'' (2009) as Inspector Riley<ref name="TfromH">{{cite web |last1=Erickson |first1=Glenn |title=Dark and Stormy Night |url=https://trailersfromhell.com/dark-and-stormy-night/ |website=Trailers from Hell |access-date=31 August 2022 |date=27 June 2020}}</ref><ref name="RTstormy">{{cite web |title=Dark and Stormy Night |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dark-and-stormy-night |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> {{div col end}}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1959 || ''Johnny Staccato'' || Eddie Dasko || "The Return " |- | 1960 || ''Bonanza'' || Burton || "Blood on the Land" |- | 1960 || ''Gunsmoke'' || Tulsa || "Gentleman's Disagreement" |- | 1960 || ''Gunsmoke'' || Leeds || "Friend's Pay-Off" |- | 1960 || ''Have Gun – Will Travel''<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> || Yates || "The Tender Gun" |- | 1960 || ''My Sister Eileen''{{r|EQsgtVelie|page1=1205}} | Alan Dahorsameche, "The Wreck"<ref name="TVfactsWreck">{{cite book |last1=Terrace |first1=Vincent |title=Television Character and Story Facts: Over 110,000 Details from 1,008 Shows, 1945-1992 |date=1993 |publisher=McFarland & Company |page=328 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1jUbAQAAIAAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> | "You Should Meet My Sister"<ref name="Reading Eagle">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vo0jAAAAIBAJ&pg=2235%2C1457233&q=You+Should+Meet+Sister+Elleen+Elaine+Stricth+portrays |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=TV Highlights for Tonight |page=19 |newspaper=The Reading Eagle |date=1960-05-16 |access-date=2023-04-07 }}</ref> |- | 1961 || ''Gunsmoke'' || Ben || "Tall Trapper" |- | 1961 || ''Gunsmoke'' || Scorp || "Harriet" |- | 1961 || ''Lawman''<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> || Bob Mengis || "The Son" |- | 1961 || ''The Twilight Zone''<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> || Intruder || "The Midnight Sun" |- | 1962 || ''Gunsmoke'' || Wellman || "Reprisal" |- | 1962 || ''The Virginian'' || Wid || "Woman from White Wing" |- | 1963 || ''The Untouchables'' || Sonny Dale | "Search for a Dead Man"<ref name="BarbUntouchable">{{cite book |last1=Wilson |first1=Victoria |title=A Life of Barbara Stanwyck: Steel-True 1907-1940 |date=24 November 2015 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=9781439194065 |page=902 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IEnwCgAAQBAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> |- | 1964 || ''Bonanza'' || Lee Burton || "The Underdog" |- | 1965 || ''The Fugitive''<ref name="Fugitive">{{cite book |last1=Deane |first1=Bill |title=Following The Fugitive: An Episode Guide and Handbook to the 1960s Television Series |date=August 2015 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9781476607566 |page=87 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kfRTCgAAQBAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> || Norman || "Scapegoat" |- | 1964 || ''Gunsmoke'' || Judd || "Friend" |- | 1964 || ''Rawhide'' || Bert Carrico || "Piney" |- | 1965 || ''Gunsmoke'' || Wayne Hooker || "The Pariah" |- | 1965 || ''Gunsmoke'' || Wade Keys || "The Hostage" |- | 1965 || ''Laredo'' || Tom Baker | "The Golden Trail"<ref name="TVwestGoldTrail">{{cite book |last1=Lentz |first1=Harris M. |title=Television Westerns Episode Guide: All United States Series, 1949-1996 |date=1997 |publisher=McFarland & Company |isbn=9780786403776 |page=249 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O85kAAAAMAAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> |- | 1965 || ''Rawhide'' || Jennings || "Escort to Doom" |- | 1965 || ''The Virginian'' || Hans Wollsack || "Dangerous Road" |- | 1965 || ''The Wild Wild West''{{r|SciFi3creds|page2=2203}} || Wagon Driver || "The Night of the Inferno" |- | 1966 || ''Bonanza'' || Sgt. Devlin || "The Last Mission" |- | 1966 || ''Branded'' || Jess Muhler || "McCord's Way" |- | 1966 || ''Gunsmoke'' || Okie || "The Brothers" |- | 1966 || ''Gunsmoke'' || Dave Westerfeldt || "Quaker Girl" |- | 1966 || ''Laredo'' || Jake McBryde | "That's Noway, Thataway"<ref name="TVDramaThataway">{{cite book |last1=Gianakos |first1=Larry James |title=Television Drama Series Programming: A Comprehensive Chronicle, 1982-1984 · Volume 5 |date=1987 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=9780810818767 |page=737 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AMJkAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Tom%20Reese%22%20%22That%27s%20Noway,%20Thataway%22 |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> |- | 1967 || ''Dick Tracy''<ref name="DTnAC" /> || Ben || TV movie |- | 1967 || ''The Guns of Will Sonnett''<ref name="HollyWoodRObit" /> || Lando || "Meeting at Devil's Fork" |- | 1967 || ''Gunsmoke'' || Ben Stearman || "Nitro!" Parts 1 & 2 |- | 1967 || ''Stranger on the Run''{{R|name=5105films|page=337}} || Leo Weed || TV movie |- | 1968 || ''Gunsmoke'' || Slick Ragan || "Waco" |- | 1968 || ''The High Chaparral''<ref name="TVGebenezer">{{cite book |title=TV Guide: Volume 20 |date=1972 |publisher=Triangle Publications |page=80 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C0sxAQAAIAAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> || Judson || "Ebenezer" |- | 1969 || ''The Bold Ones: The Protectors'' || Tony Stovall || "Draw a Straight Man" |- | 1969 || ''Land of the Giants''{{r|SciFi3creds|page1=1981}} || Sgt. Gedo || "Rescue" |- | 1972 || ''Mannix''<ref name="ClassFights" /> || Sweeny || "Lost Sunday" |- | 1973 || ''Mannix''<ref name="ClassFights" /> || Springer || "Cry Danger" |- | 1974 || ''Emergency!''<ref name="EmergBtS">{{cite book |last1=Yokley |first1=Richard |last2=Sutherland |first2=Rozane |title=Emergency!: Behind the Scene |date=May 2007 |publisher=Jones and Bartlett Publishers |isbn=9780763748968 |page=204 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cixPyu5pCaUC |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> || Dando || "Details" |- | 1974 || ''Kung Fu''<ref name="PatsLifeKuFu">{{cite book |last1=Shearer |first1=Stephen Michael |title=Patricia Neal: An Unquiet Life |date=19 May 2006 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |isbn=9780813171364 |page=376 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8bfGYghnSEUC |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> || Sheriff || "Blood of the Dragon (Part 1)" |- | 1974 || ''The Six Million Dollar Man''<ref name="TVGsixMil">{{cite book |title=TV Guide: Volume 26 |date=1978 |publisher=Triangle Publications |page=6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tOU4AAAAIAAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> || Joe Alabam || "The Last of the Fourth of Julys" |- | 1974 || ''The Virginia Hill Story''<ref name="DirectorsOwn" /> || Mac Hill || TV movie |- | 1975 || ''Gunsmoke'' || Charlie Dent || "The Squaw" |- | 1975 || ''Ellery Queen''<ref name="EQsgtVelie" /> || Sgt. Thomas Velie || 22 episodes (1975–1976) |- | 1976 || ''Once an Eagle''<ref name="MMTVeagle" /> || Sergeant Stoner || TV mini series, parts 4 & 5 |- | 1976 || ''Police Woman''<ref name="TVGPoliceWoman">{{cite book |title=TV Guide: Volume 24 |date=1975 |publisher=Triangle Publications |page=16 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JLMxAQAAIAAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> || Piers || "The Melting Point of Ice" |- | 1976 || ''Wonder Woman'' || Carl || "Wonder Woman vs Gargantua" |- | 1977 || ''Charlie's Angels'' || Reed || "Circus of Terror" |- | 1977 || ''The Red Hand Gang'' || Dolan's Partner || 3 episodes |- | 1978 || ''Eight Is Enough''<ref name="TheAge8nuff">{{cite news |title=Friday TV: HSV-7, 7:30 PM |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bfRUAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Tom+Reese%22+%22Eight+Is+Enough%22&pg=PA38&article_id=6653,2827268 |access-date=31 August 2022 |publisher=The Age, Melbourne |date=22 September 1978 |page=13}}</ref> || Jack O'Hara || "A Hair of the Dog" |- | 1982 || ''Simon & Simon''<ref name="TVGSnS">{{cite book |title=TV Guide: Volume 30 |date=July 1982 |publisher=Triangle Publications |page=107 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rv04AAAAIAAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> || Frost || "Double Entry" |- | 1984 || ''Knight Rider''<ref name="SciFi3creds">{{cite book |last1=Lentz III |first1=Harris M. |title=Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits: Television shows |date=2001 |publisher=McFarland |page=1906 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bWRZAAAAMAAJ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> || Brother Carey || "The Ice Bandits" |- | 1987 || ''Six Against the Rock''<ref name="PrizPics" /> || Captain Weinhold || TV movie |- | 1989 || ''The Hollywood Detective''<ref name="JDactor" /> || Lt. Victor Grabouski || TV movie |}
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{IMDb name|0716074}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Reese, Tom}} Category:1928 births Category:2017 deaths Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:20th-century American male actors Category:Western (genre) television actors