Tom London (born Leonard Thomas Clapham; August 24, 1889 – December 5, 1963) was an American actor who played frequently in B-Westerns. According to The Guinness Book of Movie Records, London is credited with appearing in the most films in the history of Hollywood. The 2001 book Film Facts likewise says that the performer who played in the most films was "Tom London, who made his first of over 2,000 appearances in The Great Train Robbery, 1903".Patrick Robertson: Film Facts (2001), p. 97 He used his birth name in films until 1924.
Life and career Born in Louisville, Kentucky, London got his start in movies as a props man in Chicago, Illinois. His debut was in 1915 in the Western Lone Larry, performing under his own name. The first film in which he was billed under his new name was Winds of Chance, a World War I film, in which he played "Sgt. Rock". London was a trick rider and roper, and used his trick skills in scores of Westerns. In the silent-film era, he often played villainous roles, while in later years, he often appeared as the sidekick to Western stars such as Sunset Carson in several films.
One of the busiest character actors, he appeared in over 600 films. London made many guest appearances in television shows through the 1950s, such as The Range Rider, with Jock Mahoney and Dick Jones. He also played Sam, the attendant of Helen Ramirez's (Katy Jurado) in High Noon. His last movie was Underworld U.S.A. in 1961, and his final roles on TV were in Lawman and The Dakotas.
Personal life
London married actress Edith Stayart (1890 – August 7, 1970), born Edythe B. Stayart, who has several roles in films in the 1920s including Nan of the North. On July 5, 1952, he married Louvie Munal in Del Rio, Texas.
Death London died at his home in North Hollywood at age 74.
Selected filmography
1900s The Great Train Robbery (1903, Short)
1910s Liberty (1916) The Purple Mask (1916) - Robert Jackson, Inventor The Lion's Claws (1918) - Reglis The Heart of Humanity (1918) - Minor Role Leave It to Susan (1918) - Minor Role The Lone Star Ranger (1919) - Minor Role The Last of the Duanes (1919) The Great Air Robbery (1919) - Minor Role The Heart of Humanity (1918) The Lion Man (1919) - Lacey The Heart of Texas (1919)
1920s
His Nose in the Book (1920, Short) Her Five-Foot Highness (1920) - Slim Higgins Wolf Tracks (1920, Short) Masked (1920, Short) Under Northern Lights (1920) - Jacques Foucharde 'In Wrong' Wright (1920, Short) King of the Circus (1920, Short) Colorado (1921) - David Collins Ghost City (1921) - Bob Clark Nan of the North (1922) - Dick Driscoll The Long Chance (1922) - John Corbaly The Cowboy and the Lady (1922) - Joe The Social Buccaneer (1923) - Louis Lenoir To the Last Man (1923) - Guy Our Hospitality (1923) - James Canfield (uncredited) The Call of the Canyon (1923) - Lee Stanton Mile-a-Minute Morgan (1924) - Kenneth Winster Heritage of the Desert (1924) - Dave Naab The Right of the Strongest (1924) - Fred Dearing The Perfect Alibi (1924) - Ollie Summers Not Built for Runnin''' (1924) - Lem Dodge The Loser's End (1924) - Barney Morris The Air Hawk (1924) - Kellar Not Guilty for Runnin' (1924) - Lem Dodge Headin' Through (1924) - Roy Harlan The Trouble Buster (1925) - Larry Simons The Shield of Silence (1925) - Harry Ramsey The Blood Bond (1925) Border Vengeance (1925) - Flash Denby Winds of Chance (1925) - RCMP Sgt. Rock Three in Exile (1925) - Jed Hawkings Win, Lose or Draw (1925) - Fred Holt Ranchers and Rascals (1925) - Larry Simmons Silent Sheldon (1925) - Bill Fadden Luck and Sand (1925) - Sanger The Demon Rider (1925) - Black Hawk The Cowboy Musketeer (1925) - Joe Dokes Clicking Hoofs (1926) The Bar-C Mystery (1926) Chasing Trouble (1926) - Jerome Garrett Dangerous Traffic (1926) - Marc Brandon Snowed In (1926, Serial) - U.S. Marshal Thayer Code of the Northwest (1926) - Pvt. Frank Stafford West of the Rainbow's End (1926) - Harry Palmer Desert Greed (1926) - Ranger (uncredited) The Grey Devil (1926) The Long Loop on the Pecos (1927) - Laird The Golden Stallion (1927) - Jules La Roux The Return of the Riddle Rider (1927) - Buck White The King of Kings (1927) - Roman Soldier (uncredited) The Little Boss (1927) Border Blackbirds (1927) The Devil's Twin (1927) - Otis Dilbre The Boss of Rustler's Roost (1928) - 'Pronto Giles', the Foreman The Apache Raider (1928) - Griffin Dawson The Bronc Stomper (1928) - Alan Riggs Put 'Em Up (1928) - Jake Lannister The Yellow Cameo (1928) - Spraker The Michigan Kid (1928) - Minor Role (uncredited) Yellow Contraband (1928) - Drag Conners The Price of Fear (1928) - 'Flash' Hardy The Mystery Rider (1928) - David Manning / The Claw In Old Arizona (1928) - Man in Saloon (uncredited) Untamed Justice (1929) - Henchman Jim The Lawless Legion (1929) - Henchman (uncredited) The Harvest of Hate (1929) - Martin Trask Chinatown Nights (1929) - Cop (uncredited) The Border Wildcat (1929) - Joe Kern The Black Watch (1929) - 42nd Highlander (uncredited) Queen of the Northwoods (1929) - Garvin / The Wolf-Devil No More Children (1929) - Detective Hell's Heroes (1929) - Croupier (uncredited) New York Nights (1929) - Cop (uncredited)
1930s
The Woman Racket (1930) - Hennessy Firebrand Jordan (1930) - Ed Burns Bar-L Ranch (1930) - Henchman (uncredited) Troopers Three (1930) - Sgt. Hank Darby All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) - 1st Medic Orderly (uncredited) Safety in Numbers (1930) - Motorist (uncredited) Romance of the West (1930) - 'Kayo' Mooney The Storm (1930) - Head Mountie Borrowed Wives (1930) - Mac - Motorcycle Cop (uncredited) River's End (1930) - Mountie (uncredited) Under Texas Skies (1930) - Fake Captain Hartford The Third Alarm (1930) - Fireman Tom See America Thirst (1930) - Spumoni Hood (uncredited) Westward Bound (1930) - Dick - Rustler The Spell of the Circus (1931) - Butte Morgan Sheer Luck (1931) - Police Lieutenant Trails of the Golden West (1931) Dishonored (1931) - Minor Role (uncredited) Air Police (1931) - Spike - Joe's Henchman Gun Smoke (1931) - Hank Bailey (uncredited) Quick Millions (1931) - Atlas Newsreel Man (uncredited) The Secret Six (1931) - Blackjacking Gangster (uncredited) The Two Gun Man (1931) - Lem Tolliver East of Borneo (1931) Lightnin' Smith Returns (1931) - Lightning' Smith The Galloping Ghost (1931, Serial) - Mullins - Henchman Arizona Terror (1931) - Chuckawalla - Henchman Range Law (1931) - Henchman Cleve Lasca of the Rio Grande (1931) - (uncredited) Platinum Blonde (1931) - Reporter (uncredited) Men in Her Life (1931) - Court Bailiff (uncredited) West of Broadway (1931) - Cowhand (uncredited) The Sea Ghost (1931) - Barroom Sailor (uncredited) Valley of Badmen (1931) - Horton Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) - Minor Role (uncredited) Without Honors (1932) - 'Sholt' Fletcher One Man Law (1932) - Syndicate Land Buyer (uncredited) Cock of the Air (1932) - Military Policeman (uncredited) The Beast of the City (1932) - First Policeman Killed in Final Raid (uncredited) Shopworn (1932) - 'Pa' Lane (uncredited) Outlaw Justice (1932) - Henchman Hank The Boiling Point (1932) - Pete Mallis The Silver Lining (1932) - Central Park Mugger (uncredited) The Trial of Vivienne Ware (1932) - Cop at Door (uncredited) Ghost Valley (1932) - Henchman Red (uncredited) Honor of the Mounted (1932) - Henchman (uncredited) Beyond the Rockies (1932) - Henchman Kirk Tracy The Thirteenth Guest (1932) - Detective Carter (uncredited) The Lost Special (1932, Serial) - Jim Dirk / Detective Dane Laughter in Hell (1933) - Guard (uncredited) The Iron Master (1933) - Turner Clancy of the Mounted (1933, Serial) - Corporal McGregor The Thundering Herd (1933) - Henchman (uncredited) King of the Jungle (1933) - Lion Attendant (uncredited) Gabriel Over the White House (1933) - Secret Service Man (uncredited) The Whispering Shadow (1933, Serial) - Dupont - Henchman #5 [Chs. 1–8,12] (uncredited) Justice Takes a Holiday (1933) - Convict (uncredited) The Big Cage (1933) - Ship Captain (uncredited) Made on Broadway (1933) - Plainclothesman (uncredited) The Phantom of the Air (1933, Serial) - Jim - Radio Man (uncredited) The Nuisance (1933) - Kelley's Associate (uncredited) Sunset Pass (1933) - Ben The Man from Monterey (1933) - Lt. Adams (uncredited) The Fugitive (1933) - Tom - Foreman Gordon of Ghost City (1933, Serial) - Pat Campbell (Ch's. 6 & 7) (uncredited) One Year Later (1933) - Taxicab Driver (uncredited) Man of the Forest (1933) - Ranch Hand (uncredited) Lady for a Day (1933) - Reception Guest (uncredited) Brief Moment (1933) - Thug (uncredited) Police Car 17 (1933) - Detective (uncredited) The Wolf Dog (1933, Serial) - Brooks I'm No Angel (1933) - Sideshow Spectator (uncredited) Broadway Thru a Keyhole (1933) - Member of Rocci's Mob (uncredited) The Perils of Pauline (1933, Serial) - Soldier at American Consulate (uncredited) Lone Cowboy (1933) - Conductor (uncredited) Smoky (1933) - Horse Trader (uncredited) Beggars in Ermine (1934) - Steel Worker (uncredited) The Crime Doctor (1934) - Detective at Airport Arrest (uncredited) The Countess of Monte Cristo (1934) - Police Detective (uncredited) I Believed in You (1934) - Policeman (uncredited) Mystery Ranch (1934) - Blake St. Louis Woman (1934) - Lions Coach Ryan The Vanishing Shadow (1934, Serial) - Policeman [Chs. 1, 4] (uncredited) Ferocious Pal (1934) - Dave Brownell Twisted Rails (1934) - Sheriff James Monte Carlo Nights (1934) - Blondie's Brother (uncredited) Hollywood Party (1934) - Paul Revere (uncredited) Rawhide Mail (1934) - Al - Barfly (uncredited) Such Women Are Dangerous (1934) - Bailiff (uncredited) Burn 'Em Up Barnes (1934, Serial) - Parsons - Oil Speculator [Chs. 10-12] (uncredited) Baby, Take a Bow (1934) - Man on Train (uncredited) Fighting Hero (1934) - Sheriff Bachelor Bait (1934) - Detective (uncredited) The Cat's-Paw (1934) - Murph - Cop (uncredited) The Captain Hates the Sea (1934) - Minor Role (uncredited) The Oil Raider (1934) - Oil Well Driller (uncredited) Outlaw's Highway (1934) - Chet The Prescott Kid (1934) - Henchman Slim (uncredited) Men of the Night (1934) - Dave Burns (uncredited) Jealousy (1934) - Minor Role (uncredited) Mystery Mountain (1934, Serial) - Morgan - Rattler Henchman Mills of the Gods (1934) - Workman (uncredited) When Lightning Strikes (1934) - Wolf The Cactus Kid (1935) - Sheriff Law Beyond the Range (1935) - Jerry Grant (uncredited) The Whole Town's Talking (1935) - Guard (uncredited) The Revenge Rider (1935) - Deputy Peters (uncredited) Million Dollar Haul (1935) - Henchman Joe The Miracle Rider (1935, Serial) - Sewell - Henchman The Tia Juana Kid (1935) - Gang Leader Goin' to Town (1935) - Cowboy (uncredited) $10 Raise (1935) - Warehouse Foreman (uncredited) Toll of the Desert (1935) - Sheriff Jackson The Test (1935) - Trapper (uncredited) Let 'Em Have It (1935) - Penitentiary Guard (uncredited) Justice of the Range (1935) - Barfly (uncredited) The Roaring West (1935, Serial) - Henchman Butch Rio Rattler (1935) - Ranger Bob Adams Trails End (1935) - Randall's Henchman Tumbling Tumbleweeds (1935) - Henchman Sykes (uncredited) Red Salute (1935) - Navy Officer (uncredited) Cappy Ricks Returns (1935) - Sailor (uncredited) Courage of the North (1935) - Mordant Timber Terrors (1935) - Burke This Is the Life (1935) - Highway Patrol Officer (uncredited) Barbary Coast (1935) - Ringsider with Bar Girl (uncredited) Way Down East (1935) - Town Choir Singer (uncredited) Grand Exit (1935) - Policeman (uncredited) Hong Kong Nights (1935) - Blake The Sagebrush Troubadour (1935) - Sheriff (uncredited) The Last of the Clintons (1935) - Luke Todd The Fighting Marines (1935, Serial) - Miller - Henchman M-90 Gallant Defender (1935) - Smiley, Wounded Henchman (uncredited) Gun Play (1935) - Meeker