Tom Reese (August 8, 1928 – December 12, 2017) was an American actor who appeared in many westerns on both the big- and small-screens.

Early life

Reese's father and uncle were country-western singers known as "The Allen Brothers," who traveled and performed bluegrass music with the family. Reese served two tours in the United States Marine Corps, and was a military policeman. His G.I. Bill enabled him to study dramatics at the American Theater Wing. 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). His early film credits also include, Marines, Let's Go (1961), 40 Pounds of Trouble (1962), and Murderers' Row (1966), among others. 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.

For his television debut in 1959, Cassavetes also cast Reese in an episode of his detective series Johnny Staccato. 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.

His television career also includes miniseries and movies, such as Dick Tracy (1967), The Hollywood Detective (1989), Once an Eagle (1976), Six Against the Rock (1987), Stranger on the Run (1967), and The Virginia Hill Story (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. 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.

Death

Reese died in December 2017 in Studio City, California, at the age of 89.

Filmography

Film

Shadows (1958) as Tom Flaming Star (1960) as Jute Marines, Let's Go (1961) as Pfc. Desmond "Let's Go" McCaffrey 40 Pounds of Trouble (1962) as Bassett / Uncle Norman Taggart (1964) as Vince August Blood on the Arrow (1964) as Charlie The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) as Thomas The Money Trap (1966) as Matthews Murderers' Row (1966) as Ironhead The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967) as Ted Newberry Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) as Gunfighter (uncredited) Vanishing Point (1971) as Sheriff The Outfit (1973) as Hit Man The Wild Party (1975) as Eddy North Dallas Forty (1979) as Coach Waddy Dark and Stormy Night (2009) as Inspector Riley

Television 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 Yates "The Tender Gun" 1960 My Sister Eileen Alan Dahorsameche, "The Wreck" "You Should Meet My Sister" 1961 Gunsmoke Ben "Tall Trapper" 1961 Gunsmoke Scorp "Harriet" 1961 Lawman Bob Mengis "The Son" 1961 The Twilight Zone 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" 1964 Bonanza Lee Burton "The Underdog" 1965 The Fugitive 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" 1965 Rawhide Jennings "Escort to Doom" 1965 The Virginian Hans Wollsack "Dangerous Road" 1965 The Wild Wild West 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" 1967 Dick Tracy Ben TV movie 1967 The Guns of Will Sonnett Lando "Meeting at Devil's Fork" 1967 Gunsmoke Ben Stearman "Nitro!" Parts 1 & 2 1967 Stranger on the Run Leo Weed TV movie 1968 Gunsmoke Slick Ragan "Waco" 1968 The High Chaparral Judson "Ebenezer" 1969 The Bold Ones: The Protectors Tony Stovall "Draw a Straight Man" 1969 Land of the Giants Sgt. Gedo "Rescue" 1972 Mannix Sweeny "Lost Sunday" 1973 Mannix Springer "Cry Danger" 1974 Emergency! Dando "Details" 1974 Kung Fu Sheriff "Blood of the Dragon (Part 1)" 1974 The Six Million Dollar Man Joe Alabam "The Last of the Fourth of Julys" 1974 The Virginia Hill Story Mac Hill TV movie 1975 Gunsmoke Charlie Dent "The Squaw" 1975 Ellery Queen Sgt. Thomas Velie 22 episodes (1975–1976) 1976 Once an Eagle Sergeant Stoner TV mini series, parts 4 & 5 1976 Police Woman 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 Jack O'Hara "A Hair of the Dog" 1982 Simon & Simon Frost "Double Entry" 1984 Knight Rider Brother Carey "The Ice Bandits" 1987 Six Against the Rock Captain Weinhold TV movie 1989 The Hollywood Detective Lt. Victor Grabouski TV movie

References

External links