Marshall Thompson
| Marshall Thompson | |
|---|---|
in Twice Blessed (1945)
|
|
| Born |
James Marshall Thompson November 27, 1925 Peoria, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | May 18, 1992 (aged 66) Royal Oak, Michigan, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Congestive heart failure |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1944–1991 |
| Spouse(s) | Barbara Long (1949-1992; his death) |
Marshall Thompson (November 27, 1925 – May 18, 1992) was an American film and television actor.
Thompson was born James Marshall Thompson in Peoria, Illinois. He and his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Laurence B. Thompson, moved to California when he was one year old. Thompson enrolled at Occidental College with plans to become a dentist. He attended University High School where he was a class mate of Norma Jean Baker, later known as Marilyn Monroe, but he switched to divinity studies.
In 1943, Thompson, known for his boy-next-door good looks, was signed by Universal Pictures. He played quiet, thoughtful teens in Universal's feature films, including a lead opposite singing star Gloria Jean in Reckless Age, earning $350 weekly. During 1946, Universal discharged most of its contract players; that same year, Thompson moved to MGM and his film roles steadily increased and improved with appearances in The Clock and the lead in Gallant Bess, MGM's first film in Cinecolor.
Thompson became a freelance actor in the 1950s and worked for various studios on a variety of pictures, including a number of horror and science-fiction feature films; this included the role of Carruthers in It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958), one of the two films that would later inspire the plot for director Ridley Scott's 1979 big budget feature Alien. Thompson also starred in the short-lived (13-episodes) 1959 syndicated science fiction TV series World of Giants. The drama follows Mel Hunter, a U. S. counter-espionage agent, accidentally miniaturized to just six inches in height, who must live in a dollhouse when not on missions.
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