Thomas Kane Tulley[citation needed] (August 21, 1908 – April 27, 1982) was an American actor. He began his career in radio and on the stage before making his film debut in Northern Pursuit (1943). Subsequently, he was nominated for an Academy Award for his supporting role in The Caine Mutiny (1954).
In 1960, Tully was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the film industry.
Early years
Tully was born in Durango in southwestern Colorado, the son of Thomas H. Tulley and Victoria Lenore Day Tulley. He first worked as a sailor in the United States Navy then as a reporter for the Denver Post in Denver, before he entered acting with the expectation of better pay.[1]
Career
Stage
Tully debuted on Broadway in Call Me Ziggy (1937). His other Broadway credits include The Sun Field (1942), The Strings, My Lord, Are False (1942), Jason (1942), Ah, Wilderness! (1941), The Time of Your Life (1940), Night Music (1940), The Time of Your Life (1939), The White Steed (1939), and Chalked Out (1937).[2]
Radio
In the era of old-time radio, Tully had the lead role of Joe in the serial Home of the Brave.[3]: 155 He also played Jim Carroll in the serial Life Begins,[3]: 198 Uncle Willie in the comedy My Mother's Husband,[3]: 247 and Charles Martin in the serial Stella Dallas.[3] He was a frequent guest actor on Gunsmoke, portraying a wide range of parts.[4][5][6][7][8]
Film
Tully's Hollywood film career spanned from the early 1940s until 1973. After a brief appearance in the film Carefree (1938), he next appeared in I'll Be Seeing You (1944) as the father of Shirley Temple's character.[1]
His last feature film role was as a crooked gun dealer, seated in a wheelchair after having his left leg removed close to the hip, in Don Siegel's popular crime film Charley Varrick (1973), with Walter Matthau and Joe Don Baker.[10]
Television
From 1954 through 1960, he played the role of police Inspector Matt Grebb on the CBS police drama, The Lineup,[11] with co-star Warner Anderson. In repeats, The Lineup was known as San Francisco Beat.
In 1962, he appeared on the NBC modern western series, Empire in the role of Tom Cole in the episode "Long Past, Long Remembered." Richard Jordan appeared in this episode too as Jay Bee Fowler. The series starred Richard Egan as New Mexico rancher Jim Redigo. In 1963, he was cast as Danny Mundt in "A Taste for Pineapple" of the ABC crime drama, The Untouchables. That same year he portrayed Jethro Tate in "Who Killed Billy Jo?" on another ABC crime drama, Burke's Law, with Gene Barry.
In 1964, Tully had two appearances on CBS's Perry Mason. The first was as defendant Carey York in "The Case of the Arrogant Arsonist;" the second was as murder victim Harvey Scott in "The Case of the Nautical Knot." During the 1966 season of ABC's Shane western series, he made 17 appearances as Tom Starett.[11]: 954 Tully also guest starred twice in the western TV series Bonanza: in the 1965 episode "The Dilemma" as Sundown Davis and in the 1967 episode "The Sure Thing" as Burt Laughlin.
In November 1969, Tully traveled to South Vietnam, currently Vietnam, for the United Service Organization. His "handshake tour" took him to hospitals, radio interviews, and flight behind enemy lines, courtesy of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, to visit strategic military outposts such as the "Hawks Nest" in the Phum Valley. While in Vietnam entertaining troops, Tully contracted a filarial worm.[1]
In 1930, Tully married Helen Ross in Colorado. They had a daughter Jean in 1931. They were divorced on November 26, 1935. In 1938, he married actress Frances McHugh, to whom he remained wed until her death in 1953. On June 20, 1954, he married Ida Johnson in Los Angeles, and they remained married until his death.[1]
Tully played chess by mail, was a fly-fisherman, and voiced children's books for an elementary school.[13]
^ abTerrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company. p. 608. ISBN978-0-7864-6477-7.
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