Ron Thompson (actor)

Ron Thompson
Thompson in 2018 at the Cargo premiere
Born(1941-01-31)January 31, 1941[1]
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedApril 13, 2024(2024-04-13) (aged 83)
Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other namesRonnie Thompson
Occupation(s)Actor, singer, dancer, songwriter
Years active1962–2023

Ron Thompson (January 31, 1941 – April 13, 2024) was an American actor, singer-songwriter and dancer.

Life and career

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Thompson was perhaps best known for his dual lead roles in Ralph Bakshi's critically acclaimed rotoscope film American Pop[2][3][4][5] and the 1970s TV series Baretta in the role of Detective Nopke.[3][6]

Thompson had a brief career as a rock singer in the 1960s and wrote and recorded a number of singles as Ronnie Thompson under the guidance of his mentor and friend, rockabilly singer Ersel Hickey.[3]

Thompson originated the role of Shanty Mulligan in the 1969 Pulitzer Prize winning play No Place to Be Somebody[3][7][8][9][10] by Charles Gordone.[11][12] In his review for The New York Times, Mel Gussow wrote that Thompson was "splendid" in his role.[13]

Thompson won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for his 1973 theatre lead performance in the play Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?[3][14] A young Al Pacino had won a Tony for playing the part in 1969.[1]

The Progress Bulletin praised Thompson's performance in the 1976 Felton Perry play Buy the Bi and Bye calling it an "offbeat and hilarious black satire with a zinging performance by Ron Thompson."[15]

Thompson did a dramatic portrayal of Henry David Thoreau on the 1976 NBC television series The Rebels.[16][17]

Thompson starred in the 2018 thriller film Cargo.[18][19][20]

Thompson died at his apartment in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, on April 13, 2024, at the age of 83.[21] He was found dead by filmmaker Joe Black.[1]

Theatre

Date Production Role Notes
1969 No Place to Be Somebody Shanty Mulligan
1972 The Time of Your Life Willie
1973 Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? Bickham Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award (Lead Performance)
1976 Buy the Bi and Bye WD

Film

Year Film Role Notes
1967 Brown Eye, Evil Eye Freddy St. Claire
1973 The No Mercy Man John Dunn aka "The Vietnam Soldier" – Europe (English title) (video title)
aka "Trained to Kill: USA" – USA (DVD title)
1977 The White Buffalo Frozen Dog Pimp aka "Hunt to Kill" – USA (TV title)
1981 American Pop Tony Belinsky / Pete Belinsky
1992 American Me Junkie
Deep Cover Store Owner
1993 Death Ring "Needles", Tattooer
1998 Fallen Arches Leslie
2006 Bottleneck Husband
2015 Last Days of Coney Island Cops Voice
2017 Stitches Ron
2017 Hate Horses Rex Napier
2017 Low Town Langston Bedry
2018 Cargo Anthony Peterson
2018 Chicks, Man Sherman
2018 Gena John
2019 Tellers Harry Dawn
2021 Natasha Hall Marlon Franklin Voice
2023 Suffrage Harry Dawn

Television

Year Program Role Episodes Title
1962 Armstrong Circle Theatre Larry / Junkie 2 Securities for Suckers
Runaway Road-Story of a Missing Person
Assignment: Teenage Junkies
Assignment: Teenage Junkies
1963 Armstrong Circle Theatre Junkie 1 Assignment: Teenage Junkies
1974 Mannix Kirk Bullard 1 Death Has No Face
1974 Ironside The Bartender 1 Amy Prentiss: Part 1
1974 Ironside Jamie 1 Run Scared
1974 The Gun Tom TV movie
1975 The Dream Makers Dave TV movie
1975 The Streets of San Francisco Willie 1 Web of Lies
1975 Bronk Unknown 1 Crackback
1975–1976 Baretta Penguin / Detective Nopke 6 Count the Days I'm Gone
Murder For Me
Pay or Die
The Dippers
Death on the Run
Street Edition
1976 The Rebels Henry David Thoreau 1 Henry David Thoreau
1977 Quincy, M.E. Claude Stern 1 The Thigh Bone's Connected to the Knee Bone
1980 The Waltons GI 1 The Prodigals
1982 The Greatest American Hero Guard 1 Good Samaritan
1985 Cagney & Lacey Jimmy MacDonald 1 Organized Crime
1989 Imagining America Beatnik Poet 1 This Ain't Bebop
1997 Crisis Center Junkie 1 He Said, She Said
2020 Ethnically Ambiguous Ralph 1 Asian Persuasion

References

  1. ^ a b c Barnes, Milke (April 15, 2024). "Ron Thompson, Actor in 'No Place to Be Somebody' and 'American Pop,' Dies at 83". The Hollywood Reporter.
  2. ^ "Ron Thompson". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2008. Archived from the original on June 22, 2008. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e Maçek III, J.C. (August 2, 2012). "'American Pop'... Matters: Ron Thompson, the Illustrated Man Unsung". PopMatters.
  4. ^ Canby, Vincent (February 13, 1981). "'American Pop' Grown-Up Animation". The New York Times. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  5. ^ Vespe, Eric (November 5, 2012). "What does the Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day look like, man? A soda fountain?". Ain't It Cool News.
  6. ^ "Ron Thompson – Filmography – MSN Movies". Movies.msn.com. 2010. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  7. ^ Gussow, Mel (December 31, 1969). "Theater: 'No Place to Be Somebody' Opens Run" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  8. ^ "No Place to be Somebody". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
  9. ^ Drake, Sylvie (July 24, 1987). "This Revival Of 'No Place' Goes Places". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
  10. ^ "No Place to be Somebody". The Matrix Theatre Company. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  11. ^ "Jet Has Role In Broadway Play, 'To Be Somebody'". Jet: 57. May 14, 1970.
  12. ^ Garland, Phyl (July 1970). "The Prize Winners". Ebony: 30.
  13. ^ Gussow, Mel (December 31, 1969). "Theater: 'No Place to be Somebody' Opens Run" (PDF). The New York Times.
  14. ^ "Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle – 1969–1979 LADCC Awards". Ladramacriticscircle.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  15. ^ "Entertainment In The Valley". Progress Buelltin. Pomona, California. February 7, 1976. p. 28.
  16. ^ "Tele-Vues, Sunday, June 6, 1976". Independent Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. June 6, 1976. p. 170.
  17. ^ "TV Log". Redlands Daily Facts. Redlands, California. June 5, 1976. p. 10.
  18. ^ Roy, Precious (May 1, 2018). "[CARGO] teaser has unpacked!". Ain't It Cool News.
  19. ^ Gingold, Michael (May 3, 2018). "Another "[CARGO]" Opens This Summer; Poster, Trailer, Novel And Soundtrack Info/Art". Rue Morgue.
  20. ^ DiVincenzo, Alex (June 28, 2017). "Watch the trailer for [Cargo], a contained thriller". Broke Horror Fan.
  21. ^ Haring, Bruce (April 14, 2024). "Ron Thompson Dies: Actor In 'Baretta' And Ralph Bakshi's 'American Pop' Was 83". Deadline. Retrieved April 14, 2024.