Tom Steele (stuntman)
Encyclopedia
Tom Steele was a stunt man and actor
, best remembered for appearing in serials
, especially those produced by Republic Pictures
, in both capacities.
, Steele came to America with his family at an early age, settling in Northern California
. A very skilled horseman, he played polo
competitively as a young man and also worked for a time in a steel mill
, which was the source of his professional name Tom "Steele."
he relocated to Hollywood to become an actor, and made his film debut in 1930 in the Western The Lone Star Ranger
. But soon Steele, relying on his skill as a horseman (he had played polo professionally with the San Mateo Redcoats), changed to stunts for better money and regular work. Despite this he can be seen playing many bit parts throughout his career, mostly as "heavies" or minor henchmen, whose main role was to be part of a fight scene. His visible but non-speaking role as a prison guard in 1947
's Brute Force
is a good example of this.
During the 1930s Steele worked frequently at Universal
with a group of fellow stuntmen who called themselves "The Cousins." None were related, but they all pitched in to help each other out with their gags and refine the art of stuntwork. Steele, in fact, is credited with the idea of wearing stunt pads, which he first fashioned from old football
padding. The Cousins also included Dave Sharpe
, Carey Loftin
, Eddie Parker
, Ken Terrell
, Bud Wolfe
, Louis Tomei
and Loren Riebe. Steele and Sharpe were still working together well into the 1970s on such films as Blazing Saddles
(Steele is the townsman who falls out of his chair at the sight of Sheriff Bart, and Sharpe is the man flipped and dragged through the mud by the villains).
Steele took over from Sharpe as stunt coordinator at Republic
when Sharpe left to serve in World War II
in 1942 (Steele himself was declared 4-F due to an old injury incurred at the steel mill). Steele was the only stuntman ever to be signed to a term contract (June 1943-June 1944) by Republic. He doubled for such serial leading men as Rod Cameron
(who started as a stuntman himself), Richard Bailey (who rather resembled Steele), Clayton Moore
, and football star Sammy Baugh
. In the 1940s and early 1950s, many actors at Republic were selected due to their resembalance to Steele rather than the opposite.
In features, Steele was Wild Bill Elliott
's regular double. His most notable role at Republic was as the title hero in the 1943
serial The Masked Marvel
, for which he ironically received no billing whatsoever (the character was supposed to be one of four leading men—none of whom were Steele). As the Masked Marvel Steele's voice, which was a rather light, high tenor not unlike Henry Fonda's, was dubbed by the more heroic-sounding radio actor Gayne Whitman
.
Steele also worked extensively outside of Republic, appearing in such classic feature films as Charge of the Light Brigade
(1936
), Santa Fe Trail
('40
), in which he doubled Raymond Massey
, The Big Sleep
, in which he doubled John Ridgeley, and The Thing (From Another World) ('51
) in which he stood in for James Arness
as the title creature in the scenes involving fire and a dog attack, and even Citizen Kane
(!), in which Steele can be glimpsed as an aggressive reporter jumping onto the running board of Kane's car as it pulls away.
's Harper
and a bit as a security guard in the 1971
Bond epic Diamonds Are Forever
. He also drove one of the vehicles used in the classic car chase from Bullitt
(1968
) and did driving stunts for Disney's late-1960s "Love Bug
" films. His last film before retiring was 1986
's Tough Guys
, in which he played an elderly man caught up in a bank robbery.
In his last years, Steele was a frequent participant at Western
and Serial
film festival
s around the country.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, best remembered for appearing in serials
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
, especially those produced by Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
, in both capacities.
Early life
Born Thomas B. Skeoch in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Steele came to America with his family at an early age, settling in Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
. A very skilled horseman, he played polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
competitively as a young man and also worked for a time in a steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
, which was the source of his professional name Tom "Steele."
Film career
At the start of the DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
he relocated to Hollywood to become an actor, and made his film debut in 1930 in the Western The Lone Star Ranger
The Lone Star Ranger
The Lone Star Ranger is a Western novel by Zane Grey. It follows the life of Buck Duane, a man who becomes an outlaw and then redeems himself in the eyes of the law.-Explanation of the novel's title:...
. But soon Steele, relying on his skill as a horseman (he had played polo professionally with the San Mateo Redcoats), changed to stunts for better money and regular work. Despite this he can be seen playing many bit parts throughout his career, mostly as "heavies" or minor henchmen, whose main role was to be part of a fight scene. His visible but non-speaking role as a prison guard in 1947
1947 in film
The year 1947 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May 22 - Great Expectations is premiered in New York.*November 24 : The United States House of Representatives of the 80th Congress voted 346 to 17 to approve citations for contempt of Congress against the "Hollywood Ten".*November 25...
's Brute Force
Brute force
Brute force may refer to any of several problem-solving methods involving the evaluation of multiple possible answer for fitness. The term has also been used as a stage name, book title, etc.In mathematics:...
is a good example of this.
During the 1930s Steele worked frequently at Universal
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
with a group of fellow stuntmen who called themselves "The Cousins." None were related, but they all pitched in to help each other out with their gags and refine the art of stuntwork. Steele, in fact, is credited with the idea of wearing stunt pads, which he first fashioned from old football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
padding. The Cousins also included Dave Sharpe
Dave Sharpe
Dave Sharpe was an American actor and stunt performer.He was called the "Crown Prince of Daredevils" and ranks alongside Yakima Canutt as one of Hollywood's all time greatest stuntmen...
, Carey Loftin
Carey Loftin
Carey Loftin was an American actor and stuntman. One of his most famous roles was as the truck driver in Steven Spielberg's Duel, although his face was never seen...
, Eddie Parker
Eddie Parker
Eddie Parker was a stuntman and actor who appeared in many classic films, mostly westerns and horror films...
, Ken Terrell
Ken Terrell
Ken Terrell was an American western and action film actor and stuntman best known for playing Joe Marcella in the 1956 film The Indestructible Man. He died March 8, 1966 from arteriosclerosis-Partial filmography:...
, Bud Wolfe
Bud Wolfe
Roland 'Bud' Wolfe was an American pilot who parachuted from an RAF Spitfire plane into a peat bog on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland, on November 30, 1941. The incident initiated a diplomatic row between Britain and Ireland....
, Louis Tomei
Louis Tomei
Luigi Gilbert "Louis" Tomei was an American racecar driver active during the 1930's and 1940's.-Indy 500 results:-Stunt performer:...
and Loren Riebe. Steele and Sharpe were still working together well into the 1970s on such films as Blazing Saddles
Blazing Saddles
Blazing Saddles is a 1974 satirical Western comedy film directed by Mel Brooks. Starring Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder, the film was written by Brooks, Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg, and Al Uger, and was based on Bergman's story and draft. The movie was nominated for three...
(Steele is the townsman who falls out of his chair at the sight of Sheriff Bart, and Sharpe is the man flipped and dragged through the mud by the villains).
Steele took over from Sharpe as stunt coordinator at Republic
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
when Sharpe left to serve in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1942 (Steele himself was declared 4-F due to an old injury incurred at the steel mill). Steele was the only stuntman ever to be signed to a term contract (June 1943-June 1944) by Republic. He doubled for such serial leading men as Rod Cameron
Rod Cameron
Rod Cameron was a Canadian-born movie actor whose career extended from the 1930s to the 1970s. He appeared in horror, war, action and science fiction movies, but is best remembered for his many Westerns....
(who started as a stuntman himself), Richard Bailey (who rather resembled Steele), Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore was an American actor best known for playing the fictional western character The Lone Ranger from 1949–1951 and 1954-1957 on the television series of the same name.-Early years:...
, and football star Sammy Baugh
Sammy Baugh
Samuel Adrian "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Horned Frogs at Texas Christian University, where he was a two-time All-American. He then played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1937 to 1952...
. In the 1940s and early 1950s, many actors at Republic were selected due to their resembalance to Steele rather than the opposite.
In features, Steele was Wild Bill Elliott
Wild Bill Elliott
Wild Bill Elliott was an American film actor. He specialized in playing the rugged heroes of B-Westerns, particularly in the Red Ryder series of films.-Early life:...
's regular double. His most notable role at Republic was as the title hero in the 1943
1943 in film
The year 1943 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 3 - 1st missing persons telecast * February 20 - American film studio executives agree to allow the Office of War Information to censor films....
serial The Masked Marvel
The Masked Marvel
The Masked Marvel was a 12-chapter film serial created by Republic Pictures, who produced many of the best known of the serials. It was Republic's thirty-first serial, of the sixty-six they produced.-Plot:...
, for which he ironically received no billing whatsoever (the character was supposed to be one of four leading men—none of whom were Steele). As the Masked Marvel Steele's voice, which was a rather light, high tenor not unlike Henry Fonda's, was dubbed by the more heroic-sounding radio actor Gayne Whitman
Gayne Whitman
Albert Gayne Whitman was an American radio and film actor. He appeared in 213 films between 1904 and 1957.He was born in Chicago, Illinois...
.
Steele also worked extensively outside of Republic, appearing in such classic feature films as Charge of the Light Brigade
The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936 film)
The Charge of the Light Brigade is a 1936 historical film made by Warner Bros. It was directed by Michael Curtiz and produced by Samuel Bischoff, with Hal B. Wallis as executive producer, from a screenplay by Michael Jacoby and Rowland Leigh, from a story by Michael Jacoby based on the poem The...
(1936
1936 in film
The year 1936 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May 29 - Fritz Lang's first Hollywood film Fury, starring Spencer Tracy and Bruce Cabot, is released.*November 6 - first Porky Pig animated cartoon...
), Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail (film)
Santa Fe Trail is a 1940 western film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. The film was one of the top-grossing films of the year, being the seventh Flynn-de Havilland collaboration. The film also has nothing to do with its namesake, the famed Santa Fe Trail...
('40
1940 in film
The year 1940 in film involved some significant events, including the premieres of the Walt Disney classics Pinocchio and Fantasia.-Events:*February 7 - Walt Disney's animated film Pinocchio is released....
), in which he doubled Raymond Massey
Raymond Massey
Raymond Hart Massey was a Canadian/American actor.-Early life:Massey was born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Anna , who was born in Illinois, and Chester Daniel Massey, the wealthy owner of the Massey-Ferguson Tractor Company. Massey's family could trace their ancestry back to the American...
, The Big Sleep
The Big Sleep
The Big Sleep is a hardboiled crime novel by Raymond Chandler, the first in his acclaimed series about detective Philip Marlowe. The work has been adapted twice into film, once in 1946 and again in 1978...
, in which he doubled John Ridgeley, and The Thing (From Another World) ('51
1951 in film
The year 1951 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian film-makers Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:...
) in which he stood in for James Arness
James Arness
James King Arness was an American actor, best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon in the television series Gunsmoke for 20 years...
as the title creature in the scenes involving fire and a dog attack, and even Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film, directed by and starring Orson Welles. Many critics consider it the greatest American film of all time, especially for its innovative cinematography, music and narrative structure. Citizen Kane was Welles' first feature film...
(!), in which Steele can be glimpsed as an aggressive reporter jumping onto the running board of Kane's car as it pulls away.
Later life
In the 1960s and 70s he remained active as a stuntman but took on more acting bits, including a role as a truck driver in 19661966 in film
The year 1966 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Animation legend Walter Disney, well known for his creation of Mickey Mouse, died in 15 December 1966 of acute circulatory collapse following a diagnosis of, and surgery for, lung cancer...
's Harper
Harper (film)
Harper is a 1966 film written by William Goldman from a novel by Ross Macdonald. The movie starred Paul Newman as the eponymous Lew Harper . The original music score was composed by Johnny Mandel. Goldman received a 1967 Edgar Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay...
and a bit as a security guard in the 1971
1971 in film
The year 1971 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 8 - Bob Dylan's hour long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New York's Academy of Music...
Bond epic Diamonds Are Forever
Diamonds Are Forever (film)
Diamonds Are Forever is the seventh spy film in the Eon Productions James Bond series, and the sixth and final Eon Productions film to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film is based on Ian Fleming's 1956 novel of the same name, and is the second of four James Bond films...
. He also drove one of the vehicles used in the classic car chase from Bullitt
Bullitt
Bullitt is a 1968 American police procedural film starring Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset and Robert Vaughn. It was directed by Peter Yates and distributed by Warner Bros. The story was adapted for the screen by Alan Trustman and Harry Kleiner, based on the 1963 novel Mute Witness by Robert L....
(1968
1968 in film
The year 1968 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 30 - The film The Lion in Winter, starring Katharine Hepburn, debuts.* November 1 - The MPAA's film rating system is introduced.-Top grossing films :- Awards :...
) and did driving stunts for Disney's late-1960s "Love Bug
The Love Bug
The Love Bug is the first in a series of comedy films made by Walt Disney Productions that starred an anthropomorphic pearl-white, fabric-sunroofed 1963 Volkswagen racing Beetle named Herbie...
" films. His last film before retiring was 1986
1986 in film
-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
's Tough Guys
Tough Guys
Tough Guys is a 1986 comedy starring Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Eli Wallach and Dana Carvey. It was directed by Jeff Kanew.Lancaster and Douglas made several films together, including I Walk Alone , Gunfight at the O.K. Corral , The Devil's Disciple , and Seven Days in May , becoming something...
, in which he played an elderly man caught up in a bank robbery.
In his last years, Steele was a frequent participant at Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
and Serial
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
s around the country.