Wright King
| Wright King | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Thomas Wright Thornburg King January 11, 1923 Okmulgee, Okmulgee County Oklahoma, USA |
| Residence | Calabasas, California |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Spouse(s) | June Ellen Roth King (1948-2008, her death) |
| Children |
Three children: |
Thomas Wright Thornburg King (born January 11, 1923) is a retired American actor of film and television, a native of Okmulgee in east central Oklahoma.[1] His career extended from 1949 until his retirement in 1987.
Early life and career
King studied acting at the St Louis School of Theater, where he graduated in 1941, before enlisting in the United States Navy during World War II.[2] King made his small screen debut in 1949 as Midshipman Bascomb in the television series, Captain Video and His Video Rangers. Throughout his career, he worked in both United States and in United Kingdom.[3]
King was cast in numerous westerns and is particularly known for his role in the 1951 film adaptation of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, starring Vivien Leigh (whom his character kisses). Prior to that, he had played in the theater version, a performance that was lauded by drama critic Harold Hobson[4] In 1974, he played U.S. Senator Richard B. Russell, Jr., of Georgia in the ABC television film, The Missiles of October, a dramatization of John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.[5]
Personal life
King married June Ellen Roth in 1948. The couple had their first child the next year.[6] In total, they had three children, all sons. King and his wife spent their later years in Portland, Oregon. Since 2013, he has been a resident of the Motion Picture Retirement (MPTF) Home in Calabasas, California.
References
- ↑ "Wright King". NNDB. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
- ↑ "Ex-Mt. Vernonite Wright King in "Streetcar" Cast". Mt. Vernon Register News. March 27, 1952. p. 6. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
- ↑ "Wright King In Grenada Movie". Mt. Vernon Register News. December 7, 1956. p. 8. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
- ↑ "Mt. Vernon Actor Is Praised by London Critic". Mt. Vernon Register News. December 15, 1949. p. 2. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
- ↑ "King of the 'Streetcar'". The Times-Picayune. March 22, 2008. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
- ↑ "Births". Mt. Vernon Register News. November 22, 1949. p. 2. Retrieved June 4, 2016.