Tommy Kelly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Thomas Francis Kelly (April 6, 1925 – January 26, 2016) professionally known as Tommy Kelly was an American child actor. He is remembered for his title role in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer in 1938 based on Mark Twain's novel of the same name. Kelly was born in the Bronx, the son of Nora and Michael Kelly, a fireman, in humble circumstances. He had twelve siblings. Kelly's grandparents, all four, were from Ireland. He began his acting career at the age of twelve when he was selected to play the role of Tom Sawyer in the 1938 movie The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, an adaption of Mark Twain's classic The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Approximately 25,000 boys had auditioned for that role and it is said that famous producer David O. Selznick handpicked Kelly for the role. Despite Kelly's earning good critical reviews for his performance, the film was only a poor financial success. He also played the lead role in Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus later that year as Bill Peck. In 1939, Tommy Kelly had a small but memorable part in Gone with the Wind as the boy crying in a band in Atlanta while the death lists are given out. He played the notable supporting role of Willie in Archie Mayo's musical film They Shall Have Music (1939) followed by a leading role as a young cadet in the B movie Military Academy (1940). As he reached adulthood, Kelly's roles in movies were minor and he was often uncredited. He appeared in The Magnificent Yankee in 1950, which turned out to be his last of 19 films before ending his acting career. As with many other stars, the war years found Tommy in the U.S. Army; he served in the infantry rather than the USO, as did some other child stars. He fought in the European theater, participating in the critical campaign for the bridge at Remagen.
Gone with the Wind
as Boy in Band (uncredited)The spoiled daughter of a Georgia plantation owner conducts a tumultuous romance with a cynical...
Movie pageThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer
as Tom SawyerTom Sawyer and his pal Huckleberry Finn have great adventures on the Mississippi River,...
Movie pageHe Walked by Night
as Redhead (uncredited)Roy Morgan aka Roy Morgan (Richard Basehart) is a burglar and former war-time Radio &...
Movie pageIrene
as Michael O'DareUpholsterer's assistant Irene O'Dare meets wealthy Don Marshall while she is measuring chairs...
Movie pageGallant Sons
as Harwood HollisterWhen a teenager's father is accused of murder, the boy and his high-school classmates set out to...
Movie pageNice Girl?
as Ken AtkinsJane is a nice girl and has had her eyes on a young man who seems more interested in his...
Movie pageThey Shall Have Music
as WillieThe future is bleak for a troubled boy from a broken home in the slums. He runs away when his...
Movie pageMug Town
as SteveSteve Bell, Tommy, Pig, Ape, and String are run of town. Steve, while hopping a freight card...
Movie pageMilitary Academy
as Tommy LewisTommy Lewis, the son of a big time racketeer, is enrolled in military school under an assumed...
Movie pagePeck's Bad Boy with the Circus
as Bill PeckTrouble-prone Billy Peck and his gang descend on a traveling circus that has just hit town, and...
Movie pageCurtain Call
as Freddy MiddletonTwo theatrical producers plan to get even with a demanding actress by tricking her into starring...
Movie page