Tom Fadden

Biography

Tom Fadden was an American actor who worked in vaudeville, theater, film and television. Born in Bayard, Iowa, he joined an Omaha theater company in 1915 and spent the 1910s and 1920s in stock companies and vaudeville. He made his Broadway debut in 1924 as Peter Jekyll in The Wonderful Visit and appeared in nearly two dozen Broadway productions over the next fifteen years, including The Petrified Forest in 1935 and Our Town in 1938. His film debut came with a small role in I Stole a Million (1939), and he went on to more than 90 movies, mostly in supporting parts. His films included Destry Rides Again (1939), The Naughty Nineties (1945), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and Empire of the Ants (1977). On television he played Eben Kent in the first episode of The Adventures of Superman, had recurring parts on Broken Arrow and Cimarron City, and later appeared on Gunsmoke, Perry Mason and Petticoat Junction.

85years old at death

Born January 6, 1895Bayard
Died April 14, 1980Vero Beach
Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19

Movie Career

Films: 16
Career span: 38 years1939 to 1977

Genres

Western38%, 6 films
Comedy25%, 4 films
Crime25%, 4 films
Thriller25%, 4 films
Drama19%, 3 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Fadden made his Broadway debut in 1924 as Peter Jekyll in The Wonderful Visit, then appeared in nearly two dozen Broadway productions over the next fifteen years.
First role
Tom Fadden played Eben Kent, the earthman who adopts Kal-El, in the first episode of The Adventures of Superman, one of his first TV roles.

Tom Fadden movies on Netflix

Empire of the Ants1977IMDb rating 4.4as Sam Russell
Edge of Eternity1959IMDb rating 6.5as Eli Jones
Invasion of the Body Snatchers1956IMDb rating 7.7as Uncle Ira Lentz
The Tall Men1955IMDb rating 6.7as Hank - Livery Stable Owner
The Lawless Breed1952IMDb rating 6.3as Chick Noonan - Undertaker
Drums in the Deep South1951IMDb rating 5.8as Purdy
Vengeance Valley1951IMDb rating 5.9as Obie Rune
Raw Deal1948IMDb rating 7.2
Dark Passage1947IMDb rating 7.5as Diner Counterman Serving Parry
Murder, He Says1945IMDb rating 6.9as Sheriff Murdock
The Naughty Nineties1945IMDb rating 7.0as Wounded Gambler
A Lady Takes a Chance1943IMDb rating 6.3as Mullen
Northern Pursuit1943IMDb rating 6.6as Hobby
The Glass Key1942IMDb rating 7.0as Basement Club Waiter
The Shepherd of the Hills1941IMDb rating 6.9as Jim Lane
Destry Rides Again1939IMDb rating 7.6as Lem Claggett

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Invasion of the Body Snatchers1956 Horror, Sci-Fi, Thrilleras Uncle Ira Lentz
IMDb rating 7.761K votes
Empire of the Ants1977 Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fias Sam Russell
IMDb rating 4.46.2K votes
Destry Rides Again1939as Lem Claggett
IMDb rating 7.614K votes
Edge of Eternity1959as Eli Jones
IMDb rating 6.51.5K votes
The Lawless Breed1952as Chick Noonan - Undertaker
IMDb rating 6.31.6K votes
The Shepherd of the Hills1941as Jim Lane
IMDb rating 6.92.9K votes
Drums in the Deep South1951as Purdy
IMDb rating 5.8514 votes
Raw Deal1948
IMDb rating 7.26.4K votes

Most often with

Raoul Walsh directed three of these films, Don Siegel two and George Marshall two. Eleven actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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John Wayne

Whit Bissell

John Ireland

Brian Donlevy

Samuel S. Hinds

Marjorie Main

Raoul WalshDirector, 3 films

Don SiegelDirector, 2 films

George MarshallDirector, 2 films

Films together

John Wayne2 films together, 1941 to 1943
John Wayne's page
- A Lady Takes a Chance1943IMDb rating 6.3Fadden as MullenWayne as Duke Hudkins
- The Shepherd of the Hills1941IMDb rating 6.9Fadden as Jim LaneWayne as Young Matt Matthews
Whit Bissell2 films together, 1948 to 1956
Whit Bissell's page
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers1956IMDb rating 7.7Fadden as Uncle Ira LentzBissell as Emergency Room Psychiatrist
- Raw Deal1948IMDb rating 7.2Bissell as Murderer
John Ireland2 films together, 1948 to 1951
John Ireland's page
- Vengeance Valley1951IMDb rating 5.9Fadden as Obie RuneIreland as Hub Fasken
- Raw Deal1948IMDb rating 7.2Ireland as Fantail
Brian Donlevy2 films together, 1939 to 1942
Brian Donlevy's page
- The Glass Key1942IMDb rating 7.0Fadden as Basement Club WaiterDonlevy as Paul Madvig
- Destry Rides Again1939IMDb rating 7.6Fadden as Lem ClaggettDonlevy as Kent
Samuel S. Hinds2 films together, 1939 to 1941
Samuel S. Hinds's page
- The Shepherd of the Hills1941IMDb rating 6.9Fadden as Jim LaneHinds as Andy Beeler
- Destry Rides Again1939IMDb rating 7.6Fadden as Lem ClaggettHinds as Judge Slade
Marjorie Main2 films together, 1941 to 1945
Marjorie Main's page
- Murder, He Says1945IMDb rating 6.9Fadden as Sheriff MurdockMain as Mamie Fleagle Smithers Johnson
- The Shepherd of the Hills1941IMDb rating 6.9Fadden as Jim LaneMain as Granny Becky
Raoul WalshDirector, 3 films, 1943 to 1955
All films by Raoul Walsh
- The Tall Men1955IMDb rating 6.7Fadden as Hank - Livery Stable Owner
- The Lawless Breed1952IMDb rating 6.3Fadden as Chick Noonan - Undertaker
- Northern Pursuit1943IMDb rating 6.6Fadden as Hobby
Don SiegelDirector, 2 films, 1956 to 1959
All films by Don Siegel
- Edge of Eternity1959IMDb rating 6.5Fadden as Eli Jones
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers1956IMDb rating 7.7Fadden as Uncle Ira Lentz
George MarshallDirector, 2 films, 1939 to 1945
All films by George Marshall
- Murder, He Says1945IMDb rating 6.9Fadden as Sheriff Murdock
- Destry Rides Again1939IMDb rating 7.6Fadden as Lem Claggett
Also two films together5 more actors
- Hugh O'BrianThe Lawless Breed (1952) and Vengeance Valley (1951)
- John AlvinDark Passage (1947) and Northern Pursuit (1943)
- Robert OsterlohInvasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and Drums in the Deep South (1951)
- Norman LeavittDrums in the Deep South (1951) and Vengeance Valley (1951)
- Charles WinningerA Lady Takes a Chance (1943) and Destry Rides Again (1939)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Tom Fadden's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$17.2 million

5 of the 16 films have a worldwide figure.

5Worldwide figure
2US gross only
9Figure not found

Top grosser

The Tall Men1955Hank - Livery Stable Owner$5.0 million

Highest grossing

The five biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
The Tall Men1955as Hank - Livery Stable Owner
$5.0M29.1% of the total
2
Dark Passage1947as Diner Counterman Serving Parry
$3.4M20.0% of the total
3
Northern Pursuit1943as Hobby
$3.3M18.9% of the total
4
Invasion of the Body Snatchers1956as Uncle Ira Lentz
$3.0M17.5% of the total
5
Empire of the Ants1977as Sam Russell
$2.5M14.6% of the total