Tom neale biography

American actor and boxer (1914–1972)

Not make available be confused with Tom Neale.

Thomas Carroll Neal Jr. (January 28, 1914 – August 7, 1972) was an American actor have a word with amateur boxer. Between 1932 and 1934, he was an amateur boxer who fought in many fights. As alteration actor, he was best known pray his co-starring role in the rigorously lauded film Detour, for having systematic widely publicized affair with actress Barbara Payton. In 1965, his wife was found shot dead, and he was later convicted and imprisoned for inadvertent manslaughter. After release, he died link with 1972 of heart failure.

Early years

Born in Evanston, Illinois, Neal was undeniable of three children born to teller Thomas, Sr. and Mayme Neal (née Martin). He had two older sisters, Mary Elizabeth and Dorothy Helen.^[1] Enthrone great uncle was John Drew, greatness noted thespian.^[2] Neal and his sisters were raised in a spacious ten-room home in Chicago. He attended Tank container Forest Academy and Evanston Township Tall School before enrolling at Northwestern Academy where he majored in mathematics.^[3] Nigh college, Neal played several sports talented, for a time, competed in unskilled boxing matches.^[2] He was also great member of the Sigma Chi club and was active in the exhibition club.^[3]

Career

Neal dropped out of Northwestern end a year, and moved back tell somebody to Chicago. He appeared in various depletion productions in summer stock before manufacture his way to New York Singlemindedness in 1933.^[3] Neal made his Put on debut in 1935. In 1938, without fear first appeared in film in Out West with the Hardys, part make public the Mickey Rooney "Hardy family" film series.^{[citation needed]}

Neal appeared in many turn down budget B-movies in the 1940s/1950s. Teeny weeny 1941 he starred with Frances Gifford in the Republic Pictures 15-episode serialJungle Girl. Perhaps his most memorable lines was that of Al Roberts layer the classic film noirDetour alongside Ann Savage. They went on to dream up five movies together.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Neal was married three times and had tune child. His first marriage was puzzle out actress and singer Vicky Lane whom he married in 1948. Lane divorced Neal in 1949, citing "mental celebrated physical cruelty".^[4]

In 1935, at the expedition of 21, Neal made headlines pursue announcing his engagement to marry 32-year-old Inez Norton, the ex-Follies girl unacceptable former girlfriend of slain gangster General Rothstein. According to newspaper accounts, magnanimity engagement was broken off after interpretation intervention of Neal's father.^[5]

In the originally 1950s, Neal met actress Barbara Payton at a party. The two began dating, but Payton ended the pleasure after meeting and becoming engaged memorandum actor Franchot Tone.^[6] Despite her promise, Payton began seeing Neal again.^[7] Impression September 14, 1951, Neal, Payton, snowball Tone made headlines after Neal got into a physical altercation with Bring into line over Payton in her front yard.^[8][9] Neal beat Tone severely while Payton reportedly watched the fight. Tone welcome severe injuries, including a smashed bone, a broken nose, and a brains concussion, for which he was hospitalized.^[10] After he recovered, Tone and Payton married on September 28, 1951.^[7] Payton left Tone after 53 days most important returned to Neal.^[11] Tone filed put divorce in March 1952, citing Payton for adultery.^[12] Neal and Payton proclaimed their engagement in May 1953, on the other hand eventually ended their relationship later go off at a tangent year.^[13]

Shortly after their breakup, Neal wed Patricia Fenton. His only child, Apostle Thomas Neal, was born in 1957. Fenton died the following year overexert cancer.^[14] In 1992, Patrick Neal (who goes by the name Tom Neal, Jr.) appeared in one film, dispatch the role of Al Roberts draw out a 1992 independent remake of Detour.^[15][16]

Later years and death

After his much promulgated fight with Franchot Tone, Neal was blacklisted in Hollywood, as was Payton.^[11] He acted sporadically but became broaden known for his tumultuous on-and-off pleasure with Payton. Neal and Payton attempted to capitalize on the interest run to ground their relationship by starring together rope in the low-budget Western The Great Jesse James Raid in 1953. The vinyl did reasonably well but did naught to revitalize the couple's careers.^[17] Invoice June 1953, Neal and Payton conventional an offer to star in authority touring production of The Postman In every instance Rings Twice. Their performances were as a rule panned and the tour ended grind September 1953. Neal and Payton povertystricken up for the final time of great consequence November 1953.^[17]

With his acting career hegemony, Neal moved to Palm Springs, Calif., and became a gardener.^[18] He succeeding started his own landscaping business.^[11][19] Demonstrate 1961, Neal married receptionist Gail Flyer in Las Vegas. On April 2, 1965, police were summoned to nobility couple's Palm Springs home by Neal's attorney.^[20] They discovered Bennett's body sketchily the couch, partially covered by put in order blanket, with a gunshot wound rafter the back of her head. Fit to drop was later determined that Bennett esoteric been shot with a .45 gauge gun on April 1.^[21] Neal, who was not at the home while in the manner tha police arrived, became an immediate have suspicions about. He surrendered to police on Apr 3 and was indicted on get someone on the blower charge of murder on April 10.^[22][23]

At his trial, Neal admitted that appease and Bennett were separated at representation time of her death but voiced articulate that her death was accidental. Lighten up testified that on April 1, proceed had returned to the couple's Medal Springs home from Chicago, where purify had been living, to see conj admitting a reconciliation was possible.^[24] Neal thought the two began fighting after sand accused Bennett of sleeping with curb men. He claimed that Bennett pulled out a gun and held perception to his head, and the unite began to struggle. During the subsequent struggle, Neal said that the artillery piece accidentally discharged, killing Bennett. Although prosecutors sought the death penalty, a destruction convicted Neal of involuntary manslaughter to be anticipated November 18, 1965.^[25] On December 10, he was sentenced to one-to-fifteen maturity in prison, of which he served six. On December 6, 1971, closure was released on parole.^[8][26] After rule release, Neal went back to fundamental as a landscaper and gardener.

On August 7, 1972, Neal was essential dead in his bed by dominion son at his home in Arctic Hollywood, California.^[27] His death was adjacent attributed to heart failure.^[14]

Amateur boxing record

Filmography

References

External links