Thomas A. Curran

Thomas A. Curran (May 29, 1879 – January 24, 1941), was an Australian-born American actor on the stage and in motion pictures. Between 1915 and 1941 he appeared in 60 films, the last of which was Citizen Kane, in which he played the uncredited role of Theodore Roosevelt in the "News on the March" newsreel sequence.

Thomas A. Curran
Thomas A. Curran.jpg
Curran in 1916
Born(1879-05-29)May 29, 1879
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
DiedJanuary 24, 1941(1941-01-24) (aged 61)
Hollywood, California, United States
OccupationActor
Years active1897 – 1941

Thomas A. Curran was born on May 29, 1879, in Sydney, Australia. He studied acting in the United States, where he made his stage debut in 1897. After returning to Australia for a few years, he returned to the U.S. in 1912 or 1913 and worked in vaudeville and repertory theatre. He acted in the original productions of Excuse Me written by Rupert Hughes (later adapted twice for the screen) and Oh! Oh! Delphine.[1]

Curran was signed to a three-year contract by the Thanhouser Company in 1915 and made 22 films, including The World and the Woman with Jeanne Eagels and Inspiration, the first non-pornographic American film to show full female nudity. In his later years he moved to California and made his living playing bit parts and small roles in studio films. His last film appearance was as Teddy Roosevelt in the "News on the March" sequence in Citizen Kane. The film had not yet been released when Curran, aged 61, died in Hollywood January 24, 1941.[1]

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The Vicar of Wakefield (1917)
Curran (waving hat) as Teddy Roosevelt, campaigning with Charles Foster Kane ( Orson Welles) in the "News on the March" sequence in Citizen Kane (1941)
Year Title Role Notes
1915 From the River's Depths [1]
1915 The Price of Her Silence The Artist [2]
1915 The Earl of Pawtucket Fordyce [2]
1915 Greater Love Hath No Man Dr. Merton [2]
1915 The Commuted Sentence Governor [1][3]
1915 In Baby's Garden Jack [1][4]
1915 Inspiration The Artist Reissued as The Perfect Model (1918)[1]
1915 Her Confession Emerald Vinton [1][5]
1915 The Necklace of Pearls The Banker [1][6]
1916 The Bubbles in the Glass [1]
1916 Silas Marner Godfrey [2]
1916 The Cruise of Fate [1]
1916 The Sailor's Smiling Spirit [1]
1916 The Weakling [1]
1916 The Nymph [1]
1916 Brothers Equal [1]
1916 The Black Terror [1]
1916 The World and the Woman James Palmer [1]
1917 A Modern Monte Cristo William Deane [2]
1917 The Vicar of Wakefield Geoffrey; Mr. Burchell [1][7]
1917 When Love Was Blind John Grayson [2]
1917 The Candy Girl [1]
1917 An Amateur Orphan [1]
1917 The Heart of Ezra Greer Denbeigh's guardian [1]
1918 The Girl and the Judge Frank Lorimer [2]
1928 Ships of the Night Police chief [8]
1928 The Black Pearl Silas Lathrop [2]
1929 Object: Alimony Philip Stone [2]
1929 Two Sisters Judge Rhodes [2]
1929 Anne Against the World Emmett [2]
1929 The Phantom in the House Judge Thompson [9]
1930 The Kibitzer Briggs [2]
1930 Worldly Goods Secretary [2]
1930 Morocco [10]
1931 Mother and Son Broker [11]
1932 Ghost City [2]
1934 David Harum Banker [2]
1935 The Cowboy Millionaire Hotel clerk [2]
1935 Annapolis Farewell Officer on Congress [2]
1936 The Milky Way [2]
1936 Mr. Deeds Goes to Town [2]
1936 The White Angel Officer in barracks [2]
1936 Yours for the Asking [2]
1936 Wanted! Jane Turner [2]
1936 Swing Time [2]
1936 Parole! Board chairman [2]
1937 Champagne Waltz [2]
1937 Wells Fargo [2]
1939 Our Leading Citizen Member [2]
1941 Citizen Kane Theodore Roosevelt [2]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Thomas A. Curran Biography". thanhouser.org. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "Thomas Curran". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
  3. ^ "New Releases on the Mutual Program: The Commuted Sentence". Reel Life. November 6, 1915. p. 5. Retrieved 2016-01-24.
  4. ^ "New Releases on the Mutual Program: In Baby's Garden". Reel Life. November 6, 1915. p. 10. Retrieved 2016-01-24.
  5. ^ "New Releases on the Mutual Program: Her Confession". Reel Life. December 4, 1915. p. 9. Retrieved 2016-01-24.
  6. ^ "New Releases on the Mutual Program: The Necklace of Pearls". Reel Life. December 11, 1915. p. 9. Retrieved 2016-01-24.
  7. ^ "The Vicar of Wakefield". The Progressive Silent Film List. The Silent Era Company. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  8. ^ "Ships of the Night". The Progressive Silent Film List. The Silent Era Company. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  9. ^ "The Phantom in the House". The Progressive Silent Film List. The Silent Era Company. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  10. ^ Reid, John Howard (2008). Silent Films & Early Talkies on DVD: A Classic Movie Fan's Guide. Morrisville, North Carolina: Lulu Press. p. 178. ISBN 9781435710733.
  11. ^ "Mother and Son". BFI Film & TV Database. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 2012-08-05. Retrieved 2016-01-22.

  • Thomas A. Curran at IMDb


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