Men Of Character Character Actors
Thomas Gomex
Per Quinlan's Character Stars:
Although well in his 30's before he tried films, this heavy jowled scowling American actor, whose greasy black hair fitted his oily characters was soon a staple part of villainy in numerous 40's Hollywood thrillers. The 50's only proved that he was less effective when used as comic relief.
He was born Sabinio Tomas Gomez at New York City in 1905. He was Spanish on his father's side by way of Gibraltar and Santander Spain and French-Irish on his mother's side.
After graduating from high school, Gomez answered a help wanted ad which resulted in him joining the Alfred Lunt & Lynne Fontaine Theater Group.
Gomez worked and traveled across the country with this group gaining valuable experience. He eventually made is legitimate theater debut in New York City.
Mr. Gomez made his film debut in 1942 in the film Sherlock Holmes And The Voice Of Terror.
Some of the film roles of Thomas Gomez were:
Sherlock Holmes And The Voice Of Terror (1942) as R. F. Meade
Who Done It? (1942) as Col. J R Andrews
Arabian Nights (1942) as Hakim
White Savage (1943) as Sam Miller
Frontier Badman (1943) as Ballad
Corvette K-225 (1943) as Smithy
Crazy House (1943) as N G Wagstaff
Phantom Lady (1944) as Inspector Burgess
In Society (1944) as Drexel
The Climax (1944) as Count Seebruck
Bowery To Broadway (1944) as Tom Harvey
Dead Man's Eyes (1944) as Captain Drury
Can't Help Singing (1944) as Jake Carstairs
Frisco Sal (1945) as Police Captain Dan Martin
Patrick The Great (1945) as max Wilson
I'll Tell The World (1945) as J B Kindell
The Daltons Ride Again (1945) as "Professor" J. K. McKenna
Night In Paradise (1946) as King Croesus
Swell Guy (1946) as Dave Vinson
Johnny O'Clock (1947) as Guido Marchette
Singapore (1947) as Mr. maribus
Ride The Pink Horse (1947) as Pancho
Captain From Castille (1947) as Father Bartolome Romero
Casbah (1948) as Louvain
Key Largo (1948) as Curly Hoff
Angel In Exile (1948) as Dr. Esteban Chavez
Force Of Evil (1948) as Leo Morse
Sorrowful Jones (1949) as Reardon
Come To The Stable (1949) as Luigi Rossi
That Midnight Kiss (1949) as Guido Russino Bertelli
The Woman On Pier 13 (1949) as Vanning
The Eagle And The Hawk (1950) as Gen. Liguras - The Hawk
The Furies (1950) as El Tigre
Kim (1950) as Emissary
The Harlem Globetrotters (1951) as Coach Abe Saperstein
Anne Of The Indies (1951) as Capt. Edward Teach aka Blackbeard
Macao (1951) as Police Lt. Sebastian
The Sellout (1952) as Kellwin C. Burke
The Merry Widow (1952) as King Of Marshovia
Pony Soldier (1952) as Natayo Smith
Sombrero (1953) as Don Hornero Calderon
The Gambler From Natchez (1953) as Capt. Antione Barbee
The Adventures Of Haji Babaq (1954) as Osman Aga
The Looters ((1955) as George Parkinson
Las Vegas Shakedown (1955) as Gimpy Sirago
The Magnificent Matador (1955) as Don David
Night Freight (1955) as Haight
The Conquerer (1956) as Wang Khan
Trapeze (1956) as Bouglione
John Paul Jones (1959) as Esek Hopkins
But Not For Me (1959) as Demetrios Bakos
The Power And The Glory (1961-TV) as Delgado
Summer And Smoke (1961) as Papa Zacharias
Stay Away Joe (1968) as Grandpa
Beneath The Planet Of The Apes (1970) as Minister
Mr. Gomez was active appearing on television in such programs as Schlitz Playhouse Of Stars, Playhouse 90, The Rifleman, The Twilight Zone, The Virginian, My Three Sons, Bewitched, It Takes A Thief, Dan August, Route 66, Target The Corruptors, The Islanders, The Acquanauts, Producers Showcase, Riverboat, Hong Kong, Burke's Law, Laredo, The FBI and Gunsmoke among others.
Thomas Gomez received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1949 for his role of Pancho in the film Ride The Pink Horse.
Though in films basically, he was a strong supporting actor on the Broadway stage where he was a star playing in such works as A Man For All Seasons.
He was a noted gourmet in both New York and Hollywood and as such was very heavyset at one time tipping the scales at 292 lbs.
Just prior to his death his doctor had put him on a diet whereby his weight was reduced to below 150 lbs.
Mr. Gomez was a collector of bicycles and as such had a large collection.
Being a strong union man, he served on the board of directors of The Screen Actors Guild for more than 40 years.
Thomas Gomez was injured in an automobile accident and went into a coma from which he never survived.
He passed away in June of 1971 at age 65 as the results of the accident.
Thomas Gomez was another one of my favorite heavies. To me his best roles were that of Curly Hoff in Key Largo and Pancho in Ride The Pink Horse. But I also enjoyed his performances in Pony Soldier, Arabian Nights, Force Of Evil, Come To The Stable, Captain From Castille, Sherlock Holmes And The Voice Of Terror, White Savage, Summer And Smoke and Macao.
Louis The Movie Buff