Tom Tryon

Thomas "Tom" Tryon (January 14, 1926 – September 4, 1991) was an American film and television actor, best known for playing the title role in the film The Cardinal (1963) and the Walt Disney television character Texas John Slaughter (1958–1961). He later turned to the writing of prose fiction and screenplays, and wrote several science fiction, horror and mystery novels.

Early life and education

Thomas Tryon was born on January 14, 1926, in Hartford, Connecticut, as the son of Arthur Lane Tryon, a clothier and owner of Stackpole, Moore & Tryon. (He is often erroneously identified as the son of silent screen actor Glenn Tryon.)

He served in the United States Navy in the Pacific from 1943–1946 during and after World War II. Upon return from the U.S. Navy he attended and graduated from Yale.

Career

Acting career

Tryon then studied acting at NYC's Neighborhood Playhouse under the tutelage of Sanford Meisner. He appeared in the 1952 original Broadway production of Wish You Were Here, a long-running musical that starred Jack Cassidy, Patricia Marand and Sheila Bond.