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Tom London (August 24, 1889 – December 5, 1963) was an American veteran actor who played frequently in B-Westerns. According to The Guinness Book of Movie Records, London is credited with appearing in the most films in the history of Hollywood, this according to the 2001 book Film Facts, where it states that the performer who played in the most films was "Tom London, who made his first of over 2000 appearances in The Great Train Robbery, 1903.
Born Leonard Clapham in Louisville, Kentucky, he got his start in movies as a props man in Chicago, Illinois. His debut was in 1915 in the Western Lone Larry, performing under his own name. In 1925, after having appeared in many silent films, he changed his name to Tom London, and used that name for the rest of his career. The first film in which he was billed under his new name was Winds of Chance, a World War I film, in which he played "Sgt. Rock". London was a trick rider and roper, and used his trick skills in scores of Westerns. In the silent film era he often played villainous roles, while in later years he often appeared as the sidekick to Western stars like Sunset Carson in several films.
One of the busiest character actors, he appeared in over 600 films. London made many guest appearances in television shows through the 1950s, such as The Range Rider, with Jock Mahoney and Dick Jones. He also played Sam, the attendant of Helen Ramirez (Katy Jurado) in High Noon. His last movie was Underworld U.S.A. in 1961, and his final roles on TV were in Lawman and The Dakotas.
London died at his home in North Hollywood at age 81 and was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
Movies
American Empire
Rider with Crowder's Posse (uncredited)
The Secret Six
Blackjacking Gangster (uncredited)
Lady for a Day
Reception Guest (uncredited)
Friendly Persuasion
Farmer on Front Line with Gard (uncredited)
Bad Man of Deadwood
Townsman
Springtime in the Rockies
Tracy
Santa Fe Stampede
Marshal Jim Wood
Without Honors
'Sholt' Fletcher
Gold
Sheriff
The Lawless Nineties
Henchman Ward
The Nuisance
Kelley's Associate (uncredited)
Mystery Ranch
Holdup man
Southward Ho!
Phoney Union Sergeant
Trailing Double Trouble
Henchman Kirk
The Yellow Rose of Texas
Sheriff Allen
Marshal of Cripple Creek
Baker
Sunset Pass
Ben
The Galloping Ghost
Mullins
The Night Rider
Jeff Barton
Blue Canadian Rockies
Pop Phillips
Guns and Guitars
Henchman Connor
Manhattan Tower
Mechanic (uncredited)
Stardust on the Sage
Henchman MacGowan
Borrowed Wives
Mac, the Motorcycle Cop
Oregon Trail
Sheriff Plenner
Toll of the Desert
Sheriff Jackson
Hong Kong Nights
Blake
The Miracle Rider
Sewell
Marshal of Reno
Sheriff
Sheriff of Redwood Valley
Sheriff
San Antonio Kid
Long
The Border Patrolman
Johnson
Ghost Town Law
Ace, Chief Thug
Down Texas Way
Bartender Pete
Outlaws of Sonora
Sheriff Trask
Romance of the Rio Grande
U. S. Marshal
The Last of the Clintons
Luke Todd
Riders in the Sky
Old Man Robert
St. Louis Woman
Lions Coach Ryan
Federal Operator 99
Prof. Crawford
Spy Smasher
Crane
Secret Valley
2nd Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Bar-Z Bad Men
Sig Bostell
Law of the Ranger
Henchman Pete
Prairie Moon
Henchman Steve
The Cactus Kid
Sheriff
Gun Play
Meeker
Jesse James Rides Again
Sam Bolton
Troopers Three
Sgt. Hank Darby
King of the Forest Rangers
Tom Judson
Perils of the Royal Mounted
Gaynor
The Phantom Rider
Medicine Man Ceta
The Wolf Dog
Brooks
The Fighting Devil Dogs
Henchman Wilson
The Lone Ranger
Henchman Felton
Shooting High
Eph Carson
The Valley of Vanishing Men
Slater
The Woman Racket
Hennessy
Phantom Ranger
Reynolds
The Renegade Ranger
Henchman Red
Phantom Rancher
Sheriff Parker
River's End
Mountie
The Demon Rider
Black Hawk
The Two Gun Man
Lem Tolliver
The Arizona Terror
Henchman Chuckawalla
Range Law
Henchman Cleve
Mystery Mountain
Rattler Henchman Morgan
Flaming Lead
Bart Daggett
Wild Horse Stampede
Henchman Lefty
Cock of the Air
Military Policeman
The Michigan Kid
Minor Role (uncredited)
Stagecoach to Monterey
Chester Wade
Trail of Kit Carson
John Benton
Santa Fe Uprising
Lafe Dibble
Trailing the Killer
Sheriff
The Lost Special
Dirk / Detective Dane
Beyond the Rockies
Kirk Tracy
The Cowboy Musketeer
Joe Dokes
Safety in Numbers
Motorist (uncredited)
Westward Bound
Dick - Rustler
Six Shootin' Sheriff
Bar X Foreman
Radio Patrol
Eddie Lewis
Smashing the Rackets
Dixon - Detective
Westbound Stage
Henchman Parker
Way Down East
Town Choir Singer (uncredited)
King of the Jungle
Lion Attendant (uncredited)
Sworn Enemy
Gangster (uncredited)
The Oregon Trail
Pete Cave Henchman
Avenging Waters
Henchman Huffy
Mandrake the Magician
Mill River Inn Henchman
Land of the Open Range
Henchman Tracy Briggs
Jesse James
Soldier (uncredited)
Made for Each Other
Ranger (uncredited)
Let Us Live
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
The Night Riders
Rancher Wilson
Allegheny Uprising
Settler at McDowell's Mill
Sheriff of Cimarron
Frank Holden
Broadway Thru a Keyhole
Member of Rocci's Mob
Gordon of Ghost City
Pat Campbell
Jungle Menace
Detective Interrogating Pete
Fangs of the Wild
Larry Dean
The Gay Caballero
Man at Fiesta
Viva Cisco Kid
Town Marshal
Song of the Buckaroo
Sheriff Wade
Call of the Prairie
Dealer
The Iron Master
Turner
Rollin' Westward
Sheriff
Man from Rainbow Valley
Healey
Roll Wagons Roll
Henchman Matt Grimes
Wagon Tracks West
Lem Martin
Riding the Sunset Trail
Sheriff Hays
Robbers of the Range
Henchman Monk Saunders
San Antone Ambush
Bartender Tim
Rawhide Mail
Barfly Al
Ferocious Pal
Dave Brownell
The Ox-Bow Incident
Deputy (uncredited)
Homesteaders of Paradise Valley
Rancher
The Shadow
Hijacked Truck Driver
The Green Hornet Strikes Again!
Thug with Explosives
Five Little Peppers at Home
Miner
Our Hospitality
James Canfield (uncredited)
Don't Fence Me In
Ben Duncan
High Noon
Sam (uncredited)
Santa Fe Scouts
Billy Dawson
Sunset Trail
Jake
The Ranger and the Lady
Independent Freight Wagon Driver
Gaucho Serenade
Sheriff Tom Olson
Brigham Young
Raider
When the Daltons Rode
Lyncher
Boom Town
Sheriff Harris (uncredited)
Dark Command
Messenger
Wagon Train
Henchman Charlie
Smoky
Horse Trader
Deadwood Dick
Jake
Winners of the West
Henchman Webb
Wanderers of the West
Montana Sheriff
Call of the Rockies
Henchman Hansen
Forbidden Trails
Marshal Tom
Riders from Nowhere
Mason
Wild Horse Range
Arnold
Lure of the Wasteland
Foreman
Pack Train
Dan Coleman
Stick to Your Guns
Ranch Foreman Waffles
Twilight on the Trail
Henchman Gregg
Northwest Passage
Ranger
Quick Millions
Atlas Newsreel Man (uncredited)
Lillian Russell
Frank
Melody Ranch
Henchman Joe #2
Junior G-Men
Kearney - Riot Squad Cop
The Green Archer
Detective with Shiner
Dude Cowboy
Silver City Sheriff
Chinatown Nights
Cop
The Renegade
Pete
Blackmail
Tom - Cashier
Twilight on the Rio Grande
U.S. Customs Agent Tom
The Invisible Informer
Eph Shroud
Night Train to Memphis
Train Conductor
Passkey to Danger
Gerald Bates
Girls of the Big House
Sheriff at Alma's Cell
Flame of Barbary Coast
Thompson, Townsman in Mob
Earl Carroll Vanities
Tom the Doorman
Grissly's Millions
Policeman Ralph
Thoroughbreds
Pop
Faces in the Fog
Auto Court Manager
The Fighting Seabees
Johnson (uncredited)
Marshal of Laredo
Barton
Cheyenne Wildcat
Harrison Colby
Vigilantes of Dodge City
Denver
The Wild Frontier
Patrick MacSween
Colorado Pioneers
Sand Snipe
Wagon Wheels Westward
Fake Judge James E. Worth
California Gold Rush
Sheriff Peabody
Sun Valley Cyclone
Sheriff
Conquest of Cheyenne
Sheriff Dan Perkins
Rustlers of Devil's Canyon
The Sheriff
Cody of the Pony Express
Doc Laramie
Juvenile Court
Policeman at Accident (uncredited)
The Old Frontier
Banker
Rough Riders of Durango
Rancher Evans
Ghost Valley Raiders
Sheriff
The Son of Davy Crockett
Ranger Logan
The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance
Cop Getting Crane
Bad Men of Thunder Gap
Hank Turner
The Spider Returns
Detective
Saddle Pals
Dad Gardner
Trail Guide
Old Timer
Hi-Yo Silver
Felton
Fugitive Valley
Marshal Warren
The Lone Rider in Frontier Fury
Curley - Saloon Henchman
Arizona Terrors
Second Dialogue Tenant-Rancher
Red River Robin Hood
Sheriff Del Auston
Shadows on the Sage
Franklin
Lone Star Ranger
Henchman (uncredited)
Hail to the Rangers
Jessup
Overland Mail Robbery
Sheriff
Hidden Valley Outlaws
Sheriff McBride
Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground
Henchman Pete
West of Texas
Steve Conlon
Beneath Western Skies
Earl Phillips
Code of the Prairie
Henchman Loomis
Firebrands of Arizona
Wagon Driver
Sheriff of Sundown
Sheriff Tom Carpenter
Silver City Kid
Sheriff Gibson
Zorro's Black Whip
James Bradley
The Cherokee Flash
Utah
Corpus Christi Bandits
Rocky - Henchman
The Undercover Woman
Lem
Rough Riders of Cheyenne
Sheriff Edwards
Sunset in El Dorado
Sheriff Gridley
Alias Billy the Kid
Dakota
Days of Buffalo Bill
Banty McCabe
Out California Way
Johnny
Red River Renegades
Pop Underwood
Rio Grande Raiders
Sheriff Tom Hammon
Roll on Texas Moon
Sheriff Bert Morris
Along the Oregon Trail
Wagon Boss
Last Frontier Uprising
Skillet (Ranch Hand)
Sky Racket
Agent-Passenger (Car Chase)
Under Colorado Skies
Sheriff Blanchard
Mark of the Lash
Lem Kimmerly
Marshal of Amarillo
Mr. Snodgrass
Gun Smoke
Hank Bailey
Western Union
Slade Henchman #3
Sons of the Pioneers
Joe #1 - Henchman
Ridin' Down the Canyon
Henchman
Underground Rustlers
Henchman Tom Harris
Frontier Investigator
Jed
Riders of the West
Slim - Lanky Henchman
Billy the Kid
Leader (uncredited)
South of Rio
Jim Weston
Bandit Ranger
Cattle Rustler (uncredited)
Across the Sierras
Man on Wagon
Valley of the Sun
Trooper Parker
The Omaha Trail
Oxen Train Bullwhacker
Silver Spurs
Henchman
Idaho
Henchman
False Colors
Poncho Townsman
Song of Texas
Race Official
Bullets and Saddles
Marshal (archive footage)
The Woman of the Town
Crockett Henchman
Quincannon, Frontier Scout
Livery Stableman (uncredited)
Wildcat Saunders
Pete Hawkins
Riders of the Black Hills
Henchman Red Stevens
The Silver Trail
Looney
Skull and Crown
Henchman Jennings
The Lady and the Monster
Man Who Tails Cory (Uncredited)
The Secret Code
Weather Bureau Guard
Angel's Holiday
Truck Driver
Roaring Timber
Henchman Duke
The Heritage of the Desert
Dave Naab
Sid's Long Count
Policeman
Brand of Fear
Marshal Blackjack Flint
Captive Wild Woman
Ship's Captain (archive footage)
No Place for a Lady
Air Raid Warden (? - ever seen in final cut?)
Batman
Andrews
The Secret of Convict Lake
Jerry - Posse Member (uncredited)
Police Car 17
Detective (uncredited)
Border Vengeance
Flash Denby
The Great Air Robbery
Undetermined Role (as Leonard Clapham)
Code of the Northwest
Pvt. Frank Stafford
Baby Take a Bow
Man on Train (Uncredited)
All Quiet on the Western Front
1st Medic Orderly (uncredited)
Bachelor Bait
Detective (uncredited)
Blossoms On Broadway
Cop (uncredited)
The Mystery Rider
David Manning / The Claw
The Harvest of Hate
Martin Trask
The Long Chance
John Corbaly (as Leonard Clapham)
In Old Arizona
Man in Saloon (uncredited)
The Golden Stallion
Jules La Roux
Hell's Heroes
Croupier (uncredited)
To the Last Man
Guy
The Call of the Canyon
Lee Stanton
Mountain Rhythm
Deputy Tom
Captain America
Mack
The Big Cage
Ship Captain
O'Malley of the Mounted
Lefty - Henchman
Perils of Pauline
Soldier at American Consulate
The Thirteenth Guest
Detective Carter (Uncredited)
Honor of the Mounted
Henchman
The Fugitive
Tom
Canyon City
Sheriff Slocum
Twisted Rails
Sheriff James
Nan of the North
Dick Driscoll (as Leonard Clapham)
Liberty
(as Leonard Clapham)
Desert Greed
Ranger (uncredited)
Spell of the Circus
Butte Morgan
Colorado
David Collins (as Leonard Clapham)
The Last of the Duanes
(as Leonard Clapham)
The Lone Star Ranger
Undetermined Role (as Leonard Clapham)
Under Texas Skies
Fake Captain Hartford
Pioneer Trail
Sam Harden
Rio Rattler
Ranger Bob Adams
When Lightning Strikes
Wolf
Rio Grande Ranger
Henchman Sneed
The Man from Texas
Henchman Slim
Fighting Fury
Chet
West of Tombstone
Morris
Dynamite Canyon
Captain Gray
Western Gold
Clem
The Boss of the Rancho
The Third Alarm
Fireman Tom
Three in Exile
Jed Hawkings
Silent Sheldon
Bill Fadden
West of the Rainbow's End
Harry Palmer
A String of Diamonds
Slippery Jack Elmm
The Storm
Head Mountie
The Fighting Marines
Miller
The Crime Doctor
Detective at Airport Arrest (uncredited)
Heroes of the Range
Bud
Lone Cowboy
Conductor (uncredited)
King of the Circus
Spy Smasher Returns
Crane
The Texas Kid
Wolf Tracks
Masked
The Test
Trapper (uncredited)
'in Wrong' Wright
Sheriff
Queen of the Northwoods
Garvin / The Wolf-Devil
The Boiling Point
Pete Mallis - Henchman
Dangerous Traffic
Marc Brandon
Black Bandit
The Tall Stranger
See America Thirst
Spumoni Hood (uncredited)
Let No Man Write My Epitaph
Bum at Bar (uncredited)
The Sheepman
Shopkeeper (uncredited)
Money, Women and Guns
Old Prospector (uncredited)
Stage to Chino
Dolan - Henchman
Dick Tracy's Dilemma
Cop in Squad Car (uncredited)
Bar-L Ranch
Henchman (uncredited)
Red Desert
Colonel
Apache Country
Patches - Stage Driver (uncredited)
Firebrand Jordan
Ed Burns
Romance of the West
Rancho Notorious
Deputy in Gunsight (uncredited)
The Blazing Sun
Tom Ellis
The Oil Raider
Oil Well Driller (uncredited)
Lone Texan
Old Dan (uncredited)
The Old West
Chadwick (uncredited)
Full Confession
Prison Guard (uncredited)
13 West Street
Prisoner (uncredited)
Courage of the North
Mordant
The Purple Mask
Robert Jackson, Inventor (as Leonard Clapham)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
I'm No Angel
Sideshow Spectator (uncredited)
Crime of the Century
Dr. Jackson
The Girl Who Dared
Neilson - Gas Station Owner (uncredited)
Domino Kid
Timber Terrors
Burke
Man of the West
Tom (uncredited)
Shows
Law of the Plainsman
Stagecoach Driver
Western von gestern
O'Shea
Broken Arrow
(uncredited)
Perry Mason
Cabbie
Lawman
Pete
Maverick
Farmer
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
Old Man Craig (uncredited)
The Gene Autry Show
The Sheriff
Bat Masterson
Prisoner (uncredited)
The Ford Television Theatre
Ranson
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
Jigger (uncredited)
Adventures of Superman
Peter Thomas