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Tom Neal
Thomas Carroll Neal Jr. (January 28, 1914 – August 7, 1972) was an American actor and amateur boxer. Between 1932 and 1934, he was an amateur boxer who fought in many fights. As an actor, he was best known for his starring role in the critically lauded film Detour and for having a widely publicized affair with actress Barbara Payton. In 1965, his wife was found shot dead, and he was later convicted and imprisoned for involuntary manslaughter. After release, he died in 1972 of heart failure.
Born in Evanston, Illinois, Neal was one of three children born to banker Thomas, Sr. and Mayme Neal (née Martin). He had two older sisters, Mary Elizabeth and Dorothy Helen. His great uncle was John Drew, the noted thespian. Neal and his sisters were raised in a spacious ten-room home in Chicago. He attended Lake Forest Academy and Evanston Township High School before enrolling at Northwestern University where he majored in mathematics. During college, Neal played several sports and, for a time, competed in amateur boxing matches. He was also a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and was active in the drama club.
Neal dropped out of Northwestern after a year, and moved back to Chicago. He appeared in various stage productions in summer stock before making his way to New York City in 1933. Neal made his Broadway debut in 1935. In 1938, he first appeared in film in Out West with the Hardys, part of the Mickey Rooney "Hardy family" movie series.[citation needed]
Neal appeared in many low budget B-movies in the 1940s/1950s. In 1941 he starred with Frances Gifford in the Republic Pictures 15-episode serial Jungle Girl. Perhaps his most memorable role was that of Al Roberts in the classic film noir Detour alongside Ann Savage. They went on to make five movies together.[citation needed]
Neal was married three times and had one child. His first marriage was to actress and singer Vicky Lane whom he married in 1948. Lane divorced Neal in 1949, citing "mental and physical cruelty".
In 1935, at the age of 21, Neal made headlines for announcing his engagement to marry 32-year-old Inez Norton, the ex-Follies girl and former girlfriend of slain gangster Arnold Rothstein. According to newspaper accounts, the engagement was broken off after the intervention of Neal's father.
In the early 1950s, Neal met actress Barbara Payton at a party. The two began dating, but Payton ended the relationship after meeting and becoming engaged to actor Franchot Tone. Despite her engagement, Payton began seeing Neal again. On September 14, 1951, Neal, Payton, and Tone made headlines after Neal got into a physical altercation with Tone over Payton in her front yard. Neal beat Tone severely while Payton reportedly watched the fight. Tone suffered severe injuries, including a smashed cheekbone, a broken nose, and a brain concussion, for which he was hospitalized. After he recovered, Tone and Payton married on September 28, 1951. Payton left Tone after 53 days and returned to Neal. Tone filed for divorce in March 1952, citing Payton for adultery. Neal and Payton announced their engagement in May 1953, but eventually ended their relationship later that year.
Shortly after their breakup, Neal married Patricia Fenton. His only child, Patrick Thomas Neal, was born in 1957. Fenton died the following year from cancer. In 1992, Patrick Neal (who goes by the name Tom Neal, Jr.) appeared in one film, playing the role of Al Roberts in a 1992 independent remake of Detour.
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Tom Neal
Thomas Carroll Neal Jr. (January 28, 1914 – August 7, 1972) was an American actor and amateur boxer. Between 1932 and 1934, he was an amateur boxer who fought in many fights. As an actor, he was best known for his starring role in the critically lauded film Detour and for having a widely publicized affair with actress Barbara Payton. In 1965, his wife was found shot dead, and he was later convicted and imprisoned for involuntary manslaughter. After release, he died in 1972 of heart failure.
Born in Evanston, Illinois, Neal was one of three children born to banker Thomas, Sr. and Mayme Neal (née Martin). He had two older sisters, Mary Elizabeth and Dorothy Helen. His great uncle was John Drew, the noted thespian. Neal and his sisters were raised in a spacious ten-room home in Chicago. He attended Lake Forest Academy and Evanston Township High School before enrolling at Northwestern University where he majored in mathematics. During college, Neal played several sports and, for a time, competed in amateur boxing matches. He was also a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and was active in the drama club.
Neal dropped out of Northwestern after a year, and moved back to Chicago. He appeared in various stage productions in summer stock before making his way to New York City in 1933. Neal made his Broadway debut in 1935. In 1938, he first appeared in film in Out West with the Hardys, part of the Mickey Rooney "Hardy family" movie series.[citation needed]
Neal appeared in many low budget B-movies in the 1940s/1950s. In 1941 he starred with Frances Gifford in the Republic Pictures 15-episode serial Jungle Girl. Perhaps his most memorable role was that of Al Roberts in the classic film noir Detour alongside Ann Savage. They went on to make five movies together.[citation needed]
Neal was married three times and had one child. His first marriage was to actress and singer Vicky Lane whom he married in 1948. Lane divorced Neal in 1949, citing "mental and physical cruelty".
In 1935, at the age of 21, Neal made headlines for announcing his engagement to marry 32-year-old Inez Norton, the ex-Follies girl and former girlfriend of slain gangster Arnold Rothstein. According to newspaper accounts, the engagement was broken off after the intervention of Neal's father.
In the early 1950s, Neal met actress Barbara Payton at a party. The two began dating, but Payton ended the relationship after meeting and becoming engaged to actor Franchot Tone. Despite her engagement, Payton began seeing Neal again. On September 14, 1951, Neal, Payton, and Tone made headlines after Neal got into a physical altercation with Tone over Payton in her front yard. Neal beat Tone severely while Payton reportedly watched the fight. Tone suffered severe injuries, including a smashed cheekbone, a broken nose, and a brain concussion, for which he was hospitalized. After he recovered, Tone and Payton married on September 28, 1951. Payton left Tone after 53 days and returned to Neal. Tone filed for divorce in March 1952, citing Payton for adultery. Neal and Payton announced their engagement in May 1953, but eventually ended their relationship later that year.
Shortly after their breakup, Neal married Patricia Fenton. His only child, Patrick Thomas Neal, was born in 1957. Fenton died the following year from cancer. In 1992, Patrick Neal (who goes by the name Tom Neal, Jr.) appeared in one film, playing the role of Al Roberts in a 1992 independent remake of Detour.
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