Tom Keene (actor)

Tom Keene (born George Duryea; December 30, 1896 – August 4, 1963[2]) was an American actor known mostly for his roles in B Westerns. During his almost 40-year career in motion pictures Tom Keene worked under three different names. From 1923, when he made his first picture, until 1930 he worked under his birth name, George Duryea. The last film he made under this name was Pardon My Gun. Beginning with the 1930 film Tol'able David, he used Tom Keene as his moniker. This name he used up to 1944 when he changed it to Richard Powers. The first film he used this name in was Up in Arms. He continued to use this name for the rest of his film career.

For the 19th-century stage actor, see Thomas W. Keene.

Tom Keene
Publicity photograph of Tom Keene for
Our Daily Bread (1934)
Born
George Duryea

(1896-12-30)December 30, 1896
Rochester, New York, U.S.
DiedAugust 4, 1963(1963-08-04) (aged 66)
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Glendale, California, U.S.
Other namesDick Powers
Richard Powers
OccupationActor
Years active1923–1959
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1919; div. 1940)​
[1]

Early life and career

Born George Duryea (no known relation to fellow actor Dan Duryea despite a resemblance) in Rochester, New York,[3] Keene studied at Columbia University and Carnegie Tech before embarking on an acting career. He made his film debut in the 1923 short film The Just a Little Late Club. Keene followed with roles in The Godless Girl (1929) directed by Cecil B. DeMille; Tide of Empire (1929) with Renée Adorée; Thunder with Lon Chaney, Sr.; Tol'able David (1930) and Sundown Trail (1931).[4] In 1934 King Vidor cast him in the socially conscious Depression oriented classic Our Daily Bread with Karen Morley.[5]

1931 lobby card
Keene (left) in 1936 lobby card
Tom Keene in Western Mail (1942)

During the 1940s, Keene appeared in the film serial The Great Alaskan Mystery and two Dick Tracy films Dick Tracy's Dilemma and Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947). In the 1950s, he moved on to television with guest roles on The Range Rider; Buffalo Bill, Jr.; Fury; Judge Roy Bean and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Keene's last film role was in Ed Wood's cult film Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957[6]).[7] He retired soon after this and focused on real estate and the insurance business.

Death
Tom Keene in Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959), his last role.

Keene died of cancer on August 4, 1963, aged 66. He was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Filmography
Poster for The Dude Wrangler (1930).

Later in his career (after 1944), Keene was often credited as Richard Powers, and once as Dick Powers.

Year Title Role Notes
1928 The Godless Girl Bob Hathaway Credited as George Duryea
Marked Money Clyde
1929 Tide of Empire Dermod D'Arcy
Honky Tonk Freddie Gilmore
Thunder Jim
In Old California Lt. Tony Hopkins
1930 Beau Bandit W.S. "Bill" Howard
The Dude Wrangler Wally McCann
Night Work Harvey Vanderman
Pardon My Gun Ted Duncan
Tol'able David Alan Kinemon
1931 Sundown Trail Buck Sawyer
Freighters of Destiny Steve Macey
Suicide Fleet Lt. James Keene Uncredited
1932 Partners Dick Barstow
The Saddle Buster Montana ("Monty")
Ghost Valley Jerry Long
Beyond the Rockies Blackjack
Come on Danger! Larry Madden, Texas Ranger
Renegades of the West Tom Bagby
1933 The Cheyenne Kid Tom Larkin
Scarlet River Tom Baxter
Son of the Border Tom Owens
Sunset Pass Jack Rock / Jim Collins
Cross Fire Tom 'Jack' Allen
1934 Our Daily Bread John Sims[8] Alternative title: Hell's Crossroads
1935 Hong Kong Nights Himself
1936 Timothy's Quest David Masters
Drift Fence Jim Travis
Desert Gold Randolph Gale
The Glory Trail Captain John Carroll
Rebellion
1937 Battle of Greed John Storm
Old Louisiana John Colfax
Under Strange Flags Tom Kenyon
The Law Commands Dr. Keith Kenton
Drums of Destiny Capt. Jerry Crawford
Raw Timber Tom Corbin
God's Country and the Man Jim Reid
Where Trails Divide Tom Allen
Romance of the Rockies Dr. Tom Foster
1938 The Painted Trail Tom Gray posing as the Pecos Kid
1941 Wanderers of the West Tom Mallory posing as The Arizona Kid
Dynamite Canyon Marshal Tom Evans Posing as Ed 'Trigger' Jones
The Driftin' Kid Tom Sterling
Riding the Sunset Trail
Lone Star Law Men
1942 Western Mail Tom Allen
Arizona Roundup Tom Kenyon
Where Trails End
1944 Up in Arms Ashley's Aide Credited as Richard Powers
The Navy Way Steve Appleby
The Great Alaskan Mystery Burger Serial [Ch. 11], Credited as Richard Powers
Jungle Woman Joe - Fingerprint Man Credited as Richard Powers
Goodnight, Sweetheart Reporter Uncredited
The Port of 40 Thieves Scott Barton Credited as Richard Powers
San Diego, I Love You Reporter Uncredited
Lights of Old Santa Fe Frank Madden Credited as Richard Powers
Sergeant Mike Reed
1945 Dangerous Intruder Curtis Credited as Richard Powers
Girls of the Big House Barton Sturgis
1946 San Quentin Hal Schaeffer, Robbery Detail Credited as Richard Powers
1947 Dick Tracy's Dilemma Fred Credited as Richard Powers
Seven Keys to Baldpate Steve Bland
Thunder Mountain Johnny Blue
Crossfire Detective
Under the Tonto Rim John Dennison
Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome Dr. Frankey Uncredited
Wild Horse Mesa Hod Slack Credited as Richard Powers
1948 The Judge Steps Out Mrs. Winthrop's Attorney Uncredited
Western Heritage Spade Thorne Credited as Richard Powers
Berlin Express Major
Race Street Al
Return of the Bad Men Jim Younger
Blood on the Moon Ted Elser
Indian Agent Monty Hutchins
1949 Brothers in the Saddle Nash Prescott Credited as Richard Powers
1950 Storm over Wyoming Tug Caldwell Credited as Richard Powers
Desperadoes of the West Ward Gordon Serial, Credited as Richard Powers
The Milkman Duzik Uncredited
Trail of Robin Hood Himself Credited as Tom Keene
1951 Texans Never Cry Tracy Wyatt Credited as Richard Powers
The Fat Man Mac Uncredited
Home Town Story Abbott, Bob's campaign manager Uncredited
The Stu Erwin Show Arthur Hale Episode: "The Big Game"
The Range Rider Lang Episode: "The Grand Fleece"
1952 Red Planet Mars Major General George Burdette Uncredited
Sky King Sheriff 2 episodes
Credited as Richard Powers
1953 The Moonlighter Sheriff Credited as Richard Powers
The Abbott and Costello Show Joe 2 episodes
Credited as Richard Powers
General Electric Theater Slocum Episode: "Woman's World"
Credited as Richard Powers
1954 Outlaw's Daughter Bank Manager Uncredited
Hopalong Cassidy Bill Bricker Episode: "Steel Trails West"
Credited as Richard Powers
1955 Dig That Uranium Frank Loomis Credited as Richard Powers
The Millionaire Attorney Marlowe Episode: "The Uncle Robby Story"
1956 Wetbacks Highway Patrol Inspector Credited as Richard Powers
Tension at Table Rock Man Killed by Sam Uncredited
1957 Plan 9 from Outer Space[6] Col. Tom Edwards Credited as Tom Keene
1958 Once Upon a Horse... Himself Credited as Tom Keene
Casey Jones John Patrick Episode: "The Silk Train"
Credited as Richard Powers
Tales of the Texas Rangers Morgan Thorpe Episode: "Traitor's Gold"
Credited as Richard Powers
1959 Death Valley Days Charlie Duff Episode: "Stagecoach Spy"
Credited as Richard Powers

References
  1. Folkart, Burt A. (March 19, 1992). "Gracie Lantz Dies; Invented Woody Woodpecker". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  2. Wilson, Scott (August 19, 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. p. 396. ISBN 978-1-4766-2599-7. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  3. Pitts, Michael R. (2015). Poverty Row Studios, 1929-1940. McFarland p. 135. ISBN 978-1-4766-1036-8.
  4. "Tom Keene". BFI. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020.
  5. "George Duryea | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". AllMovie.
  6. Rudolph Grey, Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, Jr. (1992). ISBN 978-0-922915-24-8.
  7. Pitts, Michael R. (2015). RKO Radio Pictures Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films, 1929-1956. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-1683-4.
  8. Levine, Sydney (April 13, 2020). "Vidor Retrospective is a Hot Alternate Reality at Berlin 70 — by Alex Deleon". Sydney's Buzz. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
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