Tom Keene (born George Duryea) (December 30, 1896 – August 4, 1963) was an American actor born in Rochester, New York known mostly for his roles in B Westerns.
Little is known of his earlier life but he arrived in Hollywood in the late 20s after college studies at Columbia and Carnegie Tech and immediately made some impact co-starring in The Godless Girl (1929) directed by Cecil B. DeMille .
Known for his sharp, pleasant looks and physique, he was given the new name of Tom Keene and began appearing as a cowboy in a series of RKO "Poverty Row" westerns in the early 30s. Unlike other sagebrush stars of the time such as Lash LaRue or William "Hopalong Cassidy" Boyd, Tom's heroes took on different names and appearances - wearing both black and white western outfits and hats -- and his characters were not two-fisted men by nature. As a result, he remained a second-string, less identifiable western star for the duration of his career. Keene appeared in Our Daily Bread (1934) directed by King Vidor.
In addition, Tom purposely returned to the stage and even appeared in lesser roles but better quality films from time to time in order to avoid the typical western stereotype. Inevitably, however, he would return to the minor studios such as Monogram and Republic Studios in cowboy garb in need of work. In 1944 Tom changed his name once again to Richard Powers as well as using his birth name, George Duryea, in the last juncture of his career, which hindered his overall fame.
Keene as Colonel Tom Edwards in Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
He moved steadily down the credits line in pictures, appearing as villains on occasion. He played Col. Tom Edwards in the Ed Wood-directed cult film Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959). He retired soon after this and focused on real estate and the insurance business. Tom died of cancer in 1963 and left a wife and stepson.
On his passing in 1963, Tom Keene was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
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Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Keene"
Categories: American film actor, 1890s birth stubs | 1896 births | 1963 deaths | American film actors | American silent film actors | People from Rochester, New York | Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)
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