Tom Keene (actor)


Tom Keene 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 real 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.

Early life and career

Born George Duryea in Rochester, New York, 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 directed by Cecil B. DeMille; Tide of Empire with Renée Adorée; Thunder with Lon Chaney, Sr.; Tol'able David and Sundown Trail. In 1934 King Vidor cast him in the socially conscious Depression oriented classic Our Daily Bread with Karen Morley.
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. 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. He retired soon after this and focused on real estate and the insurance business.

Death

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

Filmography

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

, his last role.
YearTitleRoleNotes
1928The Godless GirlBob HathawayCredited as George Duryea
1928Marked MoneyClydeCredited as George Duryea
1929Tide of EmpireDermod D'ArcyCredited as George Duryea
1929Honky TonkFreddie GilmoreCredited as George Duryea
1929ThunderJimCredited as George Duryea
1929In Old CaliforniaLt. Tony HopkinsCredited as George Duryea
1930Beau BanditW.S. "Bill" HowardCredited as George Duryea
1930The Dude WranglerWally McCannCredited as George Duryea
1930Night WorkHarvey VandermanCredited as George Duryea
1930Pardon My GunTed DuncanCredited as George Duryea
1930Tol'able DavidAlan Kinemon
1931Sundown TrailBuck Sawyer
1931Freighters of DestinySteve Macey
1931Suicide FleetLt. James KeeneUncredited
1932PartnersDick Barstow
1932The Saddle BusterMontana
1932Ghost ValleyJerry Long
1932Beyond the RockiesBlackjack
1932Come on Danger!Larry Madden, Texas Ranger
1932Renegades of the WestTom Bagby
1933The Cheyenne KidTom Larkin
1933Scarlet RiverTom Baxter
1933Son of the BorderTom Owens
1933Sunset PassJack Rock / Jim Collins
1933Cross FireTom 'Jack' Allen
1934Our Daily BreadJohn SimsAlternative title: Hell's Crossroads
1935Hong Kong NightsHimself
1936Timothy's QuestDavid Masters
1936Drift FenceJim Travis
1936Desert GoldRandolph Gale
1936The Glory TrailCaptain John Carroll
1936RebellionCaptain John Carroll
1937Battle of GreedJohn Storm
1937Old LouisianaJohn Colfax
1937Under Strange FlagsTom Kenyon
1937The Law CommandsDr. Keith Kenton
1937Drums of DestinyCapt. Jerry Crawford
1937Raw TimberTom Corbin
1937God's Country and the ManJim Reid
1937Where Trails DivideTom Allen
1937Romance of the RockiesDr. Tom Foster
1938The Painted TrailTom Gray posing as the Pecos Kid
1941Wanderers of the WestTom Mallory posing as The Arizona Kid
1941Dynamite CanyonMarshal Tom Evans Posing as Ed 'Trigger' Jones
1941The Driftin' KidTom Sterling
1941Riding the Sunset TrailTom Sterling
1941Lone Star Law MenTom Sterling
1942Western MailTom Allen
1942Arizona RoundupTom Kenyon
1942Where Trails EndTom Kenyon
1944Up in ArmsAshley's AideCredited as Richard Powers
1944The Navy WaySteve ApplebyCredited as Richard Powers
1944The Great Alaskan MysteryBurgerSerial , Credited as Richard Powers
1944Jungle WomanJoe - Fingerprint ManCredited as Richard Powers
1944Goodnight, SweetheartReporterUncredited
1944The Port of 40 ThievesScott BartonCredited as Richard Powers
1944San Diego, I Love YouReporterUncredited
1944Lights of Old Santa FeFrank MaddenCredited as Richard Powers
1944Sergeant MikeReedCredited as Richard Powers
1945Dangerous IntruderCurtisCredited as Richard Powers
1945Girls of the Big HouseBarton SturgisCredited as Richard Powers
1946San QuentinHal Schaeffer, Robbery DetailCredited as Richard Powers
1947Dick Tracy's DilemmaFredCredited as Richard Powers
1947Seven Keys to BaldpateSteve BlandCredited as Richard Powers
1947Thunder MountainJohnny BlueCredited as Richard Powers
1947CrossfireDetectiveCredited as Richard Powers
1947Under the Tonto RimJohn DennisonCredited as Richard Powers
1947Dick Tracy Meets GruesomeDr. FrankeyUncredited
1947Wild Horse MesaHod SlackCredited as Richard Powers
1948The Judge Steps OutMrs. Winthrop's AttorneyUncredited
1948Western HeritageSpade ThorneCredited as Richard Powers
1948Berlin ExpressMajorCredited as Richard Powers
1948Race StreetAlCredited as Richard Powers
1948Return of the Bad MenJim YoungerCredited as Richard Powers
1948Blood on the MoonTed ElserCredited as Richard Powers
1948Indian AgentMonty HutchinsCredited as Richard Powers
1949Brothers in the SaddleNash PrescottCredited as Richard Powers
1950Storm over WyomingTug CaldwellCredited as Richard Powers
1950Desperadoes of the WestWard GordonSerial, Credited as Richard Powers
1950The MilkmanDuzikUncredited
1950Trail of Robin HoodHimselfCredited as Tom Keene
1951Texans Never CryTracy WyattCredited as Richard Powers
1951The Fat ManMacUncredited
1951Home Town StoryAbbott, Bob's campaign managerUncredited
1951The Stu Erwin ShowArthur HaleEpisode: "The Big Game"
1951The Range RiderLangEpisode: "The Grand Fleece"
1952Red Planet MarsMajor General George BurdetteUncredited
1952Sky KingSheriff2 episodes
Credited as Richard Powers
1953The MoonlighterSheriffCredited as Richard Powers
1953The Abbott and Costello ShowJoe2 episodes
Credited as Richard Powers
1953General Electric TheaterSlocumEpisode: "Woman's World"
Credited as Richard Powers
1954Outlaw's DaughterBank ManagerUncredited
1954Hopalong CassidyBill BrickerEpisode: "Steel Trails West"
Credited as Richard Powers
1955Dig That UraniumFrank LoomisCredited as Richard Powers
1955The MillionaireAttorney MarloweEpisode: "The Uncle Robby Story"
1956WetbacksHighway Patrol InspectorCredited as Richard Powers
1956Tension at Table RockMan Killed by SamUncredited
1958Once Upon a Horse...HimselfCredited as Tom Keene
1958Casey JonesJohn PatrickEpisode: "The Silk Train"
Credited as Richard Powers
1958Tales of the Texas RangersMorgan ThorpeEpisode: "Traitor's Gold"
Credited as Richard Powers
1959Death Valley DaysCharlie DuffEpisode: "Stagecoach Spy"
Credited as Richard Powers
1959Plan 9 from Outer SpaceCol. Tom EdwardsCredited as Tom Keene