A Tribute to Tom Steele

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Tom Steele (Thomas Skeoch) was born in Scotland, on June 12, 1909, the son of a construction consulting engineer. Tom came to America with his family at an early age, and his family settle in Northern California.

Tom is a very skilled horseman, he played polo competitively as a young man and also worked for a time in a steel mill, which was the source of his professional name Tom "Steele."

Tom was a student at Stanford University, where he had a football scholarship.

At the start of the Depression (1929) Tom relocated to Hollywood to become an actor, and made his film debut in 1930 in the Western "The Lone Star Ranger". But soon Tom,
relying on his skill as a horseman (Tom had played polo professionally with the San Mateo Redcoats), changed to stunts for better money and regular work. Despite this Tom can be seen playing many bit parts throughout
his career, mostly as "heavies" or minor henchmen, whose main role was to be part of a fight scene.

Tom film characters were mostly non-speaking part, as a prison guard in 1947's "Brute Force."

During the 1930s Tom worked frequently at Universal with a group of fellow stuntmen who called themselves "The Cousins." None were related, but they all pitched in to help each other with their gags and refine the art of stunt work.

Tom, in fact, is credited with the idea of wearing stunt pads, which he first fashioned from old football padding he had.

The "Cousins" also included David Sharpe, Carey Loftin, Eddie Parker, Ken Terrell, Bud Wolfe, Louis Tomei and Loren Riebe. Tom and David Sharpe were still working together well into the 1970s on such films as "Blazing Saddles"

Tom took over from David Sharpe as stunt coordinator at Republic, when David Sharpe left to serve in World War II in 1942.

Tom was the only stuntman ever to be signed to a term contract from June 1943-June 1944 by Republic.

Working with Tom was great. He was truly a professional is all ways.

Tom Steele is a "Charter Member and Life Time Member" of "The Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures."

Jim Winburn

Video running Time: 9 minutes and 6 seconds.

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