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Tom Laughlin (born August 10, 1931) is an American actor and director. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Laughlin is best known for his series of Billy Jack films.
Background
Laughlin began his on-screen acting career in the 1955 feature film Climax! From there he went on to appear in numerous feature films including: These Wilder Years, Tea and Sympathy and South Pacific. He also appeared in several episodes of various television series throughout the late 1950s and 1960s.
In 1967 he wrote (as E. James Lloyd), directed (as T. C. Frank) and starred in the film The Born Losers. This was the first film in which the character of Billy Jack appeared. He followed this up with the sequel, Billy Jack, which was very successful, and The Trial of Billy Jack, which was also successful. But the 1977 version of the franchise, Billy Jack Goes to Washington, was a failure, and proved to be Laughlin's last film as a director. He is currently seeking funding for a fifth film, entitled Billy Jack's Crusade to End the Iraq War and Restore America to Its Moral Purpose.
Prior to the financial failure of Billy Jack Goes to Washington he also wrote, directed and starred in, along side Superfly (film) star Ron O'Neal, the 1975 feature film The Master Gunfighter. This film was a cult film success. It was set in the old west and the lead characters fought their battle with a combination of pistols and samurai swords.
Laughlin has continued acting. He more recent years he has appeared in features as The Big Sleep and The Legend of the Lone Ranger.
Politics
In recent years, Laughlin has turned his eye to politics, an arena that has always interested him. In 1992 he sought the Democratic Party nomination for President, and appeared on the primary ballots in New Hampshire and several other states. Despite being excluded from debates by party officials who did not consider him a serious candidate, he received 2% of the vote in the New Hampshire primary. He ran for president again in 2004, this time as a Republican, although his views have not changed, with similar results. He has also expressed interest in running for governor of California.
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1931 births | Living people | American actors | People from Minnesota | People from Wisconsin | Roman Catholics
"Tom Laughlin (actor)"