Tommy Kelly (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tommy Kelly
Tommy Kelly in Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus (1938)
Born	Thomas Francis Kelly (1925-04-06)April 6, 1925 New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	January 26, 2016(2016-01-26) (aged 90) Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S.
Occupation	Film actor
Years active	1938–1950
Spouse(s)	Sue Kelly (married 1948–2016, his death)
Children	6

Tommy Kelly (born April 6, 1925 – died January 26, 2016) was a famous American child actor. He was best known for playing the main character, Tom Sawyer, in the 1938 movie The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. This movie was based on the classic book by Mark Twain.

Early Acting Life

Tommy Kelly was born in the Bronx, New York. His parents were Nora and Michael Kelly, and his father was a fireman. Tommy had twelve brothers and sisters! His grandparents came from Ireland.

He started acting when he was just twelve years old. He was chosen to play Tom Sawyer in the 1938 movie The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. This was the first time the story was made into a movie using Technicolor, which meant it had full color. About 25,000 boys tried out for the role. The famous movie producer David O. Selznick personally picked Tommy for the part.

Even though critics said Tommy did a great job, the movie didn't make a lot of money. Later that same year, he also played the main role of Bill Peck in the movie Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus.

Other Movie Roles

In 1939, Tommy Kelly had a small but memorable part in the very famous movie Gone with the Wind. He played a boy crying in a band. He also had an important supporting role as Willie in the musical film They Shall Have Music (1939). After that, he played a young cadet in the movie Military Academy (1940).

As Tommy grew up, his movie roles became smaller. He often wasn't even listed in the movie credits. His last movie was The Magnificent Yankee in 1950. After making 19 films, he stopped acting.

War Service

During World War II, Tommy joined the U.S. Army. He served in the infantry, which meant he was a foot soldier. He fought in Europe and was part of an important battle for a bridge in a place called Remagen.

Life After Hollywood

After his acting career, Tommy Kelly went to college. He earned a special degree called a Ph.D. from Michigan State University. He then worked as a high school teacher and a counselor in California. Later, he became an administrator in the school system in Florida.

In the late 1960s, he worked in Liberia as an administrator for the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps is a group that sends American volunteers to help people in other countries. After that, he was in charge of international schools in Liberia and Venezuela.

Eventually, Tommy returned to the United States. He worked in an important job at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. He worked there until he retired.

Tommy Kelly didn't talk much about his acting days after he left Hollywood at age 25.

Family and Passing

Tommy Kelly married Sue Kelly in 1948. They were married for 67 years, until he passed away.

Tommy Kelly died on January 26, 2016, in Greensboro, North Carolina. He was 90 years old. He passed away from heart failure. He was survived by his wife, six children, twelve grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Filmography