Tom Neal

Biography: After brief experience in stock Tom Neal debuted on Broadway in 1935; he appeared in three straight failures, then quit acting to get his law degree at Harvard. In 1938 he moved to Hollywood and debuted onscreen. Over the next decade-plus he appeared in dozens of very low-budget films (including the Republic "Jungle Girl" serials), both in leads and supporting roles; he often played tough guys in action films. In the early '50s he became romantically involved with actress Barbara Payton. In 1951 when Payton had an alleged affair with actor Franchot Tone, Neal got into a physical altercation with Tone that resulted in Tone being hospitalized. Though Neal and Payton later reconciled, his career had been ruined by the incident and he no longer received offers to act. In 1965 he fatally shot his third wife; he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served seven years in prison. Within a year of his release he died of a heart attack.