Frank M. Thomas Jr., born on April 9, 1921, was a talented juvenile actor of the 1930s Depression era films. He initially gained attention towards the end of his acting career as the space hero Tom Corbett on television, before eventually leaving the limelight.
Thomas's parents, Frank M. Thomas and Mona Bruns, were both established actors in New York, and they encouraged their young son to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Thomas made his Broadway debut at the age of 11 in the play "Carry Nation" alongside Mildred Natwick and James Stewart.
He continued to appear in various Broadway productions, including "Little Ol' Boy" and "Thunder on the Left," before transitioning to film. Thomas's film debut was in "Wednesday's Child" in 1934, where he played the teenage son of Karen Morley and Edward Arnold, with both of his parents appearing in minor roles.
Thomas went on to star in several films, including the sentimental tearjerker "A Dog of Flanders" and the adventure film "Tim Tyler's Luck." He also appeared in the "Nancy Drew" mystery film series, playing the role of Ted Nickerson, and became a brief bobbysoxer crush.
Thomas's early adult film career was marked by a series of military cadet types in films such as "Angels Wash Their Faces" and "The Major and the Minor." However, his promising start as an adult film actor was cut short when he was called to serve in the military during World War II.
After his discharge, Thomas moved to New York and found steady work in radio, appearing in over 1500 programs, as well as parts on early TV daytime serials such as "A Woman to Remember." He received lasting fame and cult identification when he was cast in the title role of "Tom Corbett, Space Cadet" in 1950, playing a cadet in training for the elite Solar Guard 400 years in the future.
Thomas stayed with the show for five years and became an All-American hero to children nationwide. Following the peak of his fame, he gave up acting altogether and wrote for radio and TV, producing the "Four Star Theater" for a time. He also became a bridge master, teaching recreational bridge while playing on the circuit with other master players.
In addition to his writing and bridge-playing pursuits, Thomas continued to hone his writing talents as a mystery novelist. In the late 1980s, he met and married his wife Virginia, who had two children from a prior marriage. His wife passed away in 1997, and Thomas passed away of respiratory failure in Sherman Oaks, California nine years later.
