Thomas Charles Sanders, better known as Tom Conway, was a Russian-British film, television, and radio actor, remembered for playing private detectives and psychiatrists. His Disney contributions included various roles in One Hundred and One Dalmatians and the narrator of Peter Pan.
Conway was born in St. Petersburg, Russia and his younger brother was fellow actor George Sanders. At the outbreak of the Russian Revolution, the family moved to England, where Conway was educated at Bedales School and Brighton College. He travelled to Northern Rhodesia, where he worked in mining and ranching, then returned to England, appearing in several plays with the Manchester Repertory Company and performing on BBC Radio.
When he joined his brother, George in Hollywood, he had roles in Waterloo Bridge, Sky Murder, The Trial of Mary Dugan, Free and Easy, Tarzan's Secret Treasure, Mr. and Mrs. North, Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie, Two O'Clock Courage, Mrs. Miniver, Strange Bedfellows, Death of a Scoundrel, Prince Valiant, and as Bulldog Drummond in The Challenge and 13 Lead Soldiers. His most recognized role came from RKO as the detective Tom Lawrence, known as The Falcon, a role he obtained after his brother decided to exit the role. He appeared in ten films of the series from 1942 to 1946.
Conway also performed in television shows, like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Betty Hutton Show, Perry Mason, Have Gun--Will Travel, Cheyenne, and Rawhide.
Conway's failing eyesight and alcoholism took their toll on him in his last years, and he retired from acting in 1964 and spent much of that time residing in flophouses and struggled with finances. He died on April 22, 1967 from cirrhosis of the liver at the age of 62. His funeral was held in London.
Roles
(One Hundred and One Dalmatians)
(One Hundred and One Dalmatians)
External links
Tom Conway on Wikipedia
Tom Conway on IMDb
Tom Conway at Find a Grave
