He was born Thomas Allen McIntyre on June 17, 1923 in Washington State and somehow got to Hollywood
in the late thirties or early forties. He worked as an extra in a number of films before latching onto a gang of hoodlums
known as the "Dead End Kids" (aka East Side Kids, Bowery Boys.) Tommy met and became close friends with actor Frankie Daro,
with whom he roomed for a short period. He took to acting like a duck takes to water. He played many small bits in a
multitude of movies and became friends with many of the stars of the time. He appeared in 14 of the Dead End Kids' films not
as a featured player. He entertained at theater parties, playing piano and drums. Tommy also wrote songs for himself and friends.
Years later, he ended up at Gillman Hot Springs, a place where many film stars gathered. He was a kind of "gofer,"
for the resort there but got a chance to play piano for various events.
He appeared in the "Ramona Pageant" in Hemet a number of years, and at the instigation of gospel singer Danney
Ball, he joined Seniors On Stage, a troupe of over-55 performers directed by Elson Irwin (who had started S.O.S. in San Diego
fifteen years before.)
Tommy was an enigmatic character. Very little is known of his personal life. He was married and had a son, John
McIntyre, whose whereabouts is unknown.
Tommy was a member of the Screen Actors Guild and other actors' unions.
He also entertained in various bistros in Palm Springs.
He was born Thomas McIntyre, but for some reason he didn't care for that name. Shortly after seeing the movie
"On Golden Pond," in 1981, he decided to change his name. He chose "Thayer" from the character Henry Fonda played in
that film (Norman Thayer.)
From that point on, he was Tommy Thayer.
He appeared in Seniors On Stage productions from 2000 (first at Golden Village) up to 2004.
He developed prostate cancer and that disease finally killed him in 2008.
Tommy was everyone's friend and sometimes "patsy." He lived a frugal existence, but would lavish money on deserving
and sometimes undeserving friends. He often paid the bills for film star friends who left him "holding the bag," so-to-speak.
He owned property in Hollywood from which he derived an income. He became acquainted with John Wayne, Judy
Garland, Joan Crawford and many other stars. It's a pity, he never became a star himself. He had a rather unusual appearance,
his hair often cast "to the winds." And he wasn't particularly careful about his attire. All those things were unimportant
to him. He lived to perform and applause was his reward,
Much later in life, he went back to school and received an AA degree from Mount San Jacinto College where
he got all A's and B's in drama, speech and music classes.
He played piano and guitar and dabbled in vocals. His favorite song with Seniors On Stage was "I'm Gonna Sit Right
Down and Write Myself A Letter."
He excelled at improvisation and could carry an unrehearsed skit to hilarious heights.
He mumbled (forgot the his lines) through an entire scene as "Old Man Marley," a Hemet used car dealer, in
Elson Irwin's "A Hemet Christmas Carol" in 2004.
He was a guy everybody liked but they didn't know exactly why. Basically, Tommy was a loner, but he responded
well to others and to the situation.
The world will miss Tommy Thayer.
