Layne Tom Jr.

Layne Tom Jr. (born Richard Layne Tom, Jr.) (June 19, 1927 – January 14, 2015)[1] was an American actor. He holds the distinction of having played three different Charlie Chan sons: as Charlie Chan Jr. in Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937), as Tommy Chan in Charlie Chan in Honolulu (1938), and in 1940's Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise as Willie Chan, Chan's number seven son.

Layne Tom Jr.
Born(1927-06-19)June 19, 1927
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedJanuary 14, 2015(2015-01-14) (aged 87)
Huntington Beach, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1936–1945
Spouse(s)Marilynn Chow
ChildrenKiana Tom
Laurie Tom

He also appeared with child star Shirley Temple in Stowaway (1936) as an uncredited Chinese Boy in the Musical Band. He was credited as Mako with Dorothy Lamour, Jon Hall, and C. Aubrey Smith in The Hurricane (1937), and as an uncredited extra in San Francisco (1936) with stars Clark Gable, Jeanette MacDonald, and Spencer Tracy.

Tom attended John H. Francis Polytechnic High School in Los Angeles. After he got out of the Navy when World War II ended, he turned down a five-year movie contract with Monogram Pictures to attend the University of Southern California instead to become an architect. He designed the flagship Bank of America building in Los Angeles' Chinatown, as well as fire stations, banks, courthouses, libraries, shopping centers, civic centers.[2]

Tom only returned to show business to film two documentaries about Charlie Chan: Layne Tom, Jr: The Adventures of Charlie Chan, Jr. and Legacy of Charlie Chan as himself.[3]

Tom died in 2015 in his home in Huntington Beach, California, age 87.[4]

His daughter Kiana Tom is a television host, star of Kiana's Flex Appeal fitness series and one of the most widely recognized fitness experts in the world.

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1936StowawayChinese Boy in Musical BandUncredited
1937The HurricaneMako
1937Charlie Chan at the OlympicsCharlie Chan Jr.
1937The Good EarthChinese BoyUncredited
1937Daughter of Shanghai aka Daughter of the Orient (UK)Chinese Candy VendorUncredited
1938Shadows Over ShanghaiChinese Boy at SchoolUncredited
1938Charlie Chan in HonoluluTommy Chan
1939Mr. Smith Goes to WashingtonBoy RangerUncredited
1940Charlie Chan's Murder CruiseWillie Chan
1945China SkyUncredited
2006The Legacy of Charlie ChanHimselfVideo documentary short
2006Layne Tom, Jr: The Adventures of Charlie Chan, Jr.HimselfVideo documentary short

References
  1. "Charlie Chan Actor Layne Tom Jr. Dies". 11 February 2015.
  2. "Layne Tom Jr., a Son of Charlie Chan in Three Films, Dies at 87," by Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, Feb. 11 2015
  3. http://www.drberlin.com/memphis2004/story.htm
  4. "Layne Tom Jr., a Son of Charlie Chan in Three Films, Dies at 87," by Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, Feb. 11 2015


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