Thomas Robert Laughlin

 Thomas Robert Laughlin, Jr. (August 10, 1931 – December 12, 2013)

Laughlin was best known for his series of Billy Jack films. He was married to actress Delores Taylor from 1954 until his death. Taylor co-produced and acted in all four of the Billy Jack films. After enrolling at the University of South Dakota, he centered his attention on his major in Radio Acting, as well as directing and producing. He experienced his TV debut in an episode of the series "Climax!" (1955) and was cast for the part of Ralph in the Vincente Minnelli picture "Tea and Sympathy" (1956). His breakthrough role was playing the lead part of Scotty in the early Robert Altman effort "The Delinquents" (1957). Following credits in the films "South Pacific" (1958) and "Gidget" (1959), he marked his directing debut with the low-budget picture "The Proper Time" (which he also starred in and penned the script, 1962). In 1967, the character of "Billy Jack" debuted in the film "The Born Losers" for which was followed with the sequels "Billy Jack" (1971), "The Trial of Billy Jack" (1974) and "Billy Jack Goes to Washington" (1977) His unique promotion of The Trial of Billy Jack (TV trailers during national news and an "opening day" nationwide release) was a major influence on the way films are marketed. In the early 1960s, Laughlin put his film career on hiatus to start a Montessori preschool in Santa Monica, California; it became the largest school of its kind in the United States. In his later years, he sought the office of President of the United States in 1992, 2004, and 2008. Tom Laughlin died of complications from pneumonia on December 12, 2013 at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, California.