Spry, curly-haired, dark-complexioned child actor Tommy Cook's most famous roles happened during his nascent career in serial adventures. He came on the feature film scene auspiciously in the role of young Indian boy Little Beaver alongside western good guy 'Don 'Red' Barry' in the _Adventures of Red Ryder , the latter a love story with his beloved tennis serving as a background. Tommy has two children.
Portrayed Little Beaver on in the Republic film serial Adventures of Red Ryder , then went on to recreate his role in Mutual Radios "The Adventures of Red Ryder" (1942-1945). This led to his early typecasting in olive-skinned ethnic film roles as Africans, Indians, Italians, Hispanics, Arabians, etc.
Known for pulling pranks on film sets. While shooting American Guerrilla in the Philippines starring Tyrone Power , he played a big prank on co-star Micheline Presle. Calling her up at her Manila hotel, he disguised his voice as a foreign hotel manager and told her they were moving her to another hotel. Ms. Prelle packed up her belonging and waited for hours at the hotel lobby waiting for a driver to take her to her new lodgings.
Two of his very early films were actually shorts: Mutiny in the County for RKO, and an "Our Gang"-type comedy called The Greenie at MGM.
The five-year-old Tommy, along with his mother, grandmother and sister, were seriously injured in a car accident in Van Horn, Texas, while traveling from Minnesota to California. The other driver was intoxicated and the driver of Tommys car fell asleep at the wheel. Tommy suffered facial injuries when he went through the windshield.
Has a son, Mikhael Thomas Cook and adopted daughter, Sara Jane, from Ecuador.
Was one of the leading junior tennis players in Southern Calfiornia at one time and often created/emceed/played tournaments for charity. Instigated the Bobby Riggs /Billie Jean King challenge before it was televised.
A TV series script he created for himself in the 1950s about cops who go undercover to infiltrate dangerous organizations later served as the basis of the Aaron Spelling series "The Mod Squad" .
Discovered at the age of 8 for radio by producer director Arch Oboler , who became his mentor. Tommy became a top child/adolescent radio star of the 1940s.
Lent his voice for several prominent Hanna-Barbera animated series in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Created TVs "Celebrity Challenge of the Sexes" utilizing such stars as Bill Cosby , Farrah Fawcett , Charlton Heston , James Franciscus and Elke Sommer , among a tennis court full of others.
Won a Photoplay Award for "Outstanidng Performance of the Year" for his leading role in The Vicious Years .
