Crawford John Thomas(1929-1998)
- Producer
- Actor
Crawford John (C.J.) Thomas was the producer of cult director Edward D. Wood, Jr.'s first film as well as the 1996 theatrical documentary feature The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood, Jr.
Thomas was the son of the character actor Jack Thomas, who appeared in such early talkies as Old Man Rhythm and was also a dialogue coach for actor John Barrymore. A native of Los Angeles, he graduated from John Marshall High School with an eye toward Hollywood.
In 1947, Crawford John Thomas and Ed Wood appeared together in the play The Blackguard Returns at the Gateway Theater, along with the future Wood star Dolores Fuller. Thomas played the villain, while Woods played the Sheriff.
That same year, Crawford John Thomas and Ed Woods formed a film production company, Wood-Thomas Productions, and invested $2000 in their first movie, to be called Streets of Laredo. Wood quickly developed the idea of using the traditional cowboy song as the genesis of the film. Most of the shooting was done at a ranch in Saugus, California and an additional location near Hollywood Bowl. This was Wood's first movie and directorial debut. The money ran out and it was never finished. Wood was 23, bursting with ideas, but completely without experience. However, the film is remarkable, not only for the speed of the shoot, reminiscent of a Sennett two-reeler, but for the amount of action packed into its 22 minute length. There are 130 different camera set-ups, partly in consequence of using short ends to save on film stock. Further economies were effected with Wood's well-know penchant for one take per set-up. As Johnny Depp says in Tim Burton's Ed Wood, "No one will ever notice! Film making is not about the tiny details, it's about the Big Picture!" This led to a number of characteristic Wood touches, such as: placing the camera on the wrong side of the action from the horses as a cowboy (Ed Wood) is overtaken and killed during the second minute of the film; another scene where the anti-hero, Tex, awkwardly mounts his horse an nearly falls off as he rides out of sight; two camera pans that are much too fast; the Parson begins the grave-side service, forgets to remove his hat then quickly flings it aside, probably under Wood's frantic admonition; and, per the song, "His coffin was carried by six strong young cowboys" but we see only four probably because the cardboard coffin was short, and, anyway, Wood could afford only four extras.
Crawford John Thomas went on to bit parts in minor pictures and eventually retired from the business until 1994 when he and Dolores Fuller restored Wood's lost first film. Thomas pulled Crossroads of Laredo from storage in the early 1990s, while working with director Brett Thompson on the documentary The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood, Jr. Dolores Fuller agreed to be the Music Director for the Crossroads film as the original sound had been lost. Fuller wrote the movie's title song with her former Elvis Presley collaborator, Ben Weismann. They rewrote the old "Cowboy's Lament" as "Dust of Laredo," fulfilling Wood's original intention of placing the ballad at the heart of the action. Fuller discovered that Wood's camera was surprisingly expressive for a first film, so she could rely on the musical themes without lyrics for much of the film. Effecting a Woodsian style economics, Fuller worked with Jerry Marcellino and Michael Edging of Diamond in the Sun Music in Las Vegas to provide a score for the entire film. Western saloon music with honky-took piano, guitar, harmonica, country fiddle and drums set the tone. To tie it all together, Fuller wrote a spare narration rendered by her friend, country Music Hall of Fame start Cliffie Stone. The two songs on the sound track are sung in a brilliantly authentic, emotionally charged debut by Elvis Aaron Presley, Jr. The completed and restored film was released in 1995.
Thomas' final film was the documentary The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood, Jr. It was directed by Brett Thompson, and produced by Thompson and Crawford John Thomas, in association with Wade Williams. Through film clips, still photos and extensive interviews of the cadre of actors, ministers and girlfriends who were involved in such projects as Woods' Plan 9 From Outer Space and Glen or Glenda?, it explores the man and the cult legend. It also, after 41 years, reunited the legendary actors from Woods' films through galas and premieres, including Norma McCarty, David Ward, "Vampira" Maila Nurmi, Gregory Walcott, Harry Thomas, "Kelton the Cop" Paul Marco and Dolores Fuller. The film also features Conrad Brooks, Bela Lugosi, Jr. Loretta King, and Lyle Talbot.
Thomas was the son of the character actor Jack Thomas, who appeared in such early talkies as Old Man Rhythm and was also a dialogue coach for actor John Barrymore. A native of Los Angeles, he graduated from John Marshall High School with an eye toward Hollywood.
In 1947, Crawford John Thomas and Ed Wood appeared together in the play The Blackguard Returns at the Gateway Theater, along with the future Wood star Dolores Fuller. Thomas played the villain, while Woods played the Sheriff.
That same year, Crawford John Thomas and Ed Woods formed a film production company, Wood-Thomas Productions, and invested $2000 in their first movie, to be called Streets of Laredo. Wood quickly developed the idea of using the traditional cowboy song as the genesis of the film. Most of the shooting was done at a ranch in Saugus, California and an additional location near Hollywood Bowl. This was Wood's first movie and directorial debut. The money ran out and it was never finished. Wood was 23, bursting with ideas, but completely without experience. However, the film is remarkable, not only for the speed of the shoot, reminiscent of a Sennett two-reeler, but for the amount of action packed into its 22 minute length. There are 130 different camera set-ups, partly in consequence of using short ends to save on film stock. Further economies were effected with Wood's well-know penchant for one take per set-up. As Johnny Depp says in Tim Burton's Ed Wood, "No one will ever notice! Film making is not about the tiny details, it's about the Big Picture!" This led to a number of characteristic Wood touches, such as: placing the camera on the wrong side of the action from the horses as a cowboy (Ed Wood) is overtaken and killed during the second minute of the film; another scene where the anti-hero, Tex, awkwardly mounts his horse an nearly falls off as he rides out of sight; two camera pans that are much too fast; the Parson begins the grave-side service, forgets to remove his hat then quickly flings it aside, probably under Wood's frantic admonition; and, per the song, "His coffin was carried by six strong young cowboys" but we see only four probably because the cardboard coffin was short, and, anyway, Wood could afford only four extras.
Crawford John Thomas went on to bit parts in minor pictures and eventually retired from the business until 1994 when he and Dolores Fuller restored Wood's lost first film. Thomas pulled Crossroads of Laredo from storage in the early 1990s, while working with director Brett Thompson on the documentary The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood, Jr. Dolores Fuller agreed to be the Music Director for the Crossroads film as the original sound had been lost. Fuller wrote the movie's title song with her former Elvis Presley collaborator, Ben Weismann. They rewrote the old "Cowboy's Lament" as "Dust of Laredo," fulfilling Wood's original intention of placing the ballad at the heart of the action. Fuller discovered that Wood's camera was surprisingly expressive for a first film, so she could rely on the musical themes without lyrics for much of the film. Effecting a Woodsian style economics, Fuller worked with Jerry Marcellino and Michael Edging of Diamond in the Sun Music in Las Vegas to provide a score for the entire film. Western saloon music with honky-took piano, guitar, harmonica, country fiddle and drums set the tone. To tie it all together, Fuller wrote a spare narration rendered by her friend, country Music Hall of Fame start Cliffie Stone. The two songs on the sound track are sung in a brilliantly authentic, emotionally charged debut by Elvis Aaron Presley, Jr. The completed and restored film was released in 1995.
Thomas' final film was the documentary The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood, Jr. It was directed by Brett Thompson, and produced by Thompson and Crawford John Thomas, in association with Wade Williams. Through film clips, still photos and extensive interviews of the cadre of actors, ministers and girlfriends who were involved in such projects as Woods' Plan 9 From Outer Space and Glen or Glenda?, it explores the man and the cult legend. It also, after 41 years, reunited the legendary actors from Woods' films through galas and premieres, including Norma McCarty, David Ward, "Vampira" Maila Nurmi, Gregory Walcott, Harry Thomas, "Kelton the Cop" Paul Marco and Dolores Fuller. The film also features Conrad Brooks, Bela Lugosi, Jr. Loretta King, and Lyle Talbot.