---
name: "Tony Frank"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/tony-frank"
roles: []
born: "9 December 1943"
died: "18 April 2000"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 82
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-20T06:58:00.195170+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Tony Frank

Actor. Born 9 December 1943 in Nacogdoches, Texas, USA. Died 18 April 2000.

## Details

- **Born:** 9 December 1943, Nacogdoches, Texas, USA
- **Died:** 18 April 2000
- **Active:** 1983–1996
- **Also known as:** Tony L. Frank, Tony Lavelle Frank
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 80 (2), 1990s 86 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 82 to 83 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Music 1, Mystery 1, Romance 1, War 1, Western 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $183m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7822376, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0291107/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/162003

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*Born on the Fourth of July*](https://film.one/film/born-on-the-fourth-of-july.md) (74)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Tony Frank (9 December 1943 – 18 April 2000) was an American actor. Born in Nacogdoches, Texas, he appeared in more than 60 film and television roles between 1978 and 2000.

He played Salem Jones in the miniseries *North and South* (1985–1986) and its sequel, and portrayed Mr. Wilson in *Born on the Fourth of July* (1989). Other credits include *Young Guns II* (1990), *Lone Star* (1996) and *Varsity Blues* (1999). He was married to Katherine Swango from 1973 to 1982.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Lone Star* (1996), Fi1m 86, as Fenton — [page](https://film.one/film/lone-star.md)
- *Born on the Fourth of July* (1989), Fi1m 74, as Mr. Wilson — [page](https://film.one/film/born-on-the-fourth-of-july.md)
- *Tender Mercies* (1983), Fi1m 86, as Man at Motel — [page](https://film.one/film/tender-mercies.md)

## Complete filmography (45)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *On the Borderline* (2001), as Kane
- *Varsity Blues* (1999), as Clerk
- *The Con* (1998), as Edgar Wallace
- *Two Mothers for Zachary* (1996), as Ben Delaney
- *Lone Star* (1996), as Fenton — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/lone-star.md)
- *The Road to Galveston* (1996), as Leroy
- *The Unspoken Truth* (1995), as Greg Thorpe
- *The Substitute Wife* (1994), as Major Willows
- *Walker, Texas Ranger* (1993), series, as Harland Rogers
- *Ned Blessing: The True Story Of My Life* (1992), as Raby
- *Bed of Lies* (1992), as Sheriff Eckols
- *Rush* (1991), as Nettle
- *Wild Texas Wind* (1991), as District Attorney
- *Final Verdict* (1991), as C.C. McComas
- *A Climate for Killing* (1991), as Sheriff Elmer Waters
- *In Broad Daylight* (1991), as Sheriff Phil Lewis
- *Born on the Fourth of July* (1989), as Mr. Wilson — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/born-on-the-fourth-of-july.md)
- *Night Game* (1989), as Alex Lynch
- *UHF* (1989), as Teri's Father
- *Riverbend* (1989), as Sheriff Jake
- *Powwow Highway* (1989), as Captain Roberts
- *The Fulfillment of Mary Gray* (1989), as Uncle Garner
- *Talk Radio* (1988), as Dino
- *Johnny Be Good* (1988), as Joe Bob
- *Extreme Prejudice* (1987), as Clarence King
- *The Abduction of Kari Swenson* (1987), Actor
- *L.A. Law* (1986), series, as Eugene Lavanchy
- *Dalton: Code of Vengeance II* (1986), as Tommy Honus
- *Thompson's Last Run* (1986), as Sheriff
- *North and South* (1985), series, as Salem Jones
- *Sweet Dreams* (1985), as Bartender
- *MacGyver* (1985), series, as Front Desk Clerk
- *The Golden Girls* (1985), series, as Cowboy #1 — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-golden-girls.md)
- *Alamo Bay* (1985), as Leroy
- *The River Rat* (1984), as Poley
- *Adam* (1983), as Lt. Richard Hynds
- *Tender Mercies* (1983), as Man at Motel — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/tender-mercies.md)
- *Remington Steele* (1982), series, as Clint Overton
- *The Steeler and the Pittsburgh Kid* (1981), as Newsman
- *Broken Promise* (1981), as Barnes
- *Crisis at Central High* (1981), as Hildebrand
- *Hill Street Blues* (1981), series, Actor — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md)
- *Knots Landing* (1979), series, as Attendant
- *North Dallas Forty* (1979), as Rindquist
- *The Bermuda Triangle* (1979), as Hicks

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/tony-frank