Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsPrimetime EmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalFall TV GuideMost Anticipated This MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayTrending peopleCelebrity news
    IMDb LabsHelp centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Biography
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Tom Ligon(1940-2026)

  • Actor
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Tom Ligon
Handsome, chameleon character actor and sometimes lead, best known for his performances in Paint Your Wagon (1969), the TV series The Young and the Restless (1973), and Bang the Drum Slowly (1973) in which he also sang the title song. Ligon created the role of Orson in the prize-winning Off-Broadway musical 'Your Own Thing', and starred on Broadway opposite Geraldine Page in "Angela" and with Sandy Duncan in "Love is a Time of Day." While attending St. Alban's School in Washington, DC, he broke his leg playing football, and his interest turned from sports to theatre. At Yale, where he graduated as an English major, he was discovered by Tennessee Williams, who saw his performance as Kilroy in Williams' play, "Camino Real." Ligon became one of the most sought after young actors in New York in the 1960s.
BornSeptember 10, 1940
DiedJune 26, 2026(85)
BornSeptember 10, 1940
DiedJune 26, 2026(85)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank

Photos17

View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
+ 10
View Poster

Known for

Eileen Davidson, Bryton James, Joshua Morrow, Gina Tognoni, Justin Hartley, Melissa Claire Egan, and Peter Bergman in The Young and the Restless (1973)
The Young and the Restless
5.4
TV Series
  • Lucas Prentiss
  • Lucas Prentice
Bang the Drum Slowly (1973)
Bang the Drum Slowly
6.7
  • Piney Woods
  • 1973
Clint Eastwood, Lee Marvin, and Jean Seberg in Paint Your Wagon (1969)
Paint Your Wagon
6.6
  • Horton Fenty
  • 1969
Jump (1971)
Jump
6.0
  • Chester Jump
  • 1971

Credits

IMDbPro

Actor



  • The Truth (2011)
    The Truth
    8.2
    Podcast Series
    • Eddie
    • Man
    • Eric ...
    • 2012–2022
  • Little Hope (2017)
    Little Hope
    8.2
    TV Series
    • Fitz
    • 2017
  • Songonauts (2017)
    Songonauts
    Podcast Series
    • Buzzkill
    • 2017
  • James Chen and Jake Choi in Front Cover (2015)
    Front Cover
    6.5
    • Gus LaMar
    • 2015
  • The Heart, She Holler (2011)
    The Heart, She Holler
    6.6
    TV Series
    • Bartender
    • 2011–2013
  • Lost Revolution (2011)
    Lost Revolution
    5.1
    • Oliver
    • 2011
  • Kevin Arbouet, Ruby Campbell, Chris Henry Coffey, Elaina Davis, Lucy Gordon, Erik Jensen, Diana DeLaCruz, Tom Ligon, Devin Ratray, Emily Merryn, Peggy J. Scott, Luna Lauren Velez, Lee Brock, John FitzGibbon, Kelly AuCoin, Josh Alexander, Suli Holum, Brandon Bales, Don Puglisi, Stephanie Czajkowski, Colby Trane, Scott Brooks, L.J. Strong, George Kayaian, Sean Russell, Robert Ousley, Patryk Rebisz, Katie Cecil, Damian Voerg, Sarah Burns, Gail Laverde, John Michalski, Richard Gunzel, Jessica Freely, and Anders Peterson in Serial (2007)
    Serial
    7.3
    • Chief Joseph Spataford
    • 2007
  • Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe in Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001)
    Law & Order: Criminal Intent
    7.6
    TV Series
    • Deputy Police Commissioner Freehill
    • 2007
  • I Believe in America (2007)
    I Believe in America
    5.4
    • Oliver
    • 2007
  • Tony Goldwyn, Maura Tierney, Hugh Dancy, Reid Scott, David Ajala, and Odelya Halevi in Law & Order (1990)
    Law & Order
    7.8
    TV Series
    • Malcolm Sanford
    • Gillespie
    • Phil Brucker ...
    • 1995–2003
  • J.D. Williams in Oz (1997)
    Oz
    8.7
    TV Series
    • Alvin Yood
    • 2001–2003
  • Mariska Hargitay in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)
    Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
    8.1
    TV Series
    • Bluebell Agency Executive
    • 2001
  • American Experience (1988)
    American Experience
    8.6
    TV Series
    • T. Justin Moore
    • 1993
  • Another World (1964)
    Another World
    7.1
    TV Series
    • Ted Briar
    • 1990
  • Susan Lucci, Debbi Morgan, Rebecca Budig, Cameron Mathison, and Darnell Williams in All My Children (1970)
    All My Children
    6.8
    TV Series
    • Dr. Snow
    • 1989

Soundtrack



  • Bang the Drum Slowly (1973)
    Bang the Drum Slowly
    6.7
    • performer: "Streets of Laredo (The Cowboy's Lament)" (uncredited)
    • 1973

Verified affiliations

Learn more at IMDbPro
SAG-AFTRA

Personal details

  • Official site
    • Wikipedia
  • Born
    • September 10, 1940
    • New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
  • Died
    • June 26, 2026
    • New York, USA(undisclosed)
  • Spouse
    • K.C. LigonDecember 31, 1976 - March 23, 2009 (her death)
  • Other works
    He has made many noteworthy appearances on the New York stage, including "Our Town", "Geniuses", "BAFO (Best and Final Offer)", "Den of Thieves", "The Golf Ball", "Tartuffe: Born Again", "Another Paradise", and "Have I Got A Girl for You". He has appeared on many prominent regional stages in the US, notably the Arena Stage where he played the title role in "Billy Budd", and Actors Theatre of Louisville, where he played Hank Czerniak, the polka king, in "Evelyn and the Polka King".
  • Publicity listings
    • 2 Articles
    • 2 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

  • Trivia
    At age 67, sent an intruder tumbling to the pavement below with a hit on the forehead after the man had who entered Ligon's Greenwich Village apartment through the window one August afternoon in 2013.
  • Quotes
    [responding to news that a career burglar he once chased away was in jail] Well, he's not having much of a career right now. You have your ups and downs. It's like acting.

Contribute to this page

Suggest an edit or add missing content
  • Learn more about contributing
Edit page

More to explore

Recently viewed

You have no recently viewed pages
Get the IMDb app
Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
Follow IMDb on social
Get the IMDb app
For Android and iOS
Get the IMDb app
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • License IMDb Data
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2026 by IMDb.com, Inc.