Fred Thompson American film actor and former senator Date of Birth: 19.08.1942 Country: USA

Biography of Fred Thompson

Fred Dalton Thompson, an American politician, lawyer, and actor, was born on August 19, 1942, in Sheffield, Alabama, USA. He grew up in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, where his family moved shortly after his birth. He attended Lawrence County High School and a local Christian school, First Street Church of Christ. In 1959, before completing high school, Thompson married Sarah Elizabeth Lindsey. They had two sons and a daughter before their divorce in 1985.

Thompson was the first in his family to attend college and graduated from Memphis State University in 1964 with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and political science. He continued his studies at Vanderbilt University Law School and earned a Juris Doctor degree in 1967.

During his college years, Thompson supported Republican Senator Barry Goldwater and founded the Young Republican Club in Lawrenceburg. He served on the Republican County Executive Committee and worked in the 1968 campaign for Governor Ronald Reagan. Thompson began his legal career as an assistant U.S. attorney in Nashville in 1969 and later took part in the re-election campaign of Senator Howard Baker in 1972.

In 1973, Thompson moved to Washington, D.C., and worked as a counsel for the Senate Watergate Committee. He gained national attention for his questioning of Alexander Butterfield, a key witness in the Watergate scandal, which revealed the existence of secret audio recordings used by President Richard Nixon. After returning to Tennessee, Thompson continued his legal practice and successfully prosecuted Governor Ray Blanton for illegal firing of Marie Ragghianti, the former chair of the state parole board. This case inspired the film "Marie" (1985), in which Thompson played himself, marking the beginning of his acting career.

Thompson went on to appear in several films, including "No Way Out" (1987), "Die Hard II" (1990), "Days of Thunder" (1990), "The Hunt for Red October" (1990), and "In the Line of Fire" (1993). He often portrayed tough and experienced authority figures. Alongside his acting career, Thompson continued his legal practice and served as a special counsel to Governor Lamar Alexander in 1980. He also worked as a special counsel in Senate committees, particularly those dealing with international affairs and intelligence.

In 1994, Thompson entered the race for the vacant Senate seat in Tennessee and won. He served from 1994 to 2003, advocating for tax cuts, limited federal government jurisdiction, and strengthening national security. In 2002, Thompson's daughter Betsy passed away from a drug overdose, leading him to decide against seeking re-election and focus on his acting career. He gained further fame for his role as District Attorney Arthur Branch on the television series "Law & Order."

In 2002, Thompson remarried Jeri Kehn, a political consultant. They have two children together. Thompson remained active in public life, working as a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and giving public speeches across the United States. He also served as an advisor to John Roberts during his confirmation process as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Thompson considered running for president in the 2008 elections and officially announced his candidacy in September 2007. However, his campaign faced criticism for being lackluster and failing to gain significant attention. Thompson dropped out of the race in January 2008 after a series of disappointing results in early primary elections.

Despite his unsuccessful presidential bid, Fred Thompson left a lasting impact on both politics and entertainment. He continued to appear in films and television shows and remained involved in public affairs until his passing on November 1, 2015.