Error creating thumbnail: File missing Join our Discord! |
If you have been locked out of your account you can request a password reset here. |
Thompson Submachine Gun
The legendary Thompson Submachine Gun is an American SMG developed in the late 1910s by General John T Thompson. Initially envisioning an "auto rifle" to replace bolt-action rifles in American service while using an operating system less expensive than recoil or gas, Thompson acquired a patent issued to John Bell Blish for what turned out to be a friction-delayed blowback action. However, since the only cartridge in US military service that would work with the Blish action was the .45 ACP pistol round, Thompson changed his goal to a "one-man, hand-held machine gun," imagining it being used as a "trench broom."
The earliest variant was known as the "Annihilator" and boasted a staggering fire rate of up to 1,500 RPM, rendering the weapon virtually uncontrollable in fullauto. The weapon was redesigned for production as the M1921 and marketed as a "submachine gun:" while not the first weapon of the type, it was the first to actually use the name.
The Thompson is inescapably associated with gangsters during America's prohibition era as "the gun that made the twenties roar," though this is largely a media myth: the gun was far too expensive for an average thug (costing $200 with a single 20-round magazine, equivalent to about $2,700 in modern money) as well as heavy and hard to conceal, and the most common weapons for such criminals were revolvers or sawed-off shotguns. The Thompson's infamy instead stems from a few high-profile users such as John Dillinger, George "Machine Gun" Kelly and especially Al Capone.
The Thompson submachine gun, or "Tommy Gun", has appeared in the following films, television series, anime, and video games used by the following actors:
Specifications
(1921 - Present)
Type: Submachine gun
Caliber: .45 ACP
Capacity: 20, 30 round straight box magazine, 50, 100 round drum magazine (not compatible with M1 or M1A1), belt feed ("Persuader" prototype)
Fire Modes: Semi-auto / full-auto (600-725 RPM, 1,500 RPM on "Annihilator I" prototype and 800 on "Annihilator II")
M1921 Thompson
The M1921 is the original production version of the Thompson Submachine Gun, as manufactured by Colt Firearms in 1921 under contract from Auto-Ordnance. The M1921 is of the highest quality, fit, and along with a high polish blued finish, more like high grade sporting arm, than a military weapon. Standard features of the M1921 are the finned barrels, some sent with Cutts compensators, knurled lightweight bolt handles, Lyman Model 55B adjustable rear sights, push button detachable butt stocks, vertical fore grips and checkered fire control levers.
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | New York City Police Officers | 2016 | ||
Gangster Squad | Gangsters | 2012 | ||
Inglourious Basterds | American soldier | 2009 | ||
Public Enemies | Johnny Depp | John Dillinger | w/ 50-rd drum and 20-rd box magazines | 2009 |
Watchmen | Unknown | Bank Robber | M1921AC w/ 50-rd drum | 2009 |
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull | Ray Winstone | Mac | w/ M1928 Forend | 2008 |
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow | Police Officers | w/ 50-rd drum magazines | 2004 | |
Smart Philip | Miroslav Táborský | Adolfo | 2003 | |
Smart Philip | Mobsters | 2003 | ||
O Brother, Where Art Thou? | Michael Badalucco | Baby Face Nelson | w/ 50-rd drum magazines | 2000 |
Road to Perdition | Tom Hanks | Michael Sullivan, Sr. | 2002 | |
Michael Collins | I.R.A. gunmen | 1996 | ||
The Phantom | Dane Farwell | Breen | 1996 | |
The Phantom | Jo Phillips | Female pilot | 1996 | |
The Quest | Riggi's mobsters | 1996 | ||
Legends of the Fall | Police officers | 1994 | ||
Mad Dog Coll | Dutch's gangsters | w/ 20-rd box magazines | 1993 | |
Mobsters | Nicholas Sadler | Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll | w/ 50-rd drum magazines | 1991 |
Mobsters | Christian Slater | Lucky Luciano | w/ 50-rd drum magazines | 1991 |
Mobsters | Richard Grieco | Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel | 1991 | |
Dick Tracy | Warren Beatty | Dick Tracy | 1990 | |
Dick Tracy | Seymour Cassel | Sam Catchem | 1990 | |
Dick Tracy | William Forsythe | Flattop Jones | 1990 | |
Dick Tracy | Ed O'Ross | Itchy Oliver | 1990 | |
Dick Tracy | Henry Silva | Influence | 1990 | |
Dick Tracy | R.G. Armstrong | Pruneface | 1990 | |
Dick Tracy | Colm Meaney | Cop at Tess' | 1990 | |
Moonwalker | Michael Jackson | 1988 | ||
The Untouchables | Sean Connery | Jim Malone | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1987 |
The Untouchables | Andy Garcia | George Stone | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1987 |
The Untouchables | Billy Drago | Frank Nitti | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1987 |
The Untouchables | Valentino Cimo | Bodyguard | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1987 |
The Untouchables | Joe Greco | Bodyguard | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1987 |
Jungle Warriors | Alex Cord | Nick Spilotro | 1984 | |
Jungle Warriors | Mastranga's men | 1984 | ||
Romancing the Stone | 1984 | |||
The Vengeance of the Winged Serpent (La vengeance du serpent à plumes) | Mexican prison guards and soldiers | 1984 | ||
Dawn of the Dead | Larry Vaira | Biker | w/ 50-rd drum and 30-rd box magazines | 1978 |
Stuntwoman (L'animal) | Raquel Welch | Jane Gardner | 1977 | |
Weapons of Death (Napoli spara!) | Santoro's henchmen | 1977 | ||
The Con Artists | Gangsters and prison guards | With and without Cutts compensators, with 50-rd drums | 1976 | |
Farewell, My Lovely | gangster | 1975 | ||
Capone | Ben Gazzara | Capone | 1975 | |
Big Bad Mama | Tom Skerritt | Fred Diller | 1974 | |
Savage Sisters | Gloria Hendry | Lynn Jackson | 1974 | |
Savage Sisters | Sid Haig | Malavael | 1974 | |
Savage Sisters | Guerillas | 1974 | ||
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia | Gig Young | Johnny Quill | Minus rifle stock. | 1974 |
Lupin the Third: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy | Kunie Tanaka | Daisuke Jigen | with 30-round magazine | 1974 |
Lupin the Third: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy | Prison guards | with 30-round magazine | 1974 | |
Dillinger | Harry Dean Stanton | Homer Van Meter | 1973 | |
The Valachi Papers | Mobsters | 1972 | ||
Rum Runners (Boulevard du Rhum) | Policemen | 1971 | ||
You Can't Win 'Em All | Leo Gordon | Bolek | 1970 | |
The Sicilian Clan (Le clan des Siciliens) | Mobsters | 1969 | ||
Modesty Blaise | Fothergill´s men | 1966 | ||
OSS 117: Mission for a Killer (Furia à Bahia pour OSS 117) | Frederick Stafford | Hubert Bonnisseur | 1965 | |
OSS 117: Mission for a Killer (Furia à Bahia pour OSS 117) | The Nazis and Indians | 1965 | ||
Up to His Ears (Les tribulations d'un Chinois en Chine) | Chinese triads | 1965 | ||
The 10th Victim (La decima vittima) | The man at shooting range | 1965 | ||
OSS 117 (OSS 117 se déchaîne) | Pierre Moncorbier | The guardian of cave | 1963 | |
Inside the Mafia | Mafia gunmen | w/ box magazines, buttstocks removed | 1959 | |
The FBI Story | w/ 50-rd drum and 30-rd box magazines | 1959 | ||
The Desperate Hours | Various | Police | 1955 | |
Paratrooper | British paratroopers | 1953 | ||
Blowing Wild | Seen in El Gavilan's camp | 1953 | ||
Sahara | Humphrey Bogart | Sgt. Joe Gunn | 1943 | |
Sahara | Rex Ingram | Sgt. Major Tambul | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1943 |
Sahara | Bruce Bennett | Waco Hoyt | 1943 | |
The Story of G.I. Joe | Freddie Steele | Sgt. Steve Warnicki | 1945 | |
They Were Expendable | With 1928 Forend | 1945 | ||
Back to Bataan | Anthony Quinn | Captain Bonifacio | 1945 | |
Back to Bataan | John Wayne | Col. John Madden | 1945 | |
Bataan | U.S. forces | 1943 | ||
Hangmen Also Die! | German Schutzstaffel (SS) | Mocked as MP40 | 1943 | |
The Canterville Ghost (1943 Film) | American Soldiers | 1943 | ||
Went the Day Well? | Frank Lawton | Tom Sturry | With 50-round drum magazine | 1942 |
Went the Day Well? | Norman Pierce | Jim Sturry | With 50-round drum magazine | 1942 |
Went the Day Well? | Johnnie Schofield | Joe Garbett | With 50-round drum magazine | 1942 |
Went the Day Well? | Elizabeth Allan | Peggy | With 50-round drum magazine | 1942 |
Went the Day Well? | German Paratroopers | With 50-round drum magazine | 1942 | |
Somewhere in France | Various characters | With 50-round drum magazine & rare muzzle break | 1942 | |
High Sierra | Humphrey Bogart | Roy "Mad Dog" Earle | 1941 | |
Each Dawn I Die | Prison Guard | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1939 | |
Angels With Dirty Faces | Police officers | w/ 50-rd drum magazines | 1938 | |
San Quentin | Prison Guard | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1937 | |
The Petrified Forest | Arizona lawman | 1936 | ||
Bullets or Ballots | Police Officers | w/ 50-rd drum magazines | 1936 | |
G Men | James Cagney | Brick Davis | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1935 |
G Men | Robert Armstrong | Jeff McCord | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1935 |
Scarface | Police | 1934 | ||
Scarface | Gangsters | 1934 | ||
Little Caesar | w/ 50-rd drum magazines | 1931 |
Television
Show Title | Actor | Character | Notes / Episode | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mob City | L.A.P.D. and mobsters | 2013 | ||
Guns | 2008 | |||
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | Todd Stashwick | Myron Stark / T-888 | 2008 - 2009 | |
The Untouchables | 1993 - 1994 | |||
Dad's Army | 1968 - 1977 | |||
Reilly: Ace of Spies | Sam Neill | Reilly | 1983 | |
Stawka wieksza niz zycie | British and American soldiers | 18/ "Poszukiwany gruppenfuhrer Wolf" | 1966 - 1968 | |
The Untouchables | 1959 - 1963 |
Video Games
Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Medal of Honor: Airborne | "Upgrade" from M1928 Thompson, with 50-rd drum | 2007 | |
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth | 2005 | ||
Contract J.A.C.K. | .45 SMG | M1921AC | 2003 |
No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy In H.A.R.M.'s Way | M1921-A1 | With 50-round drum magazine | 2002 |
The Godfather | "Dillinger" or "Lvl 3 Tommy Gun" | "Upgrade" from M1A1 Thompson with 50-round drum magazine | 2006 |
Company of Heroes | Thompson SMG Upgrade | 2008 | |
Bioshock 2 | Machine Gun | fires .50 Cal rounds | 2010 |
M1928/M1928A1 Thompson
The Model 1928 was more of an modified version rather than an upgrade. They are visually the same as the M1921 except they were outfitted with heavy actuators and smaller less powerful recoil springs to reduce the rate of fire. The earliest of these were converted M1921 Thompson receivers that were merely re-stamped with an "8" over the last "1" in the original markings (hence the terminology "overstamp"). The M1928A1 was the military contract version of this weapon in 1928. It had a more crude military grade blued finish, a heavier actuator and the vertical foregrip was replaced with a horizontal handguard. Military buttstocks often received a reinforcing bolt. The British often moved the sling swivel to the top of the stock.
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
22 Minutes (22 minuty) | Makar Zaporozhskiy | Sanya Yezhov | M1928A1 with custom folding stock | 2014 |
Somali Pirate | ||||
City 44 | Polish soldier | 2014 | ||
FDR: American Badass | Barry Bostwick | Franklin Delano Roosevelt | with 50 round drum | 2012 |
The Bullet Vanishes | Liu Kai-Chi | Boss Ding | without Cutts compensators and with smooth barrels | 2012 |
The Bullet Vanishes | Boss Ding's mobs | without Cutts compensators and with smooth barrels | 2012 | |
Gangster Squad | Sean Penn | Mickey Cohen | 2012 | |
Gangster Squad | Troy Garity | Wrevock | 2012 | |
Captain America: The First Avenger | Derek Luke | Gabe Jones | 2011 | |
My Way | US soldiers | 2011 | ||
Kokoda | Australian Soldiers | 2010 | ||
Elephant White | Kevin Bacon | Jimmy | M1928 | 2010 |
Nude Nuns with Big Guns | Asun Ortega | Sister Sarah | M1928 | 2010 |
Red and White (Merah Putih) | Lukman Sardi | Amir | M1928A1 | 2009 |
Black Dynamite | Henchmen | 2009 | ||
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian | Mobsters | 2009 | ||
Public Enemies | M1928A1 | 2009 | ||
Crossfire (Les Insoumis) | M1928A1 or M1921AC | 2008 | ||
The Bridge | M1928A1 | 2008 | ||
Che Part One: Argentine | Santiago Cabrera | Camilo Cienfuegos | 2008 | |
Max Manus: Man of War | Knut Joner | Gunnar Sønsteby | 2008 | |
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull | Soviet soldiers | M1928A1 | 2008 | |
Miracle at St. Anna | Derek Luke | Staff Sgt. Aubrey Stamps | M1928A1 | 2008 |
Miracle at St. Anna | Michael Ealy | Sgt. Bishop Cummings | M1928A1 | 2008 |
Miracle at St. Anna | Laz Alonso | Cpl. Hector Negron | M1928A1 | 2008 |
Miracle at St. Anna | US Army soldiers | M1928A1 | 2008 | |
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor | Brendan Fraser | Rick O'Connell | w/ 20-rd box and 50-rd drum magazines | 2008 |
Intimate Enemies | Marc Barbé | Cpt. Berthaut | w/ 30-rd box magazines | 2007 |
Intimate Enemies | Lounès Tazairt | Said | w/ 30-rd box magazines | 2007 |
Days of Glory | Samy Naceri | Yassir | 2006 | |
Kokoda | Luke Ford | Burke | w/ 20-rd box magazines | 2006 |
Assault on Precinct 13 | Brian Dennehy | Jasper | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 2005 |
Assault on Precinct 13 | Aisha Hinds | Anna | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 2005 |
The Lost City | Cuban rebels and troops | 2005 | ||
King Kong | S.S. Venture crew | w/ 50-rd drum magazines | 2005 | |
King Kong | Jack Black | Carl Denham | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 2005 |
King Kong | Kyle Chandler | Bruce Baxter | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 2005 |
King Kong | Thomas Kretschmann | Captain Englehorn | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 2005 |
King Kong | Evan Parke | Ben Hayes | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 2005 |
Kung Fu Hustle | Various | Axe Gang members | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 2004 |
Hellboy | Various | U.S. soldiers | 2004 | |
The Matrix Reloaded | Henchman | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 2003 | |
Road to Perdition | Tom Hanks | Michael Sullivan | 2002 | |
Road to Perdition | Mobsters | 2002 | ||
El Alamein - The Line of Fire | British soldiers | 2002 | ||
The Quiet American | Gen. The's soldiers | 2002 | ||
The Mummy Returns | Oded Fehr | Ardeth Bay | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 2001 |
Pearl Harbor | U.S. military personnel | w/ 50-rd drum and 30-rd box magazines | 2001 | |
The Thin Red Line | Sean Penn | 1Sgt. Welsh | 1998 | |
The Thin Red Line | John C. Reilly | Sgt. Storm | 1998 | |
The Thin Red Line | Arie Verveen | Pvt. Dale | 1998 | |
The Avengers | Eileen Atkins | Alice | 1998 | |
Half a Chance | Alain Delon | Julien | 1998 | |
Mulholland Falls | U.S. Army soldiers | 1996 | ||
Last Man Standing | Christopher Walken | Hickey | 1996 | |
Star Trek: First Contact | Patrick Stewart | Captain Jean-Luc Picard | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1996 |
Forrest Gump | Gary Sinise | One of Lt. Dan Taylor's ancestors | M1928A1 w/ 30-rd box magazine and without Cutts compensator | 1994 |
Blown Away | IRA terrorists | M1928A1 | 1994 | |
The Shadow | Tim Curry | Farley Claymore | M1928A1 | 1994 |
The Shawshank Redemption | Shawshank Prison guard | 1994 | ||
Mad Dog Coll | Christopher Bradley | Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll | M1928A1 | 1993 |
Mad Dog Coll | Gangsters | M1928A1 | 1993 | |
Hit the Dutchman | Bruce Nozick | Dutch Schultz | M1928A1 | 1992 |
Hit the Dutchman | Gangsters | M1928A1 | 1992 | |
Sheriff's Star (Zvezda sherifa) | Police officer | M1928A1 w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1992 | |
Rapid Fire | Carl Ciarfalio | Mobster | M1928A1 | 1992 |
The Rocketeer | FBI Special Agents | 1991 | ||
The Rocketeer | Gangsters | 1991 | ||
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah | American troops | Replica | 1991 | |
Kill the "Jackal" (Ubit "Shakala") | one of the Jackal's gangsters | 1991 | ||
Home Alone | Ralph Foody | Johnny | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1990 |
Miller's Crossing | w/ 50-rd drum magazines | 1990 | ||
Harlem Nights | Arsenio Hall | Small's Brother | 1989 | |
Deja Vu | Vladimir Golovin | Mikita Nechyporuk | 1988 | |
Deja Vu | Nikolai Karachentsov | Mishka Yaponchik | 1988 | |
Deja Vu | Jerzy Stuhr | Johnny Pollack | 1988 | |
The Red Spectacles | noodle-stand guard | 1987 | ||
The Untouchables | Mobsters | 1987 | ||
The Untouchables | Police | 1987 | ||
The Untouchables | Federal Agents | 1987 | ||
Big Trouble in Little China | Wing Kong member | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1986 | |
Secrets of Madame Wong (Tayny madam Vong) | Serik Kanakbayev | Bulat | 1986 | |
Secrets of Madame Wong (Tayny madam Vong) | Gangsters | 1986 | ||
The Stuff | Various | Militia | 1985 | |
Commando Leopard | Rebels | With box magazine | 1985 | |
Once Upon A Time In America | James Woods | Max Bercovicz | 1984 | |
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom | Ric Young | Kao Kan | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1984 |
Copper Angel (Medny angel) | Gangsters | 1984 | ||
One Hundred Days in Palermo | Seen in mafia armorer workshop | 1984 | ||
Teheran 43 | Armen Dzhigarkhanyan | Max Richard | 1981 | |
Teheran 43 | German agents (1943), hijackers (1980) | 1981 | ||
Choice of Arms | M1928A1; Seen in Jean's armoury | 1981 | ||
The Big Red One | M1928A1 | 1980 | ||
The Outsider | IRA Gunmen | 1980 | ||
Airplane! | 50-round drum magazine | 1980 | ||
From Hell to Victory | George Peppard | Brett Rosson | 1979 | |
From Hell to Victory | George Hamilton | Maurice Bernard | 1979 | |
From Hell to Victory | US Army soldiers, OSS personnel | 1979 | ||
The Hijacking of Savoy (Pokhishchenie Savoi) | Various characters | M1928A1 | 1979 | |
Midnight Express | . | Turkish soldiers | . | 1978 |
Good Guys Wear Black | The Black Tigers | 1978 | ||
Go Tell the Spartans | Joe Unger | 2LT Raymond Hamilton | 1978 | |
Go Tell the Spartans | South Vietnamese troops | 1978 | ||
The Inglorious Bastards | Bo Svenson | Lt. Robert Yeager | 1978 | |
Fred Williamson | Private Fred Canfield | |||
Peter Hooten | Tony | |||
Michael Pergolani | Nick | |||
Jackie Basehart | Berle | |||
Raimund Harmstorf | Adolf | |||
Joshua Sinclair | The Sergeant | |||
. | American troops | |||
The Mad Dog Killer (La belva col mitra) | Nello Pazzafini | Pietro Caporali | 1977 | |
The Con Artists | Prison guards | With 50-rd drums | 1976 | |
Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze | Paul Wexler | Captain Seas | 1975 | |
Seas' henchmen | ||||
Breakout | Mexican prison guards | Early M1928A1 | 1975 | |
Syndicate Sadists | Adolfo Lastretti | Ciccio Paterno | 1975 | |
Paterno's and Conti's henchmen | ||||
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia | Gig Young | Johnny Quill | rifle stock removed | 1974 |
Melvin Purvis G-MAN | Dale Robertson | Melvin Purvis | both nickel-plated and blued finishes | 1974 |
Melvin Purvis G-MAN | Steve Kanaly | Sam Cowley | 1974 | |
Melvin Purvis G-MAN | Harris Yulin | Machine Gun Kelly | 1974 | |
Melvin Purvis G-MAN | Margaret Blye | Kate Kelly | 1974 | |
Melvin Purvis G-MAN | Dick Sargent | Thatcher Covington | 1974 | |
Melvin Purvis G-MAN | John Karlen | Tony Redecci | 1974 | |
Melvin Purvis G-MAN | FBI agents | 1974 | ||
Only the Wind Knows the Answer (Die Antwort kennt nur der Wind) | Assassin | 1974 | ||
Borsalino and Co. | Alain Delon | Roch Siffredi | M1928 w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1974 |
Borsalino and Co. | Lionel Vitrant | Fernand | M1928A1 w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1974 |
Borsalino and Co. | Siffredi henchmen | M1928 and M1928A1 | 1974 | |
The Last Four Days | Giacomo Rossi-Stuart | Capt. Jack Donati | 1974 | |
The Last Four Days | OSS operatives | 1974 | ||
Lupin the Third: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy | Kunie Tanaka | Daisuke Jigen | 50-round drum magazine | 1974 |
Lupin the Third: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy | Mafia | with 50-round drum magazine | 1974 | |
Cleopatra Jones | Thugs | M1928 and M1928A1 | 1973 | |
The Laughing Policeman | S.F.P.D. SWAT | 1973 | ||
Battle for the Planet of the Apes | Claude Akins | Aldo | 1973 | |
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean | Texas lawmen | 1972 | ||
The Godfather | Barzini hitmen | w/ 50-rd drum magazines | 1972 | |
State of Siege (État de Siège) | Police | 1972 | ||
The Assassination of Trotsky | Enrico Maria Salerno | Salazar | 1972 | |
The Assassination of Trotsky | Michael Forest | Jim | 1972 | |
The Assassination of Trotsky | Joshua Sinclair | Sam | 1972 | |
Shaft (1971) | Christopher St. John | Ben Buford | 1971 | |
Shaft (1971) | Extras | 1971 | ||
The Burglars (Le casse) | Athenian policemen | 1971 | ||
Cotton Comes to Harlem | Henchman | 1970 | ||
Too Late the Hero | Michael Caine | Pvt. Tosh Hearne | M1928A1 | 1970 |
Too Late the Hero | Ian Bannen | Pvt. Jock Thornton | M1928A1 | 1970 |
Patton | . | U.S. Army soldiers | M1928A1 | 1970 |
Bloody Mama | Shelley Winters | Kate "Ma" Barker | 1970 | |
Bloody Mama | Don Stroud | Herman Barker | 1970 | |
Bloody Mama | FBI Agents | 1970 | ||
Deadlock | Marquard Bohm | Kid | M1928A1 without Cutts compensator | 1970 |
Mario Adorf | Charles Dump | |||
Anthony Dawson | Anthony Sunshine | |||
Black Sun (Chyornoye solntse) | Mercenaries and guerilla fighters | M1928A1 with drum magazine | 1970 | |
The Olsen Gang in a Fix | Mozerella's trenchcoat thugs | 1969 | ||
The Bridge at Remagen | M1928A1 | 1969 | ||
The Brain | Eli Wallach | Frankie Scannapieco | M1928A1 with M1928-style foregrip and 50-round drum magazine | 1969 |
The Brain | MP personnel and The Brain's henchmen | M1928A1 with stick magazines | 1969 | |
Treasures of the Flaming Cliffs (Sokrovishcha pylayushchikh skal) | Nikolay Zaseev-Rudenko | Chief mercenary | With removed handguard, some with side mounted foregrip | 1969 |
Mercenaries | ||||
The Devil's Brigade | William Holden | Col. Robert T. Frederick | M1928A1 | 1968 |
The Devil's Brigade | Jack Watson | Cpl. Peacock | 1928A1 | 1968 |
The Devil's Brigade | Cliff Robertson | Maj. Alan Crown | M1928A1 | 1968 |
The Devil's Brigade | Jeremy Slate | Sgt. Patrick O'Neill | M1928A1 | 1968 |
The Devil's Brigade | US and Canadian army soldiers | M1928A1 | 1968 | |
How I Won the War | British (Canadian) soldiers | Only a picture on a bubble gum/cigarette card | 1967 | |
Bonnie and Clyde | Warren Beatty | Clyde Barrow | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1967 |
Bonnie and Clyde | Faye Dunaway | Bonnie Parker | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | 1967 |
Bonnie and Clyde | Denver Pyle | Frank Hamer | Colt | 1967 |
Cast a Giant Shadow | Kirk Douglas | "Mickey" Marcus | 1966 | |
So Darling So Deadly | A henchwoman | With foregrip and stick magazine | 1966 | |
The Heroes of Telemark | Richard Harris | Knut Straud | 1965 | |
Merrill's Marauders | Claude Akins | Plt. Sgt. Kolowicz | 1962 | |
The Black Seagull (Chyornaya chayka) | A Cuban seaman | With drum magazine | 1962 | |
Escape from Zahrain | Yul Brynner | Sharif | M1928A1 with drum magazine | 1962 |
Jack Warden | Huston | |||
Sal Mineo | Ahmed | |||
Anthony Caruso | Tahar | |||
Police | ||||
Everybody Go Home! (Tutti a casa) | Fascist militia | M1928A1 Thompson | 1960 | |
Yesterday's Enemy | British officers and sergeants | w/ 20-rd magazines. some w/ vertical foregrips | 1959 | |
Never So Few | Frank Sinatra | Cpt. Tom Reynolds | M1928A1 Thompson | 1959 |
Never So Few | Steve McQueen | Bill Ringa | M1928A1 Thompson | 1959 |
Never So Few | Charles Bronson | Sgt. John Danforth | M1928A1 Thompson | 1959 |
Never So Few | Philip Ahn | Nautaung | M1928A1 Thompson | 1959 |
Never So Few | U. S. troops | M1928A1 Thompson | 1959 | |
The Mask of the Gorilla (Le Gorille vous salue bien) | Jean-Marie Rivière | Valério | M1928 | 1958 |
Darby's Rangers | Peter Brown | Cpl. Rollo Burns | 1958 | |
When Hell Broke Loose | US Army soldier | 1958 | ||
Machine-Gun Kelly | Charles Bronson | George "Machine Gun" Kelly | M1928 | 1958 |
Machine-Gun Kelly | Susan Cabot | Florence "Flo" Becker | M1928 | 1958 |
Jet Pilot | U.S. Air Force personnel | M1928A1 | 1957 | |
Bridge on the River Kwai, The | Japanese guards | M1928A1 | 1957 | |
Between Heaven and Hell | National Guards | M1928A1 | 1956 | |
X the Unknown | British soldiers | 1956 | ||
To Hell and Back | Audie Murphy | Himself | M1928A1 | 1955 |
Suddenly | State Police | M1928A1 | 1954 | |
Them! | Police | 1954 | ||
Them! | Soldiers | 1954 | ||
Paratrooper | British paratroopers | M1928A1 | 1953 | |
Desert Rats, The | Australian commandos | smooth barreled version | 1953 | |
Desert Rats, The | Richard Burton | Capt. 'Tammy' MacRoberts | smooth barreled version | 1953 |
Desert Rats, The | German Troops | smooth barreled version | 1953 | |
The Most Wanted Man (L'Ennemi public No 1) | Police | 1953 | ||
Outpost in the Mountains (Zastava v gorakh) | Brigands | M1928A1 | 1953 | |
The Steel Helmet | Gene Evans | Sgt. Zack | 1951 | |
The Steel Helmet | Richard Loo | Sgt. Tanaka | 1951 | |
The Enforcer | 1951 | |||
Gun Crazy | Police Officers | M1928A1 | 1950 | |
Tokyo Joe | US Army soldiers | M1928A1 | 1949 | |
White Heat | L.A.P.D. | M1928A1 | 1949 | |
Battleground | James Whitmore | Sgt Kinnie | M1928A1 | 1949 |
A Walk In The Sun | Soldiers | M1A1 / M1928A1 | 1948 | |
Out of the Past | Police Officer | M1928A1 | 1947 | |
The Story of G.I. Joe | Robert Mitchum | Lt. Bill Walker | M1928A1 | 1945 |
The Story of G.I. Joe | Freddie Steele | Sgt. Steve Warniki | M1928A1 | 1945 |
The Fighting Seabees | Japanese soldiers | M1928A1 | 1944 | |
Air Force | United States Marines | M1928A1 | 1943 | |
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp | British Infantrymen | M1928A1 | 1943 | |
Went the Day Well? | German Paratroopers | M1928A1 | 1943 | |
Guadalcanal Diary | Marines and Japanese | M1928A1 | 1943 | |
Guadalcanal Diary | Richard Conte | Captain Davis | M1928A1 | 1943 |
Gung Ho! | Marine Raiders | M1928A1 | 1943 | |
Sundown | Bruce Cabot | William Crawford | M1928 | 1941 |
Sundown | Carl Esmond | Jan Kuypens | M1928 | 1941 |
Sundown | Tribal fighter | M1928 | 1941 |
Television
Show Title | Actor | Character | Note / Episode | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Andy Griffith Show | Don Knotts | Deputy Barney Fife | "A Black Day for Mayberry" | 1960-1968 |
The Andy Griffith Show | Andy Griffith | Sheriff Andy Taylor | "A Black Day for Mayberry" | 1960-1968 |
Combat! | U.S. Army soldiers | M1928A1 | 1962 - 1967 | |
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | various characters | 1964-1968 | ||
Star Trek | William Shatner | Captain James T. Kirk | w/ 50-rd drum magazines / A Piece of the Action | 1966 - 1969 |
Star Trek | Leonard Nimoy | Lt. Cmdr Spock | w/ 50-rd drum magazines/ A Piece of the Action | 1966 - 1969 |
Star Trek | DeForest Kelley | Dr. Leonard H. McCoy | w/ 50-rd drum magazines/ A Piece of the Action | 1966 - 1969 |
Star Trek | Sigma Iotia II natives | w/ 50-rd drum magazines/ A Piece of the Action | 1966 - 1969 | |
Mission: Impossible | Guards | "Pilot" (S01E01) | 1966 | |
Mission: Impossible | Guards | "Memory" (S01E02) | 1966 | |
Mission: Impossible | Peter Lupus | Willy Armitage | slung, "The Trial" (S01E18) | 1967 |
Dad's Army | Arthur Lowe | Captain George Mainwaring | M1928A1 w/ 30-rd and 50-rd magazine | 1968-1977 |
Dad's Army | John Le Mesurier | Sergeant Arthur Wilson | M1928A1 w/ 30-rd and 50-rd magazine | 1968-1977 |
Dad's Army | Ian Lavender | Private Frank Pike | M1928A1 w/ 30-rd and 50-rd magazine | 1968-1977 |
Rafferty | Armen Dzhigarkhanyan | Tommy Farrichetty | 1980 | |
Star Trek: The Next Generation | Holographic gangster | Manhunt | 1987 - 1994 | |
State Border: Film 8, The | U.S. commandos | M1928 and M1928A1 | 1988 | |
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles | . | Rumrunners | . | 1992-1993 |
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Gangsters | w/ 50-rd drum magazine / That Old Gang of Mine | 1993 - 1997 | |
Sahara (1995) | James Belushi | Master Sgt. Joe Gunn | 1995 | |
Sahara (1995) | Alan David Lee | Bates | 1995 | |
Star Trek: Voyager | Tim Russ | Tuvok | M1928A1 / The Killing Game | 1995 - 2001 |
Charmed | 1930's Gangsters | w/ 50-rd drum magazines/ Charmed Noir | 1998 - 2004 | |
Foyle's War - Season 2 | Home Guard soldiers | "Fifty Ships" (S2E1) | 2003 | |
Foyle's War - Season 3 | Murray McArthur | Home Guard soldier | "The French Drop" (S3E1) | 2004 |
The Pacific | Henry Nixon | Lt. Hugh Corrigan | 2010 | |
The Pacific | Jon Bernthal | Sgt. Manuel 'Manny' Rodriguez | 2010 | |
Boardwalk Empire | Steve Buscemi | Thompson | . | 2010-Present |
The Promise | Irgun fighters | M1928, with L-shaped sights and stick magazines | 2011 | |
Sanctuary | Peter Wingfield | James Watson | M1928A1 w/ 30-rd magazine / Normandy | 2011 |
Sanctuary | US Soldiers | M1928A1 w/ 30-rd magazine / Normandy | 2011 | |
Supernatural | Jensen Ackles | Dean Winchester | With drum magazine / "Time After Time" (S07E12) | 2012 |
Foyle's War - Season 8 | US MPs | "The Eternity Ring" (S8E1) | 2013 | |
Bonnie and Clyde (2013) | Holliday Grainger | Bonnie Parker | 2013 | |
Bonnie and Clyde (2013) | Emile Hirsch | Clyde Barrow | 2013 | |
Bonnie and Clyde (2013) | Lane Garrison | Marvin "Buck" Barrow | 2013 | |
Parer's War | Toby Wallace | Lt. Ron "Judy" Garland | M1928A1 | 2014 |
Parer's War | Australian Commandos, US Marines | M1928, M1928A1 | 2014 | |
The Spoils of Babylon | Tobey Maguire | Devon Morehouse | "The War Within" (E2) | 2014 |
The Spoils of Babylon | Bobby Nish | Japanese Soldier #1 | "The War Within" (E2) | 2014 |
Anime
Title | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Amagi Brilliant Park | Mobster | 2014 | |
Batman: Gotham Knight | Maroni's thugs | 2008 | |
Baccano! | 2007 | ||
Desert Punk | 2004 | ||
Seven Cities Story: Arctic Front | Agents | 1994 | |
Mad Bull 34 | Maury Edward's henchmen | 1990 |
Video Games
Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Blood | 1997 | ||
Fallout 2 | Tommy Gun | 1998 | |
Fallout Tactics | Tommy Gun | 2001 | |
Serious Sam video game series | M1-A2 | With drum magazine, No reloading required | 2001 |
Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven | With 50-round drum magazine | 2002 | |
Forgotten Hope | 2003 | ||
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb | 2003 | ||
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault | With 30-round box and 50-round drum magazine | 2004 | |
Call of Duty: United Offensive | M1928A1, box art only | 2004 | |
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater | Tommy gun | With 50-round drum and apparently formed out of bees | 2004 |
Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie | With 50-round drum magazine | 2005 | |
Forgotten Hope 2 | M1928 w/ 30 or 50-round magazines | 2005 | |
Medal of Honor: Vanguard | 2007 | ||
Call of Duty: World at War | M1928A1, box art only | 2008 | |
Turning Point: Fall of Liberty | M1928A1 | 2008 | |
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway | 2008 | ||
The Royal Marines Commando | Thompson | With drum magazine | 2008 |
7.62 High Calibre | 2008 | ||
Death to Spies: Moment of Truth | 2009 | ||
Godfather II, The (VG) | 2009 | ||
Counter-Strike Online | Thompson Chaiago | Gold finish | 2010 |
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker | 2010 | ||
Mafia II | With 50-round drum | 2010 | |
World War II Online: Battleground Europe | With 30-round stick mag | 2010 | |
Serious Sam Double D | Tommy Gun | With 50-round drum, no butt-stock | 2011 |
7554 | Thompson M1928 | With 30-round magazine | 2011 |
Hitman: Absolution | 2012 | ||
Grand Theft Auto V | Gusemberg Sweeper | With incorrectly 30-rounds drum magazine | 2013 |
Project Reality: Normandy | Thompson | M1928A1, with Cutts compensator removed | 2013 |
Deadfall Adventures | Thompson | M1928, with 50-round drum | 2013 |
Payday 2 | Chicago Typewriter | M1928, with 50-round drum | 2013 |
Bioshock Infinite | "Tommy Gun" | M1928A1, with 50-round drum, smooth barrel, and early 'simplified' rear sight | 2013 |
Watch_Dogs | M1, Gangster | M1928, with 50-round drum | 2014 |
Day of Infamy | Thompson M1928A1 | M1928A1, "Foregrip" upgrade converts M1928A1 to M1928 | 2017 |
Animation
Film/TV Show | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Who Framed Roger Rabbit | June Foray | Wheezy | 1988 |
M1 Thompson
The M1/M1A1 were versions of the M1928A1 Thompson that were streamlined and simplified for manufacture during World War 2, first adopted in April 1942. Features include a non-finned barrel, simple fixed "L" style sights, no Cutts Compensators, and elimination of the knurling on actuators and fire select levers in later models. The bolt and receiver were simplified to eliminate the Blish lock "H" piece. The bolt actuator was also moved from the top to the right side of the receiver on most production, with a few having the actuator on the left. Also there are examples that were parkerized rather than blued that ended up in the hands of U.S. Soldiers.
The older style M1 Thompson had a more complex bolt design with a separate firing pin later simplified in the M1A1 Thompson which had the firing pin machined into the face of the bolt. The early M1 model rear "L type" sight was prone to bend if the weapon was dropped or dig into the soldier when in cramped conditions, so later models added triangular "ears" to protect it. The M1/M1A1 Thompson's could not accept the 50/100 round drum magazines used on the M1921/M1928A1 models so were limited to 20-round and 30-round box magazines.
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hacksaw Ridge | US Army soldiers | 2016 | ||
Assassination Games | on rack | 2011 | ||
Djinns (Stranded) | Cyril Raffaelli | Pvt. Louvier | 2010 | |
Djinns (Stranded) | Matthias Van Khache | Pvt. Malovitch | 2010 | |
Oba: The Last Samurai | US Marine | 2010 | ||
Hot Fuzz | Seen in evidence room | 2007 | ||
Days of Glory | Samy Naceri | Yassir | 2006 | |
Reign of Fire | British Refugee | 2002 | ||
Jungle Warriors | Dominic Barto | Thomas Tucci | 1984 | |
Jungle Warriors | Angela Robinson-Witherspoon | Monique Rogers | 1984 | |
Jungle Warriors | Paramilitary men | 1984 | ||
Uncommon Valor | Reb Brown | Blaster | 1983 | |
Cleopatra Jones | Thug | 1973 | ||
Magnum Force | Thug | 1973 | ||
Kelly's Heroes | Clint Eastwood | Pvt. Kelly | 1970 | |
Kelly's Heroes | Telly Savalas | Master Sgt. Big Joe | 1970 | |
Kelly's Heroes | Don Rickles | Staff Sgt. Crapgame | 1970 | |
Pierrot Goes Wild (Pierrot le Fou) | OAS members | 1965 | ||
The Longest Day | Allied soldiers | 1963 | ||
Mothra | Scientists | 1961 |
Television
Show Title / Episode | Actor | Character | Note | Air Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sanctuary / Normandy | Amanda Tapping | Dr. Helen Magnus | w/ 30-rd magazine | 2011 |
Sanctuary / Normandy | Peter Wingfield | James Watson | w/ 30-rd magazine | 2011 |
Sanctuary / Normandy | Erin Lacourciere | Jeanette Anaise | w/ 30-rd magazine | 2011 |
Sanctuary / Normandy | Robin Dunne | Captain Jack Zimmerman | w/ 30-rd magazine | 2011 |
Sanctuary / Normandy | US Soldiers | w/ 30-rd magazine | 2011 |
Anime
Title | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Girl Und Panzer | Movie Characters | Movie appears to be Kelly's Heroes | 2012 |
Suisei no Gargantia | Sailor | 2013 |
Video Games
Game Title | Mods | Passwords | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
WWII G.I. | With 20-round magazine | 1999 | |
Day of Infamy | Thompson M1A1 | Equipping "Iron Sights" upgrade converts M1A1 to M1 | 2017 |
M1A1 Thompson
Basically the same as the M1 but with a few more improvements such as the noted rear sight guard.
Film
Television
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mail Call | Re-enactor | |||
Band of Brothers | . | U.S. Army soldiers | . | 2001 |
My Name is Earl | John Amos | Joe | 2008 | |
The Pacific | Joseph Mazzello | Eugene Sledge | . | 2010 |
The Pacific | James Badge Dale | Robert Leckie | . | 2010 |
The Pacific | Gary Sweet | Gunnery Sgt. Elmo Haney | . | 2010 |
The Pacific | Toby Leonard Moore | Sgt. Stone | . | 2010 |
The Pacific | Rami Malek | PFC Merriell 'Snafu' Shelton | . | 2010 |
The Pacific | Brendan Fletcher | Bill Leyden | . | 2010 |
Foyle's War - Season 7 | US Army soldiers | "Killing Time" (S7E2) | 2010 | |
Sanctuary / Normandy | Robin Dunne | Captain Jack Zimmerman | w/ 30-rd magazine | 2011 |
Foyle's War - Season 8 | US Army soldiers | "Sunflower" (S8E3) | 2013 | |
The Man in the High Castle | American Resistance fighters | 2015 |
Video Games
Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notes | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Medal of Honor (1999) | 20 round magazine | 1999 | ||
Return to Castle Wolfenstein | 2001 | |||
Battlefield: 1942 | 2002 | |||
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault | 2002 | |||
Medal of Honor: Frontline | 2002 | |||
Commandos 3: Destination Berlin | seen on cover | 2003 | ||
Forgotten Hope | 2003 | |||
Call of Duty | 2003 | |||
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun | 2003 | |||
Medal of Honor: Infiltrator | 2003 | |||
Hidden & Dangerous 2 | 2003 | |||
Karma Online | 2003 | |||
Vietcong | 2003 | |||
Call of Duty: United Offensive | 2004 | |||
Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood | 2005 | |||
Call of Duty 2 | 2005 | |||
Forgotten Hope 2 | w/o 20 or 30-round magazines | 2005 | ||
Resident Evil 4 | Chicago Typewriter | w/ 50-rd drum magazine | Mafia costume required | 2005 |
Vietcong 2 | 2005 | |||
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 | 2005, 2008 | |||
Call of Duty 3 | 2006 | |||
Medal of Honor: Heroes | 2006 | |||
Commandos: Strike Force | 2006 | |||
The Godfather | "Tommy Gun" / "Modified Tommy Gun" | Foregrip modeled too big, drum mag modeled too small | 2006 | |
Darkest Hour: Europe '44-'45 | with 20-round magazine | 2006 | ||
Alliance of Valiant Arms | 2007 | |||
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway | 2008 | |||
Call of Duty: World at War | Aperture Sight, Suppressor, 40-round Drum Magazine | 2008 | ||
7.62 High Calibre | w/ various attachments | 2008 | ||
Battlefield Heroes | M1/Chicago Typewriter | 2009 | ||
Death to Spies: Moment of Truth | 2009 | |||
The Saboteur | Tommy-MG | incorrectly shown with drum magazine | 2009 | |
Mafia II | With 20-round box magazine | 2010 | ||
Call of Duty: Black Ops | 2010 | |||
World War II Online: Battleground Europe | Released with 1.34 update | 2011 | ||
7554 | Thompson M1A1 | 2011 | ||
Jagged Alliance: Back in Action | Johnson M1A1 | 2011 | ||
Sniper Elite V2 | 2012 | |||
Enemy Front | THOMPSON M1 | 2014 | ||
Sniper Elite III | 2014 | |||
Battlefield Hardline | M1A1 | M1921 / M1928 foregrip or standard handguard, and 30-round stick or 50-round drum magazine | Added in 1.04 patch | 2015 |
Alekhine's Gun | 2016 | |||
Mafia III | 2016 | |||
Heroes & Generals | Thompson M1A1 | 2016 | ||
Sniper Elite 4 | Thompson | 2017 | ||
Day of Infamy | Thompson M1A1 | 2017 |
Anime
Title | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Mad Bull 34 | Don Enrico's thugs, N.Y.P.D. S.W.A.T. officers | 1990 | |
Stella Women's Academy, High School Division Class C³ | Tournament Competitor | Airsoft | 2013 |
Auto Ordnance M1927 Thompson
The modern 1927 model was introduced by Auto Ordnance in the 1970s, capitalizing on the popularity of the submachine gun and satisfying the desire for a legal version by implementing a semi-automatic version with a longer barrel but the general appearance of the full-automatic versions. (Not to be confused with the original Model 1927 Thompsons which were made from Model 1921 with the selector disabled.)
Film
Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Leonard Part 6 | . | Gangster henchmen | . | 1987 |
Video Games
Game Title | Appears as | Notes | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Batman: Arkham Asylum | not usable | 2009 | |
Saints Row IV | Scoped | 2013 |
Lookalikes
Due to the popularity and iconic nature of the Thompson, there were a large number of "lookalike" weapons made by various companies. These have the general outline of a Thompson, but are completely different weapons usually of inferior quality and intended for civilian sale. They are normally chambered in .45 ACP to emulate the original, but some models can be found chambered in 9x19mm.
- The Ingram Model 6 was a low cost alternative of the Thompson intended for law enforcement use. It can most easily be distinguished from the the Thompson by the design of the trigger group and the design of the wooden stock.
- The Spitfire Carbine is a civilian semi-automatic carbine which emulates the look of the Thompson and is one in a line of very similar weapons made by different manufacturers all based on one another. Although it has a 16" barrel as standard it can be found with a shortened barrel and converted to full-automatic. Note the tubular receiver and the fact that the "cooling fins" on the barrel are purely cosmetic and are part of the forward grip rather than the barrel itself.
- The original Volunteer Carbine was essentially a clone of the Spitfire but fitted with a straight wood handguard rather than a vertical grip. However, Volunteer Enterprises soon produced a version known as the Commando Mark III was a much closer match for the Thompson in that it had a more correct square receiver. The most obvious distinguishing features of the Commando Mark II from a genuine Thompson are the magazine well, the fact that the charging handle is on the left side of the gun, and the shape of the rear sight wings. It can be found with both a straight wood handguard or a vertical grip.
See Also
- Colt's Manufacturing Company - A list of all firearms manufactured by Colt.