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Thompson Submachine Gun

From Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games
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Note: The M1921 Thompson and the M1928 Thompson are nearly identical from a distance. The M1921 has a very fine high blued polish finish and has a very fast rate of fire (faster than an Uzi but slower than a MAC-10). The M1928 has a more matte blued finish (or a black paint finish) and it has a much slower rate of fire (like M3 Grease Gun). Since sound effects are so often 'foleyed' after the fact and since sound engineers can place the wrong sound effect for a gun, one can never be 100% sure of the fire rate of a weapon. However if the rate of fire seems fast or the gun is obviously a high polished blued finish, then the weapon should go into the M1921 Category, not the M1928.


The Thompson submachine gun, or "Tommy Gun", has appeared in the following films, television series, and video games used by the following actors:

M1921 Thompson

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Colt M1921A Thompson with 20-round magazine - .45 ACP
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Colt M1921A Thompson with 50-round drum magazine - .45 ACP
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Colt M1921AC Thompson with 20-round magazine - .45 ACP.
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Colt M1921AC Thompson with 50-round drum magazine - .45 ACP.

The M1921 is the original production version of the Thompson Submachine Gun, as manufactured by Colt Firearms in 1921. 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
Public Enemies Johnny Depp John Dillinger w/ 50-rd drum and 30-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
Mobsters w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1991
Dick Tracy 1990
Moonwalker 1988
The Untouchables w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1987
Romancing the Stone 1984
Dillinger 1973
The FBI Story w/ 50-rd drum and 30-rd box magazines 1959
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
Bataan 1943
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
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 / Episode Actor Character Notes Air Date
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Todd Stashwick Myron Stark / T-888 2008 - 2009
The Untouchables 1993 - 1994
Reilly: Ace of Spies Sam Neill Reilly 1983
The Untouchables 1959 - 1963

Video Games

Game Title Appears as Mods Release Date
Bioshock Machine Gun With 40-round drum magazine 2007
Medal of Honor: Airborne "Upgrade" from M1A1 Thompson, with 50-rd drum 2007
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth 2005
Contract J.A.C.K. M1921-A1 2003
Silent Storm With 50-round drum magazine 2003
No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy In HARM's Way M1921-A1 With 50-round drum magazine 2002

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 "1928" over 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.

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M1928 "Tommy Gun" .45 ACP with 50-round drum magazine, made famous through countless classic gangster movies
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M1928A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine and early 'simplified' rear sight that would be adopted for the M1 Thompson - .45 ACP
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M1928A1 Thompson with 50-round drum magazine - .45 ACP

Film

Title Actor Character Note Date
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Mobsters 2009
Public Enemies M1928A1 2009
Guerrilla Santiago Cabrera Camilo Cienfuegos 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 Alonzo Cpl. Hector Negron M1928A1 2008
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Brendan Fraser Rick O'Connell w/ 20-rd box and 50-rd drum magazines 2008
Assault on Precinct 13 w/ 50-rd drum magazine 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
The Matrix Reloaded Henchman w/ 50-rd drum magazine 2003
Road to Perdition Tom Hanks Michael Sullivan 2002
Road to Perdition Mobsters 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
Last Man Standing Christopher Walken Hickey 1996
Star Trek: First Contact Patrick Stewart Captain Jean-Luc Picard w/ 50-rd drum magazine 1996
Blown Away IRA terrorists M1928A1 1994
The Shadow Tim Curry Farley Claymore M1928A1 1994
The Rocketeer FBI Special Agents 1991
The Rocketeer Gangsters 1991
Home Alone Johnny w/ 50-rd drum magazine 1990
Miller's Crossing w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1990
The Untouchables Mobsters 1987
The Untouchables Police 1987
The Untouchables Federal Agents 1987
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Ric Young Kao Kan w/ 50-rd drum magazine 1984
The Big Red One M1928A1 1980
Dawn of the Dead Larry Varia Biker w/ 50-rd drum and 30-rd box magazines 1978
The Inglorious Bastards Bo Svenson Lt. Robert Yeager 1978
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia Gangsters 1974
Too Late the Hero Michael Caine Pvt. Tosh Hearne M1928A1 1970
Too Late the Hero Ian Benn Pvt. Jock Thornton M1928A1 1970
The Godfather Barzini hitmen w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1972
Patton U.S. Army soldiers M1928A1 1970
The Bridge at Remagen M1928A1 1969
The Devil's Brigade William Holden Col. Robert T. Frederick M1928A1 1968
The Devil's Brigade Cliff Robertson Major Alan Crown M1928A1 1968
The Devil's Brigade U.S. Army soldiers M1928A1 1968
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
Jet Pilot U.S. Air Force personnel M1928A1 1957
To Hell and Back Audie Murphy Himself M1928A1 1955
Them! Police 1954
Them! Soldiers 1954
The Enforcer 1951
A Walk In The Sun Police Officer M1928A1 1948
The Story of G.I. Joe Robert Mitchum Lt. Bill Walker M1928A1 1945
A Walk In The Sun M1928A1 1945

Television

Show Title / Episode Actor Character Note Air Date
Charmed / Charmed Noir 1930's Gangsters w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1998 - 2004
Star Trek: Voyager / The Killing Game Tim Russ Tuvok M1928A1 1995 - 2001
Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman / That Old Gang of Mine Gangsters w/ 50-rd drum magazine 1993 - 1997
Star Trek: The Next Generation / Manhunt Holographic gangster 1987 - 1994
Star Trek / A Piece of the Action William Shatner Captain James T. Kirk w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1966 - 1969
Star Trek / A Piece of the Action Leonard Nimoy Lt. Spock w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1966 - 1969
Star Trek / A Piece of the Action DeForest Kelley Dr. Leonard H. McCoy w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1966 - 1969
Star Trek / A Piece of the Action Sigma Iotia II natives w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1966 - 1969
Combat! U.S. Army soldiers M1928A1 1962 - 1967

Video Games

Game Title Appears as Mods Release Date


Call of Duty: World at War M1928A1, box art only 2008
Call of Duty: World at War: Final Fronts M1928A1, box art only 2008
Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven With 50-round drum magazine
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault With 30-round box and 50-round drum magazine 2004
Medal of Honor: Vanguard 2007
Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie With 50-round drum magazine 2005
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb 2003
Timesplitters 2 Tommy Gun 2002
Turning Point: Fall of Liberty 2008
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway 2008
Call of Duty: United Offensive M1928A1, box art only 2004
Blood 1997
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Tommy gun With 50-round drum and apparently formed out of bees 2004
Timesplitters Tommy Gun 2000




M1 Thompson

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M1 Thompson with 20-round magainze - .45 ACP

The M1/M1A1 were versions of the M1928A1 Thompson that were streamlined and simplified for manufacture during World War 2. Features include a non-finned barrel, simple fixed "L" style sights, no Cutts Compensators, and no knurling on actuators, or fire select levers. 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 simple rear peep sights and a slightly more complex bolt design, which was simplified with the M1A1 Thompson and the sights were improved as the "L type" was prone to bend if the weapon was dropped or dig into the Soldier when in cramped conditions. It must be noted the M1/M1A1 Thompson's are not compatable with the 50/70 round drum magazines used on the M1921/M1928A1 models.

Film

Title Actor Character Note Date
Hot Fuzz Seen in evidence room 2007
Reign of Fire British Refugee 2002
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
The Longest Day Allied soldiers 1963

Video Games

Game Title Mods Passwords Release Date
Silent Storm With 20-round magazine 2003

M1A1 Thompson

Basically the same as the M1 but with a few more improvements such as the noted rear sight guard.

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M1A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine .45 ACP

Film

Title Actor Character Note Date
Band of Brothers U.S. Army soldiers 2001
Saving Private Ryan Tom Hanks Captain John H. Miller 1998
Saving Private Ryan Ted Danson Captain Fred Hamill 1998
Forrest Gump Gary Sinise One of Lt. Dan Taylor's ancestors 1994
Aliens Mocked up as M41A Plse Rifles 1986
Diamonds Are Forever CIA Agents 1971
The Omega Man Paul Koslo Dutch 1971
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
Pretty Boy Floyd w/ vertical foregrips & fake Cutts comps 1960
A Walk in the Sun 1945

Video Games

Game Title Appears as Mods Notes Release Date
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway 2008
Call of Duty: World at War Aperture Sight, Suppressor, 40-round Drum Magazine 2008
Call of Duty: World at War: Final Fronts With 20-round box magazine 2008
Call of Duty 3 2006
Medal of Honor: Heroes 2006
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 2005, 2008
Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood 2005
Call of Duty 2 2005
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One 2005
Resident Evil 4 Chicago Typewriter w/ 50-rd drum magazine Mafia costume required 2005
Call of Duty: Finest Hour 2004
Call of Duty: United Offensive 2004
Call of Duty 2003
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun 2003
Medal of Honor: Infiltrator 2003
Battlefield: 1942 2002
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault 2002
Medal of Honor: Frontline 2002