Tom Powers

Tom Powers, born in Kentucky, studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts before signing with Vitagraph Pictures at the age of 21 in 1911. He remained with the studio for two years, after which he traveled to England, where he performed in both stage productions and films. Upon returning to the United States, he made a few additional films but ceased acting in movies in 1917, focusing instead on stage work. He did not return to the screen until 1944, when he accepted Billy Wilder's invitation to play Mr. Dietrichson, Barbara Stanwyck's doomed husband, in *Double Indemnity*. Over the next 12 years, he appeared in dozens of films, often portraying detectives, army officers, District Attorneys, or other authority figures. He died of heart failure in November 1955; his final film, *The Go-Getter* (1956), was released posthumously.