Tom Southern

Tom Southern, also known as Tommy or Thomas Southern,^[1] was an actor in American film and stage productions^[2] as well as a songwriter. He was a theater actor with the Lafayette Players.^[3]

In 1933, he wrote several songs together with Lionel Hampton.^[4] For a few years before 1937, Southern was absent from acting in films and theater;^[3] the Pittsburgh Courier stated he "gave up acting as a career" around 1936 and became a journalist.^[5] In 1938, he was the managing editor for the launch of the magazine Silhouette Pictorial.^[5][6]

Southern acted in a supporting role in the Western film, Two-Gun Man from Harlem.^[7] He acted in the "all-colored cast" film Mystery in Swing. In a review, the Pittsburgh Courier said he gave the best individual performance by a male.^[8] War Perkins of the Chicago Defender newspaper listed Southern and three others as giving the best performances in the film.^[9]

Around 1940, Southern partnered with drummer Lionel Hampton on a musical film project, titled From Spirituals to Swing, which was "accepted by the Paramount production department". The film featured Black spirituals and swing music.^[2] It was said to have an "all-colored cast".^[10] In 1940, Hampton announced that the film would release soon.^[11] The movie then "fell through" that year.^[1]

According to a copyright, Southern, Hampton, and Otis René wrote a song together for the feature, titled "I'd Be Lost Without You".^[1] A record of the song was made at Victor Records in 1940,^[12] with Hampton credited for the music and Southern for the lyrics.^[13] Lionel Hampton and the King Cole Trio played on the record, with Helen Forrest singing.^[12] After the recording, Otis René claimed he was not given a contract for the record and was left uncredited.^[1] He stated he intended to sue.^[12]

Tom was married to Viola Southern.^[14]