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Thompson Submachine Gun

From Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games
(Redirected from Colt M1921A Thompson)
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Belt-fed Thompson "Persuader" prototype - .45 ACP. Ammunition was supplied from an attached box.

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 design from 1917 was a bizarre belt-fed weapon called the "Persuader." This morphed into the magazine-fed "Annihilator" in 1918-1919, which boasted a staggering fire rate of up to 1,500 RPM, rendering the weapon virtually uncontrollable in fullauto. A pattern gun with no stock or sights was presented to Colt later on in 1919 to be redesigned for production. This became the M1921 and was 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 $2,800 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. Ironically, it was originally only intended for military and police use only and was marketed as "The gun that safeguards the innocent!", and providing a level of firepower that would send cowardly criminals running for cover. Considering that a fully automatic weapon with a good amount of recoil isn't exactly the safest way to ensure no innocent bystanders are hurt, it didn't take off in this role and eventually hit the civilian market.

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 an 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, anime, and video games used by the following actors:


Specifications

M1919 prototypes: (1919 - 1920)
Serial production: (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")


M1919 Thompson

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M1918/1919 Thompson "Annihilator I" (serial number one) with 20-round magazine - .45 ACP (colorized photo). Originally built as belt-feed in 1918, it received an adapter towards the end of the year to use the new box magazines.
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M1919 Thompson serial number 17 as it appears in early sales literature, with 50-round drum magazine (20-round box and 100-round drum beside) - .45 ACP

The M1919 is a family of various Thompson submachine gun prototypes, all slightly different from each other. Around 40 prototypes were believed to have been made, and only 11 exist today. The earliest M1919 Thompsons (after the "Persuader" prototype) are also known as "Annihilators". The earliest Annihilator I needed an adaptor to use straight magazines.

The SMGs appear in various configurations, with different attachments, and some lacking sights and buttstocks.

Contrary to popular myth, the "Annihilators" were never intended to be shipped to WWI-time Europe, because there was only one example of the Annihilator in 1918, and was still testing its magazine feed system at the time. With a few exceptions, Auto-Ordnance only began attempting to market their weapons later in 1920, to the Polish and anti-Bolshevik forces at war at the time, but intense hostilities will interrupt these plans. The "WWI-myth" itself stems from the 1921 confiscation of a M1921 batch destined for the RIA from the New York docks.

Video Games

Game Title Appears as Note Release Date
The Godfather "Dillinger" 2006
Deadfall Adventures "Thompson" "Annihilator I", Hybrid with M1928, w/ 50-rd drum 2013
Battlefield 1 "Annihilator" and "M1919 SMG" Added in 2018. 2016


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 under contract from Auto-Ordnance. The M1921 is of the highest quality, fit, and along with a high polish blued finish, more like high a 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
Little Caesar w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1931
Pardon Us Stan Laurel Stan w/ moderator device 1931
Oliver Hardy Ollie
Walter Long The Tiger
Scarface Police and gangsters 1934
G Men James Cagney Brick Davis w/ 50-rd drum magazine 1935
Robert Armstrong Jeff McCord
China Seas Willie Fung Ah Sing w/ 50-rd drum magazine 1935
Bullets or Ballots Police Officers w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1936
The Petrified Forest Arizona lawman 1936
They Gave Him a Gun Prison guards and Police officers 1937
San Quentin Prison Guard w/ 50-rd drum magazine 1937
Angels With Dirty Faces Police officers w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1938
Each Dawn I Die Prison Guard w/ 50-rd drum magazine 1939
High Sierra Humphrey Bogart Roy "Mad Dog" Earle 1941
Went the Day Well? Frank Lawton Tom Sturry With 50-round drum magazine 1942
Norman Pierce Jim Sturry
Johnnie Schofield Joe Garbett
Elizabeth Allan Peggy
German Paratroopers
Somewhere in France Gordon Jackson Alastair "Jock" MacFarlan With 50-round drum magazine & rare muzzle brake 1942
Tommy Trinder Tommy Hoskins
Young Partisans (Yunye partizani) Pyotr Galadzhev A German soldier 1942
Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror British soldiers With 50-round drum magazines; some with Cutts compensators 1942
Bataan U.S. forces 1943
Hangmen Also Die! German Schutzstaffel (SS) Mocked as MP40 1943
Sahara Humphrey Bogart Sgt. Joe Gunn 1943
Rex Ingram Sgt. Major Tambul w/ 50-rd drum magazine
Bruce Bennett Waco Hoyt
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
John Wayne Col. John Madden
Appointment with Danger Police officers M1921AC with 30-round magazine 1950
Blowing Wild Seen in El Gavilan's camp 1953
Paratrooper British paratroopers 1953
The Desperate Hours Various Police 1955
The Bonnie Parker Story Dorothy Provine Bonnie Parker M1921AC, 50-round drum magazines 1958
Jack Hogan Guy Darrow
Sinners of Paris (Rafles sur la ville) Charles Vanel Le Fondu M1921AC 1958
Michel Piccoli Inspector Paul Vardier
François Guérin Inspector Gilbert Barot
Police
Al Capone Lewis Charles Earl "Hymie" Weiss buttstock removed 1959
Murvyn Vye George "Bugs" Moran
The FBI Story Jimmy Stewart Agent "Chip" Hardesty w/ 50-rd drum and 30-rd box magazines 1959
Murray Hamilton Agent Sam Crandall
Jane Crowley Ma Barker
Alan Craig Fred Barker
Gangsters and FBI agents
Inside the Mafia Mafia gunmen w/ box magazines, buttstocks removed 1959
Follow That Dream Elvis Presley Toby Kwimper 1962
(uncredited) Pete
OSS 117 (OSS 117 se déchaîne) Pierre Moncorbier The guardian of cave 1963
The 10th Victim (La decima vittima) The man at shooting range 1965
Up to His Ears (Les tribulations d'un Chinois en Chine) Chinese triads 1965
OSS 117: Mission for a Killer (Furia à Bahia pour OSS 117) Frederick Stafford Hubert Bonnisseur 1965
The Nazis and Indians
Modesty Blaise Fothergill´s men 1966
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre Jason Robards Al Capone 1967
George Segal Pete Gusenberg
The Sicilian Clan (Le clan des Siciliens) Mobsters 1969
Che! Jack Palance Fidel Castro 1969
Woody Strode Guillermo
You Can't Win 'Em All Leo Gordon Bolek 1970
Rum Runners (Boulevard du Rhum) Policemen 1971
The Valachi Papers Mobsters 1972
Dillinger Harry Dean Stanton Homer Van Meter 1973
Richard Dreyfuss Lester "Baby Face" Nelson
Geoffrey Lewis Harry Pierpont
Warren Oates John Dillinger
John Ryan Charley Makley
Jerry Summers Tommy Carroll
Frank McRae Reed Youngblood
Ben Johnson Melvin Purvis
Roy Jenson Samuel Cowley
Lupin the Third: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy Kunie Tanaka Daisuke Jigen with 30-round magazine 1974
Prison guards
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia Gig Young Johnny Quill Minus rifle stock. 1974
Savage Sisters Gloria Hendry Lynn Jackson 1974
Sid Haig Malavael
Guerillas
Big Bad Mama Tom Skerritt Fred Diller 1974
Dick Miller Agent William Bonney
Tom Signorelli Agent Dodds
Foxy Brown vigilante 1974
Capone Ben Gazzara Capone 1975
Farewell, My Lovely gangster 1975
The Con Artists Gangsters and prison guards With and without Cutts compensators, with 50-rd drums 1976
Weapons of Death (Napoli spara!) Santoro's henchmen 1977
Stuntwoman (L'animal) Raquel Welch Jane Gardner 1977
Dawn of the Dead Larry Vaira Biker w/ 50-rd drum and 30-rd box magazines 1978
The Vengeance of the Winged Serpent (La vengeance du serpent à plumes) Mexican prison guards and soldiers 1984
Romancing the Stone Ira's man 1984
Jungle Warriors Alex Cord Nick Spilotro 1984
Mastranga's men
The Untouchables Sean Connery Jim Malone w/ 50-rd drum magazine 1987
Andy Garcia George Stone
Billy Drago Frank Nitti
Valentino Cimo Bodyguard
Joe Greco Bodyguard
Moonwalker Michael Jackson 1988
Dick Tracy Warren Beatty Dick Tracy 1990
Seymour Cassel Sam Catchem
William Forsythe Flattop Jones
Ed O'Ross Itchy Oliver
Henry Silva Influence
R.G. Armstrong Pruneface
Colm Meaney Cop at Tess'
Mobsters Nicholas Sadler Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1991
Christian Slater Lucky Luciano
Richard Grieco Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel
Hit the Dutchman Gangster at brewery w/ 20-rd box magazine 1992
Mad Dog Coll Dutch's gangsters w/ 20-rd box magazines 1993
Legends of the Fall Police officers 1994
The Quest Riggi's mobsters 1996
The Phantom Dane Farwell Breen 1996
Jo Phillips Female pilot
Michael Collins I.R.A. gunmen 1996
Road to Perdition Tom Hanks Michael Sullivan, Sr. 2002
O Brother, Where Art Thou? Michael Badalucco Baby Face Nelson w/ 50-rd drum magazines 2000
Smart Philip Miroslav Táborský Adolfo 2003
Mobsters
Dogville Mobsters w/ 50-rd drum magazines 2003
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow Police Officers w/ 50-rd drum magazines 2004
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Ray Winstone Mac w/ M1928 Forend 2008
Watchmen Unknown Bank Robber M1921AC w/ 50-rd drum 2009
Public Enemies Johnny Depp John Dillinger w/ 50-rd drum and 20-rd box magazines 2009
Inglourious Basterds American soldier 2009
Gangster Squad Gangsters 2012
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them New York City Police Officers 2016
Live by Night gangsters and police 2016
Live by Night Chris Messina Dion Bartolo 2016
The Highwaymen police officers 2019

Television

Show Title Actor Character Notes / Episode Air Date
The Untouchables 1959 - 1963
Stawka wieksza niz zycie British and American soldiers 18/ "Poszukiwany gruppenfuhrer Wolf" 1966 - 1968
Dad's Army 1968 - 1977
Reilly: Ace of Spies Sam Neill Reilly 1983
The Untouchables 1993 - 1994
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Todd Stashwick Myron Stark / T-888 2008 - 2009
Guns 2008
Mob City L.A.P.D. and mobsters 2013
Endeavour - Season 5 Ames' henchman With 50-round drum; (S05E06) 2018
Legion Jeremie Harris Ptonomy Wallace M1921AC 2017-2019
1923 Jerome Flynn Banner Creighton 2022

Anime

Title Character Note Date
The Abashiri Family Police "Explosion of violence!! We don't have justice!" (E01) 1991
Soul Eater Al-Capone mafia 2008-2009
Soul Eater Not! Mobster "This is a Real Fight!" (E06) 2014

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
Cross Fire "Thompson" 2007
Bioshock 2 "Machine Gun" fires .50 Cal rounds 2010
Days Gone "Chicago Chopper" 2019
Enlisted Thompson M1921AC with 20 round magazine 2021
Thompson M1921AC with 30 round magazine
Thompson M1921AC with 50 round magazine


M1928/M1928A1 Thompson

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M1928 Thompson with 50-round drum magazine - .45 ACP
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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 30-round magazine - .45 ACP. This specimen has the sling swivel relocated to the top of the stock, a modification often made to Thompsons in British service.
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M1928A1 Thompson with 50-round drum magazine - .45 ACP
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M1928A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine - .45ACP

The Model 1928 was more of a 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 from 1938. 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. Late wartime M1928A1s also received a number of simplifications, such as non-adjustable "L"-style sights, smooth barrels, and the absence of compensators (these features can be found in different combinations), before production switched to an even more simplified M1, which borrowed these peculiarities.

The M1928 is the variant most commonly associated with twenties gangsters, made famous through countless classic gangster movies. Nicknames such as "Tommy Gun" or "Chicago typewriter" were created as a result of the weapon's fame.

Film

Title Actor Character Note Date
Sundown Bruce Cabot William Crawford M1928 1941
Carl Esmond Jan Kuypens
Tribal fighter
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
Richard Conte Captain Davis
Gung Ho! Marine Raiders M1928A1 1943
The Fighting Seabees Japanese soldiers M1928A1 1944
The Story of G.I. Joe Robert Mitchum Lt. Bill Walker M1928A1 1945
Freddie Steele Sgt. Steve Warniki
Out of the Past Police Officer M1928A1 1947
A Walk In The Sun Soldiers M1A1 / M1928A1 1948
He Walked By Night Police M1928A1 1948
All the King's Men police officers 1949
Tokyo Joe US Army soldiers M1928A1 1949
White Heat L.A.P.D. M1928A1 1949
Battleground James Whitmore Sgt Kinnie M1928A1 1949
Breakthrough Frank Lovejoy Sgt. Pete Bell M1928A1 1950
Matt Willis Pvt. Jimbo Hollis
U.S. soldiers
Gun Crazy Police Officers M1928A1 1950
Conspiracy of the Doomed (Zagovor obrechyonnykh) Oleg Zhakov Kurtov M1928A1 1950
The Steel Helmet Gene Evans Sgt. Zack 1951
Richard Loo Sgt. Tanaka
The Enforcer 1951
From Here to Eternity U.S. Army sentry 1953
Paratrooper British paratroopers M1928A1 1953
The Desert Rats Richard Burton Capt. 'Tammy' MacRoberts smooth barreled version 1953
Australian commandos, German Troops
The Most Wanted Man (L'Ennemi public No 1) Police 1953
Outpost in the Mountains (Zastava v gorakh) Brigands M1928A1 1953
Suddenly State Police M1928A1 1954
Them! James Whitmore Sergeant Peterson 1954
James Arness F.B.I. Special Agent Robert Graham
Soldiers
To Hell and Back Audie Murphy Himself M1928A1 1955
Soldier of Fortune Chinese sailors M1928A1 1955
Between Heaven and Hell National Guards M1928A1 1956
Jet Pilot U.S. Air Force personnel M1928A1 1957
The Steel Bayonet Leo Genn Maj. Alan Gerrard M1928A1 1957
British soldiers
Bridge on the River Kwai, The Japanese guards M1928A1 1957
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
Susan Cabot Florence "Flo" Becker
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 1959
Steve McQueen Bill Ringa
Charles Bronson Sgt. John Danforth
Philip Ahn Nautaung
U. S. troops
Everybody Go Home! (Tutti a casa) Fascist militia M1928A1 Thompson 1960
Peace to Him Who Enters (Mir vkhodyashchemu) Nikolay Grinko An American soldier M1928A1 1961
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
I Am Cuba (Soy Cuba) Cuban police and guerrillas 1964
The Heroes of Telemark Richard Harris Knut Straud 1965
Cast a Giant Shadow Kirk Douglas "Mickey" Marcus 1966
So Darling So Deadly A henchwoman With foregrip and stick magazine 1966
What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? James Coburn Lt. Christian 1928A1, no cooling fins on barrel 1966
Aldo Ray Sgt. Rizzo
William Bryant Minow
US Army soldiers
How I Won the War British (Canadian) soldiers Only a picture on a bubble gum/cigarette card 1967
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre David Canary Frank Gusenberg 1967
Rico Cattani Albert Anselmi
Bonnie and Clyde Warren Beatty Clyde Barrow w/ 50-rd drum magazine 1967
Faye Dunaway Bonnie Parker
Denver Pyle Frank Hamer Colt
The Devil's Brigade William Holden Col. Robert T. Frederick M1928A1 1968
Jack Watson Cpl. Peacock
Cliff Robertson Maj. Alan Crown
Jeremy Slate Sgt. Patrick O'Neill
US and Canadian army soldiers
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
MP personnel and The Brain's henchmen M1928A1 with stick magazines
Treasures of the Flaming Cliffs (Sokrovishcha pylayushchikh skal) Nikolay Zaseev-Rudenko Chief mercenary Mocked up as Halcon-series SMGs 1969
Mercenaries
The Night of the Following Day Richard Boone Leer M1928A1 1969
Cotton Comes to Harlem Henchman 1970
Too Late the Hero Michael Caine Pvt. Tosh Hearne M1928A1 1970
Ian Bannen Pvt. Jock Thornton
Patton U.S. Army soldiers M1928A1 1970
Bloody Mama Shelley Winters Kate "Ma" Barker 1970
Don Stroud Herman Barker
FBI Agents
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
Shaft Christopher St. John Ben Buford 1971
Marcy's kidnappers, police
The Burglars (Le casse) Athenian policemen 1971
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 Luigi Vannucchi Ruiz Without Cutts compensators 1972
Jack Betts Lou
Ruiz' men
The Battle After the Victory (Boy posle pobedy) US Army soldiers and MPs 1972
The Day of the Jackal OAS operative 1973
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
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
Steve Kanaly Sam Cowley
Harris Yulin Machine Gun Kelly
Margaret Blye Kate Kelly
Dick Sargent Thatcher Covington
John Karlen Tony Redecci
FBI agents
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
Lionel Vitrant Fernand M1928A1 w/ 50-rd drum magazine
Siffredi henchmen M1928 and M1928A1
The Last Four Days Giacomo Rossi-Stuart Capt. Jack Donati 1974
OSS operatives
Lupin the Third: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy Kunie Tanaka Daisuke Jigen 50-round drum magazine 1974
Mafia
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
Dolemite guard, hit man possible replica 1975
Midway Tom Selleck Aide to Capt. Cyril Simard 1976
Larry Pennell Capt. Cyril Simard
The Con Artists Prison guards With 50-rd drums 1976
The Mad Dog Killer (La belva col mitra) Nello Pazzafini Pietro Caporali 1977
Night Over Chile (Noch nad Chili) Chilean soldiers M1928A1; Visually modified as SIG SG 510-4 1977
Midnight Express . Turkish soldiers . 1978
Good Guys Wear Black The Black Tigers 1978
Go Tell the Spartans Joe Unger 2LT Raymond Hamilton 1978
South Vietnamese troops
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
Death Force Carmen Argenziano Morelli 1978
Gangsters, Soldiers
1941 U.S. Army soldiers 1979
From Hell to Victory George Peppard Brett Rosson 1979
George Hamilton Maurice Bernard
US Army soldiers, OSS personnel
The Hijacking of Savoy (Pokhishchenie Savoi) Aleksandr Mikhajlov Gido Torstensen Converted to 7.62x25 blanks with MP40 magazine 1979
Antoni Jurasz Prof. Stanislaw Werzanski
Mikhail Gluzsky Heinrich Scharf
Scharf's henchmen, Brazilian police
Pirates of the XXth Century (Piraty XX veka) Nikolai Yeryomenko, Jr. Sergey Sergeevich Converted to 7.62x25 blanks with MP40 magazine 1979
Talgat Nigmatulin Salekh
Georgiy Martirosyan Klyuev
Pirates
The Big Red One M1928A1 1980
The Outsider IRA Gunmen 1980
Airplane! 50-round drum magazine 1980
Santa Esperansa Chilean soldiers M1928A1; many converted to 7.62x25 blanks with MP40 magazine 1980
Per Aspera Ad Astra (Cherez ternii k zvyozdam) Guards on Dessa 1981
Teheran 43 Armen Dzhigarkhanyan Max Richard 1981
German agents (1943), hijackers (1980)
Choice of Arms M1928A1; Seen in Jean's armoury 1981
Across the Gobi and the Khingan (Govi Khyangand tulaldsan ni) USA soldiers 1981
The Fall of the Condor (Padeniye kondora) In Maria's house; converted to 7.62x25 blanks with MP40 magazine 1982
Uncommon Valor Harold Sylvester Johnson 1983
Reb Brown Blaster
Tim Thomerson Charts
Fred Ward Wilkes
Johnny Dangerously Richard Dimitri Roman Troy Moroni 1984
Michael Keaton Johnny Kelly/Johnny Dangerously
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
The Stuff Various Militia 1985
Commando Leopard Rebels With box magazine 1985
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
Gangsters
The Jaguar (Yaguar) Chilean military school cadets 1987
The Red Spectacles noodle-stand guard 1987
The Untouchables Mobsters, police, Federal agents 1987
Deja Vu Vladimir Golovin Mikita Nechyporuk 1988
Nikolai Karachentsov Mishka Yaponchik
Jerzy Stuhr Johnny Pollack
Harlem Nights Arsenio Hall Small's Brother 1989
Farewell To The King Gerry Lopez Gwai 1989
Frank McRae Sgt. Tenga
Home Alone Ralph Foody Johnny w/ 50-rd drum magazine 1990
Miller's Crossing w/ 50-rd drum magazines 1990
The Rocketeer FBI Special Agents and gangsters 1991
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah American troops Replica 1991
Kill the "Jackal" (Ubit "Shakala") one of the Jackal's gangsters 1991
Hit the Dutchman Bruce Nozick Dutch Schultz M1928A1 1992
Gangsters
Sheriff's Star (Zvezda sherifa) Police officer M1928A1 w/ 50-rd drum magazine 1992
Rapid Fire Carl Ciarfalio Mobster M1928A1 1992
Hold-Up (Nalyot) A criminal M1928A1 1993
Good Luck, Gentlemen (Udachi vam, gospoda) Criminals 1993
Mad Dog Coll Christopher Bradley Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll M1928A1 1993
Gangsters
The plane flies to Russia (Samolyot letit v Rossiyu) Guards M1928A1s w/ 20-rd box and 100-rd drum magazines 1994
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
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
The Thin Red Line Sean Penn 1Sgt. Welsh 1998
John C. Reilly Sgt. Storm
Arie Verveen Pvt. Dale
The Avengers Eileen Atkins Alice 1998
Half a Chance Alain Delon Julien 1998
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
Windtalkers Nicolas Cage Sergeant Joe Enders 2002
Christian Slater Sergeant Henderson
Hart's War Christian Kahrmann German Commando 2002
Road to Perdition Tom Hanks Michael Sullivan 2002
Mobsters
El Alamein - The Line of Fire British soldiers 2002
The Quiet American Gen. The's soldiers 2002
The Matrix Reloaded Henchman w/ 50-rd drum magazine 2003
Kung Fu Hustle Various Axe Gang members w/ 50-rd drum magazine 2004
Hellboy Various U.S. soldiers 2004
Assault on Precinct 13 Brian Dennehy Jasper w/ 50-rd drum magazine 2005
Aisha Hinds Anna
The Lost City Cuban rebels and troops 2005
King Kong S.S. Venture crew w/ 50-rd drum magazines 2005
Jack Black Carl Denham
Kyle Chandler Bruce Baxter
Thomas Kretschmann Captain Englehorn
Evan Parke Ben Hayes
Days of Glory Samy Naceri Yassir 2006
Kokoda Luke Ford Burke w/ 20-rd box magazines 2006
Intimate Enemies Marc Barbé Cpt. Berthaut w/ 30-rd box magazines 2007
Lounès Tazairt Said
Changeling Los Angeles Police Department 2008
Crossfire (Les Insoumis) In the warehouse; 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
Michael Ealy Sgt. Bishop Cummings
Laz Alonso Cpl. Hector Negron
US Army soldiers
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Brendan Fraser Rick O'Connell w/ 20-rd box and 50-rd drum magazines 2008
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
Kokoda Australian Soldiers 2010
Elephant White Kevin Bacon Jimmy M1928 2010
Nude Nuns with Big Guns Asun Ortega Sister Sarah M1928 2010
Captain America: The First Avenger Derek Luke Gabe Jones 2011
Hayley Atwell Peggy Carter
My Way US soldiers 2011
J. Edgar Armie Hammer Clyde Tolson 2011
Suicides (Samoubiytsy) Gosha Kutsenko Mitus w/ vertical foregrip and 50-rd drum magazine 2012
Mitus' thug
FDR: American Badass Barry Bostwick Franklin Delano Roosevelt with 50 round drum 2012
The Bullet Vanishes Kai Chi Liu Boss Ding without Cutts compensators and with smooth barrels 2012
Boss Ding's mobs
Gangster Squad Sean Penn Mickey Cohen 2012
Troy Garity Wrevock
The Last Stand Luis Guzman Deputy Figuerola 2013
Banklady Charly Hübner Hermann Wittorf 2013
Nadeshda Brennicke Gisela Werler
22 Minutes (22 minuty) Makar Zaporozhskiy Sanya Yezhov M1928A1 with custom folding stock 2014
Somali Pirate
City 44 A Polish soldier 2014
White Soldier Abraham Belaga Sergeant Robert Tual 2014
Emile Berling André Cariou
French troops and commandos
The Imitation Game A British MP 2014
Mack the Knife - Brecht's Threepenny Film British Police Officers 2018
Bullet Train Yakuza member w/no stock, an optic scope, two flashlights 2022
Joey King The Prince

Television

Show Title Actor Character Note / Episode Air Date
The Andy Griffith Show Don Knotts Deputy Barney Fife "A Black Day for Mayberry" (S04E07) 1963
Andy Griffith Sheriff Andy Taylor
Combat! U.S. Army soldiers M1928A1 1962 - 1967
McHale's Navy Jesse Pearson Harley Hatfield M1928A1 simplified rear sight / "The Rage of Taratupa" (S2E30) 1964
Tim Conway Ensign Charles Parker M1928A1 / "The McHale Mob" (S2E32) 1964
Carl Ballantine Lester Gruber
John Wright Willy Moss
Gavin MacLeod Happy
Syl Lamont Smitty
Joe Flynn Capt. Binghamton M1928 / "Fountain of Youth" (S3E10) 1964
M1928A1 / "A Da-Da For Christy" (S2E36) 1964
Bob Hastings Lt. Elroy Carpenter M1928A1 / "A Da-Da For Christy" (S2E36) 1964
Will J. Wright Army Sergeant M1928A1 / "Wally For Congress" (S4E30) 1966
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. various characters 1964-1968
Gilligan's Island Russell Johnson The Professor 30-rd magazine / "Forward March" (S02E22) 1966
Jim Backus Mr. Howell
Mission: Impossible Guards "Pilot" (S01E01) 1966
Guards "Memory" (S01E02)
Peter Lupus Willy Armitage slung, "The Trial" (S01E18) 1967
Star Trek William Shatner Captain James T. Kirk w/ 50-rd drum magazines / "A Piece of the Action" (S02E17) 1968
Leonard Nimoy Lt. Cmdr Spock
DeForest Kelley Dr. Leonard H. McCoy
Sigma Iotia II natives
Dad's Army Arthur Lowe Captain George Mainwaring M1928A1 w/ 30-rd and 50-rd magazine 1968-1977
John Le Mesurier Sergeant Arthur Wilson
Ian Lavender Private Frank Pike
Father Brown Security guards M1928 (or M1921AC) w/ 50-rd magazine; "The Arrow of Heaven" (Ep.12) 1974
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
Campion Savanake's henchmen M1928 (or M1921AC) with drum magazines; "Sweet Danger: Part 2" (S02E02) 1990
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
Alan David Lee Bates
Star Trek: Voyager Tim Russ Tuvok M1928A1 / The Killing Game 1995 - 2001
Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin Aleksey Barabash Morton Schane Ep.1 2002
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 Wife of the Returnee US soldiers with early 'simplified' rear sight and stick magazines 2006
Krupp: A Family Between War and Peace US soldiers Ep. 03 2009
The Pacific Henry Nixon Lt. Hugh Corrigan 2010
Jon Bernthal Sgt. Manuel 'Manny' Rodriguez
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
US Soldiers
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
Emile Hirsch Clyde Barrow
Lane Garrison Marvin "Buck" Barrow
Spies (Razvedchitsy) A US Army soldier Supposedly Denix M1928A1 replica 2013
Parer's War Toby Wallace Lt. Ron "Judy" Garland M1928A1 2014
Australian Commandos, US Marines M1928, M1928A1
The Spoils of Babylon Tobey Maguire Devon Morehouse "The War Within" (E2) 2014
Bobby Nish Japanese Soldier #1
Agent Carter Hayley Atwell Peggy Carter 2015
Agent Carter - Season 2 assassin "A View in the Dark" (S2E02) 2016
SS-GB Trevor White Daniel Hopkiss 2017
The Man in the High Castle American Resistance Fighters 2019
The Man in the High Castle Jason O'Mara Wyatt Price 2019
Babylon Berlin - Season 3 Misel Maticevic Edgar Kasabian Ep. 28 2020
Ronald Zehrfeld Walter Weintraub
The Defeated American, British and French soldiers with 30-round magazine 2020
Babylon Berlin - Season 4 Misel Maticevic Edgar Kasabian Ep. 38 2022
Gangsters
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon - Season 1 seen in armory; "L'ame Perdue" (S1E01) 2023
Demimonde Club Guard w/drum magazine; "La Dame de Fer" (S1E04)
The Continental: From the World of John Wick M1928A1, seen in armory; "Brothers in Arms" (S1E01) 2023

Anime

Title Character Note Date
Mad Bull 34 Maury Edward's henchmen 1990
Seven Cities Story: Arctic Front Agents 1994
Case Closed: Countdown to Heaven A gangster 2001
Desert Punk 2004
Zipang U.S. Marines 2004 - 2005
Baccano! 2007
Batman: Gotham Knight Maroni's thugs 2008
Upotte!! Thompson M1928 with drum magazine, seen on manga cover 2012
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Joseph Joestar M1928; S1E11, "The Game Master" 2012
Amagi Brilliant Park A Mobster 2014
Sirius the Jaeger Vampires and Jaegers M1928, M1928A1; Ep. 01, 05, 11, 12 2018
Bungo Stray Dogs Port Mafia Ep. 04, Ep. 06, Ep. 09, Ep. 11 2016
Bungo Stray Dogs Port Mafia Ep. 13, 16, 17, 20 2016
Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple Port Mafia 2018
Lupin Zero Lupin III 2022 - 2023

Video Games

Game Title Appears as Mods Release Date
Blood 1997
Fallout 2 Tommy Gun 1998
Hidden & Dangerous 1999
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: Rising Sun "Thompson" 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
Medal of Honor: European Assault "M1 Thompson SMG" 2005
Medal of Honor: Vanguard "M1928 Thompson" (Wii version) M1928A1, with a 30-round box or 50-round drum magazine 2007
"M1 Thompson" (PlayStation 2 version)
Forgotten Hope 2 M1928(A1) w/ 20 (M1928), 30 (M1928A1) or 50-round (both) magazines 2007
Call of Duty: World at War M1928A1, box art only 2008
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway 2008
The Royal Marines Commando Thompson With drum magazine 2008
7.62 High Calibre 2008
UberSoldier II "Thompson М1" M1928A1 w/ 30-round magazine 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
Warface 2013
Far East War "Thompson SMG" M1928A1 with 30-round and 50-round drum magazine 2013
Watch_Dogs M1, Gangster M1928, with 50-round drum 2014
World of Guns: Gun Disassembly Thompson M1928A1 another handguard, 3 types of sights and 20 and 50-rounded mags 2014
Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades M1928 Thompson M1928 2016
Day of Infamy Thompson M1928A1 M1928A1, "Foregrip" upgrade converts M1928A1 to M1928 2017
Gun Club VR 2018
Post Scriptum M1928 variant with 50-round drum magazines 2018
Krunker Gumballer Ammunition and charging handle are gumballs, drum magazine is stylized to resemble a gumball dispenser, incorrectly holds 30 rounds 2019
Bunny Gun Sling, windowed 30-round magazine, removed charging handle
Land of War: The Beginning Wz. 28 Thompson. Polish variant of the Thompson gun. 2021
Enlisted Thompson M1928A1 with 30 round mag 2021
Thompson M1928A1 with 50 round mag
Thompson M1928A1 with 100 round mag
Marauders Thompson M1928A1 with wooden foregrip 2022
"Heavy Thompson" Custom M1928A1 with foregrip, Maxim M1910/30 heat shield and gun shield

Animation

Film/TV Show Actor Character Note Date
Who Framed Roger Rabbit June Foray Wheezy 1988


M1 Thompson

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M1 Thompson with 20-round magazine - .45 ACP
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M1 Thompson with 30-round magazine - .45 ACP

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. 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/M1928(A1) models so were limited to 20-round and 30-round box magazines, because the cutouts for drum installation were removed during the simplification, since the military in practice were disappointed with them (while gun can still be modified to load with drums, as seen in a number of post-war French and Italian films).

Film

Title Actor Character Note Date
Mothra Scientists 1961
The Longest Day Allied soldiers 1963
Pierrot Goes Wild (Pierrot le Fou) OAS members 1965
A Matter of Resistance Donald O'Brien American Captain 1966
US paratroopers
Kelly's Heroes Clint Eastwood Pvt. Kelly 1970
Telly Savalas Master Sgt. Big Joe
Don Rickles Staff Sgt. Crapgame
Jeff Morris Cowboy
Joe Peter Boyle Joe Curran 1970
Cleopatra Jones Thug 1973
Magnum Force Thug 1973
Caboblanco Jason Robards Gunther Beckdorff With additional foregrip 1980
Jungle Warriors Dominic Barto Thomas Tucci 1984
Angela Robinson-Witherspoon Monique Rogers
Paramilitary men
Volunteers Clyde Kusatsu Souvanna vertical foregrip, no sights 1985
People's Army soldier
Reign of Fire British Refugee 2002
Days of Glory Samy Naceri Yassir 2006
Hot Fuzz Seen in evidence room 2007
John Rabe U.S. Navy sailors with drum magazines and muzzle brakes 2009
Djinns (Stranded) Cyril Raffaelli Pvt. Louvier 2010
Matthias Van Khache Pvt. Malovitch
Oba: The Last Samurai US Marine 2010
War Pigs Luke Goss Captain Jack Wosick 2015
Operation Chromite Korean intelligence agents and Marines 2016
Hacksaw Ridge US Army soldiers 2016
Suspiria on the photo 2018
Overlord Wyatt Russell Cpl. Lewis Ford 2018

Television

Show Title Actor Character Note/ Episode Air Date
Sanctuary Amanda Tapping Dr. Helen Magnus w/ 30-rd magazine / "Normandy" 2011
Peter Wingfield James Watson
Erin Lacourciere Jeanette Anaise
Robin Dunne Captain Jack Zimmerman
US Soldiers

Anime

Title Character Note Date
Girls 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
Battlefield 2042 2021
Enlisted 2021


M1A1 Thompson

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M1A1 Thompson with 30-round magazine - .45 ACP
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M1A1 Thompson with 20-round stick magazine - .45 ACP

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

Film

Title Actor Character Note Date
A Walk in the Sun . U.S. Army soldiers 1945
He Walked By Night police officers 1948
The Most Wanted Man (L'Ennemi public No 1) Fallone's henchmen and police detectives Standard and with foregrip 1953
Grisbi (Touchez pas au grisbi) Jean Gabin Max With foregrip 1954
Michel Jourdan Marco
Paul Frankeur Pierrot With foregrip and standard
René Dary Riton
Razzia (Razzia sur la chnouf) Lino Ventura Roger le Catalan 1955
A police detective
Speaking of Murder (Le rouge est mis) Lino Ventura Pepito "The Gypsy" 1957
The Young Lions U.S. Army soldiers 1958
Sinners of Paris (Rafles sur la ville) Alain Reynaud Inspector Lebouvier 1958
Michel Piccoli Inspector Paul Vardier
The Tiger Attacks (Le Fauve est lâché) Policemen, Donald's bodyguard 1959
Five Branded Women Harry Guardino Branco 1960
Alex Nicol Svenko
Pretty Boy Floyd John Ericson "Pretty Boy" Floyd w/ vertical foregrip & fake Cutts compensator 1960
Barry Newman Al Riccardo With fake Cutts compensators
A lawman
Everybody Go Home! (Tutti a casa) German soldiers 1960
Lonely Are the Brave Police Officers 1962
I Am Cuba (Soy Cuba) Cuban police and guerrillas Some with vertical foregrip 1964
The Monocle Laughs (Le Monocle rit jaune) Robert Dalban Poussin With Cutts compensator 1964
Marcel Dalio Elie Mayerfitsky
A cultist
008: Operation Exterminate Thugs 1965
Fantômas se déchaîne Bodyguard of Fantômas With vertical foregrip and Cutts compensator 1965
A Matter of Resistance US paratroopers 1966
Poppies Are Also Flowers Colonel Salem's men 1966
Let's Not Get Angry (Ne nous fâchons pas) The Colonel's henchmen With stick and drum magazines, some with foregrip 1966
Is Paris Burning? Free French Forces soldiers 1966
The Last Adventure Mercenaries 1967
Fantômas contre Scotland Yard British policemen 1967
Action Man (Le soleil des voyous) US Army soldiers 1967
The Biggest Bundle of Them All Robert Wagner Harry Price 1968
Godfrey Cambridge Benny Brownstead
Davy Kaye Davey Collins
Francesco Mulè Antonio Tozzi
The Violent Four (Banditi a Milano) Gian Maria Volonté Pietro 'Piero' Cavallero 1968
Tomas Milian Commissioner Basevi
Diabolik Various Police officers 1968
Don't Take God's Children for Wild Geese Charles' henchman With drum magazine 1968
The Vulture (Le Rapace) Xavier Marc Chico With 50-round drum and foregrip 1968
Augusto Benedico Calvez
Mr. Freedom John Abbey Mr. Freedom 1969
Five for Hell Gianni Garko Lt. Hoffmann 1969
Kill Rommel! Anton Diffring Capt. Richard Howell 1969
Carl Parker Lt. George Morris
Kelly's Heroes Clint Eastwood Pvt. Kelly 1970
Telly Savalas Master Sgt. Big Joe
Don Rickles Staff Sgt. Crapgame
Borsalino Jean-Paul Belmondo François Capella With foregrip 1970
Alain Delon Roch Siffredi
Lionel Vitrant Fernand
Pierre Koulak Spada
Various criminals
Diamonds Are Forever CIA Agents 1971
The Omega Man Paul Koslo Dutch 1971
Angel's Leap (Le Saut de l'ange) Vietnamese henchman 1971
Newman's Law George Peppard Vince Newman 1974
Street Law Romano Puppo The gang leader 1974
Syndicate Sadists Antonio Casale Duval 1975
Conti's henchmen
The Muthers Jeannie Bell Kelly 1976
Rocco Montalban Rocco
Pirates
The Big Racket Fabio Testi Inspector Nico Palmieri 1976
Ruggero Diella Piccio
Romano Puppo Doringo
Rudy's henchmen
The Con Artists Capucine Belle Duke With 50-rd drum 1976
Gangsters and prison guards
The Good and the Bad (Le bon et les méchants) Seen on the base of the Resistance 1976
The Iron Commissioner (Il commissario di ferro) Sergio's father 1978
Deadly Chase (Il commissario Verrazzano) "Hold" by the mannequin on the shooting range 1978
From Hell to Victory Ray Lovelock Jim Rosson 1979
US Army soldiers, OSS personnel
Jupiter's Thigh (On a volé la cuisse de Jupiter) Greece police 1980
Code Name: Wild Geese Lewis Collins Captain Robin Wesley 1984
Bruce Baron Kowalski
Frank Glaubrecht Stone With additional front grip
Rene Abadeza Kim
Lee Van Cleef Archie "China" Travers With additional front grip
Mimsy Farmer Kathy
Aliens Mocked up as M41A Pulse Rifle 1986
Equalizer 2000 Rebels 1987
Cat Chaser rebel soldier 1989
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah American troops Replica; with Cutts compensator 1991
KGB Agents Also Fall in Love (Agenty KGB tozhe vlyublyayutsya) Seen in the evidence warehouse 1991
Alien³ Mocked up as M41A Pulse Rifle 1992
The Warrior's Heart Seen among hidden guns 1992
Saving Private Ryan Tom Hanks Captain John H. Miller 1998
Ted Danson Captain Fred Hamill
When Trumpets Fade Ron Eldard Pvt.Manning 1998
Black Book Thom Hoffman Hans Akkermans 2006
Days of Glory Samy Naceri Yassir 2006
Assaad Bouab Larbi
The Second Wind (Le Deuxième Souffle) Jean-Paul Bonnaire Théo 2007
Blood Brothers gangsters 2007
Mirage Jamal's man 2008
Red and White (Merah Putih) Lukman Sardi Amir 2009
Indonesian recruits
Kokoda Australian soldiers 2010
New Kids Turbo Ruud Matthijssen Henk Snackbar 2010
Oba: The Last Samurai Toshiaki Karasawa Horiuchi 2010
Mao Inoue Chieko Aono
Japanese guerrillas
Harlan Glenn Sergeant Munroe
US Marines
Outside the Law FLN Guerrillas 2010
Miracle at St. Anna US Army soldiers 2011
There Be Dragons Rodrigo Santoro Oriol 2011
A Gang Story (Les Lyonnais) Gangsters 2011
Day of the Falcon (Or noir) Nasib's soldiers, Auda´s men 2011
Memorial Day John Cromwell Lt. Bud Vogel 2011
My Way US soldiers 2011
Gangster Squad Anthony Mackie Det. Coleman Harris 2012
Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed US soldiers 2012
Cockneys vs. Zombies Seen in Mental's lockup 2012
Emperor US Army soldiers 2013
Diplomacy US Army soldiers 2014
Far from Men French soldiers 2014
Fury U.S. Soldiers 2014
War Pigs Luke Goss Captain Jack Wosick 2015
Hacksaw Ridge Milo Gibson Lucky Ford 2016
US Army soldiers
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Leonardo DiCaprio Rick Dalton 2019
Jojo Rabbit U.S. Army 2019
Persian Lessons US Army soldiers 2020
John Wick: Chapter 4 Parisian bounty hunters modernized Auto-Ordnance M1A1 w/picatinny rails, M4 stock adaptors, flashlights and BCM MCMR-9 handguards 2023

Television

Title Actor Character Note Date
McHale's Navy Joe Flynn Capt. Binghamton "La Dolce 73" (S4E20) 1966
John Wright Willy Moss
Gary Vinson George Christopher
Band of Brothers . U.S. Army soldiers . 2001
Mail Call Re-enactor 2003-2007
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
Man in the High Castle, The - Season 3 American Resistance fighters 2018
Agent Carter Hayley Atwell Peggy Carter 2015
Agent Carter Chad Michael Murray Agent Jack Thompson 2015
The Crown U.S. Army episode: "Vergangenheit" (S2E06) 2017
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon - Season 1 seen in armory; "Deux Amours" (S1E05) 2023

Video Games

Game Title Appears as Mods Notes Release Date
Medal of Honor 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
Hidden & Dangerous 2 2003
Karma Online 2003
Vietcong 2003
Call of Duty: United Offensive 2004
Call of Duty: Finest Hour "Thompson" 2004
Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood 2005
Call of Duty 2 "Thompson" 2005
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One "Thompson" 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
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
Company of Heroes "Thompson SMG" 2006
Eternal Damnation Unusable 2006
Alliance of Valiant Arms 2007
Forgotten Hope 2 "M1A1 Thompson" With 20 or 30-round magazines 2007
Hour of Victory 2007
Death to Spies 2007
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway 2008
Call of Duty: World at War "Thompson" Aperture Sight, Suppressor, 40-round Drum Magazine 2008
Call of Duty: World at War - Final Fronts "Thompson M1A1" 2008
7.62 High Calibre w/ various attachments 2008
Grand Theft Auto IV Unusable 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
State of Decay "M1A1" modern replica 2013
Company of Heroes 2 Added with Western Front Armies add-on 2013
Far East War "Thompson SMG" 2013
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
Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2016
Escape from Tarkov Unusable; seen on "Military History Beyond Fear" book 2016
Sniper Elite 4 Thompson 2017
Day of Infamy Thompson M1A1 2017
Rising Storm 2: Vietnam added in the 1.08 ARVN Update 2017
Post Scriptum 2018
Vigor Thompson 2018
Strange Brigade "Thompkins M1" 2018
"Ricochet Rifle"
State of Decay 2 2018
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan Incorrectly shown with a curved magazine 2019
Battlefield 2042 2021
Enlisted 2021
Battlefield 2042 Thompson 2021
Sniper Elite 5 2022
Resident Evil 4 (2023 VG) Chicago Sweeper w/ 50-rd magazine with infinite ammo upgrade 2023

Anime

Title Character Note Date
Mad Bull 34 Don Enrico's thugs, N.Y.P.D. S.W.A.T. officers 1990
Lupin III: Voyage to Danger U.S. soldiers 1993
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Hijackers Without handguards; S1E10, "New York's JoJo" 2012
Stella Women's Academy, High School Division Class C3 Tournament Competitor Airsoft 2013
Lupin Zero Gaucho Ep. "Young Lupin Calls Himself "the Third" 2022 - 2023

Animation

Title Voice Actor Characters Notation Date
What If...? - Season 1 Hayley Atwell Peggy Carter/Captain Carter "What If... Captain Carter Were The First Avenger?" (S1E01) 2021
Sebastian Stan Bucky Barnes
None Gabe Jones
None James Montgomery Falsworth
None Jacques Dernier
Neal McDonough Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan
None Jim Morita


Auto Ordnance M1927 Thompson

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M1927 Thompson Auto-Ordnance with 50-round drum magazine - .45 ACP
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Auto Ordnance Thompson Model 1927A1 Deluxe Commando with 30-round stick magazine and black synthetic furniture - .45 ACP

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.)

Video Games

Game Title Appears as Notes Release Date
Batman: Arkham Asylum not usable 2009
Saints Row IV Scoped 2013


Thompson Light Rifle

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Thompson Light Rifle - .30 Carbine (7.62x33mm)

The Thompson Light Rifle was Auto Ordnance's entry in the Light Rifle program (which resulted in the adoption of the M1 Carbine), being chambered in .30 Carbine but otherwise mostly the same as the standard .45 ACP version. Almost immediately, the Thompson Light Rifle was rejected for being five pounds too heavy. The weapon never left the prototype stage.

Specifications

(1941 - prototype only)

  • Type: Assault rifle, Carbine
  • Caliber: .30 Carbine (7.62x33mm)
  • Barrel length: 15.9 in (40.5 cm)
  • Length: 33 in (83.8 cm)
  • Feed System: 20 / 30-round box magazine
  • Rate of Fire: 600 - 1200rpm

The Thompson Light Rifle and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Video Games

Game Title Appears as Mods Notation Release Date
Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades "Thompson Carbine Prototype" 2016
Enlisted Thompson Light Rifle 2021


BSA Thompson

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BSA Thompson Model 1926 - 9x19mm
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BSA Thompson Model 1929 - .45 ACP. (11.43x23mm)

In 1925 Auto-Ordnance Company signed a license agreement with British gun manufacturer Birmingham Small Arms (BSA). BSA Model 1926 was chambered in 9x19mm and used the standard Thompson mechanism including the Blish lock combined with a traditional rifle stock. The tests of the submachine gun were not successful, so some changes were made, resulting in the Model 1929. This version has ribbed barrel and was fitted with Cutts compensator and Lyman rear sight. Model 1929 was made in 9x23mm Bergmann, 9x19mm Parabellum, .45 ACP, and 7.63x25mm Mauser. As with Model 1926, Model 1929 also did not arouse interest among potential users. It is estimated that only 10-15 BSA Thompsons were made in total.

Specifications

(1926-1929)

  • Type: Submachine Gun
  • Caliber: 9×19 Parabellum / 9x23mm Bergmann / 7.63x25mm Mauser / .45 ACP
  • Feed System: 20 / 30-round box magazine
  • Rate of Fire: 1200rpm

The BSA Thompson and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Video Games

Game Title Appears as Mods Notation Release Date
Enlisted Model 1929 2021


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, and that overall it looks like an M3 Grease Gun with Thompson furniture haphazardly grafted onto it.
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    Ingram Model 6 SMG - .45 ACP
  • 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.
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    Spitfire Carbine - .45 ACP
  • 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.
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    Volunteer Enterprises Commando Mark III - .45 ACP

See Also