(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Tommy and Sonny Bupp were two of the more prolific kid actors of the 1930s (along with Dick Jones, Bobby Nelson and a few others).

Younger brother Sonny worked in major films like CITIZEN KANE and ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES.  Sonny, whose nickname is now 'Mac', became an executive with the Ford Motor Company, initially in Detroit, followed by a tour in Australia.

While Sonny was in a few westerns, older brother Tommy did about a dozen, appearing with Dick Foran, Tim McCoy, Reb Russell, more. Tommy's non-westerns include SAN FRANCISCO and IT'S A GIFT, and he also was a member of the Our Gang/Little Rascals.  After Hollywood, Tommy had four sons and worked in the wholesale electrical business.  Note the pressbook ad on the left with Tommy Bupp's photo below Dick Foran --- note also that Bupp is not among the cast listing.

There were two Bupp sisters who also worked in films.  June did a few movies and her solo western was with Reb Russell in BORDER VENGEANCE (Willis Kent, 1934).  Ann appeared in a variety of bit parts, but none were in westerns.

Tommy Bupp died in Santa Ana, California, on December 24, 1983, at age 59.

Sonny Bupp passed away on November 1, 2007 in Henderson, Nevada, at age 79.

Les Adams' database shows Tommy and Sonny appearing together in the following movies: KID MILLIONS, SAN FRANCISCO, WOMAN WISE, LOVE IS ON THE AIR, SWING YOUR LADY, HUNTED MEN, WHEN TOMORROW COMES, NO PLACE TO GO and QUEEN OF THE MOB.  Both also did shorts: Tommy was in the Our Gang HI'-NEIGHBOR (1934), and Sonny did CASH AND CARRY (1937, Three Stooges), MEN IN FRIGHT (1938, Our Gang), OUR GANG FOLLIES OF 1938 (1938, Our Gang), FEATHERED PESTS (1939, Edgar Kennedy) and DAY OF REST (1939, Robert Benchley).  There are probably more short appearances by the Bupps.

Les' database has the following film appearance statistics for Sonny and Tommy:

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Tommy and Sonny Bupp:

Tom Bupp has a website devoted to Tommy, Sonny ... and sisters June and Ann who also did movies: http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/boulevard/4772/index3.html

Jim Tipton's Find A Grave website has some photos and a picture of the grave marker for World War II veteran Moyer MacClaren 'Sonny' Bupp at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City, Nevada: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=22746258

Moyer MacClaren 'Sonny' Bupp 1928 - 2007 Tom Bupp's biography on his Uncle Sonny ('Mac') is at: http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/boulevard/4772/Tommy.html (Courtesy of Tom Bupp) Above, William Boyd and youngster Sonny Bupp in a quieter moment during the Hopalong Cassidy adventure, RENEGADE TRAIL (Paramount, 1939).  Baddie Roy Barcroft slaps little Sonny around in the opening reel of this film. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above is a clipping about Sonny Bupp and his film experience from the pressbook for RENEGADE TRAIL. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above, Sonny and his pooch are in the wagon while Charlotte Wynters has a scattergun on Hoppy in another scene from RENEGADE TRAIL. Tommy Bupp 1927 - 1983 Tom Bupp's biography on his father is at: http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/boulevard/4772/Tommy.html (Courtesy of Tom Bupp) Above, Reb Russell and Tommy Bupp in a scene from an unidentified film. Bupp did three oaters with Reb Russell. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above, Reb Russell, Tommy Bupp and Lois January in a scene from ARIZONA BAD MAN (Willis Kent, 1935). (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are Tommy Bupp, Lois January, Reb Russell, and on horseback is Edmund Cobb.  From Reb's ARIZONA BAD MAN (Willis Kent, 1935). (Courtesy of Tom Bupp) Above are Tim McCoy and Tommy Bupp in ROARIN' GUNS (Puritan, 1936). (Courtesy of Tom Bupp) Seated from L-to-R are Tommy Bupp, Marjorie Reynolds and Tex Ritter, and in the background are Tex's sidekicks, the moustached Snub Pollard and Horace Murphy.  From TEX RIDES WITH THE BOY SCOUTS (Grand National, 1938). (Courtesy of Tom Bupp) Above, the sleeping Tommy Bupp with Dick Foran in THE CHEROKEE STRIP (Warners, 1937).  In the film, Foran crooned a tune called "My Little Buckaroo" to Bupp, and the song became a hit.

Tommy and Sonny Bupp Western Film Appearances Westerns only Special thanks to Les Adams for providing these film lists