Fred Thompson Returning To Acting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson is going back to the small screen after his foray into Republican presidential politics over the last year.

Thompson, best known on TV for his role as a gruff district attorney on NBC's "Law & Order," dropped out of the crowded GOP primaries in January after his much-anticipated presidential campaign failed to gain strong support among conservatives.

He campaigned heavily for eventual nominee John McCain, and had recently tried to gain support to be in charge of the Republican National Committee.

But his former finance chairman, B.C. "Scooter" Clippard, said Thompson told him Wednesday that he was returning to acting and dropping his RNC bid.

"He seriously considered it, but he called and said that it was not in the cards," Clippard said.

Clippard said he did not know which television programs might be interested in Thompson.

"He has some wonderful opportunities back in the television market that probably financially far outweigh being chair of the RNC," Clippard said.

Thompson, 66, was a lawyer and character actor before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1993, only to turn his back on politics after his first full term in favor of a full-time acting career in 2002.

Thompson began his acting career playing himself in the film "Marie" in 1985, about a high-profile legal case he handled in Tennessee.

And while his presidential ambitions didn't pan out, at least Thompson got to play the commander in chief as Ulysses S. Grant in the 2007 TV movie "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee."

Comments

[leftoflennon]

He's a decent actor, I'll give him that

[psbintl]

He really is, and I think that is where he belongs, actually.

[yorkie]

HE'S OLD HAG ,,,,HIS remarks at the rnc were bad to say the least,,,,he should be dissed in hollywood,,,

[Bill Swadley - Huffpost Blogger]

The world of politic's loss is television's... loss... Oh, well.

[1rewd1]

That was pointless ... and this form a HuffPo Blogger?

Par.

[Bill Swadley - Huffpost Blogger]

Pointless? Do I have to make a point every time I comment? Don't jokes count? Are all jokes pointless? Have you seen Fred Thomson act? That, my friend, is pointless.

[sloreader]

Talk about 57 channels and nothing on...

[gnostic19]

he never stopped.

[Deken]

Gee, after showing us how lame his acting was when running for--ha-ha!--POTUS, why would anybody tune in to watch this ham on TV?

Are networks that stupid? (I know...bad question.)

[Bobbygoode]

Now he'll have fictitious bullshit coming out of his mouth, but get paid for it and maybe win an award!

[mcarmaniac]

how is fred supposed to snag another trophy wife if he doesnt start acting again? a few more roles as an admiral/general/politician/ceo who has seen enough to know he's seen too much and he's right back in the saddle. so to speak.

[liseworks]

Something kind of wacky about actors who try to be believable as politicians & vice versa -
We've had a couple who made it work, but for the most part, ....they come off wacky.

[profounddogs]

If you call Reagan doing a good job, and if you call Schwartzeneger doing a good job? Depends on how much social issues and regulating Wall Street means to you, I suppose.

[liseworks]

I WAS thinking of those 2 - I didn't say "good job". I said "made it work".
Though I'm a Democrat, I feel that they both represented their party to their party's satisfaction - I can respect that, on their behalf. That's all.

[postman606]

Was Arnold an actor too? I thought he was an action figure from a video game.

[cdsister]

I would say "so what?" but since everyone else has I guess all I can say is the man seemed more tired than me! If the call comes at 3am we would really need someone who could wake up to take the call....or maybe he would be awake.....as I get older I go to sleep later and later and..............Never mind. scratch the above. I just go with "So what"

[HeyFella]

He should run for president.

[profounddogs]

Yeah, for the RNC (again) (and again) (and again) ...

[vietveter]

That is the guy that was on that reality TV show. He was pretending that he was qualified to be President.

Didn't he get fired?

[MargaretO]

Okey dokey. Who cares?

[sonoffestus]

What, another grumpy old men sequel?

[Quotidien]

A stiff who played a stiff is going back to playing a stiff.

[profounddogs]

You mean nothing-in-between going back to playing nothing-in-between ...