Trivia

Was inspired by the Ira Levin novel 'Rosemary's Baby' to write his own horror novel, The Other (1972), which became an immediate bestseller.

Was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1963 for his role in The Cardinal (1963), but suffered immensely under the dictatorial and abusive treatment of the film's director Otto Preminger. At one point during filming, Preminger fired Tryon in front of his parents when they visited the set, then rehired him after being satisfied that Tryon had been sufficiently humiliated. This was a big turning point for Tryon, who eventually retired from acting and turned to writing.

Graduate of Yale University. of Fine Arts with a B degree.

Alfred Hitchcock considered Tryon for the "Sam Loomis" role in Psycho (1960) (along with Cliff Robertson and Stuart Whitman), but the part went to John Gavin.

Was cast in Something's Got to Give (1962) as the man stranded on a tropical island with Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn was fired and the film was subsequently made after her death with a new cast under the title Move Over, Darling (1963). Doris Day took over Marilyn's part and Chuck Connors replaced Tryon.

In New York he studied at the Neighbourhood Playhouse and had several bit parts on Broadway. After a while he moved to Hollywood and acted extensively on television and some small film roles before getting the lead in Moon Pilot (1962).

Tryon was involved at one time with Clive Clerk, one of the original cast members of the Broadway musical "A Chorus Line", as well as an interior designer, who decorated Tryon's Central Park West apartment (which was later featured in "Architectural Digest"). Tryon later had a relationship, albeit short-lived, with Casey Donovan, a gay adult film actor. Donovan helped Tryon complete his novel, "Crowned Heads", which was written on an extremely tight deadline, by typing up revisions and offering suggestions.

His last novel, "Night Magic", which deals with the supernatural, bears the following inscription: "Copyright 1995 by Tom Tryon." (Tryon died in 1991.)

Joined Cape Playhouse stock company in Dennis, Massachusetts as set painter/ designer, assistant stage manager and later encouraged by Gertrude Lawrence and her husband Richard Aldrich, who managed the theatre, he became an actor.