Tommy May

Tommy May

Date of Passing: February 23, 2015
Birthplace: Hollywood, California

Tommy May was a key grip who worked in the entertainment industry for almost 50 years, in both films and television. He earned the nickname “Chainsaw” for his ability to wield the tool efficiently and skillfully in building a camera platform or removing something obstructing a shot.

May worked mostly on films, including Bite the Bullet, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Rooster Cogburn, Postcards From the Edge, Buddy Buddy and Tim Burton’s Batman Returns.

Tommy May was a key grip who worked in the entertainment industry for almost 50 years, in both films and television. He earned the nickname “Chainsaw” for his ability to wield the tool efficiently and skillfully in building a camera platform or removing something obstructing a shot.

May worked mostly on films, including Bite the Bullet, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Rooster Cogburn, Postcards From the Edge, Buddy Buddy and Tim Burton’s Batman Returns.

He also, however, worked extensively on television series, including Bearcats!, Hunter, Cybill and 25 episodes of Get Smart. In addition, he worked on the miniseries George Washington, about the first American president’s early life and career.

May died on February 23, 2015, in Granada Hills, California. He was 81.

Show more

The Television Academy database lists prime-time Emmy information. Click here to learn more

Browser Requirements
The TelevisionAcademy.com sites look and perform best when using a modern browser.

We suggest you use the latest version of any of these browsers:

Chrome
Firefox
Safari


Visiting the site with Internet Explorer or other browsers may not provide the best viewing experience.

Close Window