Actor Thompson quits show, eyes presidential run

WASHINGTON, May 31 (Reuters) Hollywood actor Fred Thompson has tentatively decided to run for president, according to a long-time friend and political adviser, and has quit his role on the TV crime series ''Law&Order.'' ''His (Thompson's) mind is made up to run if interest continues to be as intense as it is,'' Tom Ingram said in a telephone interview yesterday.

Thompson, who won election twice as a Republican senator from Tennessee, will now begin raising money to gauge support, added Ingram, who now serves as chief of staff to Sen Lamar Alexander, also a Tennessee Republican.

Thompson, a 64-year-old social conservative, was not immediately available for comment.

Late yesterday, ''Law&Order'' creator Dick Wolf said Thompson had asked to leave the show where he has played New York District Attorney Arthur Branch for five seasons.

''I've spoken to Fred today, and although he told me he has not made a firm decision about his political future, he felt that given the creative and scheduling constraints of the upcoming season, he asked to be released from his responsibilities to the show,'' Wolf said in a statement.

If he decides to seek the US presidency, Thompson would join a crowded Republican field with no dominant choice. President George W Bush, prohibited from running for a third term in November 2008, is set to leave office in January 2009.

The current front-runners include former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Sen John McCain of Arizona and former Massachusetts Gov Mitt Romney.

Ingram said Thompson held a conference call with fund-raisers on Tuesday and it was decided that he would ''test the waters'' by setting up a preliminary committee.

But a decision on creating a more formal presidential exploratory committee has not been made, Ingram said.

Ten men are already running for the Republican nomination and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia also is weighing a campaign.

Thompson was first elected to the Senate in 1994 to fill Democrat Al Gore's seat when he became vice president. He maintained a solid conservative voting record.

Reuters JK DB0943