Alan Thicke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alan Thicke
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Thicke attending the "Night of 100 Stars" for the 82nd Academy Awards viewing party in March 2010
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| Born |
Alan Willis Jeffrey
March 1, 1947 Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada
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| Died | December 13, 2016 (aged 69) Burbank, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Santa Barbara Cemetery, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Alan Willis Thicke |
| Education | Elliot Lake Secondary School |
| Alma mater | University of Western Ontario |
| Occupation | Actor, composer, television host |
| Years active | 1969–2016 |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 3; including Robin Thicke |
| Relatives | Todd Thicke (half-brother) |
Alan Thicke (born Alan Willis Jeffrey; March 1, 1947 – December 13, 2016) was a famous Canadian actor, songwriter, and TV host. He was best known for playing Dr. Jason Seaver on the popular 1980s TV show Growing Pains. Alan Thicke was also the father of American singer Robin Thicke. In 2013, he was honored with a spot on Canada's Walk of Fame.
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Early Life
Alan Thicke was born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada. His mother was a nurse, and his father was a stockbroker. When he was young, his parents divorced. His mother later married a doctor named Brian Thicke, and they moved to Elliot Lake. Alan graduated from Elliot Lake Secondary School in 1965. He then went to the University of Western Ontario.
Career
Hosting TV Shows
Game Shows
Alan Thicke hosted several game shows in Canada. In 1975, he hosted "Face The Music" and later "First Impressions". In the late 1980s, he hosted Animal Crack-Ups, a game show where celebrities played with animals. He also hosted a TV version of the board game Pictionary in 1997. In the early 2000s, he hosted All New 3's a Crowd on the Game Show Network.
Talk Shows
Alan Thicke was also known for his talk shows. He helped create and write for Fernwood 2 Night, a funny talk show. In the late 1970s, he often filled in as a guest host on The Alan Hamel Show in Canada. When that show ended, it was replaced by The Alan Thicke Show. He later tried to host an American late-night talk show called Thicke of the Night, but it didn't last very long.
Other Hosting Jobs
From 2014 to 2015, Thicke hosted a dance show called Dancing Pros Live. This show traveled around the United States. He also co-hosted the Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade for many years.
Writing and Composing Music
Alan Thicke was a very talented composer. He wrote theme songs for many popular TV shows, often with his first wife, Gloria Loring. Some of his most famous theme songs include those for Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life. He also wrote themes for game shows like The Joker's Wild and the original theme for Wheel of Fortune. He even wrote a song called "Sara" for singer Bill Champlin.
Thicke also produced TV shows, including Christmas specials for singer Anne Murray on the CBC.
Starring in Growing Pains
Alan Thicke's most famous role was playing Dr. Jason Seaver in the family TV show Growing Pains. In the show, Jason was a psychiatrist and a dad who moved his office into his home. This allowed him to be closer to his children while his wife, Maggie, went back to work as a reporter. Growing Pains first aired in 1985 and ran until 1992.
He played Jason Seaver again in two TV movies that brought the cast back together: The Growing Pains Movie in 2000 and Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers in 2004.
Other TV and Movie Roles
Alan Thicke appeared in many other TV shows and movies. In 1987, he starred in the Disney Channel movie Not Quite Human as Dr. Jonas Carson, a scientist who creates a human-like robot boy. He played this role in two more movies.
He also hosted the Miss USA Pageant in 1988 and the Miss Universe Pageant that same year. Thicke made guest appearances on shows like How I Met Your Mother, where he played himself in several episodes. He also appeared in the pilot episode of the popular show This is Us in 2016.
Commercials and Charity Work
In the 1990s, Alan Thicke was the spokesperson for Woolco department stores in Canada. He also appeared in commercials for various products and services, including a Las Vegas resort and diabetes supplies.
Beyond his acting and hosting, Thicke was involved in charity work. He supported the Alan Thicke Center for diabetes research. For several years, he co-hosted Telemiracle, a long telethon in Canada that raised money for community programs.
Personal Life
Alan Thicke was married three times. His first marriage was to actress Gloria Loring, and they had two sons, Brennan and Robin. He later married Gina Tolleson and they had a son named Carter. His third marriage was to Tanya Callau, and they were married until his death.
His Passing
On December 13, 2016, Alan Thicke sadly passed away at the age of 69. He collapsed while playing ice hockey with his son Carter in California. He was talking and even made a joke as he was being taken to the hospital. He died later that day from a sudden heart problem. His funeral was attended by many friends and co-stars, including Leonardo DiCaprio from Growing Pains. He was buried in Santa Barbara, California.
Books He Wrote
- Thicke, Alan (May 1999). How Men Have Babies: The Pregnant Father's Survival Guide. Contemporary Books. ISBN 978-0-8092-2806-5. https://archive.org/details/howmenhavebabies00thic.
- Thicke, Alan (April 27, 2006). How To Raise Kids Who Won't Hate You: Family Wisdom and Humor from a Favorite TV Dad. iUniverse Star. ISBN 978-0-595-84288-9.
Awards and Honours
- 1988: Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a TV Series – Comedy/Musical for Growing Pains.
- 1998: Nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Audience Participation Show/Game Show for Pictionary.
- 2013: Inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.
- 2015: Honored at the Brampton Arts Walk of Fame.
- 2016: Received the Canadian Icon award at the Whistler Film Festival.
Images for kids
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Thicke at a Canadian Film Centre and Variety event in March 2012.
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See Also
In Spanish: Alan Thicke para niños
