Philip Michael Thomas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Philip Michael Thomas
Born	(1949-05-26) May 26, 1949 (age 76) Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Alma mater	University of California, Riverside
Occupation	Actor, musician
Years active	1972–2006
Spouse(s)	Kassandra Thomas

Philip Michael Thomas (born May 26, 1949) is a talented American actor and musician. He is most famous for playing Detective Ricardo Tubbs in the popular 1980s TV show Miami Vice. Before that, he had important roles in films like Sparkle in 1976. After Miami Vice, he appeared in many TV movies and even voiced a character named Lance Vance in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006).

Early life and education

Philip Michael Thomas was born in Columbus, Ohio. He grew up in San Bernardino, California. His family background includes African American, Native American, Irish, and German heritage. His father, Louis Diggs, worked as a foreman at a Westinghouse factory.

As a child, Philip enjoyed acting in his church's theater group. When he was 15, he became interested in ministry while singing in the Pentecostal Delman Heights Four Square Gospel Church choir. He finished high school at San Bernardino High School in 1967. To save money for college, he worked briefly as a janitor. He earned a scholarship to Oakwood College in Alabama, where he studied religion and philosophy.

After two years, Thomas moved to the University of California, Riverside. While there, he tried out for and got a part in the San Francisco play Hair. This was the start of his acting career. He decided to leave college to become a full-time actor. He appeared in several movies during the 1970s, including the musical drama Sparkle (1976). His big chance came in 1984 when he got a main role in the hit TV series Miami Vice alongside Don Johnson.

Acting career

Starring in Miami Vice

In 1984, Philip Michael Thomas began his famous role as Ricardo Tubbs in Miami Vice. His character, Ricardo Tubbs, was a former police officer from New York City. He came to Miami to find the person who killed his brother. In Miami, he met another undercover police officer, Sonny Crockett, who was looking for the same person. Thomas was paid well for his role, and his salary increased during the show's run.

Thomas is known for coining the acronym "EGOT". This stands for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. He hoped to win all four major awards in entertainment. While he has not yet won these awards, he did receive a People's Choice Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

Other TV shows and movies

Philip Michael Thomas also starred in the six-part TV miniseries Extralarge with Bud Spencer in 1991. He worked with Bud Spencer again in another miniseries called We Are Angels in 1997.

In 1997, Thomas reunited with his Miami Vice co-star Don Johnson for two episodes of the police drama Nash Bridges. He played Cedrick "Rick" Hawks, a Deputy United States Marshal visiting San Francisco. His last appearance on the show was in 2001.

Voice acting in video games

In 2002, Philip Michael Thomas lent his voice to the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. He played Lance Vance, a character who helps the main hero, Tommy Vercetti. Lance Vance was trying to get revenge for his brother's death. Thomas played the role again in the 2006 prequel game, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.

Music career

In 1985, Philip Michael Thomas released his first music album called Living the Book of My Life. He released it on his own record label, Spaceship Records. The album did not sell many copies, and none of its songs became big hits. However, Thomas did make a music video for his song "Just the Way I Planned It." He performed the album's title song in a 1985 episode of Miami Vice called "The Maze." Another one of his songs, "La Mirada," was featured in the episode "Trust Fund Pirates."

Thomas released a second album, Somebody, in 1988, but it also did not have any hit songs. In 1993, Thomas worked with Kathy Rahill to create "My, My, My, Miam...I," which became the official theme song for the city of Miami. That same year, he teamed up with fitness instructor Sandi Morais to write songs for a family-friendly musical called Sacha. This musical was performed in Florida and New York. They also formed a company called Magic Cookie Production Company. Thomas produced music for Morais' fitness videos in 2001 and 2006.

Spokesperson roles

In 1994, Philip Michael Thomas became the spokesperson for the Philip Michael Thomas International Psychic Network. He appeared in TV commercials, saying he had met top psychics from around the world. He often dressed like his character from Miami Vice and would even start the ads by saying, "From Miami Vice to world advice!" He also appeared in longer commercials with other actors, promoting the psychic line. Thomas even released a music cassette related to his psychic business.

Later, the company replaced Thomas with another spokesperson. Thomas sued the company, saying they had used his name and image without permission. In 2002, he won his case and was awarded money for the improper use of his name and likeness.

Personal interests

Philip Michael Thomas is a vegetarian.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

See also

In Spanish: Philip Michael Thomas para niños

• EGOT – The acronym "EGOT" was coined by Philip Michael Thomas.