Philip Michael Thomas

Last updated

Philip Michael Thomas
Philip Michael Thomas.jpg
Born (1949-05-26) May 26, 1949 (age 75)
Alma mater University of California, Riverside
Occupation(s)Actor, musician
Years active1972–2006
SpouseKassandra Thomas [2]

Philip Michael Thomas (born May 26, 1949) is an American actor and musician, best known for his role as detective Ricardo Tubbs on the hit 1980s TV series Miami Vice . His first notable roles were in Coonskin (1975) and opposite Irene Cara in the 1976 film Sparkle . After his success in Miami Vice, he appeared in many made-for-TV movies and advertisements for telephone psychic services. He was a spokesperson for cell phone entertainment company Nextones and voiced the character Lance Vance in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006).

Contents

Early life

Thomas was born in Columbus, Ohio and grew up in San Bernardino, California. [1] He is of African American, Native American, Irish, and German descent. [3] His father, Louis Diggs, was a foreman at a Westinghouse plant. Thomas' mother was Lulu McMorris. Philip and his seven half brothers and sisters have the surname Thomas, which was the last name of his mother's first husband. [4]

As a child Philip Thomas acted in his Pentecostal church's theater group and, at age 15, while participating in the Delman Heights Four Square Gospel Church choir, became interested in ministry. [4] He graduated from San Bernardino High School in 1967 and briefly worked as a janitor to earn money for college. [1] He earned a scholarship to the historically Black Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama where he studied religion and philosophy. [4] [5]

After two years at Oakwood College, Thomas transferred to the University of California, Riverside in Riverside. [4] During that time he auditioned for and was cast in the San Francisco production of Hair beginning his acting career. [1] [6] [7] He quit college to pursue acting as a profession, appearing in several features during the 1970s-including the classic musical drama Sparkle (1976). His big break came in 1984, when he landed a starring role in the popular television series Miami Vice alongside Don Johnson. [4]

Career

Acting

Miami Vice

In 1984, Thomas began playing the role of Ricardo Tubbs, an ex-NYPD police officer from the Bronx who went to Miami seeking revenge on the person who killed his brother Rafael Tubbs. In Miami he encounters another undercover cop, Sonny Crockett, who is coincidentally looking for the same person. [8] Thomas was reportedly paid $25,000 (equivalent to $73,000 today) per episode for Seasons 1–2. In 1986, he was given an increase to $50,000 ($147,000) per episode for Seasons 3–5. Johnson was paid $30,000 ($88,000) per episode for Seasons 1-2 and $90,000 ($264,000) per episode for Seasons 3–5.

Thomas coined the acronym "EGOT", meaning "Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony" in reference to his plans for winning all four. [9] He has not been nominated for any of the awards, but he has received a People's Choice Award and a Golden Globe nomination. [10]

Extralarge & We Are Angels

Thomas starred in the six-part television mini-series, Extralarge with Bud Spencer in 1991. Thomas was replaced by Michael Winslow for the second series. Thomas teamed up again with Spencer when they starred in another mini-series called We Are Angels released in 1997.

Nash Bridges

In 1997, Thomas was reunited with Don Johnson for two appearances in the police drama Nash Bridges . He played Cedrick "Rick" Hawks, a deputy United States Marshal from Miami visiting Bridges (Johnson) in San Francisco. His first appearance was in the episode "Wild Card." His second and last appearance was in the episode "Out of Miami", which aired in 2001 during the program's final season. [11]

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

In 2002, Thomas did a voice-over in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as Lance Vance, a supporting character who aids the game's protagonist, Tommy Vercetti, in several story missions while trying to avenge the death of his brother, Victor Vance who was killed in a botched drug deal with Tommy at the beginning of the game. [12] He reprised the role in the 2006 prequel Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories , which is about Lance's arrival in Vice City, the beginning of his involvement in the drug business, and his relationship with Victor. [13]

Music

In 1985, Thomas released a music album titled Living the Book of My Life under his own record label called Spaceship Records. [14] It sold poorly failing to produce a hit single, although Thomas produced a video for the track "Just the Way I Planned It". [15] He performed the title song of the album during the 1985 Miami Vice episode "The Maze." The episode "Trust Fund Pirates" featured another song of his, "La Mirada". His Miami Vice co-star Don Johnson recorded an album shortly afterward titled Heartbeat . [16] In 1987, Thomas recorded a song called "Ever and Forever" with Argentine singer Lucía Galán of Pimpinela fame. [17]

Thomas released a second album, Somebody in 1988. [18] It also did not have a hit and did not sell well. In 1993, Thomas teamed with Kathy Rahill to compose "My, My, My, Miam...I", [19] which was chosen to be the city of Miami's theme song. [20] In the same year, Thomas and Jamaican fitness instructor Sandi Morais composed songs for a family-friendly musical titled Sacha, which enjoyed runs in south Florida and New York. [21] The two formed the Magic Cookie Production Company. Thomas produced the music for Morais' fitness videos in 2001 and 2006. [22]

Psychic Reader's Network

In 1994, Thomas signed an agreement with Psychic Reader's Network (later known as Traffix, Inc.) based in Melbourne, Florida becoming the spokesman for the Philip Michael Thomas International Psychic Network. He appeared in television ads and claimed to have met the planet's premier psychics through his "world travels". He dressed similarly to his Miami Vice alter ego, even opening the ads with the phrase, "From Miami Vice to world advice!" [23] He appeared in informercials with Eileen Brennan and Todd McKee along with his daughter, Sacha Nicole promoting the psychic line. [24] Thomas released a cassette of music linked to his psychic business titled PMT Psychic Connection, Volume I. [25]

Traffix replaced Thomas with Miss Cleo. He sued, alleging breach of contract and won. In 2002, a New York arbitrator awarded Thomas $1.48 million for the improper use of his name and likeness and an additional $780,000 in interest. [26]

Personal life

Thomas is a vegetarian, nonsmoker, and nondrinker. [1] [5] In 1986, he was sued for child support by Dhaima Mathews, the mother of his then 2-year-old daughter and 9-week-old son. [27] Philip later married model Kassandra Green. Green filed a domestic violence complaint against Philip Thomas in 1997, during that time she was described as being the mother of 5 of his 12 children. Thomas said the accusation was "an absolute, blatant lie". [28] [29]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1972 Come Back, Charleston Blue Minister
Stigma Dr. Calvin Crosse
1973 Book of Numbers Dave Green
1975 Mr. Ricco Purvis Mapes
Black FistFletch / Boom Boom
Coonskin Randy / Brother RabbitVoice of Brother Rabbit
1976 Sparkle Stix
El hombre de los hongos Gaspar / Adopted boy
1978 Death Drug Jesse
1979The DarkCorn Rows
1982 Hey Good Lookin' Boogaloo Jones / ChaplinVoice
Stigma
1988 The Wizard of Speed and Time Policeman Mickey PolankoFeature-length version
1993Miami ShakedownFrank FergusonAlso executive producer
1994River of Stone
2003FateDetective Ciprian Raines

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1973 Griff Eddie MarshallEpisode: "The Framing of Billy the Kid"
1973–1974 Toma Bad Sam / Sam Hooper2 episodes
1974 Good Times Eddie ConroyEpisode: "Sex and the Evans Family"
Police Woman SonnyEpisode: "It's Only a Game"
1975 Caribe Prince JohnEpisode: "Murder in Paradise"
1976 Movin' On BanjoEpisode: "No More Sad Songs"
Medical Center Dr. Sam KarterEpisode: "If Wishes Were Horses"
Sirota's Court J.V.Episode: "The Reporter"
1977 Insight LutherEpisode: "The Alleluia Kid"
Roosevelt and TrumanTrumanTelevision pilot
1978 The New Adventures of Wonder Woman FurstEpisode: "The Man Who Wouldn't Tell"
Starsky & Hutch Kingston St. JacquesEpisode: "Quadromania"
The Beasts Are on the Streets Eddie MorganTelevision film
Lawman Without a Gun Rufus Cartwright
1979 Roots: The Next Generations Eddie FranklinTelevision miniseries
ValentineBeanTelevision film
1981 Strike Force WesleyEpisode: "The Victims"
1982 Trapper John, M.D. Floyd WalshEpisode: "Ladies in Waiting"
1984–1989 Miami Vice Detective Ricardo Tubbs 111 episodes
1986A Fight for JennyDavid CaldwellTelevision film
1989False WitnessBobby Marsh
1990 Superboy BrimstoneEpisode: "Brimstone"
Zorro Jack HoltenEpisode: "Pride of the Pueblo"
A Little Piece of Sunshine TomsonTelevision film
1991 Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless Reporter Chuck Gilmore
1991–1992 Detective Extralarge Jean Philippe Dumas6 episodes
1992 Swamp Thing Barry ScottEpisode: "Dead and Married"
1994 Fortune Hunter Gary ColtEpisode: "The Alpha Team"
1997 Noi siamo angeli (We Are Angels)Joe / Father Zaccaria6 episodes
1997–2001 Nash Bridges Cedrick Hawks2 episodes

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997We Are AngelsFather Zaccaria
2002 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Lance Vance
2006 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
2021 Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition Archival Recordings
Remaster of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City only.

See also

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References

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