Philip Michael Thomas

Thomas worked across singer, actor, television actor, film actor and musician. This article rests on 1 catalogued composition, 1 published texts, 1 issued recordings and 24 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

• Name — Philip Michael Thomas • Born — 26 May 1949 • Birthplace — Columbus, Ohio, U.S. • Education — University of California, Riverside • Years Active — 1972–2006 • Spouse — Kassandra Thomas

Thomas was born in Columbus, Ohio, and grew up in San Bernardino, California. He is of African American, Native American, Irish, and German descent. His father, Louis Diggs, was a foreman at a Westinghouse plant. Thomas's mother was Lulu McMorris. He and his seven half brothers and sisters had the surname Thomas, which was the last name of his mother's first husband. His siblings are Marcus, Michelle, Karen, Anita, Carol, Crystal and George. As a child, he acted in his church's theater group and, at age 15, while participating in the Pentecostal Delman Heights Four Square Gospel Church choir, he became interested in ministry. He graduated from San Bernardino High School in 1967 and briefly worked as a janitor to save money for college. He earned a scholarship to the historically Black Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama, where he studied religion and philosophy. After two years at Oakwood College, Thomas transferred to the University of California, Riverside. During that time, he auditioned for and was cast in the San Francisco production of Hair, beginning his acting career. 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.

In 1984, Thomas began playing the role of Ricardo Tubbs, an ex-NYPD officer from the Bronx who came to Miami seeking revenge for the death of his brother, Rafael Tubbs. In Miami he encounters another undercover cop, Sonny Crockett, who is coincidentally also looking for Rafael's killer. Thomas was reportedly paid $25,000 (equivalent to $ today) per episode for Seasons 1–2. In 1986, he was given an increase to $50,000 ($) per episode for Seasons 3–5. Johnson was paid $30,000 ($) per episode for Seasons 1–2, and $90,000 ($) per episode for Seasons 3–5. Thomas coined the acronym "EGOT" (meaning "Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony"), in reference to his plans for winning all four awards. He has not, been nominated for any of these awards, but has received a People's Choice Award and a Golden Globe Award nomination.

Thomas starred in the six-part television miniseries Extralarge with Bud Spencer in 1991. Thomas was replaced by Michael Winslow for the second series. Thomas and Spencer were later cast together again in the miniseries We Are Angels, released in 1997.

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 Nash Bridges (Johnson) in San Francisco. His first appearance was in the second-season episode "Wild Card", and his second and final appearance was in the episode "Out of Miami", which aired in 2001 during the program's final season.

In 2002, Thomas did voice-over work for the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; he portrayed 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. Thomas reprised the role in the 2006 prequel Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, which details Lance's arrival in Vice City, the beginning of his involvement in the drug trade, and his relationship with Victor.

In 1985, Thomas released a music album titled Living the Book of My Life under his own record label called Spaceship Records. It sold poorly and failed to produce a hit single, although Thomas produced a video for the track "Just the Way I Planned It"; the song reached #75 on the Billboard R&B chart. He performed the title song of the album during the 1985 Miami Vice episode "The Maze". The 1986 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. In 1987, Thomas recorded a song called "Ever and Forever" with Argentine singer Lucía Galán of Pimpinela fame. Thomas released a second album, Somebody, in 1988. It also failed to produce a hit and sold poorly, though its single "Don't Make Promises" did best the prior single, reaching #56 on the Billboard R&B chart. In 1993, Thomas teamed with Kathy Rahill to compose "My, My, My, Miam...I", which was chosen to be the city of Miami's theme song. That same year, Thomas and Jamaican fitness instructor Sandi Morais composed songs for Sacha, a family-friendly musical that enjoyed runs in south Florida and New York. The two formed the Magic Cookie Production Company. Thomas produced the music for Morais' fitness videos in 2001 and 2006.

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!" He appeared in informercials with Eileen Brennan and Todd McKee along with his daughter, Sacha Nicole, promoting the psychic line. Thomas released a cassette of music linked to his psychic business titled PMT Psychic Connection, Volume I. 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.

Thomas is a vegetarian, non-smoker, and non-drinker, all of which were also incorporated into his Miami Vice character. In 1986, he was sued for child support by Dhaima Matthews, the mother of his then two-year-old daughter and nine-week-old son. Thomas later married model Kassandra Green. Green filed a domestic violence complaint against Thomas in 1997, during which time she was described as being the mother of five of his 12 children. Thomas dismissed the complaint as "an absolute, blatant lie".

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1973 — Griff — Eddie Marshall — Episode: "The Framing of Billy the Kid" • 1973–1974 — Toma — Bad Sam / Sam Hooper — 2 episodes • 1974 — Good Times — Eddie Conroy — Episode: "Sex and the Evans Family" • Police Woman — Sonny — Episode: "It's Only a Game" • 1975 — Caribe — Prince John — Episode: "Murder in Paradise" • 1976 — Movin' On — Banjo — Episode: "No More Sad Songs" • Medical Center — Dr. Sam Karter — Episode: "If Wishes Were Horses" • Sirota's Court — J.V. — Episode: "The Reporter" • 1977 — Insight — Luther — Episode: "The Alleluia Kid" • Roosevelt and Truman — Truman — Television pilot • 1978 — The New Adventures of Wonder Woman — Furst — Episode: "The Man Who Wouldn't Tell" • Starsky & Hutch — Kingston St. Jacques — Episode: "Quadromania" • The Beasts Are on the Streets — Eddie Morgan — Television film • Lawman Without a Gun — Rufus Cartwright • 1979 — Roots: The Next Generations — Eddie Franklin — Television miniseries • Valentine — Bean — Television film • 1981 — Strike Force — Wesley — Episode: "The Victims" • 1982 — Trapper John, M.D. — Floyd Walsh — Episode: "Ladies in Waiting" • 1984–1989 — Miami Vice — Detective Ricardo Tubbs — 111 episodes • 1986 — A Fight for Jenny — David Caldwell — Television film • 1989 — False Witness — Bobby Marsh • 1990 — Superboy — Brimstone — Episode: "Brimstone" • Zorro — Jack Holten — Episode: "Pride of the Pueblo" • A Little Piece of Sunshine — Tomson — Television film • 1991 — Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless Reporter — Chuck Gilmore • 1991–1992 — Detective Extralarge — Jean Philippe Dumas — 6 episodes • 1992 — Swamp Thing — Barry Scott — Episode: "Dead and Married" • 1994 — Fortune Hunter — Gary Colt — Episode: "The Alpha Team" • 1997 — Noi siamo angeli (We Are Angels) — Joe / Father Zaccaria — 6 episodes • 1997–2001 — Nash Bridges — Cedrick Hawks — 2 episodes

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1997 — We Are Angels — Father 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.

Philip Michael Thomas was born on 26 May 1949 in Columbus. Thomas held the nationality of United States. Thomas was educated at San Bernardino High School. Recorded child: Philip Michael Thomas Jr. Thomas worked as singer, actor, television actor and film actor, and the authority record catalogues a further 1 occupations under the same name, among them musician. Thomas was active from 1972. Thomas played the voice. Thomas worked in English.