The famous American minister, Norman Vincent Peale, once said that we should shoot for the moon so that, even if we miss it, we still land between the stars. One person who certainly subscribes to this philosophy is the veteran Hollywood star, Philip Michael Thomas. The actor/musician coined the term EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) and declared that he would receive all four awards during his career. Thomas has yet to accomplish this feat, but he has an impressive legacy in Hollywood. Discover more about the actor below, including his fortune and what he has been up to lately.
How Philip Michael Thomas Started His Career
Philip Michael Thomas was born in Columbus, Ohio, on May 26, 1949. His father’s name is Louis Diggs and his mother is Lulu. The actor and musician have seven half-brothers and sisters.
Thomas grew up in San Bernardino, California, and began playing in a church theater group at an early age. He also started singing in a choir and all this increased his interest in the performing arts. After graduating from high school in 1967, Thomas went to college to study philosophy and religion. He only spent two years in school before he realized that his heart was still in music/acting. After that, he dropped out of college and pursued a career in show business.
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Philip Michael Thomas got his first professional role in 1969 in the production of the rock musical Hair in San Francisco. He spent 18 months with the company before he took part in other productions like No Place to be Somebody, Reggae, New York City and The Selling of the President.
Born in San Bernardino, his breakthrough came later in the 80s television series Miami Vice. Miami Vice is a police case revolving around two undercover cops, Ricardo Tubbs and Sonny Crockett, who bravely face the criminal underworld of Miami. Thomas portrayed the likable Tobbs from 1984 to 1989. His portrayal earned him several awards, including two NAACP Image Awards for the best performance by an actor in a drama series or TV movie.
How rich is He?
Philip Michael Thomas has a modest net worth of $2.5 million. This comes from various sources, including his music career. Born in California, he is not only a versatile actor but also an aspiring musician. He has released several albums, including Living the Book of My Life and Somebody.
Another source of Thomas’ wealth is sponsorship contracts. The actor was famous in the 1990s as a spokesman for the Physic Reader’s Network. He appeared in numerous ads for the online gambling company. He even included his Miami Vice persona in the deal. Thomas later sued the company after they replaced him with another spokesperson, but he continued to use his image and name in their ads. Later, in June 2002, he received a $2.3 million settlement.
What is the Miami Vice Star up to These Days?
After graduating from Miami Vice, Philip Michael Thomas got roles in several other movies and TV series like Fight for Jenny, False Witness, A Little Piece of Sunshine and Superboy. His acting career, however, slowed down after an appearance in the 2003 film Fate.
Since then, Thomas has largely focused on his partnership with former fitness instructor and former vegan chef Sandi Morais. Their collaboration has resulted in an original musical, children’s books and a vegetarian cookbook (with photos and music compositions provided by Thomas).
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Philip Michael Thomas also devotes more time to his family.
The actor has 11 children in total. He is a proud dad and shows his children regularly on his Instagram account. Two of Thomas’ children, a son named Thomas Jr. and a daughter named Imaj, have followed in his footsteps. The latter is a country singer and has released several albums, including America’s Sweetheart and Imaj. Thomas Jr., on the other hand, specializes in R&B, pop, hip-hop, and soul. He also has a few albums in his name.
Philip Michael Thomas may return to our screens in the near future. There is a persistent rumor that a Miami Vice remake is in the works. Thomas’ co-star, Don Johnson, gave some credibility to these rumors when he appeared on a British breakfast show in October 2019. According to Don, some ideas have been trampled underfoot, but there is still a long way to go.
