Jay Thomas
Encyclopedia
Jay Thomas is an American actor, comedian and radio talk show host.
. He was raised in his Italian American
mother's Roman Catholic faith, although his father was Protestant.
He attended Jesuit High School
in New Orleans, where he grew up. He holds a masters degree in sociology from Jacksonville University
. He lives in Southern California
and is the father of three sons, Samuel, Jacob and J.T.
Thomas fathered J.T. in an out-of-wedlock relationship and the child was adopted by another family. Jay Thomas and his son, known as John Harding, are reunited and have spoken about their reunion on the Dr. Phil Show. John Harding is the lead singer of the band JTX.
, on which he played Remo DaVinci, the Italian deli-owner, from 1980 until 1983. He then played the hockey-player-turned-travelling-ice show-skater second husband, Eddie LeBec
, of Carla
on Cheers
(1987
-1989
). He appeared on Murphy Brown
as a tabloid talk show host, Jerry Gold, who was also one of Murphy's love interests (1989-1998
). Thomas won 2 Emmy Awards in 1990 and 1991 for "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series" for his portrayal of Jerry Gold on Murphy Brown.
He provided the voice of Ares in several episodes of Hercules: The Animated Series
.
Thomas starred in the short-lived 1990
show Married People
, in the role of Russell Myers, a work-at-home writer married to a high powered lawyer (played by Bess Armstrong
).
He has appeared in several TV movies, including Husband, Wife, Lover, with Judith Light
, and Stranger in the House with Lindsey Crouse.
He starred in the 1992
-1995
sitcom, Love & War and on the short-lived (1996) Ted Danson
-Mary Steenburgen
sitcom, Ink
. In 1994, he co-hosted (alongside Lisa Hartman Black), a television special celebrating the 30th anniversary of Universal Studios called Universal Studios Summer Blast.
In 2008, Thomas was featured on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? as the "expert" available via Skype
for the "Ask the Expert" lifeline. That week he reportedly answered every single question he was asked correctly.
Thomas guest-starred on Celebrity Ghost Stories, Law and Order: SVU, and Cold Case. He is the voice of Travel Channel
's Ghost Stories and Mystery of the Museums. He appears often on the late night talk show circuit as well as an opinioned guest of Bill Maher, Jimmy Kimmel, Sean Hannity, Dennis Miller, Fox and Friends, The View, Larry King and "C" and MSNBC.
, Straight Talk
, The Adventures of Ragtime, Dragonfly (2002
), The Santa Clause 2
and The Santa Clause 3. He starred (opposite Greg Kinnear
) in A Smile Like Yours, in Labor Pains (with Lindsay Lohan
), and in Monday Night Mayhem (with John Turturro
).
and Paul Reiser
in the Woody Allen
written and directed play, Writer's Block, at the Atlantic Theatre in NYC. He and Paul Shaffer
of The Late Show with David Letterman are the national fundraisers for PBS television.
and Jacksonville University
. His expressed goal at that time was to be a stand-up comic. He later worked the 7pm-midnight shift at WBSR in Pensacola
. He hit the big time at WAPE ("The Big Ape") in Jacksonville
and then moved on to Charlotte, North Carolina
, where he was the morning drive DJ at BIG WAYS-AM
and WROQ-FM
in the 1970s. Thomas then worked as a radio DJ in New York City at 99X FM. While at 99X, his newsman/sidekick was sportscaster Charley Steiner
. He may be best-known on radio for being the morning host on 92.3 WKTU. He was replaced by Howard Stern
when the format of WKTU was changed to classic rock and the station took on call letters WXRK and station name K-ROCK.
After WKTU flipped formats, Thomas was hired by then new Rhythmic Top 40 KPWR
/Los Angeles in 1986 as their new morning host, where he enjoyed a successful run. While with KPWR, he got to sub-host an episode of American Top 40
during the late 1980s. In 1992 Thomas left KPWR due to the changes in station management and a musical shift to hip-hop, which would have been out of place for him. He would return to New York in 2000 to host the morning show on WTJM
, which had just changed its format to "Jammin' Oldies" after many years as an adult contemporary station. He would leave the station just before it, like KPWR in Los Angeles, changed formats to hip-hop.
Thomas currently hosts The Jay Thomas Show on Sirius XM Stars Too (Sirius XM Channel 104,), a channel on the SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio service. He has had numerous co-hosts on his show including comics Kevin Meaney, Madison, Rodney Lee Conover, Shuli, and Ira the Weatherman. On March 5, 2008 Howard Stern announced that Jay would be doing a live morning show on Howard 101 from 7 AM to 10 AM on Friday mornings.
Thomas will guest star recur on the HBO series "Hung" and just won best actor and best comedy as co-writer and star at the LA iTV fest for "Talker"
He currently resides in Southern California, but owns homes in New Orleans, one of which was destroyed by looting in the wake of Hurricane Katrina
, and another in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Personal life
Thomas was born in Kermit, TexasKermit, Texas
Kermit is a city in and the county seat of Winkler County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,708 at the 2010 census. The city was named for Kermit Roosevelt after a visit by his father Theodore Roosevelt to the county.-History: -Establishment:...
. He was raised in his Italian American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
mother's Roman Catholic faith, although his father was Protestant.
He attended Jesuit High School
Jesuit High School (New Orleans)
Jesuit High School is an all-male Catholic high school in New Orleans, Louisiana. The school was founded in 1847. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans....
in New Orleans, where he grew up. He holds a masters degree in sociology from Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University is a private university in Jacksonville, Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its...
. He lives in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
and is the father of three sons, Samuel, Jacob and J.T.
Thomas fathered J.T. in an out-of-wedlock relationship and the child was adopted by another family. Jay Thomas and his son, known as John Harding, are reunited and have spoken about their reunion on the Dr. Phil Show. John Harding is the lead singer of the band JTX.
Television
Thomas is perhaps best known for his recurring roles. The first on the sitcom Mork and MindyMork and Mindy
Mork & Mindy is an American science fiction sitcom broadcast from 1978 until 1982 on ABC. The series starred Robin Williams as Mork, an alien who comes to Earth from the planet Ork in a small, one-man egg-shaped spaceship. Pam Dawber co-starred as Mindy McConnell, his human friend and roommate...
, on which he played Remo DaVinci, the Italian deli-owner, from 1980 until 1983. He then played the hockey-player-turned-travelling-ice show-skater second husband, Eddie LeBec
Eddie LeBec
Guy Édouard Raymond "Eddie" LeBec ia a character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Jay Thomas. Eddie was an ice hockey player of French Canadian background, and was married to Cheers waitress Carla Tortelli. Carla and Eddie had met when Eddie began frequenting the bar after...
, of Carla
Carla Tortelli
Carla Maria Victoria Angelina Teresa Apollonia Lozupone Tortelli LeBec, known as Carla Tortelli, is a waitress on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Rhea Perlman. Outwardly, at least, Carla is a mean-spirited woman who expresses disdain for many people...
on Cheers
Cheers
Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
(1987
1987 in television
The year 1987 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1987.For American TV schedule, see: 1987–88 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:...
-1989
1989 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1989–90 United States network television schedule.The year 1989 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1989.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
). He appeared on Murphy Brown
Murphy Brown
Murphy Brown is an American situation comedy which aired on CBS from November 14, 1988, to May 18, 1998, for a total of 247 episodes. The program starred Candice Bergen as the eponymous Murphy Brown, a famous investigative journalist and news anchor for FYI, a fictional CBS television...
as a tabloid talk show host, Jerry Gold, who was also one of Murphy's love interests (1989-1998
1998 in television
The year 1998 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1998.For the American TV schedule, see: 1998–99 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
). Thomas won 2 Emmy Awards in 1990 and 1991 for "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series" for his portrayal of Jerry Gold on Murphy Brown.
He provided the voice of Ares in several episodes of Hercules: The Animated Series
Hercules: The Animated Series
Hercules is an animated series based on the 1997 film of the same name and the Greek myth. The series follows teenage Hercules training as a hero as well as trying to adjust to life. With his free-spirited friend Icarus, his future-seeing friend Cassandra and his teacher Philoctetes , he battles...
.
Thomas starred in the short-lived 1990
1990 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1990-91 United States network television schedule.The year 1990 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1990.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
show Married People
Married People
Married People is an American television situation comedy that aired on ABC as part of its 1990-91 schedule.-Synopsis:The series follows three couples in different stages of their relationships who lived in the same building in New York City...
, in the role of Russell Myers, a work-at-home writer married to a high powered lawyer (played by Bess Armstrong
Bess Armstrong
Elizabeth Key "Bess" Armstrong is an American film and television actress.-Life and career:Armstrong was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of Louise Allen , who taught at Bryn Mawr, and Alexander Armstrong, an English teacher at the Gilman School...
).
He has appeared in several TV movies, including Husband, Wife, Lover, with Judith Light
Judith Light
Judith Ellen Light is an American actress. Her television roles include Karen Wolek on the soap opera One Life to Live, Angela Bower on the sitcom Who's the Boss?, Claire Meade on ABC's TV series Ugly Betty and Judge Elizabeth "Liz" Donnelly on Law & Order Special Victims Unit.-Early life:Light...
, and Stranger in the House with Lindsey Crouse.
He starred in the 1992
1992 in television
The year 1992 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1992.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:*Hallmark Hall of Fame .*Guiding Light .*The Today Show ....
-1995
1995 in television
The year 1995 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1995.For the American TV schedule, see: 1995-96 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
sitcom, Love & War and on the short-lived (1996) Ted Danson
Ted Danson
Edward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...
-Mary Steenburgen
Mary Steenburgen
Mary Nell Steenburgen is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Lynda Dummar in Jonathan Demme's Melvin and Howard, which earned her an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.-Early life:...
sitcom, Ink
Ink (TV series)
Ink is a television sitcom which aired on CBS from 1996-1997 that starred real-life husband and wife Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen as newspaper journalists, allegedly inspired by the film His Girl Friday. The show was also produced by Danson and Steenburgen. The show was canceled after one season...
. In 1994, he co-hosted (alongside Lisa Hartman Black), a television special celebrating the 30th anniversary of Universal Studios called Universal Studios Summer Blast.
In 2008, Thomas was featured on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? as the "expert" available via Skype
Skype
Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chat over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system...
for the "Ask the Expert" lifeline. That week he reportedly answered every single question he was asked correctly.
Thomas guest-starred on Celebrity Ghost Stories, Law and Order: SVU, and Cold Case. He is the voice of Travel Channel
Travel Channel
The Travel Channel is a satellite and cable television channel that is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, US. It features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows in African animal safaris,...
's Ghost Stories and Mystery of the Museums. He appears often on the late night talk show circuit as well as an opinioned guest of Bill Maher, Jimmy Kimmel, Sean Hannity, Dennis Miller, Fox and Friends, The View, Larry King and "C" and MSNBC.
Film
Thomas has appeared in such films as Mr. Holland's OpusMr. Holland's Opus
Mr. Holland's Opus is a 1995 American drama film directed by Stephen Herek, produced by Ted Field, Robert W. Cort, and Michael Nolin, and Executive Produced by Patrick Sheane Duncan. It stars Richard Dreyfuss in the title role, and the cast includes Glenne Headly, Olympia Dukakis, William H. Macy...
, Straight Talk
Straight Talk
Straight Talk is an 1992 American comedy-film distributed by Hollywood Pictures, directed by Barnet Kellman and starring Dolly Parton and James Woods. Parton did not receive star-billing in any other theatrically-released films until the 2012 film Joyful Noise, alongside Queen Latifah...
, The Adventures of Ragtime, Dragonfly (2002
2002 in film
The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of...
), The Santa Clause 2
The Santa Clause 2
The Santa Clause 2 is a 2002 American comedy film and the sequel to the 1994 film, The Santa Clause. All the principal actors from the first film reprise their roles, except for Peter Boyle, who returns portraying a different minor character...
and The Santa Clause 3. He starred (opposite Greg Kinnear
Greg Kinnear
Gregory "Greg" Kinnear is an American actor and television personality who first rose to stardom in 1991. He has appeared in more than 20 motion pictures, and was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in As Good as It Gets.-Early life:Kinnear was born in Logansport, Indiana, the son of...
) in A Smile Like Yours, in Labor Pains (with Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan is an American actress, pop singer and model. She began her career as a child fashion model before making her motion picture debut in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap at the age of 11...
), and in Monday Night Mayhem (with John Turturro
John Turturro
John Michael Turturro is an American actor, writer and director known for his roles in the films Do the Right Thing , Miller's Crossing , Barton Fink , Quiz Show , The Big Lebowski , O Brother, Where Art Thou? and the Transformers film series...
).
Recent activities
On stage, Thomas co-starred with Bebe NeuwirthBebe Neuwirth
Beatrice "Bebe" Neuwirth is an American actress, singer and dancer. She has worked in television and is known for her portrayal of Dr. Lilith Sternin, Dr. Frasier Crane's wife , on both the TV sitcom Cheers , and its spin-off Frasier...
and Paul Reiser
Paul Reiser
Paul Reiser is an American stand-up comedian, actor, television personality, author, screenwriter and musician. He is most widely known for his role on the long-running television sitcom Mad About You.-Early life:...
in the Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
written and directed play, Writer's Block, at the Atlantic Theatre in NYC. He and Paul Shaffer
Paul Shaffer
Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM is a Canadian musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian, and composer who has been David Letterman's sidekick since 1982.-Early years:...
of The Late Show with David Letterman are the national fundraisers for PBS television.
Radio
Thomas began his career as a sports announcer for high school football and college basketball (UNC-Charlotte) in the 1970s while attending Gulf Coast Junior College in Panama City, FloridaPanama City, Florida
-Personal income:The median income for a household in the city was $31,572, and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $30,401 versus $21,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830...
and Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University is a private university in Jacksonville, Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its...
. His expressed goal at that time was to be a stand-up comic. He later worked the 7pm-midnight shift at WBSR in Pensacola
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
. He hit the big time at WAPE ("The Big Ape") in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
and then moved on to Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, where he was the morning drive DJ at BIG WAYS-AM
WFNZ
WFNZ "610 AM The Fan" is a Sports Talk format radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:WFNZ signed on in 1941 as WAYS . For much of the 1960s through early 1980s, it was Charlotte's top-rated Top 40 station under the moniker "61 Big Ways." The morning show was aired on both WAYS and...
and WROQ-FM
WNKS
WNKS, known on the air as KISS 95.1, is a 100,000 watt radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. It broadcasts at 95.1 MHz from a tower in Dallas, North Carolina, primarily serving the Charlotte metropolitan area. On air programming consists of mainstream top 40 music...
in the 1970s. Thomas then worked as a radio DJ in New York City at 99X FM. While at 99X, his newsman/sidekick was sportscaster Charley Steiner
Charley Steiner
Charles Harris "Charley" Steiner is an American sportscaster and broadcast journalist. He is currently the main play-by-play voice for the Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Network, paired with Rick Monday.-Early career:...
. He may be best-known on radio for being the morning host on 92.3 WKTU. He was replaced by Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
when the format of WKTU was changed to classic rock and the station took on call letters WXRK and station name K-ROCK.
After WKTU flipped formats, Thomas was hired by then new Rhythmic Top 40 KPWR
KPWR
KPWR is a commercial radio station located in Los Angeles, California, broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area on an analog signal and in HD Radio...
/Los Angeles in 1986 as their new morning host, where he enjoyed a successful run. While with KPWR, he got to sub-host an episode of American Top 40
American Top 40
American Top 40 is an internationally syndicated, independent radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs. Originally a production of Watermark Inc...
during the late 1980s. In 1992 Thomas left KPWR due to the changes in station management and a musical shift to hip-hop, which would have been out of place for him. He would return to New York in 2000 to host the morning show on WTJM
WWPR-FM
WWPR-FM, also known as "Power 105.1", is an urban contemporary radio station that features hip hop and R&B licensed to New York City that serves the Greater New York area....
, which had just changed its format to "Jammin' Oldies" after many years as an adult contemporary station. He would leave the station just before it, like KPWR in Los Angeles, changed formats to hip-hop.
Thomas currently hosts The Jay Thomas Show on Sirius XM Stars Too (Sirius XM Channel 104,), a channel on the SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio service. He has had numerous co-hosts on his show including comics Kevin Meaney, Madison, Rodney Lee Conover, Shuli, and Ira the Weatherman. On March 5, 2008 Howard Stern announced that Jay would be doing a live morning show on Howard 101 from 7 AM to 10 AM on Friday mornings.
Thomas will guest star recur on the HBO series "Hung" and just won best actor and best comedy as co-writer and star at the LA iTV fest for "Talker"
He currently resides in Southern California, but owns homes in New Orleans, one of which was destroyed by looting in the wake of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, and another in Charlotte, North Carolina.