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'''Philip Michael Thomas''' (born May 26, 1949, Columbus, Ohio) is an American actor, best known for his role as Detective [[Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs]] in ''[[Miami Vice]]''. He is of German, Native American, African-American and Irish ancestry.
 
'''Philip Michael Thomas''' (born May 26, 1949, Columbus, Ohio) is an American actor, best known for his role as Detective [[Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs]] in ''[[Miami Vice]]''. He is of German, Native American, African-American and Irish ancestry.
   
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==Early Career==
==Early CareerHe began acting in 1972, appearing in the pilot episode of the TV police drama ''Toma'' and an episode of Norman Lear's ''Good Times'' before getting movie roles the blaxplotation films ''Black Fist'' and ''Coonskin'' before starring alongside rising star Irene Cara in 1976's ''Sparkle'' (he & Cara would play in the 1979 miniseries ''Roots: The Next Generations'' along with [[Pam Grier]] & [[Georg Stanford Brown]]). He would go on to have minor roles in movies in the early 1980's.==
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He began acting in 1972, appearing in the pilot episode of the TV police drama ''Toma'' and an episode of Norman Lear's ''Good Times'' before getting movie roles the blaxplotation films ''Black Fist'' and ''Coonskin'' before starring alongside rising star Irene Cara in 1976's ''Sparkle'' (he & Cara would play in the 1979 miniseries ''Roots: The Next Generations'' along with [[Pam Grier]] & [[Georg Stanford Brown]]). He would go on to have minor roles in movies in the early 1980's.==
   
 
==Miami Vice==
 
==Miami Vice==

Revision as of 13:50, 19 December 2010

Philip Michael Thomas

Philip Michael Thomas-2

Birthdate
May 26, 1949
Birthplace
Columbus, Ohio
Miami Vice Character
Metro-Dade Detective Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs
Years active
1970-present


Philip Michael Thomas (born May 26, 1949, Columbus, Ohio) is an American actor, best known for his role as Detective Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs in Miami Vice. He is of German, Native American, African-American and Irish ancestry.

Early Career

He began acting in 1972, appearing in the pilot episode of the TV police drama Toma and an episode of Norman Lear's Good Times before getting movie roles the blaxplotation films Black Fist and Coonskin before starring alongside rising star Irene Cara in 1976's Sparkle (he & Cara would play in the 1979 miniseries Roots: The Next Generations along with Pam Grier & Georg Stanford Brown). He would go on to have minor roles in movies in the early 1980's.==

Miami Vice

Thomas was cast as Detective Ricardo Tubbs of the NYPD, who traveled to Miami to exact revenge on the drug lord that killed his fellow cop & brother Rafael Tubbs. He

PMT as Tubbs

Philip Michael Thomas as Tubbs

teamed up with James "Sonny" Crockett and, after catching the lord (who was later released by a corrupt judge) Tubbs decided to stay in Miami, a partnership that lasted five years. Thomas' character wore Armani suits which contrasted with Johnson's Crockett persona of pastel sleeveless shirts, blazer, cotton pants and shoes without socks. Resurrecting his dormant music career, Thomas released an album during his Vice run, "Living The Book Of My Life", the title track being used in the episode "The Maze", but had little success. Thomas is often credited with inventing the phrase "EGOT", which stood for his "five-year plan": To win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role as Tubbs, but never came close to any of the four awards in his phrase.

After Miami Vice

After Miami Vice was cancelled, Thomas fell into obscurity, appearing in some made-for-TV movies until returning for a series of commercials for the Psychic Friends Network, wearing a wardrobe in his Tubbs persona, using the phrase "From Miami Vice to world advice!". After Psychic Friends Network changed its' name to Traffix Inc, Thomas was replaced as spokesman by Miss Cleo, which prompted Thomas to file suit against the company for breach-of-contract. He won a $2.1 million arbitration award in 2002. In 1997 & 2001, Thomas reunited with Don Johnson on Johnson's series Nash Bridges as Cedrick "Rick" Hawks, a DEA agent from Miami. He appeared in The E! True Hollywood Story episode of Miami Vice in 2001. In 2002, Thomas lent his voice to the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City video game as the title character, Lance Vance, who (in a mirror of Tubbs) went south to avenge his brother's murder. He later reprised his role in 2006's "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories" which was a prequel to the first edition.

Personal Life

Thomas was involved with Dionne Warwick during his time with the Psychic Friends Network, and has two daughters with Sheila DeWindt, who appeared in the original Battlestar Galactica in 1978.