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Jay Thomas

Highest Rated: 100% Life Tracker (2012)

Lowest Rated: 6% A Smile Like Yours (1997)

Birthday: Jul 12, 1948

Birthplace: Kermit, Texas, USA

Jay Thomas was an American disc jockey and actor who was best known for his roles in "Mork & Mindy" (ABC, 1978-1982), "Murphy Brown" (CBS, 1988-1998) and "Mr. Holland's Opus" (1995). Born in Kermit, Texas and raised in New Orleans, Thomas was a gifted athlete in high school and excelled in multiple sports, including football, boxing and wrestling. He played football for a brief period in college, but quickly discovered that he joined calling the games as a radio announcer, as opposed to playing in them. From there, Thomas turned all of his focus and attention to radio broadcasting. After college he worked as a disc jockey for a number of smaller stations in the South before receiving his first big break when he was asked to be a DJ for a Top 40 station in New York City. Thomas was a familiar voice to radio listeners all across the Big Apple in the late 1970s. With his radio career in full swing, Thomas received an offer to appear as a recurring character alongside Robin Williams on "Mork & Mindy." It was an offer he couldn't refuse and with that, he packed his bags and moved to Los Angeles. Thomas played Remo DaVinci on the series from 1979 to 1981, all the while continuing to serve as a DJ for Top 40 stations in sunny Southern California. He remained a DJ all throughout the 1980s, and continued to act consistently in both movies and television shows, including a recurring role as Eddie LeBec on "Cheers" (NBC, 1982-1993). Then in 1989 Thomas landed his breakout role as Jerry on "Murphy Brown." He appeared intermittently on the series from 1989 through 1998, and went onto win two Primetime Emmys for his performance. Thomas continued acting throughout the 90s and well into the 2010s, with his more notable roles including "Mr. Holland's Opus," "The Santa Claus 2" (2002), and "Ray Donovan" (Showtime, 2013- ). After leaving radio to focus on his acting in the early 90s, Thomas returned to the mic in 2005 with his own weekly radio program on SiriusXM. After an amazing career in entertainment spanning 40-plus years, Jay Thomas passed away from cancer on August 24, 2017. He was 69.

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Highest rated movies

100% 60% Life Tracker
Watchlist
76% 49% Disney's Teacher's Pet
Watchlist
75% 84% Mr. Holland's Opus
Watchlist
67% 74% Monday Night Mayhem
Watchlist
55% 43% The Santa Clause 2
Watchlist
46% 58% Straight Talk
Watchlist
7% 62% Dragonfly
Watchlist
6% 19% A Smile Like Yours
Watchlist
57% Monkey Business
Watchlist
Dirty Laundry
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 55% Underdogs Mike Mayhew (Character) $33.9K 2013
100% 60% Life Tracker Attorney General (Character) - 2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet Snatched Roger Byamm (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet 29% The Pool Boys Marty (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Kiss for Jed Carter (Character) - 2010
No Score Yet 97% Sex Tax: Based on a True Story Charles Taylor (Character) - 2010
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Road to Independence: The Movie Benjamin Franklin (Character) - 2010
76% 49% Disney's Teacher's Pet Barry Anger (Voice) $6.5M 2004
67% 74% Monday Night Mayhem Pete Rozelle (Character) - 2002
55% 43% The Santa Clause 2 Easter Bunny (Character) $139.2M 2002
7% 62% Dragonfly Hal (Character) $30.1M 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet An American Daughter Timber Tucker (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Last Chance Artie (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Total Stranger Ray Young (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 57% Monkey Business Tedesco (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Adventures of Ragtime Lester Waylin (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Stranger in My House Ray Young (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 56% My Date With the President's Daughter Charles Fletcher (Character) - 1998
6% 19% A Smile Like Yours Steve Harris (Character) $3.3M 1997
No Score Yet 48% Killing Mr. Griffin John Griffin (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet 33% A Strange Affair Eric McKeever (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dirty Laundry Joey Greene (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Encino Woman Marvin Reckler (Character) - 1996
75% 84% Mr. Holland's Opus Bill Meister (Character) $82.6M 1995
46% 58% Straight Talk Zim Zimmerman (Character) $20.1M 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Little Vegas Bobby (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet 80% The Gig Rick Valentine (Character) - 1985

TV

Credit
90% 83% Bones Lenny Jay (Guest Star) 2015
No Score Yet 64% NCIS: New Orleans Unknown (Guest Star) 2015
72% 85% Ray Donovan Unknown (Guest Star) 2013-2015
100% 78% Late Show With David Letterman Guest 2013-2014
No Score Yet 12% The View Guest 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Breakout Matthew Williams (Character) 2013
No Score Yet 67% Shake It Up! Dan Gold (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ghost Stories Narrator 2009-2010
No Score Yet 95% Cold Case Unknown (Guest Star) 2010
86% 90% Boston Legal Ian Hoberman (Guest Star) 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dr. Phil Guest 2008
No Score Yet 42% Jimmy Kimmel Live! Guest 2008
No Score Yet 90% American Dad! Brett Morris (Guest Voice) 2007
96% 73% Joan of Arcadia Unknown (Guest Star) 2004
78% 83% Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Joe Sherman (Guest Star) 2002
79% No Score Yet The Education of Max Bickford Unknown (Guest Star) 2001-2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ed Unknown (Guest Star) 2002
67% No Score Yet Get Real Unknown (Guest Star) 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fantasy Island Unknown (Guest Star) 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Murphy Brown Jerry Gold (Guest Star) 1996 1998
30% No Score Yet Working Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
44% No Score Yet Ink Unknown (Guest Star) 1996-1997
63% No Score Yet Bless This House Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cybill Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Love & War Jack Stein (Character) 1992-1995
33% No Score Yet Married People Russell Meyers (Character) 1990-1991
87% 95% Cheers Eddie LeBec (Guest Star) 1987-1989
No Score Yet 94% The Golden Girls Sy (Guest Star) 1989
No Score Yet 89% Family Ties Unknown (Guest Star) 1987
90% No Score Yet Mork & Mindy Remo DaVinci (Character) 1979-1981