Jay Thomas Biography

Jon Thomas Terrell (July 12, 1948 - August 24, 2017), professionally known as Jay Thomas, was an American actor, comedian, and radio talk show host in New York in the mid-1970s on 99X. His notable television work included his co-starring role as Remo DaVinci on Mork & Mindy (1979-81), the recurring role of Eddie LeBec on Cheers (1987-89), the lead character Jack Stein on Love & War (1992-95), and a repeat guest role as Jerry Gold on Murphy Brown. He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 1990 and 1991 for portraying Gold.

In 1997, he starred in the television film Killing Mr. Griffin, based on the novel of the same name. In film, he co-starred in Mr Holland's Opus and portrayed The Easter Bunny in The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3. He was also an annual guest on The Late Show with David Letterman during the Christmas season, where he told a story about how he met Clayton Moore, who portrayed the self-titled character on The Lone Ranger. Beginning in 2005, he hosted The Jay Thomas Show on SiriusXM Satellite Radio, and was on every Friday afternoon on Howard 101.

Early life

Jay Thomas was born in Kermit, Texas, to Katharine (ne Guzzino) and T. Harry Terrell. He was raised in his Italian American mother's Catholic religion; his father was Protestant. Thomas was raised in New Orleans.He attended and graduated from Jesuit High School in New Orleans.

Entertainment career

Thomas made his annual Christmastime appearance with David Letterman for the first time in December 1998. Letterman and one of his other guests that evening, then-New York Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde, took turns tossing footballs at the Christmas tree across the stage, atop which sat a large meatball. As the two tried to knock off the meatball and failed repeatedly, Thomas came out and decided to join in the festivities and knocked the meatball off of the tree.

When Letterman talked with Thomas later on, he told a story about when he was a young disc jockey at a radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina. Thomas had been making a promotional appearance at a local car dealership. This dealership had also booked Clayton Moore to make an appearance, dressed in his Lone Ranger costume.

As the story goes, after the appearance Thomas, who at the time sported what he referred to as a "white man's Afro", and his friend, who was wearing high heeled shoes, tight pants, and a tiedyed shirt, went off to get "herbed up" (smoke marijuana) behind a dumpster, after the broadcast ended. When they returned to pack up their equipment, they discovered that Moore was still there, as the car that was supposed to drive him to the Red Roof Inn never arrived. Thomas offered Moore a ride in his old Volvo and he accepted. As they were sitting in traffic, an impatient middle-aged man driving a Buick, backed into the front end of Thomas' car, broke a headlight and drove away.

Thomas gave chase to the Buick through heavy traffic, finally caught up to the man and confronted him about the damage. The indignant driver denied breaking the headlight and Thomas threatened to call the police. The man said nobody would believe their story because Thomas and his friend looked like "two hippy freaks". At that moment, Thomas said that Moore, who was still in costume as the Lone Ranger, got out of the car and said to the man, "They'll believe me, citizen!"

For every year thereafter, with the exception of 2013, Thomas appeared to re-tell the Lone Ranger story and once again attempt what Letterman calls the "Late Show Quarterback Challenge". For the final appearance of the story in 2014, Thomas was again successful in knocking the meatball off the top of the tree. Thomas missed the 2013 Late Show Christmas episode due to surgery on his throat; John McEnroe took his place and told the Lone Ranger story, then tried to knock the meatball off the tree by hitting tennis balls at it but failed.

Personal life

Thomas fathered J. T. Harding in an out-of-wedlock relationship and the child was adopted by another family in Michigan. Thomas and his son spoke about their reunion on the Dr. Phil Show. Harding was the lead singer of the band JTX, and is also a country music songwriter.

Death

Thomas had been battling cancer. Thomas"?s wife Sally and his sons, Sam, Jake, and J.T., were by his side when he died on August 24, 2017, aged 69.

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1979-1981	Mork & Mindy	Remo DaVinci	20 episodes
1981	The Love Boat	Paul Harris	Episode: "First Voyage, Last Voyage"
1984	Master of the Game	Levy	Television miniseries
1984	C.H.U.D.	Cop in diner
1985	Spenser: For Hire	Tony Broz	Episode: "Discord in a Minor"
1986	Legal Eagles	Waiter
1987	Family Ties	Jerry DiNello	Episode: "Super Mom"
1987	A Year in the Life	Scott Spenser	Episode: "What Do People Do All Day?"
1987-1989	Cheers	Eddie LeBec	9 episodes
1988	Monkey Business	Tedesco
1988	The Adventures of Ragtime	Lester Waylin
1988	Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color	Delivery Man	Episode: "Justin Case"
1989	Almost Grown	Unknown	Episode: "Take It Slow"
1989	The Golden Girls	Sy Furbis	Episode: "High Anxiety"
1989	Freddy's Nightmares	Stan Brooks	Episode: "Dream Come True"
1989-1998	Murphy Brown	Jerry Gold	9 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (1990-91) Nominated"?Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
1990	Miracle Landing	Ed Meyer	Television movie
1990	Open House	Evan Gimbel	2 episodes
1990	Where's Rodney?	Lou Barnes	Television movie
1990-1991	Married People	Russell Meyers	18 episodes
1992	Straight Talk	Zim Zimmerman
1992	Batman: The Animated Series	Guard 1	Episode: "The Forgotten"
1992-1995	Love & War	Jack Stein	67 episodes
1995	Cybill	Jay	Episode: "Zing!"
1995	Bless This House	Ted	Episode: "If It Ain't Broken, Break It"
1995	Mr. Holland's Opus	Bill Meister
1996	Dirty Laundry	Joey Greene
1996-1997	Ink	Jack Stein	3 episodes
1997	Killing Mr. Griffin	John Griffin	Television movie
1997	A Smile Like Yours	Steve Harris
1997	Aaahh!!! Real Monsters	Disembodied Voice	Episode: "Spy vs. Monster"
1997	Working	Mr. Peyser	Episode: "Lost Weekend"
1998	My Date with the President's Daughter	Charles Fletcher	Television movie
1998	The Simple Life	Joel Campbell	Episode: "Sara's Ex"
1998-1999	Hercules	Ares	6 episodes
1999	Stranger in My House	Ray Young
1999	Last Chance	Artie
1999	Fantasy Island	Carl Harbin	Episode: "The Real Thing"
1999	Dead Man's Gun	Emil Kosar	Episode: "The Good Chef"
1999	The Wild Thornberrys	Bull Seal	Episode: "Tamper Proof Seal"
1999	The Big Tease	Tony Bolero	Uncredited
2000	An American Daughter	Timber Tucker	Television movie
2001-2002	The Education of Max Bickford	Jerry Zibowski	2 episodes
2002	Ed	Gary Siringo	Episode: "Small Town Guys"
2002	Monday Night Mayhem	Pete Rozelle	Television movie
2002	Dragonfly	Hal
2002	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Joe Sherman	Episode: "Vulnerable"
2002	The Santa Clause 2	Easter Bunny
2003	Run of the House	Bob Melman	Episode: "Twas the Night Before Homecoming"
2004	Joan of Arcadia	Obnoxious Investor at Spa	Episode: "Recreation"
2006	The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause	Easter Bunny
2007-2010	American Dad!	Brett Morris	2 episodes
2008	Boston Legal	Ian Hoberman	Episode: "Happy Trails"
2009	Labor Pains	Garth
2010	Cold Case	Lance Katrola	Episode: "One Fall"
2010	Mysteries at the Museum	Narrator	4 episodes
2011	Horrorween	Two Headed Monster
2011	Snatched	Roger Byamm
2011	Retired at 35	Mr. Jenkins	Episode: "Workin' Man"
2011	Hung	Sandee's father	Episode: "The Whole Beefalo"
2012	Shake It Up	Dan Gold	Episode: "Copy Kat It Up"
2013	Underdogs	Mike Mayhew
2013	Ray Donovan	Marty Grossman	Episode: "Road Trip"