Philip Michael Thomas

Acting

Philip Michael Thomas

Born 1949-05-26 · Columbus, Ohio, USA

Philip Michael Thomas (born May 26, 1949) is a retired American actor and musician, best known for his role as detective Ricardo Tubbs on the hit 1980s TV series Miami Vice. His first notable roles were in Coonskin (1975) and opposite Irene Cara in the 1976 film Sparkle. After his success in Miami Vice, he appeared in numerous made-for-TV movies and advertisements for telephone psychic services. He also voiced the character Lance Vance in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006).

Acting credits

Coonskin poster
6.1

A multi-layered satire of race relations in America. Live-action sequences of a prison break bracket the animated tale of Brother Rabbit, Brother Bear, and Preacher Fox, who rise to the top of the crime ranks in Harlem by going up against a con-man, a racist cop, and the Mafia.

Coonskin

1975

Fate poster
4.4

Serial killers have plagued the American landscape for decades, committing gruesome atrocities, and providing some tough cases for criminal investigators to crack. Two detectives are on the trail of a bizarre murderer intent on slaughtering his victims, then using them as real-life puppets in a tale that he is trying to tell.

Fate

2003

NBC 75th Anniversary Special poster
6.0

A celebration of NBC's 75 year history, featuring clips of special moments.

NBC 75th Anniversary Special

2002

Miami Vice: Freefall poster
NR

Crockett and Tubbs, figuring they're on their way out, are recruited by the government to help a dictator escape from his war-torn country - with double-crosses at every turn.

Miami Vice: Freefall

1989

2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift poster
6.1

The team of smart-talkin' toddlers known as Everything Is Terrible! have once again emerged from their VHS cocoons to conjure a jam on culture so culture-jamtastic that we're sorry we can't be there to hold your hand as you watch in dazed amazement. Thousands of hours of brain-boiling footage have been concentrated into an impenetrable jewel of an experience, teach us once and for all that loving well is the best revenge.

2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift

2010

Sparkle poster
7.3

Three sisters start out singing in their church choir in Harlem in the late 1950s and become a successful girl group in the 1960s.

Sparkle

1976

Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper poster
7.8

Miami detective Sonny Crockett reluctantly teams with New York City cop Rico Tubbs when both of them end up pursuing a drug dealer who killed their respective partners.

Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper

1984

Hey Good Lookin' poster
5.5

In 1953 Brooklyn, charismatic hood and The Stompers leader Vinnie Genzianna, his friend and second-in-command Crazy Shapiro, and their respective girlfriends Roz and Eva get wrapped up in an escalating conflict with the rival Black gang, The Chaplains, lead by Boogaloo Jones.

Hey Good Lookin'

1982

Detective Extralarge: Yo-yo poster
NR

Burt meets Jack Costello after many years. Burt is a boxer and he is fleeing after a fixed match that he should have lost but instead he won. Then he vanishes. Costello finds in his office Burt's son, 'jo jo' Ritchie, who had came because his father had ordered him to go to him. Then Jo Jo cames back to Groggy where he lives and when the two of them are dining, two men arrive and kill Groggy. Jo Jo runs away and Extralarge sets on finding him and his father.

Detective Extralarge: Yo-yo

1991

A Little Piece of Sunshine poster
8.0

Sunshine, an idyllic and almost forgotten island under British rule, is shortly to become independent. But a few days before this event is to take place, the British governor of the island is shot. Her Majesty's secret service is called in and Sam McCready asks Desmond Hannah of Scotland Yard to take charge of the case.

A Little Piece of Sunshine

1990

The Dark poster
4.7

At night the Mangler stalks the streets of Los Angeles, killing and mutilating random victims. On the trail are a TV reporter, the father of one of the victims, and a police detective, but despite their efforts only the mysterious psychic DeRenzy knows what the killer is and how to stop it.

The Dark

1979

Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless Reporter poster
6.5

Perry is at TV station "KGGY" to be interviewed but thanks to the interference of main anchor-person Brett Huston the interview is pulled. Mostly everybody hates Brett as Brett knows all the station workers secrets. He has also written a memo insulting all of the main station players - Vic St. John - the station manager, Twyla Cooper - the producer, Chuck Gilmore - the sports reporter, Gary Slate - the weatherman, Cassie Woodfield - the reporter and Gillian Pope. Brett is shot dead with Gillian's gun and therefore is arrested for the crime. Gillian calls in Perry, Della and Ken to investigate. As Della and Perry set out to solve the mystery, Ken gets close to Cassie but she is a suspect and when it appears that somebody is trying to kill her, the mystery deepens..

Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless Reporter

1991

The Wizard of Speed and Time poster
6.3

A Hollywood filmmaker makes a short for an evil film studio. Unbeknownst to him, the producer has placed a bet of $25,000 that he won't come up with anything with a use. Luckily, our film creator gets the help of his friends.

The Wizard of Speed and Time

1989

The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There poster
NR

The NBC All Star Hour (1985) was a one-hour primetime television special that brought together stars from NBC’s biggest shows of the mid-1980s, blending comedy, music, and variety performances into a network showcase.

The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There

1985

False Witness poster
9.0

An assistant district attorney's (Phylicia Rashad) co-worker lover (Philip Michael Thomas) plans to prove her wrong about a case.

False Witness

1989

Stigma poster
5.3

A black doctor ex-convict returns to the all-white town he knows as home and discovers a deadly disease threatening the citizens. He must fight prejudice and time if he is to save the town.

Stigma

1972

A Fight for Jenny poster
6.3

Kelsey finds herself fighting a legal battle with her ex-husband Ben when he sues for full custody of their daughter believing that she's no longer living in a suitable environment because her new husband David is African-American. Based on a true story.

A Fight for Jenny

1986

Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute poster
6.5

Wembley Stadium hosts a concert featuring stars from the fields of music, comedy and film, in celebration of the 70th birthday of imprisoned ANC leader Nelson Mandela. Highlight of the evening is the one hour live performance of Dire Straits feat. Eric Clapton.

Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute

1988

Toma poster
7.7

This TV-pilot, later made into a TV-series, is about a cop in Newark, New Jersey, who defies his superiors to try to bring down the head of a Mafia numbers racket.

Toma

1973

The Beasts Are on the Streets poster
6.5

Panic grips a small community after a tanker truck crashes through a fence at a wild animal park, freeing dozens of dangerous beasts.

The Beasts Are on the Streets

1978

Valentine poster
NR

A feisty widow falls in love with a zestful widower in a retirement community, much to the disapproval of her married daughter.

Valentine

1979

Death Drug poster
7.0

A young man in Los Angeles dreams of striking it big as a singer in the music business. One day he gets signed to a big record contract, but along with the fame and money he develops an addiction to the drug PCP.

Death Drug

1978

Charlie Barnett's Terms of Enrollment poster
NR

Charlie Barnett shows you how to succeed in college without trying.

Charlie Barnett's Terms of Enrollment

1986

The Fungi Man poster
5.0

Racial conflicts, love triangles and the awakening of passion will lead to disaster for a decadent aristocratic family in the newly independent Mexico.

The Fungi Man

1976