Jay Thomas

Biography: A character actor who specialized in upbeat, energetic everymen (often with a strong romantic angle), Jay Thomas made his most enduring mark on U.S. television sitcoms during the mid- to late '80s and early '90s. A native of Kermit, TX, Thomas kick-started his career as a standup comedian in the American South, with a particularly strong emphasis on French Quarter comedy clubs in New Orleans, LA. He achieved his big television break in the late '70s thanks to Mork & Mindy show creator Garry Marshall, who cast him as deli owner Remo DaVinci on that blockbuster program just as its ratings were beginning to slide; Thomas remained with it for two seasons, from 1979-1981. Following little-seen movie roles in films such as 1984's C.H.U.D. and 1985's The Gig (a particularly colorful part as an obnoxious entertainer), Thomas returned to series television in a big way, first with a recurring role on Cheers, as Eddie LeBec, the ne'er-do-well, washed-up hockey player husband of saucyA character actor who specialized in upbeat, energetic everymen (often with a strong romantic angle), Jay Thomas made his most enduring mark on U.S. television sitcoms during the mid- to late '80s and early '90s. A native of Kermit, TX, Thomas kick-started his career as a standup comedian in the American South, with a particularly strong emphasis on French Quarter comedy clubs in New Orleans, LA. He achieved his big television break in the late '70s thanks to Mork & Mindy show creator Garry Marshall, who cast him as deli owner Remo DaVinci on that blockbuster program just as its ratings were beginning to slide; Thomas remained with it for two seasons, from 1979-1981. Following little-seen movie roles in films such as 1984's C.H.U.D. and 1985's The Gig (a particularly colorful part as an obnoxious entertainer), Thomas returned to series television in a big way, first with a recurring role on Cheers, as Eddie LeBec, the ne'er-do-well, washed-up hockey player husband of saucy barmaid Carla (Rhea Perlman) -- a role he held from 1987-1989 (which ended with the character being run over by a Zamboni machine!). Thomas followed up his Cheers part with two additional key sitcom roles: the lead role of New York Post columnist Jack Stein -- the romantic sparring partner of Wally Porter (Susan Dey) -- on Love & War (1992-1995), and (in a less frequently seen but equally memorable performance) Jerry Gold, one of the paramours of Candice Bergen's acerbic title character, on Murphy Brown -- a role that lasted for nine years. (Both programs were produced by Diane English.) When Brown folded in 1998, Thomas moved back into features, essaying supporting roles in such films as Last Chance (1999), Dragonfly (2002), and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006). Expand

Jay Thomas' Scores

Average career score: 82
Highest Metascore: 100 Murphy Brown: Season 2
Lowest Metascore: 73 Ray Donovan: Season 2
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
4 tv reviews
Title: Year: Credit: User score:
tbd Murphy Brown: Season 10 Oct 1, 1997 Jerry Gold / Jay Thomas / Jerry Gold tbd
tbd The View: Season 3 Aug 11, 1997 Jay Thomas tbd
tbd Ink: Season 1 Oct 21, 1996 Actor / Jack Stein / Stein tbd
tbd Late Show with David Letterman: Season 4 Sep 2, 1996 Guest tbd
tbd Murphy Brown: Season 8 Sep 18, 1995 Jerry Gold / Jay Thomas / Jerry tbd
tbd Late Show with David Letterman: Season 3 Sep 4, 1995 Guest tbd
tbd Love & War: Season 3 Sep 19, 1994 Jack Stein / Actor / Jack tbd
tbd Late Show with David Letterman: Season 2 Aug 29, 1994 Guest tbd
tbd Love & War: Season 2 Sep 20, 1993 Jack Stein / Jack tbd
tbd Love & War: Season 1 Sep 21, 1992 Jack Stein / Jack tbd
tbd Murphy Brown: Season 4 Sep 16, 1991 Jerry Gold / Jay Thomas / Jerry / Jerry Gold 5.8
tbd Murphy Brown: Season 3 Sep 17, 1990 Jerry Gold / Actor / Jay Thomas / Jerry 4.7
100 Murphy Brown: Season 2 Sep 18, 1989 Jerry Gold / Jay Thomas / Jerry Gold 3.8
tbd Cheers: Season 7 Oct 27, 1988 Eddie LeBec / Eddie LeBec / Eddie / Eddie LeBec tbd
tbd The Golden Girls: Season 4 Oct 8, 1988 Sy 9.8
tbd Cheers: Season 6 Sep 24, 1987 Eddie LeBec / Eddie LeBec / Eddie / Eddie LeBec 9.4
tbd Family Ties: Season 6 Sep 13, 1987 Jerry tbd
tbd Cheers: Season 5 Sep 25, 1986 Eddie LeBec / Eddie LeBec / Eddie LeBec 9.2
tbd Mork & Mindy: Season 4 Oct 8, 1981 Jay Thomas tbd
tbd Mork & Mindy: Season 3 Nov 13, 1980 Remo Da Vinci / Remo DaVinci tbd
tbd The Love Boat: Season 4 Oct 25, 1980 Paul Harris tbd
tbd Mork & Mindy: Season 2 Sep 16, 1979 Remo Da Vinci (1979-1981) / Remo DaVinci tbd