Tony Thomas (producer)

Charles Anthony Thomas ( Jacobs; born December 7, 1948) is an American television and film producer. He was a producer for the feature film Dead Poets Society for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1989, and Insomnia, among other films.

Tony Thomas
Born
Charles Anthony Jacobs

(1948-12-07) December 7, 1948 (age 75)
Occupation(s)TV and film producer, director
Years active1971–present
Spouse
Ann Souder
(m. 2005)
Parent(s)Danny Thomas
Rose Marie Cassaniti
RelativesMarlo Thomas (sister)

He is the producer of many successful television series from the 1970s into the 1990s such as The Golden Girls for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series twice and won three consecutive Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. Thomas was the producer of Blossom and many other TV series. He is the co-founder of Witt/Thomas Productions.

Early life and family

edit

Born Charles Anthony Jacobs in Hollywood, California,[1] Thomas is the son of actor and philanthropist Danny Thomas and his wife, Rose Marie (Cassaniti) Thomas. His father was of Lebanese descent and his mother was of Italian descent. He is the younger brother of actresses Terre Thomas and Marlo Thomas.

Career

edit

Thomas began working in Hollywood film/TV production at Screen Gems as an associate producer on the acclaimed television movie Brian's Song. In 1974, he teamed with producer Paul Junger Witt and wife Susan Harris to form a TV production company, Witt/Thomas Productions (alternately Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions), which produced numerous successful television series from the 1970s into the 1990s.[2]

He has produced many TV series, including The Practice (1976–1977), Nurses, Herman's Head, Soap, Blossom, Empty Nest, Benson, Beauty and the Beast, The Golden Girls, Brotherly Love, The John Larroquette Show and It's a Living. He was a producer for the feature film Dead Poets Society.

Thomas serves as a member of the ALSAC/St. Jude Boards of Directors and Governors, directing the operation of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital that his father had founded.[3]

Personal life

edit

Thomas married Ann Souder on Christmas Eve 2005 in Montecito, California.

Filmography

edit

He was a producer of all films unless otherwise noted.

Film

edit
Year Film Credit
1984 Firstborn
1989 Dead Poets Society
1992 Final Analysis
1994 Mixed Nuts
2002 Insomnia Executive producer
2011 A Better Life Executive producer

Television

edit
Year Title Credit Notes
1971 The Sheriff Associate producer Television pilot
Brian's Song Associate producer Television film
1972 No Place to Run Associate producer Television film
Home for the Holidays Associate producer Television film
1973 A Cold Night's Death Associate producer Television film
Snatched Television film
The Letters Associate producer Television film
Blood Sport Television film
1974 Remember When Associate producer Television film
The Gun and the Pulpit Associate producer Television film
1975 Satan's Triangle Executive producer Television film
Fay
1976 Griffin and Phoenix Television film
High Risk Associate producer Television film
The Practice
1977 Loves Me, Loves Me Not
1978 That's Hollywood Co-producer Documentary
1980 The Yeagers Executive producer
Trouble in High Timber Country Executive producer Television film
1977−81 Soap Executive producer
1980−81 I'm a Big Girl Now Executive producer
1982−83 It Takes Two Executive producer
1983 Condo Executive producer
1985 Just Married! Television special
Hail to the Chief Executive producer
1979−86 Benson Executive producer
1986 Tough Cookies Executive producer
Comedy Factory Executive producer
1986−87 One Big Family Executive producer
1987 The Line Executive producer Television film
Mama's Boy
1980−89 It's a Living Executive producer
1989 Heartland Executive producer
1990 We'll Take Manhattan Executive producer Television film
1987−90 Beauty and the Beast Executive producer
1991 Good & Evil Executive producer
1990−91 Lenny Executive producer
1992 Walter & Emily Executive producer
1985−92 The Golden Girls Executive producer
1992 Woops! Executive producer
1992−93 The Golden Palace Executive producer
1993 Country Estates Executive producer Television film
1991−94 Herman's Head Executive producer
Nurses Executive producer
1994 Daddy's Girls Executive producer
Close to Home Executive producer Television film
1990−95 Blossom Executive producer
1995 Muscle Executive producer
1988−95 Empty Nest Executive producer
1995 The Office Executive producer
1996 Local Heroes Executive producer
Radiant City Executive producer Television film
Common Law
1995−96 Minor Adjustments Executive producer
1993−96 The John Larroquette Show Executive producer
1995−97 Brotherly Love Executive producer
1996−97 Pearl Executive producer
1998 The Secret Lives of Men Executive producer
1999 Everything's Relative Executive producer
2014 Feed Me Executive producer
2012−16 Beauty & the Beast Executive producer
Miscellaneous crew
Year Title Role
1970−71 The Young Rebels Assistant to the producer
As writer
Year Title Notes
1969 Hogan's Heroes
1978 That's Hollywood Documentary
1985 Hail to the Chief
1987 The West That Never Was Television special
As an actor
Year Title Role
1956−58 The Danny Thomas Show Rusty's Friend / Child Singer
1969 That Girl Tony Cassanetti
As director
Year Title Notes
1987 The West That Never Was Television special
Production manager
Year Title Role Notes
1974 Remember When Production executive Television film
Soundtrack
Year Title Role Notes
1956 The Danny Thomas Show Performer: "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover"
Uncredited

References

edit
  1. ^ "Tony Thomas". Television Academy Interviews. October 22, 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  2. ^ "Tony Thomas". Archive of American Television.
  3. ^ "Tony Thomas". St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
edit