Jay Thomas was an actor best known for his recurring roles on the comedy series Murphy Brown and Cheers. He won two Emmy Awards for his part as obnoxious TV-host Jerry Gold on Murphy Brown, and was nominated once more for the role.
Thomas also starred on his own sitcom, playing a sportswriter on CBS’s Love and War, and had parts on The Love Boat, Mork & Mindy, Family Ties, The Golden Girls, Cybill, Fantasy Island, Ed, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Joan of Arcadia, Boston Legal, Cold Case, Ray Donovan, NCIS: New Orleans and Bones.
Jay Thomas was an actor best known for his recurring roles on the comedy series Murphy Brown and Cheers. He won two Emmy Awards for his part as obnoxious TV-host Jerry Gold on Murphy Brown, and was nominated once more for the role.
Thomas also starred on his own sitcom, playing a sportswriter on CBS’s Love and War, and had parts on The Love Boat, Mork & Mindy, Family Ties, The Golden Girls, Cybill, Fantasy Island, Ed, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Joan of Arcadia, Boston Legal, Cold Case, Ray Donovan, NCIS: New Orleans and Bones.
Additionally, he had roles in the films Mr. Holland’s Opus, Dragonfly, The Santa Clause 2, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause and Labor Pains.
Thomas often appeared on Late Night with David Letterman during the holiday season, where he told a story every time about Clayton Moore, star of TV's The Lone Ranger.
He got his start in radio as a high school football announcer in Panama City, Florida. After moving to New York for a radio job, he started performing stand-up comedy and acted in off-Broadway plays.
Thomas died August 24, 2017, in Santa Barbara, California. He was 69.