Tom Arnold | |
|---|---|
 Arnold in 2023 | |
| Born | Thomas Duane Arnold (1959-03-06)March 6, 1959 (age 66) Ottumwa, Iowa, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1981–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2 |
Thomas Duane Arnold (born March 6, 1959) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing Arnie Thomas onRoseanne, which starred his ex-wifeRoseanne Barr.
He has appeared in several films, includingTrue Lies (1994),Nine Months (1995),Big Bully,Carpool,The Stupids (all 1996),McHale's Navy (1997),Animal Factory (2000),Cradle 2 the Grave (2003),Mr. 3000 (2004),Happy Endings (2005),Pride (2007),The Great Buck Howard (2008), andMadea's Witness Protection (2011). He was also the host ofThe Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years, and appeared onSons of Anarchy.
Arnold was born Thomas Duane Arnold inOttumwa, Iowa, the son of Linda Kay (née Graham) and Jack Arnold. His mother was Jewish.[1][2][3] He had 2 siblings: a sister Lori and a brother Scott. As a child, Arnold was diagnosed withautism.[4] His mother abandoned the family when he was a child, and he and his siblings were raised by their father:
The three were still very young when their mother, who Tom Arnold said was an alcoholic, moved out. That left them in the care of a father in his early 20s whose role as breadwinner left him little time for parenting, Arnold said.[5]
In their teens, Arnold and his sister moved back in with their mother. With her mother's consent, Lori was married at age 14 to a man who was 23-years-old. Soon Lori was a heavy drug user and dealer running one of the largest meth operations in the Midwest until her arrest in 1989.[6][7]
Arnold escaped his sister's fate, and worked at a meatpacking plant.[8] He attendedOttumwa High School,Indian Hills Community College, and from 1981 to 1983, theUniversity of Iowa, where he studied business administration and writing.[9][10]
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In the early 1980s, Arnold had a prop-based comedy routine called "Tom Arnold and the Goldfish Review."[11]Roseanne Barr brought him in as a writer for her television sitcom,Roseanne. He married her in 1990, after she divorced her first husband. Arnold wrote himself into the show as the character "Arnie Thomas" (a play on his name).[citation needed] The couple's marriage attracted media and especiallytabloid attention due to their sometimes outrageous behavior. In 1992, Arnold starred in his own sitcom,The Jackie Thomas Show. Airing afterRoseanne on ABC, the show lasted 18 episodes.
In 1993, Arnold and Barr bought a house together in the town of Eldon, Iowa and opened a restaurant, 'Roseanne and Tom's Big Food Diner' nearby. The diner servedloosemeat sandwiches similar to the specialty of the fictional Lanford Lunch Box onRoseanne, which in turn was based on the real-lifeCanteen Lunch in the Alley in Ottumwa. Both appeared in the 1993 movieThe Woman Who Loved Elvis, filmed in Ottumwa.[12] In 1994, Arnold appeared as thesidekick toArnold Schwarzenegger's character inJames Cameron's action blockbuster filmTrue Lies. Arnold and Barr divorced in 1994 due to irreconcilable differences. Their restaurant closed in 1995.
After Arnold's divorce from Barr, he narrated and starred in several Craftmatic Adjustable Bed commercials that aired throughout 1995. The last commercial that he filmed culminated in Arnold lying in a bed that caught on fire and melted a strand of his underarm hair during the taping; the footage was never released. Arnold commented on Twitter in 2014: "Me and Mike (Michael Jackson) (he was one of my best friends) used to laugh about how [I] had aPepsi commercial of my own".[13]
In November 2000, Arnold played the role of Al Raymond in the second-seasonBaywatch Hawaii episode, "The Cage".
In a late 1990s interview on radio'sThe Howard Stern Show, Arnold admitted that his share of his and Barr's estate amounted to "over $20,000,000", including a percentage of theRoseanne ABC-TV series, but would not elaborate, citing a confidentiality clause. From 2001 through 2005, he was one of the hosts ofThe Best Damn Sports Show Period. From 2003 to 2005, Arnold was the voice ofArby's "Oven Mitt" commercials.
Arnold had his first romantic leading man part in the 2005 movieHappy Endings. That same year, Arnold starred inThe Kid & I. From 2008 to 2011, he hosted theCMT showMy Big Redneck Wedding.[14] He hosted CMT'sThe Biggest Redneck Wedding Ever in 2008, in which he served as the wedding planner, created a wedding that exceeded the dreams of a couple who wanted to be married in a mud bog, and performed the actual ceremony.[15] CMT also made three series of "My Big Redneck Vacation" presented by Arnold and featuring the Clampet Family fromShreveport, Louisiana.
Arnold's role as a child molester inGardens of the Night sparked revelations that he had been a victim of sexual abuse in his childhood. He decided to take on the role to shed more light on the issue.[16]
In January 2017, Tom Arnold was revealed as a celebrity contestant on the Australian edition ofI'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.He was the first evictee from the jungle, after 17 days, and stated he was paid between $US600,000 and $US700,000 for his participation in the program.[citation needed] In June 2017, Arnold filed a lawsuit against companiesNetwork Ten and 'A List Entertainment' for defrauding him for being onI'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. Arnold claims that he was promised a payment of $425,000 and a comedy tour in Australia. However, he was missing $140,000 in payment and Network Ten backed out of the comedy tour.[17]
In 2018, Arnold'sViceland showThe Hunt for the Trump Tapes premiered to low ratings and mainly negative reviews. The show was canceled after one season.[18]
Arnold met comedianRoseanne Barr when she saw his act in 1983. Their relationship was complicated by his alcoholism anddrug addiction,[19] but eventually he became sober. The two married in 1990 and divorced in 1994. In an April 2009 interview onAnytime with Bob Kushell, Arnold discussed why when he divorced Barr, he did not take any alimony.[20] During the next ten years, Arnold married two subsequent times. Both marriages ended in divorce. In August 2008, Arnold broke hisscapula in a motorcycle accident on thePacific Coast Highway.[21]
Over Thanksgiving weekend 2009, Arnold married his fourth wife, Ashley Groussman, inMaui before 75 guests.Dax Shepard served as Arnold's best man.[22] He appeared December 10, 2009 on the late night talk showAsia Uncut.[23] The couple have two children and four dogs.[24][25] In January 2019, the couple announced their intention to divorce.[26] The divorce was finalized in July 2020.[27]
Arnold was raised aMethodist.[28] Some sources say heconverted to Judaism upon marrying Roseanne Barr in 1990,[29] but Arnold discovered he was of Jewish descent through his mother and did not need to convert in order to become a practicing Jew.[30][31][32] He still practices Judaism and met his fourth wife at aPassover event.[33]
Arnold has given much of his time to charities including giving out toys during the holidays to those in need through the Miracle on 1st Street Toy Giveaway, an annual tradition of his.[34]
Arnold is a gun owner and a supporter of theSecond Amendment. However, he expressed support foruniversal background checks and has said some people should not be allowed to own guns such as people who are on the terrorist watch lists, domestic abusers, and violent felons.[35][36]
Arnold is known for his criticism ofDonald Trump and has accused him of being a racist.[37][38] He also starred in a show calledThe Hunt for the Trump Tapes in which Arnold searches for damaging information on Trump.[39][40] In 2019, Arnold tape-recorded a phone call with Trump's lawyerMichael Cohen where Cohen divulged his involvement in the cover-up of a scandal involvingJerry Falwell Jr., his wife, and apool boy.[41][42]
On October 8, 2020, Tom Arnold, his brother Scottie, and sister Lori reunited for the first time in 28 years, back together again in their hometown of Ottumwa, Iowa. During this time, Lori was filming a 3-part docu-series calledQueen of Meth, which her brother Tom helped to produce. It recounts her time as the "queen-pin" of a huge drug business that she ran from Iowa to California.Queen of Meth was originally released onDiscovery+ in May 2021.[6][7]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare | Childless Man | |
| Backfield in Motion | Howard Peterman | ||
| 1992 | Hero | Chick | |
| 1993 | The Woman Who Loved Elvis | Jack Jackson | Television film |
| Coneheads | Golfer | Uncredited | |
| Body Bags | Morgue Worker No. 1 | Television film | |
| Undercover Blues | Vern Newman | ||
| 1994 | True Lies | Albert "Gib" Gibson | |
| 1995 | Nine Months | Marty Dwyer | |
| 1996 | Big Bully | Roscoe "Fang" Bigger | |
| Carpool | Franklin Laszlo | ||
| The Stupids | Stanley Stupid | ||
| 1997 | Touch | August Murray | |
| McHale's Navy | Lt. Commander Quinton McHale, Jr. | ||
| Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery | Texan | Uncredited | |
| Hacks | Danny | ||
| 1998 | National Lampoon's Golf Punks | Al Oliver | |
| Buster & Chauncey's Silent Night | Fritz (voice) | Direct-to-video | |
| 1999 | Jackie's Back | Martin Pritz | Television film |
| Dancing Outlaw II: Jesco Goes to Hollywood | Himself | Documentary | |
| 2000 | Bar Hopping | Eddie | |
| Animal Factory | Buck Rowan | ||
| We Married Margo | Himself | Cameo | |
| Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth | Doughy Primesuspect / Hardy (The Killer) | Direct-to-video | |
| Just Sue Me | Barbuto | ||
| Welcome to Hollywood | Himself | Cameo | |
| 2001 | Exit Wounds | Henry Wayne | |
| Lloyd | Tom | ||
| 2002 | Hansel & Gretel | Boogeyman | |
| Romantic Comedy 101 | James Ford | Television film | |
| Children on Their Birthdays | Lionel Quince | ||
| 2003 | Manhood | Dr. Levanthal | |
| Cradle 2 the Grave | Archie | ||
| National Lampoon's Barely Legal | Mr. Lewis | ||
| Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star | Himself | Cameo | |
| Just for Kicks | Coach Martin | Direct-to-video | |
| 2004 | Soul Plane | Elvis Hunkee | |
| Mr. 3000 | Himself | Cameo | |
| 2005 | Happy Endings | Frank McKee | |
| Kicking & Screaming | Himself | Cameo | |
| Rebound | |||
| The Kid & I | Bill Williams | Also producer and writer | |
| Chasing Christmas | Jack Cameron | Television film | |
| Three Wise Guys | Murray Crown | ||
| 2007 | Homo Erectus | Gay Caveman | |
| Pride | Richard Binkowski | ||
| Game of Life | Richard | Originally known asOranges | |
| Palo Alto | Morgan | ||
| The Final Season | Burt Akers | ||
| 2008 | Gardens of the Night | Alex | |
| Good Dick | Dad | ||
| This Is Not a Test | Himself | ||
| Remarkable Power | Van Hagen | ||
| Moonlight and Mistletoe | Nick Crosby | Television film | |
| Unstable Fables: The Goldilocks and 3 Bears Show | Mac Bear (voice) | Direct-to-DVD film | |
| 2009 | The Skeptic | Sully | |
| American Summer | Himself | ||
| April Showers | Martin Blackwell | ||
| The 1 Second Film | — | Producer | |
| 2010 | Group Sex | Herman | |
| 2011 | Walk a Mile in My Pradas | Joe | |
| The Jerk Theory | Father Bailey | ||
| 2012 | Fred 3: Camp Fred | Floyd Spunkmeyer | Television film |
| Madea's Witness Protection | Walter | ||
| Hit and Run | U.S. Marshal Randy Anderson | ||
| Chilly Christmas | Quarterman | Direct-to-video | |
| 2013 | Jewtopia | Bruce Daniels | |
| Pulling Strings | Art | ||
| 2014 | Dumbbells | Daddy | |
| Shelby | Doug - the dog catcher | ||
| 2015 | Jungle Shuffle | Coati King (voice) | |
| Underdog Kids | Gene "Geno" Burman | ||
| Sex School | Principal Hyman | ||
| A Mouse Tale | Dalliwog the Wizard (voice) | ||
| I Am Chris Farley | Himself | ||
| The Curse of Downers Grove | Chuck's father | ||
| 2017 | Dead Ant | Danny | |
| Maximum Impact | Barnes | ||
| 2018 | Bigger | Roy Hawkins | |
| Saving Flora | Runyon | ||
| 2019 | Christmas Scavenger Hunt | Carl | Hallmark Movie |
| Pegasus: Pony With a Broken Wing | Daniel Warren[43] | ||
| 2021 | Hollywood.Con | El Jade | |
| Christmas Thieves | Frank | ||
| Queen of Meth | Himself | ||
| High Holiday | Greg Corske | ||
| 2022 | Good Mourning | Famous Director | |
| 2023 | Alien Storm | Mayor Harrison | |
| Ape vs. Mecha Ape | Hamilton | ||
| 2024 | Dragpires | Bob | Post-production |
| 2025 | Airplane 2025 | Senator Rufus | |
| TBA | The Gun on Second Street | Dick Steinberger |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989–1993 | Roseanne | Arnold Shep "Arnie" Thomas | 20 episodes |
| 1992–1993 | The Jackie Thomas Show | Jackie Thomas | 18 episodes, co-producer |
| 1993 | The Larry Sanders Show | Himself | 1 episodes |
| 1994 | Tom | Tom Graham | 12 episodes |
| General Hospital | Billy Boggs | 9 episodes | |
| 1996 | Brotherly Love | Jack | 1 episode |
| 1997–1998 | The Tom Show | Tom Amross | 19 episodes |
| 1998 | Space Ghost Coast to Coast | Himself | Episode: "Joshua" |
| 1999 | The Simpsons | Himself (voice) | Episode: "Treehouse of Horror X" |
| The Norm Show | Andrew | Episode: "Gambling Man" | |
| 2000 | Baywatch: Hawaii | Al Raymond | Episode: "The Cage" |
| 2001 | Weakest Link | Himself | |
| The Fairly OddParents | Corporate Santa (voice) | Episode: "Christmas Every Day" | |
| The Outer Limits | Jerry Miller | Episode: "Family Values" | |
| 2003 | King of the Hill | Norm Gladwell (voice) | Episode: "Megalo Dale" |
| 2004 | Hope & Faith | Bob Thompson | Episode: "Faith's Husband" |
| According to Jim | Max | Episode: "Poking the Bear" | |
| 2005 | Odd Job Jack | William Swillberger III | Episode: "The 2 Marketeers" |
| 2007 | The Celebrity Apprentice | Himself | |
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Rev. Calvin Riggins | Episode: "Brother's Keeper" | |
| 2008–2009 | My Big Redneck Wedding | Himself as host and narrator | 16 episodes |
| 2009–2011 | Sons of Anarchy | Georgie Caruso | 4 episodes |
| 2011 | Franklin & Bash | Ronny Streppi | Episode: "You Can't Take It With You" |
| 2012 | Hawaii Five-0 | Ron Alberts | Episode: "Huakaʻi Kula" |
| 2013 | The First Family | Vice President Arthur Crandall | 3 episodes |
| 2014 | Psych | Garth Mathers | Episode: "A Touch of Sweevil" |
| 2015 | Workaholics | George | |
| 2016 | Trailer Park Boys | Himself | 3 episodes |
| 2016–2019 | NCIS: New Orleans | Elvis Bertrand | 4 episodes |
| 2017 | I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! | Himself | |
| 2017–2019 | Funny You Should Ask | 41 episodes | |
| 2018 | The Hunt for the Trump Tapes with Tom Arnold | 8 episodes | |
| 2020 | World's Funniest Animals | Guest | 1 episode |
| 2022 | The Rookie: Feds | Miles Butkus | Episode: "The Reaper" |
| 2023 | True Lies | Arnie Orwig | Episode: "Bitter Sweethearts"[44] |
| FUBAR | Norm Carlson | Episode: "Here Today, Gone To-Marrow" | |
| Underdeveloped | Ralph | 6 episodes | |
| 2024–2025 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Captain Deuce Stevens | Guest star, 3 episodes |
