Michelle Thomas | |
|---|---|
 Thomas in 1996 | |
| Born | Michelle Doris Thomas (1968-09-23)September 23, 1968 Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | December 23, 1998(1998-12-23) (aged 30) New York City, U.S. |
| Resting place | Rosedale Cemetery, Orange, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, comedian |
| Years active | 1983–1998 |
| Known for |
|
| Father | Dennis Thomas |
Michelle Doris Thomas (September 23, 1968 – December 23, 1998)[1][2] was an American actress. She was known for her roles as Justine Phillips on theNBC sitcomThe Cosby Show (1988–1990), asMyra Monkhouse on theABC/CBS sitcomFamily Matters (1993–1998), and as Callie Rogers on the CBS soap operaThe Young and the Restless (1998) until her untimely death from cancer.[3]
Michelle Doris Thomas was born inBrookline, Massachusetts,[4] on September 23, 1968, to Phynjuar "Penwah" Thomas,[5] a stage actress, and musician fatherDennis "Dee Tee" Thomas (1951–2021), asaxophonist and founding member of the bandKool & the Gang.[3] Thomas grew up inMontclair, New Jersey, and graduated fromWest Essex High School in 1987.[1][6]
As a child, she would accompany her mother to her theater rehearsals and performances.[7] Her mother was her first acting coach, and coached her throughout the course of her career.[3] A friend of her mother who had heard Thomas sing before had requested that she enter Miss Talented Teens.[8] Thomas was crowned Miss Talented Teen New Jersey at the state's Hal Jackson's Talented Teen pageant, and then in July 1984, at the age of 15, she was crowned Miss Talented Teen International inMontego Bay, Jamaica from among 35 state and national representatives.[9][10][11]
In 1983, Thomas appeared in her first television commercial.[12] In December 1984, she appeared withHal Jackson onSoul Train after having won the Miss Talented Teen International pageant earlier in the year.[8]
From 1988 to 1990, Thomas portrayed Justine Phillips, the girlfriend ofTheo Huxtable, onThe Cosby Show. She appeared on various television programs, includingA Man Called Hawk in 1989 andThea in 1994. Thomas had a role inDream Date in 1989 and had a small role inHangin' with the Homeboys in 1991.
Thomas appeared in music videos forMint Condition,[13]Chubb Rock,[14] andDru Hill.[15] Her publicist was Kahdijah Bell, daughter ofRonald Bell of Kool & the Gang.[12] Thomas was a guest host of the weekly music seriesSoul Train in May 1996 and March 1997.[16][17]
From 1993 to 1998, she portrayed the role ofMyra Monkhouse, the girlfriend ofSteve Urkel, onFamily Matters. After the sitcom ended in 1998, Thomas portrayedCallie Rogers, an aspiring singer and love interest ofMalcolm Winters, on the daytime soapThe Young and the Restless. In October 1998, Thomas took a medical leave from the series due to her ill health.[3] Thomas had been in the studio recording music before her sudden turn in health.[18] She appeared posthumously in the role of Anne in the filmUnbowed in 1999.[19]
In August 1997, Thomas was diagnosed with a rare cancer, an intra-abdominaldesmoplastic small-round-cell tumor (DSRCT).[12][20] Thomas never smoked or drank alcohol, and was avegetarian.[12] Her mother added that "they'd give her a sedation that was supposed to put her out for 20 minutes and she'd be asleep for four days. Her body couldn't take it."[18] Thomas underwent surgery to remove a lemon-sized tumor in early 1998, and subsequently was cast onThe Young and the Restless. She underwent surgery again in October 1998 after a second cancerous growth ruptured. After being released from the hospital, Thomas flew home toWeehawken, New Jersey to spend Thanksgiving with her family.[1][12]
On December 23, 1998, at the age of 30, Thomas died as a result of a desmoplastic tumor, inNew York City at Manhattan'sMemorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.[1][12][20][21]Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Thomas' longtime friend and former boyfriend, was among those at her bedside. On December 26, 1998, aMuslim funeral service was held, per her request. She was buried in New Jersey.[2]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Hangin' with the Homeboys | Telemarketing Operator | |
| 1999 | Unbowed | Anna | Released posthumously |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988–1990 | The Cosby Show | Justine Phillips | 8 episodes |
| 1989 | A Man Called Hawk | Ruthie Carver | Episode: "Choice of Chance" |
| Dream Date | Sally Palmer | Television film | |
| 1993–1998 | Family Matters | Myra Monkhouse | 55 episodes |
| 1994 | Thea | Keanda | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Duckman | (Voice role) | Episode: "Exile in Guyville" |
| 1997 | Malcolm & Eddie | Brooke Bellamy | Episode: "Roofless People" |
| 1998 | The Young and the Restless | Callie Rogers | 38 episodes |
| Year | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "What Kind of Man Would I Be" | Mint Condition |
| 1997 | "Beef" | Chubb Rock |
| "Never Make a Promise" | Dru Hill |
| Year | Award | Category | Title of work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series | The Young and the Restless | Nominated |
Michelle Thomas [...] died on Wednesday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. She was 30 and lived in Los Angeles, though she had been staying with her family in Weehawken, N.J., since November [...] She was born in Boston, Mass., grew up in Montclair, N.J., and graduated from West Essex High School in North Caldwell, N.J.
On the following morning, Wed., Dec. 23, Thomas [...] died at age 30 in a private room at Manhattan's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center [...] The day after Christmas, Thomas was buried in Montclair following a Islamic funeral service, as she had requested.
... has died as a result of a desmoplastic small round tumor, a rare form of cancer, at age 29.
