Michelle Thomas
Encyclopedia
Michelle Thomas was an American actress. She was best known for her roles as Justine Phillips (girlfriend of Theo Huxtable) on the NBC
sitcom The Cosby Show
, and as Myra Monkhouse (girlfriend of Steve Urkel
) on the ABC
/CBS
sitcom Family Matters.
and was an alumna of West Essex High School
. She was the daughter of Phynjuar Thomas, a stage actress, and Dennis Thomas a member of music group Kool & the Gang
. In 1984, Thomas was crowned Miss Talented Teen New Jersey in Hal Jackson's Talented Teen Competition. The following year, she competed in the international pageant and won the title of International Queen.
In 1988, Thomas played Justine Phillips, the girlfriend of Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show
. She later appeared on various television programs during the late 1980s and 1990s including A Man Called Hawk
and Thea
. She had a role on the TV movie, Dream Date in 1989. In 1991, Thomas had a small role in comedy Hangin' with the Homeboys
. Thomas also appeared in music videos for Mint Condition
, Dru Hill
and Chubb Rock
. In 1993, she won the role of Myra Monkhouse on the long-running sitcom Family Matters. After the series ended in 1998, Thomas portrayed Callie Rogers Stark, an aspiring singer on the CBS
soap opera
The Young and the Restless
. She left the series in October 1998.
. She underwent surgery to remove a lemon-sized tumor shortly before landing her Young and the Restless role in the spring of 1998. Then in October 1998, Thomas underwent surgery after a second cancerous growth ruptured. After being released from the hospital, Thomas flew home to New Jersey to spend Thanksgiving with her family. On December 22 or 23, Thomas died surrounded by her family and friends in New York City
at Manhattan's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, at the age of 29 or 30. On December 26, a Muslim funeral service was held, as Thomas had requested. She was buried in Montclair, New Jersey
, near her home.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
, and as Myra Monkhouse (girlfriend of Steve Urkel
Steve Urkel
Steven Quincy Urkel, generally known as Steve Urkel or simply Urkel, is a fictional character on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters, portrayed by Jaleel White...
) on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
/CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
sitcom Family Matters.
Early life and career
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Thomas grew up in Montclair, New JerseyMontclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
and was an alumna of West Essex High School
West Essex High School
West Essex High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in North Caldwell, New Jersey in the United States. The high school is part of the West Essex Regional School District, which serves students from four municipalities in western Essex County. Communities served by the district's...
. She was the daughter of Phynjuar Thomas, a stage actress, and Dennis Thomas a member of music group Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang are an American jazz, R&B, soul, and funk group, originally formed as the Jazziacs in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964.They went through several musical phases during the course of their recording career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, then becoming practitioners of R&B and...
. In 1984, Thomas was crowned Miss Talented Teen New Jersey in Hal Jackson's Talented Teen Competition. The following year, she competed in the international pageant and won the title of International Queen.
In 1988, Thomas played Justine Phillips, the girlfriend of Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
. She later appeared on various television programs during the late 1980s and 1990s including A Man Called Hawk
A Man Called Hawk
A Man Called Hawk is a prime time television series that ran on the ABC television network between January 1989 and May 1989. The series was a spin-off of the crime drama series Spenser: For Hire, and features the character Hawk, who first appeared in the 1976 novel Promised Land, the fourth in...
and Thea
Thea (TV series)
Thea is an American sitcom that premiered September 3, 1993 on ABC, and last aired on February 14, 1994, for a total of 19 episodes. Starring comedienne Thea Vidale, the series marked the first time an African American female comedienne was the star of a series named after her.-Synopsis:Thea Vidale...
. She had a role on the TV movie, Dream Date in 1989. In 1991, Thomas had a small role in comedy Hangin' with the Homeboys
Hangin' with the Homeboys
Hangin' with the Homeboys is a 1991 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Joseph Vasquez. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1991. It was released by New Line Cinema.-Synopsis:...
. Thomas also appeared in music videos for Mint Condition
Mint Condition
Mint Condition is an R&B band from Saint Paul, Minnesota. Formed in the late 1980s, its original members were lead singer Stokley Williams, bassist Ricky Kinchen, guitarist Homer O'Dell, pianist Larry Waddell, keyboardist Keri Lewis, and keyboardist/saxophonist Jeffrey Allen...
, Dru Hill
Dru Hill
Dru Hill is an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise", ...
and Chubb Rock
Chubb Rock
Chubb Rock is a New York-based rapper who released several commercially successful hip hop albums in the early 1990s...
. In 1993, she won the role of Myra Monkhouse on the long-running sitcom Family Matters. After the series ended in 1998, Thomas portrayed Callie Rogers Stark, an aspiring singer on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
. She left the series in October 1998.
Death
In August 1997, Thomas was diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer, intra-abdominal desmoplastic small round cell tumorDesmoplastic small round cell tumor
Desmoplastic small-round-cell tumor is classified as a soft tissue sarcoma. It is an aggressive and rare tumor that primarily occurs as masses in the abdomen. Other areas affected may include the lymph nodes, the lining of the abdomen, diaphragm, spleen, liver, chest wall, skull, spinal cord, large...
. She underwent surgery to remove a lemon-sized tumor shortly before landing her Young and the Restless role in the spring of 1998. Then in October 1998, Thomas underwent surgery after a second cancerous growth ruptured. After being released from the hospital, Thomas flew home to New Jersey to spend Thanksgiving with her family. On December 22 or 23, Thomas died surrounded by her family and friends in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
at Manhattan's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, at the age of 29 or 30. On December 26, a Muslim funeral service was held, as Thomas had requested. She was buried in Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
, near her home.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 to 1990 | The Cosby Show The Cosby Show The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992... |
Justine Phillips | 9 episodes |
| 1989 | A Man Called Hawk A Man Called Hawk A Man Called Hawk is a prime time television series that ran on the ABC television network between January 1989 and May 1989. The series was a spin-off of the crime drama series Spenser: For Hire, and features the character Hawk, who first appeared in the 1976 novel Promised Land, the fourth in... |
Ruthie Carver | Episode: "Choice of Chance" |
| 1989 | Dream Date | Sally Palmer | Television movie |
| 1991 | Hangin' with the Homeboys Hangin' with the Homeboys Hangin' with the Homeboys is a 1991 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Joseph Vasquez. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1991. It was released by New Line Cinema.-Synopsis:... |
Telemarketing operator | |
| 1993 to 1998 | Family Matters | Myra Monkhouse | 55 episodes |
| 1994 | Thea Thea (TV series) Thea is an American sitcom that premiered September 3, 1993 on ABC, and last aired on February 14, 1994, for a total of 19 episodes. Starring comedienne Thea Vidale, the series marked the first time an African American female comedienne was the star of a series named after her.-Synopsis:Thea Vidale... |
Keanda | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Duckman Duckman Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man is an American animated sitcom that aired from 1994–1997, created by Everett Peck and developed by Peck. The sitcom is based on characters created by Peck in his Dark Horse comic... |
Voice role | Episode: "Exile in Guyville" |
| 1997 | Malcolm & Eddie Malcolm & Eddie Malcolm & Eddie is an American television sitcom that premiered August 26, 1996 on the UPN Network, and ran for four seasons. This series starred Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Eddie Griffin in the lead roles. This show was canceled after its fourth season, and aired its final episode on May 22, 2000... |
Brooke Bellamy | Episode: "Roofless People" |
| 1998 | The Young and the Restless The Young and the Restless The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin... |
Callie Rogers Stark | 3 episodes |
| 1999 | Unbowed | Anna | Released posthumously |
Award nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Title of work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series The NAACP Image Award winners for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series:... |
The Young and the Restless | |