Tom Villard
Encyclopedia
Thomas Louis Villard was an American
actor
. He is best known for his leading role in the 1980s series We Got it Made
as Jay Bostwick, as well as roles in feature films One Crazy Summer
, Heartbreak Ridge
, My Girl
, and Popcorn
.
. He attended Allegheny College
in Meadville, Pennsylvania
, before moving to New York City
to attend the presitgious Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute
and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy
in the early 1970s. In 1980 Villard moved to Los Angeles
and soon started landing roles on television and in movies. He also continued performing on stage until the end of his career.
's Heartbreak Ridge
, and My Girl
(with Dan Ackroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis
). Toward the end of his life he had a recurring supporting role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
, and portrayed multiple characters on the TV series The Golden Girls
and Baywatch
.
In February 1994 Villard made an unprecedented appearance on the CBS tabloid-style news show Entertainment Tonight
, admitting to "...more than 13 million viewers that he was gay, that he had AIDS, and that he needed some help."
According to a POZ magazine
profile in December of that year Villard said, "An awful lot of people suddenly wouldn't let me in the door for auditions. I started speaking a couple of months ago about living with AIDS and having hope." he said. "It feels a little more useful than things (I've done) in the past." He went on to explain that since his appearance on E.T., a whole other group of people had come forward to welcome him.
Bill Melamed, Villard's manager added: "I'm particularly proud of him. The reality is, acting is a lousy business... He made a decision that was courageous in any walk of life, but it doesn't surprise me. He has one of the most open spirits."
On November 14, 1994, Villard died of pneumonia and other complications of AIDS, five days short of his 41st birthday. He is survived by his parents, Ron and Diane Villard, twin brothers Timothy and Terry, sister Susan, and his partner Scott Chambliss.
As a tribute to him, a non-profit foundation was created by his partner Chambliss, close friend Karen Kaye, and his friend and chiropractor Cheryl Revkin. The Tom Villard Foundation was a Silver Lake
community-based effort which engaged local businesses to provide free goods and services for community members living with AIDS. The beneficiaries were the client base of the former Silver Lake AIDS support organization, Being Alive. The Tom Villard Foundation no longer exists; Being Alive is now headquartered in West Hollywood
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He is best known for his leading role in the 1980s series We Got it Made
We Got it Made
We Got It Made is an American sitcom that aired on NBC during the 1983-1984 season, and in syndication .-1983 NBC version:The show focuses on Mickey Mackenzie , a stunningly beautiful woman in her early 20s who applies for a housekeeping job in Manhattan...
as Jay Bostwick, as well as roles in feature films One Crazy Summer
One Crazy Summer
-Production:Several locations on Cape Cod, Massachusetts were used for the film: Barnstable High School , Hyannis West Elementary School , the Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard And Nantucket Steamship Authority ferry dock in Woods Hole, where the characters board the ferry, and the motorcycle gang...
, Heartbreak Ridge
Heartbreak Ridge
Heartbreak Ridge is a 1986 American war film, starring Clint Eastwood and Mario Van Peebles, surrounding the 1983 U.S. invasion of Grenada, West Indies. A portion of the movie was filmed on the island itself....
, My Girl
My Girl (film)
My Girl is a 1991 drama film directed by Howard Zieff and written by Laurice Elehwany. The film depicts the coming-of-age of a young girl who faces many different emotional highs and lows and stars Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis in their first film together since 1983's Trading Places. The film...
, and Popcorn
Popcorn
Popcorn, or popping corn, is corn which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy interior. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive...
.
Early life
Tom Villard was born on November 19, 1953, in in Waipahu, Hawaii and grew up in Spencerport, New YorkSpencerport, New York
Spencerport is a village in Monroe County, New York, United States, and a suburb of Rochester, New York. The population count was 3,559 at the 2000 census.The Village of Spencerport is within the Town of Ogden and is a village on the Erie Canal....
. He attended Allegheny College
Allegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
in Meadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is generally considered part of the Pittsburgh Tri-State and is within 40 miles of Erie, Pennsylvania. It was the first permanent settlement in northwest Pennsylvania...
, before moving to 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...
to attend the presitgious Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute
Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute
__notoc__The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute is an acting school located at 115 East 15th Street between Union Square East and Irving Place in the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, as well as at 7936 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, California...
and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy
American Musical and Dramatic Academy
The American Musical and Dramatic Academy , is a college conservatory for the performing arts located in New York City and Los Angeles, California....
in the early 1970s. In 1980 Villard moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and soon started landing roles on television and in movies. He also continued performing on stage until the end of his career.
Career
Although his name wasn't instantly recognizable, Tom Villard's face was, as he appeared throughout his career on television, in feature films, and on stage around the country. He was featured in situation comedies, episodic TV series, and had leading roles in lower and mid-range budgeted features. At the peak of his career Villard was given featured supporting roles in big-budget studio fare, such as Clint EastwoodClint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
's Heartbreak Ridge
Heartbreak Ridge
Heartbreak Ridge is a 1986 American war film, starring Clint Eastwood and Mario Van Peebles, surrounding the 1983 U.S. invasion of Grenada, West Indies. A portion of the movie was filmed on the island itself....
, and My Girl
My Girl
My Girl may refer to:In music:* "My Girl" , covered by many artists* "My Girl" * "My Girl" * "My Girl" * "My Girl" * "My Girl"...
(with Dan Ackroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis is an American actress and author. Although she was initially known as a "scream queen" because of her starring roles in several horror films early in her career, such as Halloween, The Fog, Prom Night and Terror Train, Curtis has since compiled a body of work that spans many...
). Toward the end of his life he had a recurring supporting role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
, and portrayed multiple characters on the TV series The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida...
and Baywatch
Baywatch
Baywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production...
.
Sexual Identity, Career, and AIDS
Toward the end of his life, Tom Villard became one of the few actors in Hollywood in the early 1990s who chose to be open about his homosexuality, and the challenge of living with HIV and AIDS.In February 1994 Villard made an unprecedented appearance on the CBS tabloid-style news show Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
, admitting to "...more than 13 million viewers that he was gay, that he had AIDS, and that he needed some help."
According to a POZ magazine
POZ (magazine)
POZ is a monthly magazine that chronicles the lives of people affected by HIV/AIDS. Its website, Poz.com, has daily HIV/AIDS news, treatment information, forums, blogs and personals....
profile in December of that year Villard said, "An awful lot of people suddenly wouldn't let me in the door for auditions. I started speaking a couple of months ago about living with AIDS and having hope." he said. "It feels a little more useful than things (I've done) in the past." He went on to explain that since his appearance on E.T., a whole other group of people had come forward to welcome him.
Bill Melamed, Villard's manager added: "I'm particularly proud of him. The reality is, acting is a lousy business... He made a decision that was courageous in any walk of life, but it doesn't surprise me. He has one of the most open spirits."
On November 14, 1994, Villard died of pneumonia and other complications of AIDS, five days short of his 41st birthday. He is survived by his parents, Ron and Diane Villard, twin brothers Timothy and Terry, sister Susan, and his partner Scott Chambliss.
As a tribute to him, a non-profit foundation was created by his partner Chambliss, close friend Karen Kaye, and his friend and chiropractor Cheryl Revkin. The Tom Villard Foundation was a Silver Lake
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California
Silver Lake is a hilly neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California east of Hollywood and northwest of Downtown Los Angeles. Silver Lake is inhabited by a wide variety of ethnic and socioeconomic groups, but it is best known as an eclectic gathering of hipsters and the creative class.The...
community-based effort which engaged local businesses to provide free goods and services for community members living with AIDS. The beneficiaries were the client base of the former Silver Lake AIDS support organization, Being Alive. The Tom Villard Foundation no longer exists; Being Alive is now headquartered in West Hollywood
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
.
Filmography
| Year | Television | Movie | Episode | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | CHiPs CHiPs CHiPs is an American television drama series produced by MGM Studios that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to July 17, 1983. CHiPs followed the lives of two motorcycle police officers of the California Highway Patrol... |
Sick Leave | Neil | ||
| 1981 | Revenge of the Gray Gang | Officer McGrady | TV Movie | ||
| Sidney Shorr: A Girl's Best Friend | Eric | TV Movie | |||
| Force Five Force Five Force Five was a syndicated anime cartoon anthology during the late 1970s/early 1980s. In the US, this series was primarily shown only in New England and Virginia, though it did make brief appearances in other markets, such as Dallas, Texas and San Jose, California on KICU-TV 36. It was also shown... |
Disciple | ||||
| 1982 | Parasite | Zeke | |||
| 1982 | Grease 2 Grease 2 Grease 2 is a 1982 American musical film and sequel to Grease, which is based upon the musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Grease 2 was produced by Allan Carr and Robert Stigwood, and directed and choreographed by Patricia Birch, who also choreographed the first film... |
Boy Greaser | |||
| 1983 | Taxi Taxi (TV series) Taxi was an American sitcom that originally aired from 1978 to 1982 on ABC and from 1982 to 1983 on NBC. The series, which won 18 Emmy Awards, including three for "Outstanding Comedy Series", focuses on the everyday lives of a handful of New York City taxi drivers and their abusive dispatcher... |
A Grand Gesture | Cartoonist | ||
| We Got It Made We Got it Made We Got It Made is an American sitcom that aired on NBC during the 1983-1984 season, and in syndication .-1983 NBC version:The show focuses on Mickey Mackenzie , a stunningly beautiful woman in her early 20s who applies for a housekeeping job in Manhattan... |
All Episodes | Jay Bostwick | Main Character | ||
| High School U.S.A. High School U.S.A. "High School U.S.A." is also the title of the biggest pop hit by Tommy Facenda.High School U.S.A. is a 1983 television movie directed by Rodney Amateau. The film originally aired on NBC on October 16, 1983 and features an ensemble cast including Michael J. Fox, Anthony Edwards, and Crispin... |
Crazy Leo Bandini | TV Movie | |||
| 1984 | Attack on Fear | Actor | |||
| Surf II Surf II Surf II is a 1984 American independent comedy film written and directed by Randall M. Badat and starring Eddie Deezen, Linda Kerridge, Eric Stoltz, Jeffrey Rogers and Peter Isacksen... |
Jacko O'Finlay | ||||
| 1985 | MacGruder and Loud MacGruder and Loud MacGruder and Loud is an American crime drama from Aaron Spelling Productions that aired on ABC in 1985.The series starred John Getz and Kathryn Harrold as married police officers Malcolm MacGruder and Jenny Loud in a Los Angeles Police Department-styled police agency... |
The Inside Man | Floyd | TV Movie | |
| 1986 | The A-Team The A-Team The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by... |
Beneath the Surface | Barry Green | ||
| One Crazy Summer One Crazy Summer -Production:Several locations on Cape Cod, Massachusetts were used for the film: Barnstable High School , Hyannis West Elementary School , the Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard And Nantucket Steamship Authority ferry dock in Woods Hole, where the characters board the ferry, and the motorcycle gang... |
Clay Stork | ||||
| Weekend Warriors | Seblinsky | ||||
| Heartbreak Ridge Heartbreak Ridge Heartbreak Ridge is a 1986 American war film, starring Clint Eastwood and Mario Van Peebles, surrounding the 1983 U.S. invasion of Grenada, West Indies. A portion of the movie was filmed on the island itself.... |
Profile | ||||
| The Golden Girls The Golden Girls The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida... |
Vacation | Rick | |||
| 1987 | Rags to Riches Rags To Riches Rags to Riches is an American musical comedy drama series that was broadcast on NBC for two seasons from 1987 to 1988. Set in the 1960s, the series tells the story of Nick Foley, a self-made millionaire who adopts five orphan girls... |
Born to Ride | Actor | ||
| We Got It Made We Got it Made We Got It Made is an American sitcom that aired on NBC during the 1983-1984 season, and in syndication .-1983 NBC version:The show focuses on Mickey Mackenzie , a stunningly beautiful woman in her early 20s who applies for a housekeeping job in Manhattan... |
All Episodes | Jay Bostwick | Main Character | ||
| The Trouble With Dick | Dick | ||||
| 1989 | Swimsuit Swimsuit A swimsuit, bathing suit, or swimming costume is an item of clothing designed to be worn by men, women or children while they are engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, water polo, diving, surfing, water skiing, or during activities in the sun, such as sun bathing.A... |
Willard | TV Movie | ||
| Who's the Boss? Who's the Boss? Who's the Boss? is an American sitcom created by Martin Cohan and Blake Hunter, which aired on ABC from September 20, 1984 to April 25, 1992... |
First Date | Andy Drake | |||
| 1990 | Hunter | Second Sight | John Skouros | ||
| 1991 | Popcorn Popcorn Popcorn, or popping corn, is corn which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy interior. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive... |
Toby | |||
| Whore | Hippie | ||||
| My Girl My Girl (film) My Girl is a 1991 drama film directed by Howard Zieff and written by Laurice Elehwany. The film depicts the coming-of-age of a young girl who faces many different emotional highs and lows and stars Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis in their first film together since 1983's Trading Places. The film... |
Justin | ||||
| Shakes the Clown Shakes the Clown Shakes the Clown is a 1992 American movie directed and written by Bobcat Goldthwait, who performs the title role. It also features Julie Brown, Blake Clark, Paul Dooley, Kathy Griffin, Florence Henderson, Tom Kenny, Adam Sandler, Scott Herriott, LaWanda Page, Jack Gallagher, and a cameo by Robin... |
Dirthead in the Car | ||||
| 1992 | The Golden Girls The Golden Girls The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida... |
Rose: Portrait of a Woman | Randy Becker | ||
| Baywatch Baywatch Baywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production... |
Reunion | Howie | |||
| 1993 | Baywatch Baywatch Baywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production... |
Strangers Among Us | Quinton | ||
| 1994 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe... |
The Collaborator | Prylar Bek | ||
| Midnight Run for Your Life Midnight Run for Your Life Midnight Run for Your Life is the third in a series of made-for-TV sequel/spin-offs for Universal Television's Action Pack of the widely acclaimed action/comedy Midnight Run... |
Voice Artist | ||||
| In The Army Now In The Army Now In the Army Now is a 1994 war comedy, directed by Daniel Petrie, Jr. and starring Pauly Shore, Andy Dick, David Alan Grier, Esai Morales, and Lori Petty... |
Obnoxious Salesguy | ||||
| 1995 | Op Center | Press Aide | TV Movie | ||