Tom Arnold (actor)
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Tom Arnold (born March 6, 1959) is an American actor and comedian. He was born in Ottumwa, Iowa.
Tom Arnold was a writer who appeared regularly as the character "Arnie Thomas" (a spoof of his own real name) in the popular television sitcom Roseanne (which debuted in 1988). On the set of the program, he met the show's star, Roseanne Barr, whom he married in 1990. The couple's marriage attracted media and especially tabloid attention due to their sometimes outrageous behavior. In 1993, they bought a house together in Tom's hometown of Ottumwa and opened a restaurant in nearby Eldon, Iowa. Both appeared in the 1993 movie "The Woman Who Loved Elvis", which was filmed in Ottumwa. Arnold and Barr divorced in 1994, and their restaurant closed in 1995. Arnold converted to Judaism when he married Barr, and has remained religiously Jewish even after the divorce. This was lampooned in the movie The Big Lebowski, in which the character Walter, played by John Goodman, who played Roseanne's husband on Roseanne, remained devoutly Jewish after his divorce.
Growing up, Arnold was repeatedly molested by a neighborhood pedophile whom his parents had hired as a babysitter. Upon returning to his hometown after reaching Hollywood fame, he discovered that this man still lived there and was a civic leader and church pastor and also that he had molested a number of other young boys. The molestor had also adopted three sons and was in the process of adopting a fourth. As the statute of limitations on the original sexual abuse had expired, Arnold had no legal recourse. Instead, he arranged to have hundreds of fliers naming the man and describing his perversions hung all around the town. He managed to block the fourth adoption, and has supported a number of charities that serve molested children.
Prior to being a writer, Tom had worked in a slaughterhouse, killing pigs. [link]
In 1994, Arnold appeared as Arnold Schwarzenegger's sidekick in the James Cameron blockbuster True Lies. This was also parodied in an episode of The Simpsons, where washed-up actor Troy McClure makes a comeback in a McBain movie (The Simpsons has also had Arnold sent to the Sun in a rocket in their 10th Halloween episode). He later supported Schwarzenegger's bid for the California governorship. He played the father on the Outer Limits episode "Family Values."
Arnold was once married to Southgate, MI native Julie Champnella. During the marriage Arnold and Champnella were frequently spotted at local Downriver hotspots.
Arnold was involved in a fight with Michael Strahan on FSN sports channel in the United States. Afterwards it was revealed to be an April Fool.
Arnold was the host of Fox Sports Net's talk show Best Damn Sports Show Period and has provided the voice for Arby's "Oven Mitt" character in television commercials for the fast-food chain.
Arnold went through a rigorous cardiovascular training program in 2005, losing nearly 70 pounds. The new svelte Arnold had his first romantic leading man part in the 2005 movie Happy Endings. In 2005, Arnold also starred in The Kid & I, which paired him with Eric Gores, the son of Alec Gores, a billionaire technology investor and founder of the Gores Technology Group, best known for its acquisition and resale of Brøderbund. The younger Gores has cerebral palsy and his father hired Arnold, a neighbor in Malibu, to make a sequel to Eric's favorite film, True Lies, in which Arnold co-starred. The plot of The Kid & I closely parallels the actual situation.
Arnold is currently in Columbia, Missouri, along with Tracy Morgan, filming a movie for an unknown release date.
Arnold made a special apperance in Ames, Iowa for the USA National Special Olympic Games (7/2/06)
External links
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