Philip Michael Thomas

In 1984, Thomas began playing the role of Ricardo Tubbs, an ex-NYPD police officer from the Bronx who came to Miami seeking revenge on the person who killed his brother Rafael Tubbs. In Miami he encounters another undercover cop, Sonny Crockett, who is coincidentally looking for the same person.[8]

Thomas was reportedly paid $25,000 (equivalent to $70,000 today) per episode for Seasons 1–2. In 1986, he was given an increase to $50,000 ($141,000) per episode for Seasons 3–5. Johnson was paid $30,000 ($85,000) per episode for Seasons 1-2 and $90,000 ($254,000) per episode for Seasons 3–5.

Thomas coined the acronym "EGOT", meaning "Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony", in reference to his plans for winning all four.[9] He has not, as of June 2023, been nominated for any of these awards, but has received a People's Choice Award and a Golden Globe nomination.[10]

In 1997, Thomas was reunited with Don Johnson for two appearances in the police drama Nash Bridges. He played Cedrick "Rick" Hawks, a Deputy United States Marshal from Miami visiting Bridges (Johnson) in San Francisco. His first appearance was in the episode "Wild Card", and his second and final appearance was in the episode "Out of Miami", aired in 2001 during the program's final season.[11]

In 2002, Thomas performed a voice-over in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as Lance Vance, a supporting character who aids the game's protagonist, Tommy Vercetti, in several story missions, while trying to avenge his brother, Victor Vance, killed in a botched drug deal with Tommy at the beginning of the game.[12] He reprised his role in the 2006 prequel Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, which details Lance's arrival in Vice City, the beginning of his involvement in the drug business, and his relationship with Victor.[13]

In 1985, Thomas released a music album titled Living the Book of My Life under his own record label called Spaceship Records.[14] It sold poorly and failed to produce a hit single, although Thomas produced a video for the track "Just the Way I Planned It".[15]

Thomas performed the title song of the album during the 1985 Miami Vice episode "The Maze." The episode "Trust Fund Pirates" featured another of his songs, "La Mirada". Thomas' Miami Vice co-star Don Johnson recorded an album shortly afterward titled Heartbeat.[16] In 1987 Thomas recorded a song called "Ever and Forever" with Argentine singer Lucía Galán of Pimpinela fame.[17]

Thomas followed up in 1988 with a second album, Somebody.[18] It also failed to produce a hit and sold poorly. In 1993, Thomas teamed with Kathy Rahill to compose "My, My, My, Miam...I",[19] which was chosen as the city of Miami's theme song.[20] That same year, Thomas teamed with Jamaican fitness instructor Sandi Morais to compose songs for a family-friendly musical titled Sacha, which enjoyed runs in south Florida and New York.[21] The two formed the Magic Cookie Production Company. Thomas produced the music for Morais' fitness videos in 2001 and 2006.[22]

In 1994, Thomas signed an agreement with Florida-based Psychic Reader's Network (later known as Traffix, Inc.) to become the spokesman for the Philip Michael Thomas International Psychic Network. He appeared in television ads and claimed to have met the planet's premier psychics through his "world travels". He dressed similarly to his Miami Vice alter ego, even opening the ads with the phrase, "From Miami Vice to world advice!"[23] He appeared in informercials with Eileen Brennan and Todd McKee and his daughter, Sacha Nicole, to promote the psychic line.[24] Thomas released a cassette of music linked to his psychic business titled PMT Psychic Connection, Volume I.[25]

Traffix replaced Thomas with Miss Cleo. Thomas sued, alleging breach of contract, and won. In 2002, a New York arbitrator awarded Thomas $1.48 million for improper use of his name and likeness and an additional $780,000 in interest.[26]