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{{Short description|American actor and singer}}
{{unsourced}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{BLP sources|date=January 2016}}


{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Tommy Cole
| name = Tommy Cole
| image = Glenn Scarpelli and Tommy Cole (41023045032).jpg
| image =
| imagesize = 200px
| imagesize = 200px
| caption =
| caption = Tommy Cole with [[Glenn Scarpelli]]
| occupation = Makeup artist; former actor, singer
| occupation = Make-up artist, actor, and singer
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1941|12|20}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1941|12|20}}
| birth_place = [[Burbank, California]]
| birth_place = [[Burbank, California]]
| spouse = Aileen Cole (1966–present); 2 children
| spouse = Aileen Cole (1966–present); 2 children
| years_active = 1955-2007
| years_active = 1955–2007
}}
}}


'''Tommy Cole''' (born December 20, 1941) is an [[United States|American]] [[make-up artist]], a former [[actor]] and [[singer]] who is still best known for having been a [[Mickey Mouse Club|Mouseketeer]].
'''Tommy Cole''' (born December 20, 1941) is an American [[make-up artist]], actor, and singer who appeared as a Mouseketeer on the ''[[The Mickey Mouse Club|Mickey Mouse Club]]'' television series.


==Early life==
==Early life==
Although born in [[Burbank, California]], Tommy Cole grew up in the [[Los Angeles]] suburb of [[La Cañada Flintridge, California|La Cañada]]. He was self-motivated toward performing from an early age, despite some disapproval from his family.<ref>''Forever Hold Your Banner High'', by Jerry Bowles, 1976, p. 52; ISBN 0-385-11622-5</ref> His father was an editor of the ''[[Los Angeles Herald Examiner]]''; his mother later worked part-time at movie studios as a welfare guardian for minor children. He has one older brother, John Cole.
Although born in [[Burbank, California]], Tommy Cole grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of [[La Cañada Flintridge, California|La Cañada]]. He was self-motivated toward performing from an early age, despite some disapproval from his family.<ref>''Forever Hold Your Banner High'', by Jerry Bowles, 1976, p. 52; {{ISBN|0-385-11622-5}}</ref> His father was an editor of the ''[[Los Angeles Herald Examiner]]''; his mother later worked part-time at movie studios as a welfare guardian for minor children. He has one older brother, John Cole.


==Career==
==Career==

===Performer===
===Performer===
Cole started as a musician, playing the [[accordion]] as a young teenager with three other kids in a [[western swing]] band. The band played in amateur contests and small clubs, and even managed to get a one-time gig on [[Ray Bolger|Ray Bolger's]] mid-1950s television show ''[[Where's Raymond?]]'' Besides playing the accordion, he was also the band's singer. When the ensemble auditioned together at the [[Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)|Disney Studio]] for ''[[The Mickey Mouse Club]]'' in spring 1955, he was the only one selected to join the cast of Mouseketeers.
Cole started as a musician, playing the [[accordion]] as a young teenager with three other kids in a [[western swing]] band. The band played in amateur contests and small clubs, and even managed to get a one-time gig on [[Ray Bolger]]'s mid-1950s television show ''[[Where's Raymond?]]'' Besides playing the accordion, he was also the band's singer. When the ensemble auditioned together at the [[Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)|Disney Studio]] for ''[[The Mickey Mouse Club]]'' in the spring 1955, he was the only one selected to join the cast of Mouseketeers.


Cole's singing ability earned him a transfer to ''The Mickey Mouse Club's'' first-string Red Team midway through the 1955–56 season. He remained with the show for its final two seasons (1956–1958) of original programming and, after filming stopped, attended [[Hollywood Professional School]] and went on live-performance tours with other Mouseketeers to [[Australia]] in 1959 and 1960. For the next several years Tommy Cole's career was based on live-singing at teenage clubs, public events, and as an opening act for other performers. He attended [[Pasadena City College]], did a hitch in the [[USAF|Air Force]], and had guest star parts on a few television shows. By 1964, he had realized that his days as a performer were ending, and so looked around for some other way to stay in [[show business]]. {{cn}}
Cole's singing ability earned him a transfer to ''The Mickey Mouse Club's'' first-string Red Team midway through the 1955–56 season. He remained with the show for its final two seasons (1956–1958) of original programming and, after filming stopped, attended [[Hollywood Professional School]] and went on live-performance tours with other Mouseketeers to Australia in 1959 and 1960. For the next several years Tommy Cole's career was based on live-singing at teenage clubs, public events, and as an opening act for other performers. He attended [[Pasadena City College]], did a hitch in the [[USAF|Air Force]], and had guest star parts on a few television shows. By 1964, he had realized that his days as a performer were ending, and so looked around for some other way to stay in show business. {{citation needed|date=March 2015}}


===Make-up artist===
===Make-up artist===
While acting in an episode of ''[[My Three Sons]]'' in 1963, Cole had started learning make-up technique from one of the show's regular artists. He soon joined the craft as an apprentice, working first for [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], then later in the 1960s for [[NBC]]. He began freelancing as a make-up artist in the early seventies, gathering [[Emmy]] nominations in 1975 for ''[[Masquerade Party]]'' and 1978 for ''[[Once Upon a Brothers Grimm]]'', before winning, along with Mark Bussan and Ron Walters, in 1979 for ''[[Backstairs at the White House]]''.
While acting in an episode of ''[[My Three Sons]]'' in 1963, Cole had started learning make-up technique from one of the show's regular artists. He soon joined the craft as an apprentice, working first for [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], then later in the 1960s for [[NBC]]. He began freelancing as a make-up artist in the early seventies, gathering [[Emmy]] nominations in 1975 for ''[[Masquerade Party]]'' and 1978 for ''[[Once Upon a Brothers Grimm]]'', before winning, along with Mark Bussan and [[Ron Walters (make-up artist)|Ron Walters]], in 1979 for ''[[Backstairs at the White House]]''.


Cole has since been nominated for Emmy awards for the miniseries ''[[Right to Die (film)|Right to Die]]'' (1988), the television series ''[[Wings (NBC TV series)|Wings]]'' (1996), and most recently for the TV special ''[[Geppetto (TV musical)|Gepetto]]'' (2000), for which he shared in winning the Hollywood Makeup Artists and Hairstylist Guild Award. {{cn}}
Cole has since been nominated for Emmy awards for the miniseries ''[[Right to Die (film)|Right to Die]]'' (1988), the television series ''[[Wings (NBC TV series)|Wings]]'' (1996), and most recently for the TV special ''[[Geppetto (TV musical)|Gepetto]]'' (2000), for which he shared in winning the Hollywood Makeup Artists and Hairstylist Guild Award. {{citation needed|date=March 2015}}


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Tommy's wife Aileen is a former dancer. They met in [[Korea]], on a [[USO]] tour in the mid-1960s, and married after they had both returned stateside. The couple has two children.
Tommy's wife Aileen is a former dancer. They met in [[Korea]], on a [[USO]] tour in the mid-1960s, and married after they had both returned stateside. They have two children.


==Select filmography==
==Select filmography==

===Select credits as makeup artist==
===Select credits as makeup artist===
* ''[[Masquerade Party]]'' TV series (1974)
* ''[[Masquerade Party]]'' TV series (1974)
* ''[[Once Upon a Brothers Grimm]]'' TV Movie (1977)
* ''[[Once Upon a Brothers Grimm]]'' TV Movie (1977)
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* ''[[Pretty in Pink]]'' (1986) ... ''makeup artist''
* ''[[Pretty in Pink]]'' (1986) ... ''makeup artist''
* ''[[Right to Die (film)|Right to Die]]'' TV Movie (1987)
* ''[[Right to Die (film)|Right to Die]]'' TV Movie (1987)
* ''[[Geppetto (TV musical)|Gepetto]]'' TV special (2000)
* ''[[L.A. Confidential (film)|L.A. Confidential]]'' (1997)
* ''[[L.A. Confidential]]'' (1997)
* ''[[Presence of Mind]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Presence of Mind]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Forever Fabulous]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Forever Fabulous]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Sorority Boys]]'' (2002; Head of makeup department)
* ''[[Geppetto (TV musical)|Gepetto]]'' TV special (2000)
* ''[[Sorority Boys]]'' (2002; Head of makeup department)


==Select credits as actor==
==Select credits as actor==
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* ''[[My Three Sons]]'' (episode: "A Car of His Own"; 1963)
* ''[[My Three Sons]]'' (episode: "A Car of His Own"; 1963)
* ''[[The Wonderful World of Disney]]'' ("The Mouseketeer Reunion"; 1980)
* ''[[The Wonderful World of Disney]]'' ("The Mouseketeer Reunion"; 1980)
* ''[[The Mickey Mouse Club Story]]'' (1995 documentary)
* ''[[The Mickey Mouse Club Story]]'' (1995 documentary)


==References==
==References==
{{commons|Tommy Cole}}
{{commons}}
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


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* {{EmmyTVLegends name|tommy-cole|Tommy Cole}}
* {{EmmyTVLegends name|tommy-cole|Tommy Cole}}


{{authority control}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->

| NAME = Cole, Tommy
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American actor and singer
| DATE OF BIRTH = December 20, 1941
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Burbank, California]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cole, Tommy}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cole, Tommy}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
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[[Category:Mouseketeers]]
[[Category:Mouseketeers]]
[[Category:Male actors from California]]
[[Category:Male actors from California]]
[[Category:Musicians from Burbank, California]]
[[Category:Actors from Burbank, California]]
[[Category:People from La Cañada Flintridge, California]]
[[Category:American male dancers]]

Latest revision as of 17:29, 3 January 2025

Tommy Cole
Tommy Cole with Glenn Scarpelli
Born (1941-12-20) December 20, 1941 (age 83)
Burbank, California
Occupation(s)Make-up artist, actor, and singer
Years active1955–2007
Spouse(s)Aileen Cole (1966–present); 2 children

Tommy Cole (born December 20, 1941) is an American make-up artist, actor, and singer who appeared as a Mouseketeer on the Mickey Mouse Club television series.

Early life

[edit]

Although born in Burbank, California, Tommy Cole grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of La Cañada. He was self-motivated toward performing from an early age, despite some disapproval from his family.[1] His father was an editor of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner; his mother later worked part-time at movie studios as a welfare guardian for minor children. He has one older brother, John Cole.

Career

[edit]

Performer

[edit]

Cole started as a musician, playing the accordion as a young teenager with three other kids in a western swing band. The band played in amateur contests and small clubs, and even managed to get a one-time gig on Ray Bolger's mid-1950s television show Where's Raymond? Besides playing the accordion, he was also the band's singer. When the ensemble auditioned together at the Disney Studio for The Mickey Mouse Club in the spring 1955, he was the only one selected to join the cast of Mouseketeers.

Cole's singing ability earned him a transfer to The Mickey Mouse Club's first-string Red Team midway through the 1955–56 season. He remained with the show for its final two seasons (1956–1958) of original programming and, after filming stopped, attended Hollywood Professional School and went on live-performance tours with other Mouseketeers to Australia in 1959 and 1960. For the next several years Tommy Cole's career was based on live-singing at teenage clubs, public events, and as an opening act for other performers. He attended Pasadena City College, did a hitch in the Air Force, and had guest star parts on a few television shows. By 1964, he had realized that his days as a performer were ending, and so looked around for some other way to stay in show business. [citation needed]

Make-up artist

[edit]

While acting in an episode of My Three Sons in 1963, Cole had started learning make-up technique from one of the show's regular artists. He soon joined the craft as an apprentice, working first for ABC, then later in the 1960s for NBC. He began freelancing as a make-up artist in the early seventies, gathering Emmy nominations in 1975 for Masquerade Party and 1978 for Once Upon a Brothers Grimm, before winning, along with Mark Bussan and Ron Walters, in 1979 for Backstairs at the White House.

Cole has since been nominated for Emmy awards for the miniseries Right to Die (1988), the television series Wings (1996), and most recently for the TV special Gepetto (2000), for which he shared in winning the Hollywood Makeup Artists and Hairstylist Guild Award. [citation needed]

Personal life

[edit]

Tommy's wife Aileen is a former dancer. They met in Korea, on a USO tour in the mid-1960s, and married after they had both returned stateside. They have two children.

Select filmography

[edit]

Select credits as makeup artist

[edit]

Select credits as actor

[edit]

References

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tommy Cole.
  1. ^ Forever Hold Your Banner High, by Jerry Bowles, 1976, p. 52; ISBN 0-385-11622-5
[edit]
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