- Michelle Thomas
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Michelle Thomas 
Michelle ThomasBorn Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. Died New York City, New York, U.S. Occupation Actress Years active 1988-1998 Michelle Thomas (died December 22[1][2][3] or 23,[4][5] 1998) 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.
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Early life and career
Born in Boston, Massachusetts,[6] Thomas grew up in Montclair, New Jersey 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.[4] In 1984, Thomas was crowned Miss Talented Teen New Jersey in Hal Jackson's Talented Teen Competition.[7] The following year, she competed in the international pageant and won the title of International Queen.[8]
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.
Death
In August 1997,[5] Thomas was diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer, intra-abdominal desmoplastic small round cell tumor.[8] 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,[9] at the age of 29[6][10][11] or 30.[2][5][8][9] On December 26, a Muslim funeral service was held, as Thomas had requested. She was buried in Montclair, New Jersey, near her home.[5]
Filmography
Year Title Role Notes 1988 to 1990 The Cosby Show Justine Phillips 9 episodes 1989 A Man Called Hawk Ruthie Carver Episode: "Choice of Chance" 1989 Dream Date Sally Palmer Television movie 1991 Hangin' with the Homeboys Telemarketing operator 1993 to 1998 Family Matters Myra Monkhouse 55 episodes 1994 Thea Keanda 2 episodes 1996 Duckman Voice role Episode: "Exile in Guyville" 1997 Malcolm & Eddie Brooke Bellamy Episode: "Roofless People" 1998 The Young and the Restless 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 The Young and the Restless Nominated Notes
- ^ Chambers, Cheehsa. 29 December 1998, Variety, Michelle Thomas. Accessed 2009-05-03.
- ^ a b Entertainment Weekly, 8 January 1999, "Monitor." Accessed 2009-05-03.
- ^ The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 26 December 1998, Michell Thomas, Television actress".
- ^ a b Pace, Eric. "Michelle Thomas, 30, Actress On TV Soap Opera and Sitcoms", The New York Times, December 28, 1998. Accessed 2007-10-30. "She was born in Boston, Mass., grew up in Montclair, N.J., and graduated from West Essex High School in North Caldwell, N.J."
- ^ a b c d "Forever Young, People Magazine.". 11 January 1999. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20127316,00.html. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
- ^ a b Bay State Banner, 11 February 1999, "Boston-born actress Thomas, dead at 29". Accessed 2009-05-03.
- ^ Ross, Pinnie L. (30 August 1986). "International Teen Pageant-an extravaganza". Baltimore Afro-American. http://news.google.ca/archivesearch?q=%22cosby+show%22+%22michelle+thomas%22&scoring=a&hl=en&ned=ca&sa=N&sugg=d&as_ldate=1986&as_hdate=1987&lnav=hist3. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
- ^ a b c Company, Johnson Publishing (18 January 1999). Michelle Thomas, 'Family Matters' TV Star, Dies of Cancer At 30, Jet.. http://books.google.com/?id=9cMDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA61. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
- ^ a b Los Angeles Sentinel, 6 January 1999, "Michelle Thomas Succumbs To Cancer." Accessed 2009-05-03.
- ^ "Soap actress dies". Toronto Star. 30 December 1998. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/444644921.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+30%2C+1998&author=&pub=Toronto+Star&edition=&startpage=1&desc=Soap+actress+dies. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
- ^ "Y&R's Thomas Dies Of Cancer At 29". CBS News. 29 December 1998. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1998/12/29/entertainment/main26388.shtml. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
External links
Categories:- Actors from Massachusetts
- Actors from New Jersey
- African American actors
- American film actors
- American soap opera actors
- American television actors
- Cancer deaths in New York
- Deaths from stomach cancer
- People from Boston, Massachusetts
- People from Essex County, New Jersey
- 1998 deaths
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