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Tom Willett
American actor, singer-songwriter, and YouTuber

Tom Willett

The basics

Quick Facts

Intro
American actor, singer-songwriter, and YouTuber
Gender
Male
Birth
Age
87 years
Residence
Madison, Nashville, Davidson County, USA
Instruments:
Audio
Spotify
The details (from wikipedia)

Biography

Thomas Willett (born 1938) is an American television and film actor, record producer, singer-songwriter, and YouTuber. Called the "modern-day silent screen star", Willett is best known for playing non-speaking roles, such as the character Tom on the sitcom television series Dear John which ran on NBC from 1988 to 1992.

Career

In April 1956 at age 17, Willett moved to Los Angeles. He produced country music records in the evenings, while working at a furniture warehouse during the day. His label was called Freeway Records and boasted releases by musicians such as Greg Penny; as well as Willett's own piano-playing alter-ego, "Herman Schmerdley". One of his songs, a rockabilly tune called "Mona Lisa", received significant airplay and allowed Willett the opportunity to perform on such shows as The Gong Show. For several years, Willett produced numerous records under his pseudonym, mostly covers and original tunes; until the market for country music singles began to dwindle. "The country singles market is somewhat limited," he once said in an interview, "and that's going to hurt us because we're putting out country singles." Following his recording career, Willett toured for a short period of time, performing in piano bars and honky-tonks throughout the south. By 1962, Willett moved to Las Vegas where he took up writing material for second rate comedy acts. In addition to writing comedic routines, he also wrote country tunes for various rising stars, including Roy Clark.

After a short stint as a disc jockey at KENO radio, Willett began landing bit parts in films and television shows. "I've been in some dreadful movies," Willett once said. One of his first gigs was as an extra in the 1975 American comedy-drama film Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins. More notable roles include playing opposite Mary Steenburgen in the film Melvin and Howard, along with television spots in shows such as Happy Days, The Drew Carey Show and Dear John.

On the series Dear John, Willett played a character that never spoke. For the auditions, Willett recalls that he beat out the other applicants by wearing a suit with wide lapels and a "behind-the-times" tie. "They told me the guy should be well-dressed," Willett said, "and he should be immaculate, but there's got to be something wrong about him. So I made him 15 years behind the times." When it came to auditions, Willett said, "You're not supposed to crash auditions, but I crashed auditions." Standing 6-foot 5 inches tall, Willett invested small amounts of money in audition attire. "One of the things I did, I got an Abe Lincoln beard and hat and everything. I was Abe Lincoln in a lot of productions ... I could be a cowboy, I could be a prisoner, I could be a detective."

According to Willett, he has had "over 800 jobs in front of the camera", including over 100 films, 80 television movies and more than 145 TV programs; mostly uncredited and non-speaking roles.

YouTube channel

Willett made his first YouTube video in 2006; but it was not until August 2012 that his YouTube work was noted in media with a 10-minute video tutorial entitled "How to Eat a Watermelon". The Huffington Post called him "the Bob Ross of watermelon eating".

Called a "YouTube sensation" in the Nashville Scene, Willett's channel is titled Featureman. Online food reviewer Clayton Trutor commented in 2021 that Willett has a "refreshing appreciation for the ordinary" and "the ability to make the seemingly mundane seem awfully interesting".

Legal issues

In the mid-1970s, Willett received three life sentences from a Nevada court on the grounds of "infamous crime against nature". He was placed on probation after the sentences were suspended. In 2023, he spoke of the ruling in a YouTube video which he later deleted.

Filmography

(partial listing of notable television and film appearances)

YearTitleRoleNote
1979–1980Vega$Gambler / Coroner3 episodes
1977-1982The Incredible HulkMatch SpectatorEpisode: "Half Nelson"
1980Melvin and HowardKissing CowboyUncredited
1982Happy DaysAbe LincolnEpisode: "Poobah Doo Dah"
1980–1982Quincy M.E.Various3 episodes
1982Grease 2Bowling Alley ManagerUncredited
1982Little House on the PrairieCowboyUncredited
1982Airplane II: The SequelHospital Dipstick PatientUncredited
1981–1983DynastyHotel Guest / Man at Station2 episodes
1983Psycho IIGrave DiggerUncredited
1981–1983Twilight Zone: The MovieK.K.K.Episode: "Time Out"
1984Dukes of HazzardDeputyEpisode: "Cool Hands, Luke & Bo"
1985The New Mike HammerFuneral DirectorEpisode: "Deadly Reunion"
1985Hill Street BluesArts Council / Police Official2 episodes
1985Murder, She WroteDoctorEpisode: "Keep the Homes Fries Burning"
1985–1986Amazing StoriesVarious3 episodes
1985–1986L.A. LawCourtroom / Lawyer2 episodes
1988–1992Dear JohnTom90 episodes
1997Bringing up JackAbe LincolnEpisode: "The Beeper"
1997George & LeoMayorEpisode: "The Cameo Episode"
1998The Drew Carey ShowAbe LincolnEpisode: "What’s Wrong with This Episode?"
2018–2020The Andy Due ShowVarious6 episodes
2020Bigtop BurgerCustomer / Panelist2 episodes

Bibliography

  • Willett, Tom (April 5, 2017). How To Become a Movie Extra: How to Get Into Movies for Beginners. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1544827629.
  • Willett, Tom (June 27, 2017). Earthquake, The Big One, Before, During, After. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1544939100.
The contents of this page are sourced from Wikipedia article. The contents are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Who is Tom Willett?
Tom Willett is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who spent eight seasons in the North American Soccer League, five in the Major Indoor Soccer League, and earned seven caps with the United States Olympic soccer team. He is best known for his time with the Vancouver Whitecaps of the NASL.
When did Tom Willett play for the Vancouver Whitecaps?
Tom Willett played for the Vancouver Whitecaps from 1975 to 1979. He was the team's starting goalkeeper during that time and helped lead the Whitecaps to the NASL championship in 1979.
How many caps did Tom Willett earn with the United States Olympic soccer team?
Tom Willett earned seven caps with the United States Olympic soccer team. These caps came between 1975 and 1976, during which he represented his country in several international matches.
Did Tom Willett also play indoor soccer?
Yes, Tom Willett also played indoor soccer. He spent five seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League. During his indoor career, he played for the Philadelphia Fever and the Cleveland Force.
What did Tom Willett do after retiring from professional soccer?
After retiring from professional soccer, Tom Willett became a sports broadcaster. He worked for various television networks, including ESPN, and covered a wide range of sports events. He also served as a color commentator for soccer matches.
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