Biography of Tom Arnold

As a writer, producer, and actor, Tom Arnold has established himself with both television and film audiences worldwide, having won such awards as the Peabody Award for writing, and a Golden Globe for writing and producing.  Additionally, he helped put Fox Sports Network on the map with his hosting duties on “BEST DAMN SPORTS SHOW PERIOD”. 

Until recently, Arnold cornered the market on playing the resident comic relief in films like “SOUL PLANE”, “CRADLE TO THE GRAVE”, and “EXIT WOUNDS”.  However, he has now started to take on more mature and dramatic roles, including the upcoming movie “PRIDE” opposite Terrance Howard, and “THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD” and “GARDENS OF THE NIGHT”, two films starring John Malkovich.  In 2005, he received critical praise for his role in Don Roos’ “HAPPY ENDINGS” for Lions Gate Films, starring opposite Maggie Gyllenhaal and Lisa Kudrow.  He also starred in “THE KID & I”, an action comedy he wrote for a family friend, a 16 year old boy with cerebral palsy.  The film was directed by Penelope Spheeris with cameos by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Linda Hamilton.

Arnold began his career in comedy at the University of Iowa before moving to Minneapolis, where he won the Minneapolis Comedy Competition in 1988.  He then moved to Los Angeles to write on the highly successful television series, “ROSEANNE,” before eventually serving as executive producer for the sitcom.  He went on to star in three installments of his own HBO special entitled “TOM ARNOLD: THE NAKED TRUTH,” and then wrote, produced and starred in three of his own television series “THE JACKIE THOMAS SHOW,” “TOM” and “THE TOM SHOW.”

Arnold’s other film credits include “NINE MONTHS” with Hugh Grant, Julianne Moore, and Robin Williams, James Cameron’s “TRUE LIES” with Arnold Schwarzenegger, “HERO” with Dustin Hoffman, “AUSTIN POWERS:  INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY” with Mike Myers and in “ANIMAL FACTORY,” directed by Steve Buscemi, he also received great critical notice for his portrayal of a convict.

Born in Iowa, he has established a writing scholarship and runs an acting workshop for students at the Indian Hills Community College in Iowa. He is also very active with the San Diego Center For Children, which cares for abused and neglected children as well as The Race to Erase MS, The Kayne-Eras Center and Hollygrove children’s home.

Arnold currently resides in Los Angeles.