Born Thomas James Tune on the 28th February 1939, in Wichita Falls, Texas USA, Tommy is an actor, choreographer, dancer, theatre director and producer, who has won ten Tony Awards over the course of his respective careers that started in the mid- 1960s. Some of his credits include directing and choreographing “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” (1978), “Grand Hotel” (1989), and “The Will Rogers Follies” (1991), among many other productions.
Have you ever wondered how rich Tommy Tune is, as of mid- 2017? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Tune’s net worth is as high as $20 million, an amount earned through his successful career in the entertainment industry.
Tommy Tune Net Worth $20 Million
Tommy is the son of Jim Tune, restaurateur, oil rig worker and horse trainer, and Eva Mae Clark. Tommy went to Lamar High School, located in Houston, after which he entered the Methodist-affiliated Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, Texas. Soon he became interested in dancing, and attended dance lessons under Patsy Swayze, while also taking lessons from Kit Andree in Boulder, Colorado.
He obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drama from the University of Texas at Austin, and then furthered his education at the University of Houston, earning a Master of Fine Arts in Directing. After finished college, Tommy moved to New York to pursue his career.
His first ever performance was on Broadway, in the musical “Baker Street” in 1965, but until the mid- ‘70s, he just couldn’t catch a break. All that changed in 1974 when he performed in the musical “Seesaw”, for which he won his first Tony Award in the category Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical. Four years later, Tommy served as director and choreographer for the musical “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”, and continued with the musical comedy “A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine” (1980), which garnered him new prestigious awards, including the Tony Award in category Best Choreography, and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography, among others. Two years later he was the director of the musical “Nine”, for which he won his third Tony Award, this time for Best Direction of a Musical, and the following year he was the choreographer for the musical “My One and Only”, and was also the lead actor in the musical. This won him two more Tony Awards, in categories Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, and Best Choreography. Throughout the ‘80s he was also credited as director of “Stepping Out” in 1987, and also as director and choreographer of “Grand Hotel” (1989), with the latter winning him Tony Awards for Best Direction of a Musical, and Best Choreography, his sixth and seventh Tonys.
Tommy continued successfully into the ‘90s, firstly directing and choreographing “The Will Rogers Follies” in 1991, for which he also won two Tony Awards – Best Direction of a Musical and Best Choreography – which made him the only person to win Tony Awards in the same categories in consecutive years, then performed in the musical “Bye Bye Birdie” in 1992, while in 1994 he was director and choreographer of the sequel of “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”, entitled “The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public”, and he was also the production supervisor of the revival of “Grease” in the same year.
Since the start of the new millennium, Tommy’s presence on the stage lessened, but he still made appearance in such productions as “Song and Dance Man” (2002), “White Tie and Tails” (2002) and “Paparazzi” (2003), while also performing in his own musical revue, entitled “Steps in Time: A Broadway Biography in Song and Dance” (2008-2009). Most recently, he made a stage return in City Center’s series “Encores”, and in 2015, he was presented with a Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.
Apart from stage, Tommy has also had success on the screen; he made his debut in the musical comedy “Hello, Dolly” (1969), starring Barbara Streisand, Walter Matthau and Michael Crawford, and the same year he started appearing in the Dean Martin Show, and then its replacement “Dean Martin Presents The Golddiggers”. In 1971 he had a minor role in the musical “The Boy Friend”, with Twiggy, Christopher Gable and Max Adrian in the lead roles. Until the late ‘80s, he didn’t appear again on screen, but then in 1988 made a comeback in the TV series “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”, as Sir Thomas. Most recently, he portrayed Argyle Austero in the sitcom “Arrested Development” (2013).
Regarding his personal life, Tommy is openly gay, and through his adult life was in a relationship with David Wolfe, a stage manager who died of AIDS in 1994, and then with Michael Stuart, who passed away in 1997.
Tony Award for Best Choreography, Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement, Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical, Tony Award for Best Lead Actor in a Musical, Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Dir...
Nominations
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer, Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Visiting Production, Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Director, Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Choreographer
Movies
Broadway's Lost Treasures, The Boy Friend, Hello, Dolly!, Broadway's Best at Pops
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Quote
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My idea of gambling was walking through Central Park, whistling show tunes.
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Fact
1
As a joke he often says that he is 5'18½" tall.
2
Was the mentor of Broadway actress/singer Susan Egan. While performing in the revival of "Bye, Bye Birdie" he told her how much he loved the way she sang her first song and would often sing along with her as a vocal warm-up while he was in a costume change. The song was "How Lovely To Be A Woman". Although Egan considered that to be a great compliment she could not get the image of him singing that song in his underwear backstage out of her mind.
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In the title role of Doctor Dolittle at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in Houston, Texas. [January 2006]
4
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Live Theatre at 1777 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
5
Sister, Gracey Tune, is an award-winning dancer and owner of a popular multi-arts studio in Fort Worth, Texas.
6
Attended Lamar High School in Houston, Texas.
7
Tommy and Sandy Duncan tried to put a musical version of the classic MGM film Easter Parade (1948) together but it never got off the ground. What they did do is star in "Two for the Show" in 1998. They presented a double bill of their musical touring acts into a single evening. Tommy took the first act and Sandy Duncan most of the second act. They then joined for the big finale which showed some of their numbers from the abandoned "Easter Parade". Tune worked with Duncan before -- in "My One and Only" in 1985 and, before that, as a 19-year-old dance partner to the 12 year old Duncan in Texas.
8
His autobiography, Footnotes (1997), details his personal relationships with stage manager David Wolfe, who died of AIDS in 1994, and actor/costumer Michael Stuart (1943-1997), with whom Tune lived for seven years.
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In Houston, Texas, the Tommy Tune Award recognizes excellence in high school musical theater.
His dream of playing Las Vegas finally came true in 1999 when he debuted as the star of EFX at the MGM Grand Hotel.
12
In 1991, he was inducted by Gwen Verdon into the Theatre Hall of Fame in Broadway's Gershwin Theatre, and three years later was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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Recipient of eight Drama Desk Awards, two Obie Awards, Dance Magazine's Award for Lifetime Achievement; the 1990 American Dance Award (presented by the National Academy of Dance); the 1990 Drama League Musical Theatre Award for Direction and Choreography; the Astaire Award in both 1990 and 1991; the George Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement, the University of Texas' Distinguished Alumnus Award; and the Jean Cocteau International Style Award. He was also named to the Top 10 International Best Dressed List of 1992.
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He majored in drama at the University of Texas (BFA) and the University of Houston (MFA).
15
Despite the fact that he and Sandy Duncan had worked so well together on stage in "My One and Only," they failed to get a theatre adaptation of the Judy Garland and Fred Astaire film classic Easter Parade (1948) off the ground in the late 1990's. This was primarily because Irving Berlin's daughters (who control his estate) were unhappy with workshop productions.
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Has won nine Tony Awards: in 1974, as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Musical), for Seesaw;" in 1980, as Best Choreographer (with collaborator Thommie Walsh) for "A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine;" in 1982, as Best Director (Musical) for "Nine;" in 1983, as Best Actor (Musical) and Best Choreographer (also shared with Walsh) for "My One and Only;" in 1990, as Best Director (Musical) and Best Choreographer, for "Grand Hotel, The Musical;" and in 1991 as Best Director (Musical) and Best Choreographer for "The Will Rogers Follies." He was also nominated five other times, for a total of 14 nominations: in 1979, as Best Director (Musical), shared with Peter Masterson, and Best Choreographer for "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas;" in 1980, as Best Director (Musical) for "A Day in Holywood/A Night in the Ukraine;" in 1982, as Best Choreographer for "Nine;"and in 1983, as Best Director (Musical), again shared with Walsh, for "My One and Only." His additional record of winning four Tonys in four different categories has recently been tied by Harvey Fierstein.
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Recipient of a (USA) National Medal of Arts, 2003.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Arrested Development
2013
TV Series
Argyle Austero
The City
1996
TV Series
Jason
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
1988
TV Series
Sir Thomas
Mimì Bluette... fiore del mio giardino
1976
The Boy Friend
1971
Tommy
Nanny and the Professor
1971
TV Series
Ernie Lewis / Carnival Barker
Hello, Dolly!
1969
Ambrose Kemper
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Arrested Development
2013
TV Series performer - 1 episode
The 61st Annual Tony Awards
2007
TV Special performer: "Look Around"
Great Performances
2003
TV Series performer - 1 episode
The 49th Annual Tony Awards
1995
TV Special performer: "Busker Alley"
The 45th Annual Tony Awards
1991
TV Special performer: "Rosie"
The 41st Annual Tony Awards
1987
TV Special performer: "Sing Happy", "Once In Love With Amy"
The Boy Friend
1971
"The Boy Friend" / performer: "Won't You Charleston with Me?", "Sur Le Plage"
Hello, Dolly!
1969
performer: "Put on Your Sunday Clothes" 1964, "Dancing" 1964, "Finale" Medley 1964 - uncredited
Dean Martin Presents the Golddiggers
1969
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Will Rogers Follies
1991
TV Movie choreographer / director of the stage version
The Dean Martin Show
1971
TV Series assistant to the choreographer - 1 episode
Cinematographer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1975
TV Series 1 episode
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
Nine
2009
special thanks
The Yellow Brick Road and Beyond
2009
Video documentary special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age
2017
Documentary post-production
Himself
Live from the Red Carpet: The 2015 Tony Awards
2015
TV Movie
Himself
The 69th Annual Tony Awards
2015
TV Movie
Himself - Winner: Lifetime Achievement Award & Presenter: Best Direction of a Musical
Show People with Paul Wontorek
2015
TV Series
Himself
Spotlight on Broadway
2013
TV Series
Himself
Fashion News Live
2005-2013
TV Series
Himself
Carol Channing: Larger Than Life
2012
Documentary
Himself
Vine Talk
2011
TV Series
Himself
Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1980s, 1990s and 2000s
2009
Video documentary
Himself
Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1960's
2009
Video documentary
Himself
Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1970's
2009
Video documentary
Himself
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
2009
Video documentary
Himself
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing
2009
Video documentary
Himself
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1950s: The Golden Era of the Musical
2009
Video documentary
Himself
The Yellow Brick Road and Beyond
2009
Video documentary
Himself
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History
2008
Video documentary
Himself
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical Treasure
2008
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The 61st Annual Tony Awards
2007
TV Special
Himself - Presenter: Memorial Tribute
Great Performances
1987-2005
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Host
50th Annual Drama Desk Awards
2005
TV Special
Himself - Presenter
Biography
2004
TV Series documentary
Himself
Broadway: The American Musical
2004
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
2003
Documentary
Himself
The 52nd Annual Tony Awards
1998
TV Special
Himself - Presenter: Best Choreography
The 49th Annual Tony Awards
1995
TV Special
Himself - Performer
Happy Birthday, George Gershwin!
1995
TV Movie
Himself
Shirley Temple: America's Little Darling
1993
TV Movie
Himself - Host
The 47th Annual Tony Awards
1993
TV Special
Himself - Presenter: Best Featured Actor in a Musical
CBS This Morning
1992
TV Series
Himself
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
TV Series
Himself
The 45th Annual Tony Awards
1991
TV Special
Himself - Performer & Winner: Best Direction of a Musical & Best Choreography
The 33rd Annual Grammy Awards
1991
TV Special
Himself
Children's Miracle Network Telethon
1990
TV Special
America's Dance Honors
1990
TV Special
Himself
The 44th Annual Tony Awards
1990
TV Special
Himself - Winner: Best Direction of a Musical & Best Choreography
The Songwriter's Hall of Fame 20th Anniversary... The Magic of Music
1989
TV Movie
Himself
The 43rd Annual Tony Awards
1989
TV Special
Himself - Presenter: Best Leading Actress & Actor in a Musical
5th Annual TV Academy Hall of Fame
1989
TV Special
Himself - Dancer
Presidential Inaugural Gala
1989
TV Movie
Himself
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts
1988
TV Special
Himself
Walt Disney World 4th of July Spectacular
1988
TV Special
Himself
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
1988
TV Special
Himself
The 41st Annual Tony Awards
1987
TV Special
Himself - Performer & Presenter: Best Featured Actress in a Musical
All-Star Salute to Ford's Theater
1986
TV Movie
Himself
The 56th Annual Academy Awards
1984
TV Special documentary
Himself - Presenter: Best Costume Design
Breakaway
1984
TV Series
Himself
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
1983
TV Special
Himself
The 37th Annual Tony Awards
1983
TV Special
Himself - Performer, Nominee: Best Direction of a Musical & Winner: Best Actor in a Musical & Best Choreography
The 36th Annual Tony Awards
1982
TV Special
Himself - Winner: Best Direction of a Musical & Nominee: Best Choreography
The 34th Annual Tony Awards
1980
TV Special
Himself - Winner: Best Choreography & Nominee: Best Direction of a Musical
The 33rd Annual Tony Awards
1979
TV Special
Himself - Nominee: Best Choreography & Best Direction of a Musical