Tom Arnold

Tom Arnold (born Thomas Duane Arnold) is a comedian and actor best known for his work on Roseanne, True Lies and The Tom Show. Arnold was raised in Ottumwa, Iowa, by his father after his parents’ split. He attended the University of Iowa, where he studied business administration and writing. Before pursuing acting full time, he worked in meatpacking and performed stand-up comedy on the side.

Arnold’s early career began in stand-up and writing, which led to his job as a writer on Roseanne after meeting Roseanne Barr in the late 1980s. He eventually appeared on the show and cocreated The Jackie Thomas Show and Tom, both short-lived series. His big screen breakthrough came in 1994 with his role as Albert Gibson in True Lies, opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger.

His film credits include Nine Months (1995), Big Bully (1996), McHale’s Navy (1997), Happy Endings (2005) and Madea’s Witness Protection (2012). He also starred in the TV series The Tom Show, hosted The Best Damn Sports Show Period and has appeared on talk shows including Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

Arnold has been married four times. He was married to Barr from 1990 to 1994, Julie Armstrong from 1995 to 1999, Shelby Roos from 2002 to 2008 and Ashley Groussman from 2009 until their divorce in 2020. He has two children with Groussman: son Jax (born in 2013) and daughter Quinn (born in 2015).