Alan Thicke (born Alan Willis Jeffrey; March 1, 1947December 13, 2016) was a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is the father of singer
Robin Thicke
Robin Alan Thicke (born March 10, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his 2013 hit single " Blurred Lines", which is one of the best-selling singles of all time. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, h ...
. In 2013, Thicke was inducted into
Canada's Walk of Fame
Canada's Walk of Fame (french: link=no, Allée des célébrités canadiennes) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of Canadians who have excelled in their respective fields. It is a ...
. Thicke was best known for playing Dr. Jason Seaver on the 1980s
sitcom
A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
''
Growing Pains
''Growing Pains'' is an American television sitcom created by Neal Marlens that aired on ABC from September 24, 1985, to April 25, 1992. The show ran for seven seasons, consisting of 166 episodes. The series followed the misadventures of the Se ...
'' on
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
.
Early life
Thicke was born in
Kirkland Lake,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, the son of Shirley "Joan" Isobel Marie (''née'' Greer), a nurse, and William Jeffrey, a stockbroker.
They divorced in 1953. His mother remarried Brian Thicke, a physician, and they moved to
Elliot Lake. Alan Thicke graduated from
Elliot Lake Secondary School
Elliot Lake Secondary School (ELSS) is a high school in Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada. The school began in 1956 with 23 students and quickly grew to 1193 students by 1990. The following year, the school only saw an enrollment of 899 students and th ...
in 1965 and was elected
homecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia.
...
king. He went on to attend the
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a Public university, public research university in London, Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by resident ...
joining the
Delta Upsilon
Delta Upsilon (), commonly known as DU, is a collegiate men's fraternity founded on November 4, 1834 at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It is the sixth-oldest, all-male, college Greek Letter Organizations#Greek letters, Greek-let ...
fraternity.
Career
Hosting
Game shows
Thicke hosted the
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
game show "Face The Music" for
CHCH-TV
CHCH-DT (channel 11) is an Independent station (North America), independent television station in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Channel Zero (company), Channel Zero, the station maintains studios on Innovation Drive in the west end of Ham ...
by Niagara Television in 1975, which would not be related in any way to the Sandy Frank Productions produced version in 1980-81, then a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
game show on
CFCF-TV
CFCF-DT (channel 12) is a television station in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, part of the CTV Television Network. It is owned and operated by network parent Bell Media alongside Noovo flagship CFJP-DT (channel 35). Both stations share studios at ...
in Montreal called ''First Impressions'' in the late 1970s and the Saturday morning celebrity game show ''
Animal Crack-Ups
''Animal Crack-Ups'' is an ABC game show which aired in primetime from August 8 to September 12, 1987, after which it aired on Saturday mornings from September 12, 1987, to December 30, 1989, and again from June 2 to September 1, 1990. It was pr ...
'' in the late 1980s. In 1997, he hosted a television version of the board game ''
Pictionary
''Pictionary'' (, ) is a charades-inspired word-guessing game invented by Robert Angel with graphic design by Gary Everson and first published in 1985 by Angel Games Inc. Angel Games licensed Pictionary to Western Publishing. Hasbro purchase ...
''.
In the early 2000s, he hosted the ''
All New 3's a Crowd'' on the
Game Show Network
Game Show Network (GSN) is an American basic cable channel owned by Sony Pictures Television. The channel's programming is primarily dedicated to game shows, including reruns of acquired game shows, along with new, first-run original and revive ...
.
Talk shows
Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear (born July 27, 1922) is an American producer and screenwriter, who has produced, written, created, or developed over 100 shows. Lear is known for many popular 1970s sitcoms, including the multi-award winning ''All in the Famil ...
hired Thicke to produce and head the writing staff of ''
Fernwood 2 Night
''Fernwood 2 Night'' (or ''Fernwood Tonight'') is a comedic television program that was broadcast weeknights from July 1977 to September 1977. It was created by Norman Lear and produced by Alan Thicke as a spin-off/summer replacement for '' Mar ...
'', a tongue-in-cheek talk show based on characters from Lear's earlier show, ''
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
''Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman'' is an American satirical soap opera that aired in daily weeknight syndication from January 1976 to July 1977. The series follows the titular Mary Hartman, an Ohio housewife attempting to cope with various bizarre ...
''.
In the late 1970s, he was a frequent guest host of ''The Alan Hamel Show'', a popular daytime talk show on Canadian TV, usually hosted by
Alan Hamel.
When the Hamel series ended in the early 1980s, it was replaced by ''
The Alan Thicke Show
''The Alan Thicke Show'' was a Canadian daytime talk show hosted by Alan Thicke. A replacement for '' The Alan Hamel Show'', which ran from 1976 to 1980, it aired on CTV between 1980
Events January
* January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Car ...
''. The show at one point spawned a prime-time spinoff, ''Prime Cuts'', which consisted of edited highlights from the talk show. Thicke was later signed to do an American syndicated late-night talk show, ''
Thicke of the Night
''Thicke of the Night'' is an American late-night talk show starring Alan Thicke and broadcast in first-run syndication during the 1983–1984 TV season.
Among the regulars on ''Thicke of the Night'' were Richard Belzer, Arsenio Hall, Rick Duco ...
''. Heavily promoted prior to broadcast as a competitor to NBC's ''
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...
'', ''Thicke of the Night'' was short-lived.
Other hosting
During 2014 and 2015 Thicke hosted a travelling dance show ''Dancing Pros Live'' which toured the United States.
Producing and composing
Thicke had a successful career as a TV theme song composer, often collaborating with his then-wife Gloria Loring on these projects, which included the themes to the popular sitcoms ''
Diff'rent Strokes
''Diff'rent Strokes'' is an American television sitcom, which aired on NBC from November 3, 1978, to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985, to March 7, 1986. The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, r ...
'' and ''
The Facts of Life''.
He also wrote a number of TV game show themes, including ''
The Wizard of Odds
''The Wizard of Odds'' is an American television game show hosted by Alex Trebek that aired on NBC from July 16, 1973, to June 28, 1974, in which people from the studio audience vied in a number of rounds, primarily games revolving around statistic ...
'' (for which he also sang the vocal introduction), ''
The Joker's Wild
''The Joker's Wild'' is an American television game show that aired at different times between 1972 and 2019. In the show, contestants answer questions based on categories determined randomly by a mechanism resembling a slot machine. The show's ...
'', ''
Celebrity Sweepstakes
''Celebrity Sweepstakes'' is an American television game show that aired on NBC's daytime schedule from April 1, 1974 to October 1, 1976. The show also had two separate weekly syndicated runs from September 9, 1974 to September 1975 and again fro ...
'', ''
The Diamond Head Game'', ''
Animal Crack-Ups
''Animal Crack-Ups'' is an ABC game show which aired in primetime from August 8 to September 12, 1987, after which it aired on Saturday mornings from September 12, 1987, to December 30, 1989, and again from June 2 to September 1, 1990. It was pr ...
'' (which he co-wrote with his brother
Todd Thicke
Todd Thicke is a Canadian television writer and producer most known for his work as the executive producer and head writer of ''America's Funniest Home Videos'' since the show's premiere in 1989.
Biography
Before moving to Los Angeles from Toro ...
and Gary Pickus), ''
Blank Check
A blank cheque in the literal sense is a cheque that has no monetary value written in, but is already signed. In the figurative sense, it is used to describe a situation in which an agreement has been made that is open-ended or vague, and therefo ...
'', ''
Stumpers!'', ''
Whew!
''Whew!'' is an American television game show that aired on CBS from April 23, 1979, until May 30, 1980. It was hosted by Tom Kennedy and announced by Rod Roddy. Gameplay features contestants correcting "bloopers", factual statements in which one ...
'',
and the original theme to ''
Wheel of Fortune The Wheel of Fortune or ''Rota Fortunae'' has been a concept and metaphor since ancient times referring to the capricious nature of Fate. Wheel of Fortune may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Art
* ''The Wheel of Fortune'' (Burne-Jo ...
''. Thicke was a popular songwriter. He co-wrote "Sara", a solo hit for
Bill Champlin
William Bradford Champlin (born May 21, 1947) is an American singer, musician, arranger, producer, and songwriter. He formed the band Sons of Champlin in 1965, which still performs today, and was a member of the band Chicago from 1981–2009. H ...
and included on the latter's ''
Runaway'' album (1981).
Thicke produced a variety of television shows, including
Anne Murray
Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian singer. Her albums, consisting primarily of pop, country, and adult contemporary music, have sold over 55 million copies worldwide during her over 40-year career.
Murray was the fir ...
Christmas specials for the
CBC, beginning in the late 1970s.
''Growing Pains''
Thicke played Jason Seaver, a psychiatrist and father, on the family sitcom ''
Growing Pains
''Growing Pains'' is an American television sitcom created by Neal Marlens that aired on ABC from September 24, 1985, to April 25, 1992. The show ran for seven seasons, consisting of 166 episodes. The series followed the misadventures of the Se ...
''.
When the show began, Jason was moving his psychiatry practice into the home to be closer to the family's children while the family matriarch Maggie, played by
Joanna Kerns
Joanna Kerns (born February 12, 1953) is an American actress and director best known for her role as Maggie Seaver on the family situation comedy ''Growing Pains'' from 1985 to 1992.
Early life
Kerns was born Joanna Crussie DeVarona in San Franc ...
, resumed her career as a reporter.
''Growing Pains'' debuted on ABC in 1985 and ran until 1992.
Thicke reprised his role in two reunion TV movies, ''The Growing Pains Movie'' (2000) and ''Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers'' (2004).
Television and film appearances
![Alan Thicke](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Alan_Thicke.jpg)
Thicke co-hosted the
Walt Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
Very Merry Christmas Parade (now the
Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade
The ''Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade'' is an American television special that airs on Christmas Day annually on ABC, airing live and taped, primarily inside the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, approximately ...
) with
Joan Lunden
Joan Lunden (born Joan Elise Blunden on September 19, 1950) is an American journalist, an author, and a television host. Lunden was the co-host of ABC's ''Good Morning America'' from 1980 to 1997, and has authored eight books. She has appeared o ...
from 1983 to 1990, when he was succeeded by
Regis Philbin
Regis Francis Xavier Philbin (; August 25, 1931 – July 25, 2020)Archived aGhostarchiveand thWayback Machine was an American television presenter, talk show host, game show host, comedian, actor, and singer. Once called "the hardest working ma ...
. Thicke also hosted the Crystal Light National Aerobic Championship from 1987 to 1988.
In 1987, Thicke appeared as Dr.
Jonas Carson
''Not Quite Human'' is the name of a series of Young adult literature, young adult novels by Seth McEvoy about a scientist and his android creation which resembles a teenager.
Description
Widower scientist, Dr. Jonas Carson's lifetime work is t ...
, who creates an
android that looks just like a human teenage boy (played by
Jay Underwood
Jay Underwood (born October 1, 1968) is an American actor and pastor. Beginning a prolific career as a teen actor in the mid-1980s, he is perhaps best known for his starring feature film roles; portraying Eric Gibb in ''The Boy Who Could Fly'', ...
), and he "adopts" him as his son in the
Disney Channel
Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Compan ...
film ''
Not Quite Human''. Thicke would reprise his role as Jonas Carson in two sequels, 1989's ''
Not Quite Human II
''Not Quite Human 2'' is a 1989 television film written and directed by Eric Luke and starring Jay Underwood, Alan Thicke, and Robyn Lively. As the second of three films in a series based on the '' Not Quite Human'' novels by Seth McEvoy, it fo ...
'' and 1992's ''
Still Not Quite Human
''Still Not Quite Human'' is a 1992 television film written and directed by Eric Luke and starring Jay Underwood and Alan Thicke. It is the third and final film in a series based on the '' Not Quite Human'' novels by Seth McEvoy. The story, w ...
''.
In 1988, he hosted the
Miss USA
Miss USA is an American beauty pageant that has been held annually since 1952 to select the entrant from United States in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operated both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA, until 2020, ...
Pageant in
El Paso, Texas
El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the county seat, seat of El Paso County, Texas, El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau w ...
, replacing
Bob Barker (who quit over fur being involved in the pageants). He replaced Barker again as host of the 1988 Miss Universe Pageant (along with
Tracy Scoggins
Tracy Dawn Scoggins (born in 1953 in Dickinson, Texas or November 13, 1959, in Galveston, Texas) is an American actress known for her roles as Monica Colby in the 1980s primetime soap opera ''Dynasty'' and its spin-off series ''The Colbys'', ...
) in
Taipei
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...
, Taiwan. Thicke was replaced by
Dick Clark
Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American radio and television personality, television producer and film actor, as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for hosting ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 198 ...
as host of the 1989 Miss USA Pageant in
Mobile
Mobile may refer to:
Places
* Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city
* Mobile County, Alabama
* Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S.
* Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels
* Mobile ( ...
, Alabama and by
John Forsythe
John Forsythe (January 29, 1918 – April 1, 2010) was an American stage, film/television actor, producer, narrator, drama teacher and philanthropist whose career spanned six decades. He also appeared as a guest on several talk and variety s ...
as host of the 1989
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by a United States and Thailand based Miss Universe Organization.Natalie Tadena (July 2, 2015"Donald Trump's Miss USA Pageant Lands on Reelz Cable Channel". ''The Wall Stre ...
Pageant in
Cancún
Cancún ( ), often Cancun in English (without the accent; or ) is a city in southeast Mexico on the northeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. It is a significant tourist destination in Mexico and the seat ...
, Mexico.
Thicke continued to host a wide range of variety TV events. In 1989, he co-hosted with
SCTV alumna
Andrea Martin
Andrea Louise Martin (born January 15, 1947) is an American-Canadian actress, singer, and comedian, best known for her work in the television series '' SCTV'' and ''Great News''. She has appeared in films such as '' Black Christmas'' (1974), ''W ...
the TV special ''Opening of
SkyDome'' in Toronto, which aired across Canada on the CBC. In 2004, he hosted the
Miss Universe Canada
The Miss Universe Canada or "The Beauties of Canada" is a national beauty pageant in Canada, which sends its winners to the Miss Universe pageant.
The Beauties of Canada Organization gained the exclusive rights to send a Canadian representativ ...
Pageant in Ontario.
In 1992, Thicke appeared as himself in the pilot episode of the sitcom ''
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper''. He appeared in the end-credits scene, alongside series star
Mark Curry, humorously referencing the pilot episode being filmed on the same set used as the Seavers' home on ''Growing Pains''.
Thicke appeared on the American television series ''
Hope & Gloria
''Hope & Gloria'' is an American sitcom television series created by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner, that aired on NBC from March 9, 1995, through June 22, 1996. The show was canceled after 35 episodes. It starred Cynthia Stevenson as Hope, a high- ...
'', which ran for 35 episodes. In April 2006, he hosted ''
Celebrity Cooking Showdown
''Celebrity Cooking Showdown'' was a program that aired on NBC from April 17–19 and April 22, 2006. It was hosted by Alan Thicke.
Format
The competition was divided into three "preliminary rounds", where each celebrity was paired with a famou ...
'' on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
, in which celebrities were teamed with famous chefs in a cooking competition. In 2006 he made an appearance in La La Land as himself. In August 2006 and 2007, Thicke made a few appearances as talk show host Rich Ginger on ''
The Bold and the Beautiful
''The Bold and the Beautiful'' (often referred to as ''B&B'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. It premiered on March 23, 1987, as a sister show to the Bells' other soap opera ''The Yo ...
.'' Thicke also makes a
cameo appearance
A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly eit ...
in the 2007 movie ''
Alpha Dog'' as the father of the lead character's girlfriend.
In 2008, Thicke appeared in a major supporting role as Jim Jarlewski in the television series adaptation of
Douglas Coupland
Douglas Coupland (born 30 December 1961) is a Canadian novelist, designer, and visual artist. His first novel, the 1991 international bestseller '' Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture'', popularized the terms ''Generation X'' and ''McJ ...
's ''
jPod
''JPod'' is a novel by Douglas Coupland published by Random House of Canada in 2006. Set in 2005, the book explores the strange and unconventional everyday life of the main character, Ethan Jarlewski, and his team of video game programmers wh ...
''. That same year, he had a cameo appearance in the ''
How I Met Your Mother
''How I Met Your Mother'' (often abbreviated as ''HIMYM'') is an American sitcom, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for CBS. The series, which aired from September 19, 2005 to March 31, 2014, follows the main character, Ted Mosby, and his ...
'' episode "
Sandcastles in the Sand
"Sandcastles in the Sand" is the 16th episode in the third season of the television series ''How I Met Your Mother'' and 60th overall. It originally aired on April 21, 2008.
Plot
The episode begins with a montage of Robin from her time as Canadi ...
" as the dad in
Robin Scherbatsky
Robin Charles Scherbatsky Jr. is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series ''How I Met Your Mother'', portrayed by Cobie Smulders.
Robin is the on and off love interest of Barney Stinson (Neil ...
's second "Robin Sparkles" music video. He guest starred as himself in the episodes "
The Rough Patch
"The Rough Patch" is the seventh episode of the fifth season of the CBS sitcom '' How I Met Your Mother'' and 95th episode overall. It originally aired on November 9, 2009.
Plot
Future Ted explains the gang's apprehension as Barney and Rob ...
", "
Glitter
Glitter is an assortment of small, reflective particles that come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Glitter particles reflect light at different angles, causing the surface to sparkle or shimmer. Glitter is similar to confetti, sparkle ...
", "
P.S. I Love You", and "
The Rehearsal Dinner
"The Rehearsal Dinner" is the twelfth episode of the ninth season of the CBS sitcom ''How I Met Your Mother'', and the 196th episode overall.
Plot
On Saturday at 8pm, 22 hours before the wedding, Barney is handcuffed to a pipe in a security o ...
".
In February 2009, Thicke made a guest appearance on
Adult Swim
Adult Swim (AS; stylized as dult swim
Dult is a village in Batala in Gurdaspur district of Punjab State, India. It is located from sub district headquarter, from district headquarter and from Sri Hargobindpur. The village is administrated by Sarpanch an elected representati ...
and often abbreviated as s is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television Television channel, channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programme ...
's ''
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job
''Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!'' is an American sketch comedy series created by and starring Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, which premiered February 11, 2007 on Adult Swim and ran until May 2010. The show features surreal and often s ...
''. In the same month, he made a guest appearance on the web series ''
Star-ving
''Star-ving'' is a web series of episodes running eight to ten minutes, based very loosely on the life of David Faustino from '' Married... with Children''. His co-star is Corin Nemec, who played the title character in ''Parker Lewis Can't Lose' ...
''. He also had a role in the 2009 film, ''
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard''. On July 10, 2009, Thicke appeared on the 1000th episode of ''
Attack of the Show!
''Attack of the Show!'' (''AOTS'') is an American live television program and that aired on G4. AOTS features segments on pop culture, video games, and movies. After an initial run from 2005 to 2013 (which originally aired from 2005 until 2013 ...
'', and he sang a song with
Kevin Pereira
Kevin Elder Pereira (born December 28, 1982) is an American television personality and host.
Early life
While he was 14, Pereira hosted ''Pointless Audio'' under the pseudonym Captain Immy.Stephen A. Johnson (April 15, 2006)AOTS hosts Kevin Pere ...
and
Olivia Munn
Lisa Olivia Munn (born July 3, 1980) is an American actress and former television host. After an internship at a news station in Tulsa, she moved to Los Angeles where she began her professional career as a television host for the gaming netwo ...
.
Thicke appeared in the season six finale of ''
Just Shoot Me'', "The Boys in the Band." He made a guest appearance on a few episodes of ''
Canada's Worst Handyman 5''. In 2010, Thicke appeared on the television program, ''
Tosh.0
''Tosh.0'' ( ) is an American television series that aired on Comedy Central from June 4, 2009, to November 24, 2020. The series is hosted and produced by comedian Daniel Tosh, who provides satirical commentary on online viral video clips, inter ...
''. In October 2010, he appeared as a celebrity contestant on ''
Don't Forget the Lyrics
''Don't Forget the Lyrics!'' is an international game show in the United States. The American show originally aired on Fox from July 11, 2007, to June 19, 2009, and after a year off the air, a third overall season, and first as a syndicated show ...
'', where he played for the charities
ProCon.org and the Alan Thicke Center for
diabetes
Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...
research.
In March 2013, he participated on
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
's ''
Celebrity Wife Swap
''Wife Swap'' is an American reality television program that was first broadcast on ABC in 2004 based on the British show with the same name. In the program, two families, usually from different social classes and lifestyles, swap wives/mothers ...
''. He swapped wives with comedian
Gilbert Gottfried
Gilbert Jeremy Gottfried (February 28, 1955 – April 12, 2022) was an American stand-up comedian and actor, known for his exaggerated shrill voice, strong New York accent, and his edgy, often controversial, sense of humor. His numerous ro ...
.
In October 2016, Thicke appeared as himself in the pilot episode of
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
's ''
This is Us
''This Is Us'' is an American family drama television series that aired on NBC from September 20, 2016, to May 24, 2022. The series follows the lives and families of two parents, and their three children, in several different time frames. It s ...
''.
Commercials
In the 1990s, Thicke was the spokesman for the Canadian division of
Woolco
Woolco was an American-based discount retail chain. It was founded in 1962 in Columbus, Ohio, by the F. W. Woolworth Company. It was a full-line discount department store unlike the five-and-dime Woolworth stores which operated at the time. At its ...
department stores until its demise in 1994. In 2007, Thicke appeared in a television ad for
Tahiti Village, a
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
time-share
A timeshare (sometimes called vacation ownership) is a property with a divided form of ownership or use rights. These properties are typically resort condominium units, in which multiple parties hold rights to use the property, and each own ...
resort. In 2009, Thicke began appearing in TV ads endorsing CCS Medical, a distributor of home-delivered
diabetes
Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...
supplies. In 2014, Thicke began appearing in ad spots for Optima Tax Relief.
From 2011, Thicke was the spokesperson for Cambridge Life Solutions, a Canadian company that promised to reduce
unsecured consumer debt through a method known as
debt settlement
Debt settlement (also called debt reduction, debt negotiation or debt resolution) is a settlement negotiated with a debtor's unsecured creditor. Commonly, creditors agree to forgive a large part of the debt: perhaps around half, though results c ...
, which had been outlawed in the United States by the
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...
as a predatory practice in 2010 and was subsequently banned in
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
in 2015. According to Scott Hannah, the president and CEO of the Credit Counseling Society of Canada, the company, which was accused of "bilking thousands of vulnerable Canadians" grew to dominate half of the Canadian market due to Thicke being hired "as a spokesman who was very credible to Canadians."
Philanthropy
As noted, Thicke lent his name and star power to supporting the Alan Thicke Center for diabetes research. Also, for several years in the mid-1980s, Thicke and Gloria Loring were co-hosts of
Telemiracle
''Telemiracle'' is an annual telethon organized by the Kin Canada, Kinsmen and Kinettes in Saskatchewan, Canada for the benefit of the Kin Canada, Kinsmen Foundation. Initially broadcast on both CTV Television Network, CTV and CBC Television, ...
, an annual 20-hour
telethon
A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or even days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other purportedly worthy cause.
Most telethons f ...
that alternated between
Saskatoon
Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
and
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina () is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province, after Saskatoon, and is a commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. As of the 2021 C ...
, to support programs run by the
Kinsmen Club.
Personal life
Thicke was married three times: His first marriage, to ''
Days of Our Lives
''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock. The soap, which aired on the American television net ...
'' actress
Gloria Loring
Gloria Loring-Lagler (born Gloria Jean Goff; December 10, 1946) is an American singer and actress. She is known for playing Liz Chandler on ''Days of Our Lives'' for six years (1980–86). She and singer-actor Carl Anderson performed the duet " ...
, lasted from 1970 until 1984; they had two sons, Brennan and
Robin.
In 1987 at the age of 40, Thicke began dating 17-year old
Kristy Swanson
Kristen Noel Swanson (born December 19, 1969) is an American actress. She is best recognized for having played Buffy Summers in the 1992 film '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and appeared in the 1996 film ''The Phantom''.
Her first starring role w ...
. Two years later, they were engaged but never married. He married his second wife,
Miss World 1990
Miss World 1990, the 40th anniversary of the Miss World pageant, was held on 8 November 1990 at the London Palladium in London, United Kingdom. The winner was Gina Tolleson representing United States. She was crowned by Miss World 1989, Aneta Be ...
Gina Tolleson
Gina Marie Tolleson (born March 26, 1969) is an American model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World America, Miss World America 1990 and also Miss World 1990.
Miss World
Gina won the title of Miss South Carolina USA 1990 and was the first ...
, on August 13, 1994, and had a son, Carter William Thicke, before their divorce was finalized on September 29, 1999.
In 1999, he met
Tanya Callau
Tanya Callau (born February 20, 1976) is a Bolivian-born actress and model.
Career
In the 1990s, Callau came to United States from Bolivia to pursue modeling. Callau is best known for her 2004 role as Tanya, a Spanish Wedding Guest, in '' T ...
in Miami, where he was a celebrity host and she was a model. They were married from 2005 until his death.
Death
On December 13, 2016, Thicke collapsed while playing ice hockey with his son Carter at Pickwick Gardens in
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank has a population of 107,337. The city was named after David Burbank, w ...
. The manager of the rink said he was talking and even joked to his son to take a photo as he was being wheeled out on a stretcher. Thicke died later that day of type-A
aortic dissection
Aortic dissection (AD) occurs when an injury to the innermost layer of the aorta allows blood to flow between the layers of the aortic wall, forcing the layers apart. In most cases, this is associated with a sudden onset of severe chest or ...
at the
Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center
Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center is a Catholic hospital in Burbank, California. The hospital has 446 beds, and is part of Providence Health & Services. Its address is 501 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California 91505. On the oppo ...
in Burbank, at the age of 69. On December 19, 2016, the cast of ''Growing Pains'', including
Leonardo DiCaprio, reunited at Thicke's funeral; a eulogy was given by his friend
Bob Saget
Robert Lane Saget (May 17, 1956 – January 9, 2022) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, and television host. Saget played Danny Tanner on the ABC sitcom ''Full House'' (1987-1995), and reprised the role for its Netflix sequel '' Fuller ...
, and his son, Robin, offered a humorous remembrance. He was buried at Santa Barbara Cemetery in
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning "Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coas ...
.
Filmography
Film
Television
Series
Television movies
Books
*
*
Honours
*1988: Nominated –
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
for
Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series – Comedy/Musical for ''Growing Pains''
*1998: Nominated –
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
for
Outstanding Audience Participation Show/Game Show for ''
Pictionary
''Pictionary'' (, ) is a charades-inspired word-guessing game invented by Robert Angel with graphic design by Gary Everson and first published in 1985 by Angel Games Inc. Angel Games licensed Pictionary to Western Publishing. Hasbro purchase ...
'' (co-executive producer)
*2013: Inducted into
Canada's Walk of Fame
Canada's Walk of Fame (french: link=no, Allée des célébrités canadiennes) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of Canadians who have excelled in their respective fields. It is a ...
*2015:
Brampton Arts Walk of Fame
The Brampton Arts Walk of Fame is an honours system located at the Rose Theatre Brampton, in Ontario, Canada. It previously was known as the Brampton Walk of Fame, or Art Walk of Fame. The first currently recognized inductions took place in 2014 ...
*2016: Canadian Icon award,
Whistler Film Festival The Whistler Film Festival (WFF) is an annual film festival held in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. Established in 2001, the festival is held the first weekend of December and includes juried competitive sections, the Borsos Awards, and the Pand ...
References
External links
*
*
*
Alan Thicke in biography.com
CBC Radio Q interview "Why Alan Thicke was drawn to playing a not so perfect father in his new film" December 08, 2016
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thicke, Alan
1947 births
2016 deaths
20th-century Canadian male actors
21st-century Canadian male actors
Beauty pageant hosts
Burials at Santa Barbara Cemetery
Canadian expatriate male actors in the United States
Canadian game show hosts
Canadian male composers
Canadian male film actors
Canadian male television actors
Canadian male voice actors
Canadian people of Scottish descent
Canadian television talk show hosts
Deaths from aortic dissection
Ice hockey players who died while playing
Male actors from Ontario
People from Kirkland Lake
Sports deaths in California
University of Western Ontario alumni