Whatever Happened to Philip McKeon, Tommy From ‘Alice’?
What To Know
- Philip McKeon was best known for his role as Tommy on the CBS sitcom Alice, where he grew up on screen over nine seasons and was remembered for his kindness and professionalism.
- McKeon passed away in 2019 after a long illness.
Philip McKeon was just one of those actors who, whenever anyone saw him, regardless of how much older he had become, would immediately be recognized as the kid from Alice. So before getting too far into this article, let’s talk about that classic TV show for a minute.
Based on the 1974 movie Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, the CBS sitcom starred Linda Lavin in the title role as a widow with a young son who starts her life over again and finds a job working at a roadside diner in Phoenix, Arizona. Although there was another actor who played Alice’s son in the movie and then in the pilot episode, after that, it was all McKeon. For nine seasons, audiences had the pleasure of watching McKeon grow up right before their eyes.
According to McKeon’s castmates on Alice, he was one of the kindest, most polite young men that they had ever had the pleasure of working with. That fact wasn’t all that surprising given that both of the McKeon kids were well known for their well-mannered temperament on set. McKeon’s sister is none other than actress Nancy McKeon, who fans of classic TV know better as Jo on The Facts of Life.
Everett Collection
After Alice ended, like most actors in the ’80s, McKeon made the obligatory appearances on The Love Boat and Fantasy Island and even appeared in Amazing Stories alongside actor Charlie Sheen. But over time, the roles dried up. They just went away. Less than a decade later, McKeon made his final appearance as an actor in a horror film called Ghoulies IV.
By the mid-’90s, McKeon had found a whole new career, and for over 10 years, he worked behind the scenes at KFWB All News 98 in Los Angeles. Sure, he didn’t completely remove himself from every element of the entertainment industry. In the late ’90s, he actually directed his sister Nancy in a movie. But as the new century rolled in, McKeon found satisfaction in helping deliver timely news to radio listeners in Los Angeles and then later on at KWVH 94.1 FM in Wimberley, Texas, where he co-hosted a morning radio show.
In 2019, news broke that McKeon had succumbed to an undisclosed, long-term illness. And, just like that, the actor who seemingly had been forgotten by many was suddenly once again remembered as fans started searching the internet to see just what McKeon had been doing for the past couple of decades.
Social media, of course, was a great place to catch up on McKeon. It was on Twitter, now known as X, that Charlie Sheen posted about how McKeon had always been a perfect gentleman. Yep, polite and courteous until the end of his days.
Bobby Bank/Getty Images
Actress Linda Lavin told People magazine, “Although we were performing a show, the dynamic of creating that relationship made our connection very real and deep. He taught me how to be a good mom, just by being the wondrous boy he was.”
Hordes of others chimed in about McKeon’s life as well. However, perhaps most importantly, it became very clear that McKeon had loved and been loved by his family, who were devastated by the loss. Variety reported that a family spokesperson said, “We are all beyond heartbroken and devastated over Phil’s passing. His wonderful sense of humor, kindness, and loyalty will be remembered by all who crossed his path in life.”
To this day, other than attributing McKeon’s death to a long illness, an official cause of death has never been publicly revealed, and you know what? That is completely okay. The McKeon family does not owe the public anything. The later years of his life had been away from the limelight, and there is no reason why that should change now. For the fans who were entertained by McKeon so many years ago, it should be enough to know that he lived a good, noble, and decent life.
Remind