"I'm passionate about learning. I'm passionate about life." - Tom Cruise

Over the past few months, it’ seems like you can’t open a newspaper, turn on a computer or watch television without running into Tom Cruise.

Between his romance with Katie Holmes, his trampoline act on Oprah’s couch and his newfound wisdom on all things pharmaceutical, Cruise has been downright inescapable.

There has been lots of speculation on the impact all of the recent publicity will have on the actor’s upcoming film. Mission Impossible 3 is set to open on May 5th. I suspect Cruise’s recent notoriety will result in huge box office numbers. Throughout his career, he’s rarely made a misstep.

While his involvement with Scientology remains controversial; one thing is clear; Tom Cruise is one of very few actors who truly understands the movie star business.

Thomas Cruise Mapother IV was born on July 3, 1962 in Syracuse, New York. His father, Thomas Mapother III was an electrical engineer, while his mother was the former Mary Lou Pfeiffer. As a child, Tom found himself forever traveling with his nomadic parents and three sisters. As a result, Cruise attended eight elementary schools and three high schools. “Because I grew up in so many different places,” Cruise told a reporter, “I was used to rumors. You know, I didn't have the right shoes, I didn't have the right clothes. I even had the wrong accent.” While a teenager, Tom planned on becoming a priest and studied with the Jesuits at a Franciscan seminary in Cincinnati for a year

Cruise’s parents were divorced when he was twelve. Soon afterwards, his mother remarried and the family settled in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. Cruise became interested in acting after a wrestling injury forced curtailment of his sports activities.

After graduating from Glen Ridge High School in 1980, Tom moved to New York City to pursue an acting career. This was a particular challenge as he was profoundly dyslexic. While living in New York, Cruise became a member of The Neighborhood Playhouse which was founded by legendary acting teacher Sanford Meisner.

In 1981, Cruise made his film debut in a small role in Endless Love (1981, Franco Zefferelli). The picture, which starred Brooke Shields and Martin Hewitt, was a disaster but Cruise gained attention. In Taps (1981, Harold Becker), Cruise’s portrayal of the psychotic David Shawn displayed the intensity that has since become his trademark.

Cruise was then cast as Steve Randle, one of the rich kids in The Outsiders (1983). Based on the novel by S.E. Hinton, the film featured Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell, Rob Lowe and Emilio Estevez. Along with Cruise, the young actors were quickly labeled “The Brat Pack” by an attentive press. However, Cruise didn’t like being categorized. He was determined to go his own way.

I don't really keep counsel with others,” the actor said in an interview. “I’m the kind of person who will think about something, and if I know its right, I'm not going to ask anybody. I don't go, "Boy, what do you think about this?" I've made every decision for myself - in my career, in my life.”

The Outsiders gave Tom the opportunity to work with Francis Ford Coppola. In the years ahead, the actor would collaborate with an inordinate number of great directors.

Cruise followed The Outisiders with the teen comedy Losin’ It (1983, Curtis Hanson) and the basketball drama All The Right Moves (1983, Michael Chapman). Legend (1985) was a fantasy that never quite came together, but the film gave the actor the chance to work with director Ridley Scott.

Risky Business (1983) had the potential to become yet another in the endless series of teen comedies that filled movie screens in the mid-eighties. It was due to the incisive writing and direction of Paul Brickman and the performance of Cruise, that the film became a major hit. The minute Tom slid into view dancing to Bob Segar’s “Old Time Rock and Roll” dressed in his briefs and little else, a star was born.

Top Gun (1986) is the film that solidified Cruise’s stardom. Co-starring Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer and Anthony Edwards, the picture seems at times to be more a recruiting poster than a movie. Directed by Tony Scott from a screenplay by Jim Cash and Jack Epps, Top Gun starred Cruise as Pete Mitchell; a young fighter pilot who goes by the nickname “Maverick.” By utilizing photographic and editing techniques common to music videos, director Scott imbued the film with undeniable kinetic energy which was more than matched by that of its star.

Following Top Gun, Cruise continued to make interesting career choices. The Color of Money (1985) was the long anticipated sequel to The Hustler (1961, Robert Rossen), Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film starred Paul Newman as pool player “Fast” Eddie Felson who takes the younger Vincent Lauria (Cruise) under his wing and shows him the ways of the professional pool shark.

Color of Money was nominated for four Oscars; Best art direction, Screenplay, Supporting Actress (Mary Elizabeth Mastrontonio) and Best Actor (Pail Newman). The sole winner was Newman.

In the spring of 1987, Tom Cruise married actress Mimi Rogers. Their union would last until 1990.

For his next film, Cruise chose the relatively lightweight Cocktail (1988, Roger Donaldson). In the picture, Cruise played Brian Flannigan; a young bartender from New York who journeys to Jamaica where he falls in love. Though trashed by critics, the movie was a significant hit.

Rainman (1988, Barry Levinson) starred Dustin Hoffman as the autistic Raymond Babbitt with Cruise as his brother; Charlie. Sensitively directed by Barry Levinson from a screenplay by Ronald Bass and Barry Marrow, the film won Oscars for its screenplay, Hoffman’s performance, Levinson’s direction and as Best Picture.

Though Cruise wasn’t nominated, he was as responsible for the film’s success as Hoffman. In Rainman, Cruise delicately underplayed his role, allowing Hoffman to dominate the proceedings. Yet, Cruise was the emotional center of the film. He provided necessary contrast to his co-star’s often bizarre behavior and gave the audience someone with whom they could easily identify.

Nothing Cruise had done prepared anyone for Born on the 4th of July (1989). Based on the autobiographical book by Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic, the film was directed by Oliver Stone who co-wrote the screenplay with the book’s author. As Kovic, who returned from war disabled and determined to help end the conflict, Cruise gave a searing, brutally honest performance that earned him his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor.

Having made two less commercial projects in a row, Cruise next starred in Days of Thunder (1990), which reunited him with director Tony Scott. The film co-starred Robert Duvall and continued Cruise’s pattern of working with experienced older actors. The star seemed to be using his films as a university in which to study his craft with the industry’s top professionals.

Days of Thunder was set in the world of auto racing and featured Cruise as driver Cole Trickle. For the first time, Tom co-starred with Nicole Kidman and the movie sparked a romance. Cruise and Kidman were married in December, 1990. The couple soon adopted their daughter; Isabella (b; 1993) and son; Conner (b; 1995). Tom and Nicole were married for eleven years before divorcing in 2001.

In 1990 Cruise announced that he had given up the Catholic faith to join the Church of Scientology. He had first been introduced to the church by his former wife; Mimi Rogers. "I believe in life. I know that life comes in at your heart and it doesn't matter if you're an actor, a filmmaker or a gentleman on the street, it comes at you,” he told a reporter. “What Scientology gives me is the tools to deal with that, to better enjoy my life and to be able to contribute more."

Scientology had an added benefit for the actor. In 1992, he announced that his new faith had enabled him to conquer his dyslexia.

Like Cocktail, Days of Thunder was savaged by the critics but found success at the box office. Cruise lost no time in again starring with Kidman in the sweeping Far and Away (1992) for director Ron Howard. The film told the epic story of Joseph Donnelly, who journeys from Ireland to America in the early years of the twentieth century. Though blessed with lush production values, the film failed to connect with critics or audiences.

Playwright Aaron Sorkin adapted A Few Good Men (1992, Rob Reiner) from his own stage original Cruise plays Lt. Daniel Kaffee, a young lawyer assigned to defend two soldiers accused of the murder of a fellow serviceman. Kaffee’s decision to try the case puts him at odds with Captain Jack Pass (Keifer Sutherland), Lt Colonel Matthew Andrew Markinson (J.T. Walsh) and their commanding officer Colonel Nathan R. Jessup (Jack Nicholson). As Kaffee continues his investigation, he becomes convinced that Jesup and his acolytes are concealing important information.

The highlight of the film is Cruise’s courtroom clash with Nicholson. Though the older star dominates the proceedings, Cruise more than meets him on his own level. The movie was nominated for Best Sound, Editing, Best Supporting Actor (Nicholson) and for Best Picture. Though Cruise wasn't nominated, it’s his performance that holds the film together and it’s through his eyes that audiences view the story.

Cruise next chose a film with the potential to become a blockbuster Based on the bestselling novel by former lawyer John Grisham, The Firm (1993) was adapted to the screen by playwright David Rabe and directed by Sidney Pollack.

The Firm concerns young attorney Mitch McDeere (Cruise). Married to fellow barrister Abbey (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Mitch is recruited by a prestigious law firm in Atlanta. Upon accepting their more than generous salary offer and relocating to Georgia, McDeere begins to have qualms about his new firm and the clients they serve. Upon release, the taut suspense film quickly became one of the year’s most popular movies. The supporting cast included; Gene Hackman, Hal Holbrook, Wilford Brimley, Ed Harris, Holy Hunter, David Strathairn, Gary Busey and Stephen Hill.

Controversy surrounded Cruise’s decision to portray the ageless Lestat de Lioncourt, in the screen version of Anne Rice’s bestselling Interview with the Vampire (1993). Directed by Neal Jordan, the film co-starred Brad Pitt as Louis de Pont du Lac who becomes Lestat’s companion after being bitten by the ancient bloodsucker. Together, the two vampires initiate a child named Claudia (Kirsten Dunst) into their cursed existence

Though he failed to be totally convincing in his role, Cruise gave an earnest performance and the film was a success.

Created by Bruce Geller, Mission Impossible made its television debut in 1966. The program starred Stephen Hill as Daniel Briggs who heads the Impossible Missions Force. The agency is dedicated to carrying out highly complex and extremely dangerous covert operations for the U.S. Government.

In the show’s second year, Peter Graves’ Jim Phelps replaced Hill’s Briggs. The members of the MI team were master of disguise Rollin Hand (Martin Landau), former model Cinnamon Carter (Barbara Bain), electronics expert Barney Collins (Greg Morris) and strongman Willy Armitage (Peter Lupus). After Landau and Bain quit the show in 1969, Leonard Nimoy joined the cast as the mysterious Paris. Mission Impossible left the air in 1973.

Directed by Brian DePalma from a screenplay by David Koepp and Robert Towne, Mission Impossible (1996) starred Cruise as agent Ethan Hunt. The role of Phelps was taken by Jon Voight. While the TV show had featured all of the members of the team as equal partners, the films focused on Cruise. His Ethan Hunt became kind of a high tech James Bond in an adventure as exciting as its details were incomprehensible.

For Mission Impossible, Cruise agreed to forgo his usual salary and instead took a percentage of hoped for profits. When the film was a massive hit, the actor realized a windfall in excess of $75,000,000.

Cruise hadn’t made a light film since Cocktail. Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, Jerry Maguire (1996) starred Cruise as an agent who represents sports figures. After being fired from his firm, Jerry Maguire is left with a sole client; football player Paul Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr).

Co-starring Renee Zellweger, the film is best remembered for Gooding’s Oscar winning performance but it’s Cruise who occupies the movie’s center. Jerry Maguire was also nominated for Best Editing, Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture. For his performance in the title role, Cruise received his second Best Actor nomination.

"Awards are wonderful,” Cruise maintained. “I've been nominated many times and I've won many awards. But my journey is not towards that. If it happens it will be a blast. If it doesn't, it's still been a blast."

Besides his Oscar nominations, Cruise was nominated for Golden Globes for Best Actor (Comedy or Musical) for Risky Business (1983) and won for Jerry Maguire(1996). He was a candidate for Globes as Best Actor (Drama) for, A Few Good Men (1992) and The Last Samurai (2003) and won for Born on the 4th of July (1989). In addition; Cruise won a Globe for his Supporting Performance in Magolia (1999).

Cruise became the first star to have five movies in a row (A Few Good Men, The Firm, Interview with the Vampire, Mission Impossible and Jerry Maguire) each realize one hundred million dollars or better at the box office.

After putting aside AI; Artificial Intelligence, which would be made by Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick turned to Eyes Wide Shut. (1999) which was adapted by the director from Arthur Schnitzler’s 1926 novel; Traumnovelle (Dream Story). The film was the last to co-star Cruise and Kidman. As wealthy Dr William Hartford and his wife Alice, the two are drawn into a secretive society whose members engage in exotic sexual practices.

After two years in production, Eyes Wide Shut was almost complete when the film world was saddened by the sudden death of Stanley Kubrick.

"We knew from the beginning the level of commitment needed,” Cruise said in an interview. “We felt honored to work with Stanley Kubrick. We were going to do what it took to do this picture, whatever time, because I felt - and Nic did, too - that this was going to be a really special time for us. We knew it would be difficult. But I would have absolutely kicked myself if I hadn't done this."

Upon release, Eyes Wide Shut proved to be a fascinating yet frustrating viewing experience that sharply divided the opinions of critics and audiences.

Cruise then took a supporting role in director Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia (1999). The film focused on a large group of interrelated characters, all of whom lived and/or worked in California’s San Fernando Valley. Cruise’s misogynistic T.J. Mackey runs a seminar teaching men how to seduce women they will then abandon A thoroughly unlikable person, Mackey engages our sympathies when he is reunited with his dying father; Earl Partridge (Jason Robards).

Magnolia was honored with Oscar nominations for its music, screenplay and for Cruise’s atypical supporting performance.

Having spent the better part of three years on films away from the Hollywood mainstream, Cruise beat a hasty retreat back to proven ground with Mission Impossible 2 (2000). This time the director was John Woo.

In MI2, Agent Ethan Hand (Cruise) is out to destroy a generically modified disease known as “Chimera” before it can be released into the atmosphere. Based on a story by Ronald D Moore and Brennon Braga, the screenplay of MI2 was written by Robert Towne. Despite its overly complex plot, the film’s spectacular action and the charisma of its star insured its success.

Based on the film Abre los ojos (1997, Pedro Amenabar), Vanilla Sky (2001) reunited Cruise with director Cameron Crowe. Co-starring Cameron Diaz, the film stars Cruise as Dr David Aames who finds himself drawn into a world between waking and nightmares following a car accident. Though murky and off-putting, the self consciously pretentious picture nonetheless managed to return a sizable profit.

Tom and his co-star Penelope Cruz became a major media item when their relationship became public knowledge during the production of Vanilla Sky. The couple remained together until 2004.

Steven Spielberg then starred Cruise in the screen translation of a short story by science-fiction writer Phillip K. Dick. Minority Report (2002) features the star as Police Chief John Anderson. In the future, criminals are apprehended before they commit a crime due to technology enabling policemen to accurately forecast the future. When Anderson is accused of murder, he finds himself running from the very system he had once served Spielberg’s stylish thriller gained an Oscar nomination for sound editing.

In The Last Samurai (2003, Edward Zwick), Cruise is Civil War veteran Captain Nathan Algren. Algren travels to Japan where he has been hired to train the troops of The Emperor for their upcoming confrontation with the nation’s final samurais. After he's captured by the powerful Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), Algren comes to understand and appreciate the ancient samurai ways.

"I was 18 when I saw Akira Kurosawa's Shichinin no samurai (Seven Samurai) (1954).” said Cruise to a reporter. “After about 30 seconds, I realized that this was not just a cultural thing, it was universal. Years later, I read Bushido. It talked about many things that I strive for in my own life: loyalty, compassion, responsibility, the idea of looking back on your life and taking responsibility for everything you've ever done. I'm fascinated by the samurai and the samurai code… -

Filled with details of a culture far removed from ours, The Last Samurai was a powerful and literate epic. The picture was Oscar nominated for its sound, costumes, editing, art direction and for Ken Watanabe’s supporting performance.

Tom Cruise is always looking for a fresh challenge and seems unafraid of taking chances. Collateral (2004, Michael Mann), gave the actor his first villainous role. Los Angeles Taxi driver Max (Jamie Foxx) picks up a fare only to discover that his passenger has hired him as an escort for a grisly night’s work. Vincent (Cruise) is a contract killer who has planned an eventful night as he carries out orders from those who paid for his services.

"I've never played a character like this before,” Cruise said.. “Vincent interested me because he is such an anti-social personality, bringing destruction and chaos with him wherever he goes. He's a force of nature".

Collateral was Oscar nominated for its editing and for the supporting performance of Jamie Foxx.

Working again with Stephen Spielberg, Cruise starred in the director’s adaptation of HG Welles The War of the Worlds (2005). Written in 1898, the novel was adapted for radio by Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre. Their 1938 Halloween broadcast of the tale caused panic when much of its audience took to the streets believing the program’s reports of alien invasion to be genuine.

In 1953, War of the Worlds was brought to the screen by producer George Pal and director Byron Haskin. Starring Gene Barry, the film was notable for its state-of-the-art special effects which were credited to the Oscar nominated Gordon Jennings

In the Spielberg version, Ray Ferrier (Cruise) works a blue collar job in New Jersey. When the country is faced with alien invasion Ferrier must try to save his family. The film co-stars Dakota Fanning and Justin Chetwin as Ferrier’s daughter Rachel and his son; Robbie. War of the Worlds was Oscar nominated for Visual effects, Sound Editing and Sound.

The upcoming Mission Impossible 3 (2006) is the first feature to be directed by J.J. Abrams. A veteran writer and producer, Abrams previously directed episodes of Felicity (1998-2002), Lost (2004- ), and Alias (2001-), all three of which he co-created. With a budget of $150,000,000 MI3 is the most expensive debut feature yet filmed.

In the third chapter of the MI saga, Cruise’s Ethan Hand must stop a vicious arms dealer, played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Among multiple misdeeds, the madman has threatened to kill the agent’s girlfriend; Julia (Michelle Monaghan). Also in the cast are Ving Rhemes, Laurence Fishburne and Billy Crudup.

Despite his recent behavior, Tom Cruise remains at the top of his profession. The thirty-six films in which he’s appeared have amassed an aggregate box office totaling some $2,537,614, 685 dollars. While Cruise may not be a great actor in the classic sense, he remains an ingratiating and charismatic screen presence.

“As a young actor, people were trying to define who I was before I really knew that for myself,” Cruise said in an interview. “But I still remember thinking, 'This is what I love doing, and I hope I'm going to be able to do it forever."

Jp ‘06
(John Kaufman)
Allston, Ma

Research;
IMDB.com (Internet Movie Data Base)
Allmovieguide.com (The All Movie Guide)
Wickipedia. org (On line encyclopedia)
BoxOfficeMojo.com (Box Office Mojo)