Thomas got his big TV break when he was cast as a regular on the popular fantasy sitcom "Mork and Mindy" (ABC, 1978-80), playing brash deli owner Remo DaVinci. For three seasons on "Cheers" (NBC, 1987-89), he enlivened things as Carla's ex-husband, a former hockey goalie turned Ice Capades show penguin. Thomas has turned up regularly on the tube, mostly in small or supporting roles in specials, movies and series. For his performance as caustic talk show host Jerry Gold on "Murphy Brown", he picked up a 1991 Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor. As opinionated sports writer Jack Stein on sitcom "Love & War", he suffered loudly the slings and arrows of an on-again off-again romance first with Susan Dey and then with the sometimes ditzy yet usually sharp Dana Palladino as portrayed by Annie Potts. Thomas' abrasive yet still sympathetic performance gave both couplings a credible New York edge.
On the big screen, Thomas has had middling success. He made his feature film debut as one of the victims of a flesh-eating monster in "C.H.U.D." (1984) and went on to play a crooner in Frank D. Gilroy's "The Gig" (1985). He had one of his best roles to date in 1995's "Mr. Holland's Opus", as the football coach and friend to music teacher Richard Dreyfuss.