Popularly known for his role of Larry in 1978’s “Animal House,” Tom Hucle is a famous American actor, theatre producer, singe and entrepreneur.
Age, Early Life, Education Background
Born Thomas Edward Hulce under the Sagittarius zodiac sign on 6 December 1953, in Detroit, Michigan, the American entertainer is 67 years old as of 2021. He is of the Dutch, German, English, and Irish ancestry, and was born to Joanna Winkleman, who performed “All-Girl Orchestra” with Phil Spitalny; his father, Raymond Albert Hucle worked with the Ford Motor Firm. He is the last-born child in his family and has an elder brother and two sisters with whom he was raised together in Plymouth, Michigan.
https://www.facebook.com/horrorchannel/photos/a.145742555465314/4144342135605316/
Tom was interested in music as he was growing up and wanted to follow in his mother’s footsteps, but switched his interest to acting when he became a teenager, although revealing during an interview his parents weren’t very happy with his choice.
The Detroit-born star went to Interlochen Arts Academy at the age of 15, before attending North Carolina School of Arts but dropped out one year before the completion of his BFA. He later joined the Wisconsin-based Beloit College, and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree. After his studies, Tom resolved to become a successful actor before he reached the age of 30.
Hobbies and Interests
During his free time, Hucle enjoys his friends’ company, and likes hanging out with them.
He enjoys traveling, and has visited many US and European destinations for work and leisure.
Tom likes watching films when he’s not working – his favorite actor and actress are Murray Abraham and Elizabeth Berridge respectively.
Before the shooting of the film “Amadeus,” he had to spend time learning to play a piano, which afterwards became his hobby.
He likes wearing black clothes, since it’s his favorite ‘color’.
Career
Career Beginning – Stage Appearances
Before he began acting professionally, Tom worked in Ann Arbor Theatre as an usher and a ticket seller. He spent a few months in Europe before moving to New York to audition for a Broadway role in late 1973.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exaEt7szfi4
In the year that followed, he was selected to replace Peter Firth in the Broadway production “Equus”; this was a big deal for him, being his first lead role, nude performance, and Broadway feature all in one, and he doubted if he was able to assume the role perfectly, but his performance turned out to be great. Tom focused on stage appearances during his initial career, and was seen in many productions such as “Romeo and Juliet,” “Butter and Egg Man,” “A Few Good Men” by Aaron Sorkin (he was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in this play), “Julius Caesar,” and several others.
Appearances in Films
Tom made his film debut with the role of Frank in the film “Forget-Me-Not-Lane” in 1975, before he featured in “Animal House” by National Lampoon three years later, playing the role of Larry Kroger alongside Donald Sutherland, Verna Bloom and John Belushi. In the ’80s, he was seen in the Oscar award-winning film “Amadeus” (1984) in the title role of musical genius Wolfgang Amadeus. In the next decade, Tom appeared in several films, such as 1986’s “Echo Park,” “Dominic and Eugene” in 1988, “Murder in Mississippi” in 1990, and 1995’s “The Heidi Chronicles” among several others.
Before the end of the decade, he also lent his voice to Quasimodo in the animated film “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”, reprised in the film’s sequel that aired in 2002.
He appeared in his two last films, 2006’s “Stranger than Fiction” and 2008’s “Jumper”, before he retired.
Other Works
Hulce is credited with directing the off-Broadway musical “Sleep Around Town”, performed at Playwrights Horizon. He also directed the play “The Cider House Rules” in 1998. He produced the movie “A Home at the End of the World,” which starred Dallas Roberts and Colin Farrell, before also producing the off-Broadway musical entitled “The Spring Awakening” in the year that followed; the film won more than five Tony Awards. In 2007, he produced the “10 Million Miles” music video, and more recently he was involved in “Ain’t Too Proud” as the producer.
Awards and Nominations
Tom has bagged many awards as well as award nominations since he began his career in the entertainment industry. He was nominated for an Oscar for his protagonist role in “Amadeus”, and a Golden Globe Award in the category of Second Best Actor in 1988 for his praised performance in “Dominick and Eugene.” He has been nominated for several Emmy Awards – his first was in 1990 for appearing in “Murder in Mississippi,” and he bagged an Emmy Award in 1996 for his role in “The Heidi Chronicles.”
Personal Life, Rumors, and Controversies
Tom identified as gay in 2008 during an interview with Seattle Gay News. He has never been married, and doesn’t have children as of 2021. He is presumably single, as he hasn’t introduced anyone as his boyfriend. He is currently living in Seattle, Washington State, away from the busy cities of New York and Los Angeles.
Rumors and Controversies
There were rumors of Tom’s demise, which spread all over the internet in July a few years ago. The “R.I.P. Tom Hulce” Facebook page attracted millions of likes, and many fans also commented expressing how devastated they were. However, the rumors were dismissed since he is alive and doing well.
Before the hoax, there were rumors that Tom had married Cecilia Ermini, an Italian artist and that they had welcomed a daughter, Anya, together. Tom denied it publicly after he came out gay during a 2008 interview, saying that ‘…In the world of internet, there are many falsehoods. Anyone can write stuff on Wikipedia, and it doesn’t have to be true. I’m comfortable among the list (gay actors) although I stopped acting about 10 years ago.’
Physical Appearance, Height, and Weight
Tom is of white ethnicity, has a set of blue eyes and short grey hair. He is 5ft 7ins (1.71m) tall and weighs approximately 180lbs (82kgs).
Net Worth
Hucle has accumulated a hefty net worth from his long-spanning career in the entertainment industry, now more than four decades. He owns a chain of restaurants located in Washington – called Fat Hulce Burger – and also has a soccer team named Detroit Angeles. On top of this, the American multi-faceted entrepreneur has a brand of vodka named Pure Wonderhulce, US, and will soon launch his fashion line and a top selling perfume named Tom Hulce Seduction and With Love From Tom respectively.
The “Animal House” star has been featured in the list of top 10 highest-paid actresses and actors by People With Money, with accumulated earnings of around $58 million. As of late 2021, he is authoritatively worth close to $15 million.
Leave a Comment