Philip McKeon
The level-headed son Tommy on the long-running sitcom 'Alice,' who grew up on screen before finding a second act behind the radio microphone.
1964–2019 (age 55)·American actor·Birthday: November 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
Philip McKeon stepped into America's living rooms as a fresh-faced child actor, playing Tommy Hyatt, the sensible son of a waitress trying to make ends meet on the CBS sitcom 'Alice.' For nine seasons, he provided the grounded, youthful center to the show's diner-based chaos. His transition out of child stardom was a quiet one; he stepped away from regular on-screen work and eventually found a niche in radio production and hosting in Wimberley, Texas. McKeon's story is a classic, yet often overlooked, narrative of Hollywood: a young performer who handled early success without scandal and gracefully pivoted to a fulfilling life and career away from the glaring spotlight that first found him.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Philip was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Philip Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Philip's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2019Died at 55
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- Played a central role for the entire nine-season run of the hit television series 'Alice'.
- Served as a producer and host for the radio show 'The Radio Show' on KWVH-LP in Texas.
- Worked as a news director for a Los Angeles radio station early in his post-acting career.
Did You Know?
His sister is actress Nancy McKeon, who played Jo on 'The Facts of Life'.
He made a brief cameo in the 1980 film 'CHiPs'.
After acting, he worked for several years as a segment producer for the news magazine show 'Entertainment Tonight'.
“I learned early that this business is about more than just being on camera.”
