In 1976, if you had told 14 year old Franciscan seminary student Thomas Cruise Mapother IV that one day in the not too distant future he would be considered one of the top 100 movie stars of all time, he would have probably grinned and told you that his ambition was to become a priest. Nonetheless, this sensitive, deeply religious youngster who was born in 1962 in Syracuse, New York, was destined to become Tom Cruise, one of the highest paid and most sought after actors in screen history. The only son (among four children) of nomadic parents young Tom spent his boyhood eternally on the move and by the time he was 14 he had attended 15 different schools in the US and Canada. He finally settled in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, with his mother and her new husband. While in high school, he developed an interest in acting and abandoned his plans of becoming a priest, dropped out of school, and at age 18 headed for New York and a possible acting career. The next 15 years of his life are the stuff of legends. He made his film debut with a small part in Endless Love and from the outset exhibited an undeniable box office appeal to both male and female audiences.

Though below average height and not particularly handsome in the traditional sense, within 5 years Tom Cruise was starring in some of the top grossing films of the 1980s including Top Gun; The Color of Money, Rain Man and Born on the Fourth of July. By the 1990s he was one of the highest paid actors in the world earning an average 15 million dollars a picture in such blockbuster hits as Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles, Mission: Impossible and Jerry Maguire - for which he received an Academy Award Nomination for best actor. In 1990 he renounced his devout Catholic beliefs and embraced The Church Of Scientology claiming that Scientology teachings had cured him of the dyslexia that had plagued him all of his life. A kind and thoughful man well known for his compassion and generosity, Tom Cruise is one of the best liked members of the movie community. He was married to actress Nicole Kidman until 2001. Thomas Cruise Mapother IV has indeed come a long way from the lonely wanderings of his youth.


War of the Worlds (2005): (20% profit participation)
The Last Samurai (2003): $25,000,000 + % of profits
Minority Report (2002): $25,000,000+
Vanilla Sky (2001): $20,000,000 + 30% of Profits
Mission: Impossible II (2000): $20,000,000 + 12% of the gross
Eyes Wide Shut (1999): $20,000,000
Jerry Maguire (1996): $20,000,000 against 15%
Mission: Impossible (1996): $70,000,000 (gross participation)
Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994): $15,000,000
The Firm (1993): $12,000,000
A Few Good Men (1992): $12,500,000
Far and Away (1992): $13,000,000
Days of Thunder (1990): $9,000,000
Rain Man (1988): $3,000,000+% of gross
Cocktail (1988): $3,000,000
The Color of Money (1986): $1,000,000
Top Gun (1986): $2,000,000
Legend (1985): $500,000
Risky Business (1983): $75,000
Taps (1981): $50,000

Older cousin of actor William Mapother, Katherine Mapother and Amy Mapother. Ranked #3 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list (October 1997). Voted Best Dressed Male Movie Star (1997). Caused a stir in the medical community when he claimed, in an interview, that Scientology cured him of his dyslexia (1992). Has three sisters: Marian, Lee Anne De Vette and Cass. Lee Anne became his publicist in 2004 after he left Pat Kingsley and left in 2005 to concentrate on production matters for his production company. Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world (1990). At age 14, he enrolled in a seminary to become a priest. He dropped out after one year. He has two adopted children with Nicole Kidman: Isabella Jane Cruise (born December 22, 1992) Connor Antony Cruise (Connor Cruise) (born January 17, 1995). Mission: Impossible (1996) gave him a total of $70 million with percentage of gross included. Recently restored an older home in the township of Biltmore Forest, a town within the city limits of Asheville, North Carolina (2000). Received the John Huston Award for Artists Rights in 1998. Cruise earned roughly $75 million for Mission: Impossible II (2000). He did this by turning down any upfront salary, for instead taking a back-end deal that landed him 30% of the film's gross for both his producing and acting duties. Filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against Michael Davis, a man who allegedly offered to sell videotapes of himself having sex with the actor. The lawsuit accuses Davis of making the statements "in order to hurt the plaintiff and gain widespread publicity for himself." (May 2001). Instead of his affair with Penélope Cruz damaging both their careers, it only boosted it. Earned his pilot's license in Toronto, Canada in 1994. For 1988, he became the first actor to have the distinction of starring in both the year's Oscar winner for Best Picture, Rain Man (1988) and the year's Razzie "winner" for Worst Picture, Cocktail (1988). Ranked #4 in Star TV's Top 10 Box Office Stars of the 1990s (2003) Has two dogs called Basil and Murray and a cat called Harvey. Briefly attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky and was a paperboy for the Louisville Courier-Journal. Announced that his relationship with Penélope Cruz had ended in January 2004. [March 2004] Will not allow his likeness to be used in video games or for action figures. He was voted the 31st Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly. Spoke at his niece's, Lee Anne De Vette's daughter, graduation from the Delphian School. Lost out to actor Peter Barton for the lead role in "The Powers of Matthew Star" (1982). Attended the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City. While a student at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre, he studied one of his courses under legendary acting teacher Sanford Meisner. Was named the #1 top money-making star at the box office in Quigley Publications annual poll of movie exhibitors a record seven times between 1986 and 2005. Being crowned the top box office champ in 2005 put Cruise one title ahead of Tom Hanks, who has been named #1 at the B.O. six times. Bing Crosby and Burt Reynolds both were named #1 for five consecutive years, and Clint Eastwood also has been #1 five times, but non-consecutively. Has donated to charities such as The Ashley Flint Fund, The Tsunami Relief Fund, Themoms.biz Diabetes Fund, Hillary Rodham Clinton's Campaign and The Church of Scientology. Studied with renowned acting coach Phil Gushee at Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, New York. The name Mapother is pronounced like "MAY bother", only with a P. Ranked #14 on Premiere's 2005 Power 50 List. He is the highest ranked actor on the list. Proposed to Katie Holmes at the Eiffel Tower in Paris Emilio Estevez served as best man at his wedding to Mimi Rogers. His May 2005 appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (1986) was named the #1 "Celebrity Meltdown Ever" by TV Guide Magazine. He and his former girlfriend Penélope Cruz appeared together in Vanilla Sky (2001) While attending the London premiere of War of the Worlds (2005), he was squirted in the face with water during a prank interview. His reaction on camera was stern but not livid. The culprit was charged with assault. He is a big fan of British singer Joss Stone. Has worked with an impressive list of master filmmakers: Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma, Francis Ford Coppola, Oliver Stone, Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg. Tom and Katie Holmes became the parents of Suri Cruise, who was born on April 18, 2006 in Los Angeles. "Suri" weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz. and was 20 inches. Was originally to star in Enemy of the State (1998), but scheduling conflicts with Eyes Wide Shut (1999) forced him to miss out on the film. His part went to Will Smith. Topped Forbes magazine's "100 Top Celebrities" list in 2006 ahead of The Rolling Stones and Oprah Winfrey (June 2006). Stepfather of his children Isabella and Connor is Keith Urban Was ranked # 1 in Forbes Celebrity 100 Who Made Bank (2006). In September of 2006, he visited actress Brooke Shields at her home and personally apologized to her for criticizing her in 2005 about her use of prescription medication to overcome her post partum depression. Touched by the gesture, Brooke accepted his apology. Resurrected United Artists together with MGM executives to produce and star in some of the company's projects (November 2006). Although they officialized their marriage in Los Angeles prior, he and Katie Holmes celebrated their wedding in the Odescalchi castle in Bracciano, Italy. The ceremony was performed by a Scientology minister in front of more than 150 relatives and friends including Hollywood superstars such as Jim Carrey, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Russell Crowe, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Richard Gere, Brooke Shields, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Kirstie Alley. Italian pop opera purveyor Andrea Bocelli serenaded the newlyweds (18 November 2006). He and Katie Holmes honeymooned in the Maldives. Once lived in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada & attended the same high school as Bryan Adams. Considered for the role, in Crimson Tide (1995), that went to Denzel Washington. Was offered for the lead of Reign Over Me (2007). Attended St. Raphael The Archangel Elementary School in Louisville, Kentucky. The Japan Memorial Day Association declared 10 October 2006 "Tom Cruise Day". When attending a Franciscan seminary in Cincinatti, he aspired to become a priest. Was introduced to Scientology by his ex-wife Mimi Rogers. Mentioned in song "Faudrait leur dire" by French rap band "3eme oeil". Is the only actor to ever work with all of the following directors; Oliver Stone in Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Martin Scorsese in The Color of Money (1986), Stanley Kubrick in Eyes Wide Shut (1999), and Steven Spielberg in Minority Report (2002). Has married two actresses who played Batman's love interest. Nicole Kidman from Batman Forever (1995) and Katie Holmes from Batman Begins (2005). Considered for the role, in End of Days (1999), that went to Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 1974, when Cruise was 11, his parents divorced. Has "attended" Harvard Law School in 2 movies: A Few Good Men (1992) and The Firm (1993). Went to an audition for the part of Howard Keach in Harry & Son (1984). He didn't get the part, but the director, Paul Newman remembered him, and decided that he wanted Cruise for The Color of Money (1986). He became good friends with Sean Penn and Timothy Hutton during the making of Taps (1981). From late January to early February 2009, he along with wife, 'Katie Holmes' and daughter, Suri, spent several days in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil staying at the famous Copacabana Palace Hotel. They were in town for a vacation (which included a helicopter tour over Rio) as well as to promote his film Valkyrie (2008). Still owns a P-51D Mustang, but changed the nose art from "Montana Miss" to "Kiss Me Kate". Airplane is very rarely spotted out of hanger. Hired Amanda Lundberg as his new publicist, replacing the PR firm Rogers & Cowan [January 28, 2010].