• Tom Berenger is an Oscar-nominated American actor, producer and screenwriter.
• He is best known for appearing in films such as "Major League" and "Sniper", as well as in movies "Platoon" (1986), "Gettysburg " (1993), "The Substitute" (1996) and "Inception" (2010).
• He was honored with the Primetime Emmy Award in 2012 for starring in the Golden Globe-winning TV historic drama mini-series "Hatfields & McCoys".
• Tom has married four times and has six children.
• His total wealth is estimated to be around $8 million.
Known for movies
Short Info
Net Worth | $16 Million |
Date Of Birth | May 31, 1949 |
Spouse | Laura Moretti (m. 2012), Patricia Alvaran (m. 1998–2011), Lisa Berenger (m. 1986–1997), Barbara Wilson (m. 1976–1984) |
Fact | He studied under Uta Hagen and Herbert Berghof at HB Studio while working in off-Broadway productions. |

Contents
Who is Tom Berenger?
Tom Berenger is an Oscar-nominated American actor, producer and screenwriter, who is perhaps best known for appearing in films such as “Major League” and “Sniper”, as well as in movies “Platoon” (1986), “Gettysburg ” (1993), “The Substitute” (1996) as well as “Training Day” (2001) and “Inception” (2010) to name a few. For starring in the Golden Globe-winning TV historic drama mini-series “Hatfields & McCoys”, Berenger was honored with the prestigious Primetime Emmy Award in 2012.
#DYK Before hitting it big as an actor, Tom Berenger was a flight attendant on Eastern Airlines.
Posted by getTV on Friday, January 27, 2017
Early Life and Education
Thomas Michael ‘Tom’ Moore was born under the zodiac sign of Gemini on the 31st 1949 ,in Chicago, Illinois, and apart from being of American nationality and white ethnicity, he is also of pert-Irish descent. Upon matriculating from Rich East High School in 1967, Tom enrolled at the University of Missouri from which he graduated in 1971, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts’ degree in journalism. He was also a student of the Herbert Berghof Studios.
Early Career
Upon graduating, Tom began his career in 1972 when he joined Eastern Airlines as a flight attendant. In 1973 he transferred to New York to pursue a career in acting, and changed his surname to Berenger. His on-screen acting debut occurred in 1975, when he was cast for the recurring role of Tim Siegel in one of the longest running American soap operas – “One Life to Live”. His debut big screen appearance occurred in 1977, when he briefly appeared in the horror movie “The Sentinel”.
Later that year he appeared opposite Diane Keaton and Richard Gere in the Oscar-nominated drama movie “Looking for Mr. Goodbar”, while in 1978 he portrayed the leading character of the independent comedy film “Rush It”. To greater prominence he came later in 1978, when he starred in the comedy drama movie “In Praise of Older Women”, while in 1979 he was cast for the role of Butch Cassidy in the Oscar-nominated western film “Butch and Sundance: The Early Days”.
With the beginning of the 1980s era, and with his career on the rise, Tom began appearing in more leading roles, adding several memorable appearances to his acting portfolio, including critically praised movies such as “The Dogs of War” (1980), “The Big Chill” (1993) “Eddie and the Cruisers” (1983) and “Rustlers’ Rhapsody” (1985). For his portrayal of Sgt. Barnes in Oliver Stone’s four-time Oscar winning 1986 war drama film “Platoon”, Berenger was honored with an Oscar nomination as well as with the Golden Globe Award for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture.
Throwback Thursday. All this month: "Hats." #Sniper3
Posted by Tom Berenger Online on Thursday, April 2, 2020
Prior to landing a role in the first installment of the eponymous film franchise – “Major League” (1989), Tom appeared in movies “Someone to Watch Over Me” (1987) and “Shoot to Kill” (1988).
Professional Acting Career
In 1990, Tom appeared in the Oscar-nominated thriller movie “The Field”, after which he starred in the Golden Globe-nominated drama film “At Play in the Fields of the Lord”. Into the limelight he stepped in 1993 when he was cast for the leading role of Thomas Beckett in the first film of the “Sniper” movie series, while later that year he starred in the historic war drama movie “Gettysburg”.
In the following year he reprised his role of Jake Taylor in the sports movie “Major League II”, which was followed by the leading role in the western movie “Last of the Dogmen” in 1995. By the end of the 1990s, Tom also starred in critically acclaimed movies such as “The Substitute” (1996), “A Murder of Crows” (1998) and “One Man’s Hero” (1999).
After appearing in the 2001 Oscar-winning thriller “Training Day”, Berenger starred in two sequels from the “Sniper” franchise, before appearing in TV series’ “Peacemakers” and “October Road”.
In 2010 he appeared opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Christopher Nolan’s four-time Oscar-winning masterpiece movie “Inception”, after which he starred in the recurring role of Rainer Gerhardt in the TV action drama series “XIII: The Series”. After winning the Primetime Emmy Award in 2012 for his performance in the TV mini-series “Hatfields & McCoys”, between 2013 and 2015 he appeared in the TV series “Major Crimes”. Some of Tom‘s most recent on-screen appearances include movies such as “Gone Are The Days” (2018), and “Sargasso” (2019).
Personal Life
Berenger’s private life is as thrilling as his professional acting career – he has married four times and has six children! Between 1976 and 1984 he was married to Barbara Wilson, with whom he welcomed daughter Alison born in 1977, and son Patrick born in 1979. From 1986 to 1997 he was married to Lisa Williams, with whom he has three daughters – Chelsea(1986), Chloe(1988) and Shiloh born in 1993. During Tom’s third marriage with Patricia Alvaran, lasting between 1998 and 2011, he had another daughter named Scout born in 1998.
Since September 2012 he has been married to Laura Moretti.
In 1988 he launched the Tom Berenger Acting Scholarship Fund.
Net Worth
As estimated by authoritative sources, the total of Tom Berenger‘s wealth as of mid-2020, revolves around an impressive sum of $8 million. It has all been acquired through his almost five-decade-long acting career since the early 1970s, during which he has already appeared in more than 100 motion pictures.
General Info
Full Name | Tom Berenger |
Net Worth | $16 Million |
Date Of Birth | May 31, 1949 |
Height | 1.8 m |
Profession | Screenwriter, Film producer, Actor |
Education | University of Missouri, Rich East High School |
Nationality | American |
Family
Spouse | Laura Moretti (m. 2012), Patricia Alvaran (m. 1998–2011), Lisa Berenger (m. 1986–1997), Barbara Wilson (m. 1976–1984) |
Children | Chelsea Berenger, Chloe Berenger, Scout Moore, Allison Moore, Shiloh Moore, Patrick Moore |
Siblings | Susan Moore |
Accomplishments
Awards | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie, Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture |
Nominations | Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series |
Movies | Platoon, Inception, The Big Chill, The Substitute, Last of the Dogmen, Gettysburg, Shoot to Kill, Someone to Watch Over Me, Training Day, Sniper 2, Sniper: Legacy, Sniper, Shattered, Born on the Fourth of July, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Sniper 3, Major League, At Play in the Fields of the Lord, Rustl... |
TV Shows | Hatfields & McCoys, For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots, October Road, Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King, Into the West, Peacemakers |
Social profile links
Quotes
# | Quote |
---|---|
1 | Your body really changes a lot in your 50s. You start feeling old injuries and things start coming back ... so you better get it together then. |
2 | [on Charlie Sheen] I've always liked him, and I always worry about him like his parents do. He was always a good listener, which is probably why he is a real good actor. |
3 | [in 2002] Since the '70s I've seen myself as a poet. Sometimes I express that poetry through acting, sometimes through cooking, and sometimes just having a good chat, you know, one of them chats you have when you're stoned and the hour is getting late. I don't know what's gonna come my way, but I think Berenger's gonna be big these next couple years. |
4 | Even my agents say, 'We don't know what this business is anymore.' These days, you can do a TV series for five years and all of a sudden be on top of the business. Features don't even run in theaters very long anymore before going right to television. And every other movie is one of those action things. I mean, Lost in Space (1998)? - a bunch of good actors running around shooting at special effects on a soundstage? I took my kids to see that and almost felt like I was on an acid trip. Most of what gets made now, you laugh your way through, go home and forget you've seen it. |
5 | [in 1975] I first started thinking about being an actor when I was in college at the University of Missouri. I auditioned for a television play, and the director, who has some professional New York credits, encouraged me to pursue acting. In college I had a double major--drama and film editing. I worked with 16 millimeter film upon graduating, and from Kansas City I went on to Dallas. All of this time I suppose I had an unrealized commitment to acting. But then, I guess I ran away from acting. I was afraid of the business--I still am. |
6 | [on playing bad guys] I enjoy playing them. I find something human in them, with the exception of Looking for Mr. Goodbar. It was such a slimy character with no redeeming qualities. To me it was like playing Charles Manson. I had nightmares after I finished shooting it. I felt dirty. Bad guys are interesting, even if you don't like them. |
Facts
# | Fact |
---|---|
1 | Tom's first play was in high school was performed in the Spanish language for an advanced Spanish class. Being an extremely shy guy, he was forced to be in it by his teacher. |
2 | Tom is an avid reader. |
3 | As of 2014, has appeared in four films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: The Big Chill (1983), Platoon (1986), Born on the Fourth of July (1989) and Inception (2010). Of those, Platoon (1986) won in the category. |
4 | Berenger lent his likeness for Frank Jaeger, in Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (1990). |
5 | Berenger's earlier career before he became an actor was as a flight attendant for the defunct Eastern Air Lines. |
6 | Prior to acting, he was also a bellman at the former Alameda Plaza Hotel (now the Inter-Continental Hotel) in the Country Club Plaza section of Kansas City, Missouri. |
7 | He studied under Uta Hagen and Herbert Berghof at HB Studio while working in off-Broadway productions. |
8 | Started "The Tom Berenger Acting Scholarship Fund" This was established in 1988 by him to award Theatre students for excellence in performance. |
9 | He picked "Berenger" as his professional name, after a school friend, because there was already a "Tom Moore" in the Actors' Equity Association. |
10 | The role that seems the nearest to his heart is that of Lt. General James Longstreet, whom he portrayed in Gettysburg (1993). |
11 | Tom's great interest in Civil War history has led him to collect on and research the Civil War era in his personal life as well. |
12 | Was the second ill-fated Timmy Siegal on 'One Life To Live'. |
13 | Tom speaks Spanish and Italian. |
14 | Turned down the part of Det. Sonny Crockett on Miami Vice (1984). The studio was hoping to land a big star, and also approached Nick Nolte and Jeff Bridges. |
15 | Admitted that he hated making Sliver (1993), as it went through endless reshoots and script changes. |
16 | Studied acting in New York at the Herbert Berghof Studios. |
17 | Lives in Beaufort, South Carolina when not working on films. |
18 | Lived in Puerto Rico for several months in his 20s. |
19 | Tom is a history buff. |
20 | His father was a traveling salesman. |
21 | He was offered his role in Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King (2006) and had 24 hours to decide if he wanted. He agreed without even getting a chance to read the script. He read it for the first time on the flight to Australia for the filming. |
22 | Graduated from the University of Missouri, where he majored in journalism. |
23 | Considers Flesh & Blood (1979) as one of his best films. |
24 | Father of Chelsea Berenger and Chloe Berenger. |
25 | Earned the highest rating (3 stars) from "The Bare Facts" -- a printed guide to on-screen nudity -- for eligible scenes in In Praise of Older Women (1978) and At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991).". |
26 | He has six children, Allison, Patrick, Chelsea, Chloe, Shiloh and Scout, and also a step-daughter, Julia, with his wife Laura Moretti. |
27 | Listed as a "Promising New Actor of 1977" in vol. 29 of John Willis' Screen World. |
Pictures
Movies
Actor
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|---|---|---|
Wunderland | 2017 | post-production | Major McCulley |
American Dresser | 2017 | post-production | John Moore |
Cops and Robbers | 2017/II | completed | |
Gone Are the Days | 2017 | post-production | Will |
Training Day | 2017 | TV Series | Stan Gursky |
Major Crimes | 2013-2015 | TV Series | Jackson Raydor |
Impact Earth | 2015 | Herbert Sloan | |
Reach Me | 2014 | Teddy | |
Sniper: Legacy | 2014 | Video | Thomas Beckett |
Lonesome Dove Church | 2014 | John Shepherd | |
Doc Holliday's Revenge | 2014/II | Judge Wells | |
Hawaii Five-0 | 2014 | TV Series | Eddie Williams |
Bad Country | 2014 | Lutin Adams | |
Grounded | 2013 | Jerry | |
Hatfields & McCoys | 2012 | TV Mini-Series | Jim Vance |
Brake | 2012/I | Ben Reynolds | |
War Flowers | 2012 | Gen. McIntire | |
Bucksville | 2011 | The Patron of Justice | |
XIII: The Series | 2011 | TV Series | Rainer Gerhardt |
Last Will | 2011 | Frank Emery | |
Faster | 2010 | Warden | |
Inception | 2010 | Browning | |
Sinners and Saints | 2010 | Captain Trahan | |
Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball | 2010 | Video | Walter Weed |
Breaking Point | 2009 | Steven Luisi | |
Silent Venom | 2009 | Video | Admiral Bradley Wallace |
The Making of 'Charlie Valentine': Behind the Scenes with Michael Weatherly | 2009 | Short | Becker |
The Hitmen Diaries: Charlie Valentine | 2009 | Becker | |
Amber Alert: Terror on the Highway | 2008 | TV Movie | Larsan |
Stiletto | 2008/II | Virgil Vadalos | |
October Road | 2007-2008 | TV Series | The Commander / Mr. Garrett |
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey | 2007 | Jonathan Toomey | |
America's Iliad: The Siege of Charleston | 2007 | TV Movie | Narrator (voice) |
Amy Coyne | 2006 | TV Movie | Mac |
Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King | 2006 | TV Mini-Series | Richard Kinnell |
Into the West | 2005 | TV Mini-Series | Colonel J. Chivington |
Detective | 2005 | TV Movie | Sgt. Malcolm Ainslie |
Sniper 3 | 2004 | Video | Thomas Beckett |
Capital City | 2004 | TV Movie | Sen. Foxworthy |
Peacemakers | 2003 | TV Series | Marshal Jared Stone |
Third Watch | 2003 | TV Series | Aaron Noble |
Sniper 2 | 2002 | Video | Thomas Beckett |
The Junction Boys | 2002 | TV Movie | Paul 'Bear' Bryant |
Johnson County War | 2002 | TV Movie | Cain Hammett |
Eye See You | 2002 | Hank | |
Watchtower | 2001 | Art Stoner | |
Ally McBeal | 2001 | TV Series | Harrison Wyatt |
True Blue | 2001 | Rembrandt Macy | |
The Hollywood Sign | 2001 | Tom Greener | |
Training Day | 2001 | Stan Gursky | |
Cutaway | 2000 | TV Movie | Red Line |
Law & Order | 2000 | TV Series | Dean Tyler |
Takedown | 2000 | McCoy Rollins | |
In the Company of Spies | 1999 | TV Movie | Kevin Jefferson |
Turbulence 2: Fear of Flying | 1999 | Sikes | |
One Man's Hero | 1999 | John Riley | |
Diplomatic Siege | 1999 | Gen. Buck Swain | |
A Murder of Crows | 1998 | Clifford Dubose | |
Shadow of Doubt | 1998 | Jack Campioni | |
The Gingerbread Man | 1998 | Pete Randle | |
Rough Riders | 1997 | TV Series | Theodore Roosevelt |
An Occasional Hell | 1996 | Dr. Ernest Dewalt | |
The Substitute | 1996 | Jonathan Shale | |
Last of the Dogmen | 1995 | Lewis Gates | |
Body Language | 1995 | TV Movie | Atty. Gavin St. Claire |
The Avenging Angel | 1995 | TV Movie | Miles Utley |
Chasers | 1994 | Rock Reilly | |
Major League II | 1994 | Jake Taylor | |
Gettysburg | 1993 | Lieut. Gen. James Longstreet | |
Sliver | 1993 | Jack Landsford | |
Cheers | 1993 | TV Series | Don Santry |
Sniper | 1993 | Thomas Beckett | |
At Play in the Fields of the Lord | 1991 | Lewis Moon | |
Dream On | 1991 | TV Series | Nick Spencer |
Shattered | 1991 | Dan Merrick | |
The Field | 1990 | Peter - The American | |
Love at Large | 1990 | Harry Dobbs | |
Born on the Fourth of July | 1989 | Recruiting Gunnery Sgt. Hayes | |
Major League | 1989 | Jake Taylor | |
Last Rites | 1988 | Father Michael Pace | |
Betrayed | 1988 | Gary Simmons | |
Shoot to Kill | 1988 | Jonathan Knox | |
Someone to Watch Over Me | 1987 | Det. Mike Keegan | |
Platoon | 1986 | Sgt. Barnes | |
If Tomorrow Comes | 1986 | TV Mini-Series | Jeff Stevens |
Rustlers' Rhapsody | 1985 | Rex O'Herlihan | |
Fear City | 1984 | Matt Rossi | |
Eddie and the Cruisers | 1983 | Frank Ridgeway | |
The Big Chill | 1983 | Sam | |
Beyond the Door | 1982 | Matthew Jackson | |
The Dogs of War | 1980 | Drew | |
Flesh & Blood | 1979 | TV Movie | Bobby Fallon |
Butch and Sundance: The Early Days | 1979 | Butch Cassidy / Robert Leroy Parker | |
In Praise of Older Women | 1978 | Andras Vayda | |
Rush It | 1978 | Richard Moore | |
Looking for Mr. Goodbar | 1977 | Gary | |
Johnny, We Hardly Knew Ye | 1977 | TV Movie | Billy Sutton |
The Sentinel | 1977 | Man at end | |
Kolchak: The Night Stalker | 1974 | TV Series | Boy At Pool |
One Life to Live | 1968 | TV Series | Timothy "Timmy / Tim" Seigel #2 (1975-1976) |
Producer
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|---|---|---|
Bucksville | 2011 | executive producer | |
Peacemakers | 2003 | TV Series producer | |
Rough Riders | 1997 | TV Series producer - 2 episodes | |
An Occasional Hell | 1996 | executive producer | |
The Avenging Angel | 1995 | TV Movie co-producer |
Writer
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|---|---|---|
Peacemakers | 2003 | TV Series story |
Thanks
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|---|---|---|
Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball - Confessions of an Assassin | 2010 | Video documentary short special thanks |
Self
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|---|---|---|
Platoon: 30 | 2017 | Documentary post-production | Himself |
Positively Paula | 2017 | TV Series | Himself |
Parris Island 100 Years: We Make Marines | 2015 | Documentary | Himself |
The Big Chill: Thirtieth Anniversary Q&A | 2014 | Video short | Himself |
Mr. Baseball, Bob Uecker | 2014 | TV Movie documentary | Narrator (voice) |
The 64th Primetime Emmy Awards | 2012 | TV Special | Himself - Winner: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie |
Cocaine: History Between the Lines | 2011 | TV Movie documentary | Narrator |
Entertainment Tonight | 1989-2010 | TV Series | Himself |
For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots | 2010 | TV Movie documentary voice | |
Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball - Confessions of an Assassin | 2010 | Video documentary short | Himself - Walter Weed |
The Bunker Mentality: Designing the Set | 2010 | Video documentary short | Himself (uncredited) |
Oliver Stone - Hollywoods Lieblingsrebell | 2006 | TV Movie documentary | Himself |
A Tour of the Inferno: Revisiting 'Platoon' | 2001 | Video documentary | Himself / Sgt. Barnes |
The Directors | 2000 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
The Big Chill: A Reunion | 1999 | Video documentary | Himself |
Maury | 1996 | TV Series | Himself |
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | 1996 | TV Series | Himself - Guest |
The Lincoln Assassination | 1995 | TV Movie documentary | Narrator |
The Making of 'Gettysburg' | 1993 | Video documentary | Himself - 'Lieut. Gen. James Longstreet, Confederate' |
The Making of 'Shattered' | 1991 | Video short | Himself |
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam | 1987 | TV Movie documentary voice | |
The 59th Annual Academy Awards | 1987 | TV Special | Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role |
The American Sportsman | 1979 | TV Series | Himself |
Archive Footage
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|---|---|---|
Retrosexual: The 80's | 2004 | TV Mini-Series documentary | |
VH1 Goes Inside | 2004 | TV Series documentary | Sam |
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | 1991 | TV Series | Tom the American from film THE FIELD |
Especial Oscars 86 | 1987 | TV Movie | Sgt. Bob Barnes |
Awards
Won Awards
Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | Bronze Wrangler | Western Heritage Awards | Western Documentary | Hatfields & McCoys (2012) |
2012 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | Hatfields & McCoys (2012) |
2004 | Bronze Wrangler | Western Heritage Awards | Fictional Television Drama | Peacemakers (2003) |
2000 | Golden Boot | Golden Boot Awards | ||
1998 | Lone Star Film & Television Award | Lone Star Film & Television Awards | Best TV Actor | Rough Riders (1997) |
1987 | Golden Globe | Golden Globes, USA | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture | Platoon (1986) |
Nominated Awards
Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | COFCA Award | Central Ohio Film Critics Association | Best Ensemble | Inception (2010) |
2011 | Gold Derby Award | Gold Derby Awards | Ensemble Cast | Inception (2010) |
2010 | PFCS Award | Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards | Best Ensemble Acting | Inception (2010) |
2010 | WAFCA Award | Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards | Best Acting Ensemble | Inception (2010) |
2009 | Maverick Movie Award | Maverick Movie Awards | Best Supporting Actor: Feature | Charlie Valentine (2009) |
1994 | Razzie Award | Razzie Awards | Worst Supporting Actor | Sliver (1993) |
1993 | Primetime Emmy | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | Cheers (1982) |
1987 | Oscar | Academy Awards, USA | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Platoon (1986) |
Source: IMDb, Wikipedia