# Thomas F. Wilson

Thomas Francis Wilson Jr. (born April 15, 1959) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, musician, podcaster, and YouTuber. He is best known for playing Biff Tannen, Griff Tannen, and Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen in the Back to the Future film trilogy (1985–1990). He played coach Ben Fredricks in the comedy series Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000) and voices various characters, mainly villains, on the animated series SpongeBob SquarePants (2001–present).

## Early life

Thomas Francis Wilson Jr. was born in Philadelphia on April 15, 1959, and grew up in nearby Wayne. While attending Radnor High School, he was involved in dramatic arts, served as president of the debate team (where his partner was future New York Times columnist David Brooks), played the tuba in the high school band, and was the drum major of the school marching band. He studied international politics at Arizona State University and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. In 1979, he got his first significant stage experience as a comedian.

## Career

In 1981, Wilson moved to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career. He shared an apartment with fellow aspiring comedians Andrew Dice Clay and Yakov Smirnoff, and later joked that he "taught them both about America". He had a small role in the second season of NBC's Knight Rider in an episode titled "A Knight In Shining Armor".
Wilson's breakthrough role was as the bully Biff Tannen in the 1985 film Back to the Future. He returned in the sequels Back to the Future Part II and Back to the Future Part III, reprising his role as Biff, and as Biff's grandson Griff Tannen and great-grandfather Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen. In each Back to the Future film, his character ends up in a pile of manure after trying to kill or hurt Michael J. Fox's character Marty McFly. He reprised his role as Biff and voiced various Tannen relatives in the animated series. Wilson did not reprise his role as Biff in the initial versions of Telltale's Back to the Future: The Game released in 2011, being replaced by Kid Beyond. When the game was ported to the PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One in 2015 in commemoration of the original film's 30th anniversary, Wilson returned to provide Biff's voice in these newer versions. Wilson found the car scene in the first Back to the Future, in which he molests Lea Thompson's character, Lorraine the most difficult scene he shot. In between takes Wilson whispered to Thompson "I'm so sorry, Lea." to which Thompson replied with "It's just acting, Tom."
In 1992, he voiced gangster Tony Zucco in Batman: The Animated Series and police detective Matt Bluestone in the animated series Gargoyles. In 1994, Wilson was briefly reunited with his Back to the Future co-star Christopher Lloyd in the film Camp Nowhere. He later went to co-star with Mark Hamill in the video game Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger. It was the third chapter in the Wing Commander series, but the first to feature live action. The character played by Wilson was Major Todd "Maniac" Marshall, a fellow starfighter pilot to Hamill's character. Wilson starred in the sequels Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom (1995) and Wing Commander: Prophecy (1997) and contributed his voice to the animated series Wing Commander Academy (1996) in the same role. He guest starred in an episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in 1997.
Wilson played McKinley High School's Coach Ben Fredricks in the 1999–2000 NBC comedy drama Freaks and Geeks.
Wilson has done voice-over work for the Nickelodeon television series SpongeBob SquarePants. He has voiced many villainous characters that are physically strong and menacing, such as Flats the Flounder in the third-season episode "The Bully", The Tattletale Strangler in "SpongeBob Meets the Strangler", and the non-villainous character Reg the Club Bouncer in "No Weenies Allowed". In 2005, he played Coach Phelps in the TV series Zoey 101.
In 2009, he released his first stand-up comedy special and second comedy album, Tom Wilson: Bigger Than You.
According to a 2012 Gawker article, the rise in popularity of the Back to the Future series led many people to repeatedly ask Wilson questions about the films and his co-stars. Because he found the repetitive nature of the questions to be both amusing and frustrating, he wrote a song about them titled "Biff's Question Song" which he includes in his stand-up routine. He hosted a podcast, Big Pop Fun, on the Nerdist Network from 2011 to 2014. The podcast featured Wilson sharing stories of his career, as well as informal chats with show business friends including Samm Levine, Blake Clark, Steve Oedekerk and "Weird Al" Yankovic.
Wilson maintains a YouTube channel, where he regularly vlogs. As of March 2023, his channel has over 36,100 subscribers.

## Personal life

Wilson married Caroline Thomas on July 6, 1985. They have four children, and live in Los Angeles, California.
Wilson is a devout Catholic and released a contemporary Christian album in 2000 called In the Name of the Father. He is a painter in his spare time, and many of his paintings focus on classic children's toys. In 2006, he was selected to join the California Featured Artist Series at Disneyland.

## Filmography
### Comedy specials

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2009 | Tom Wilson: Bigger Than You | Himself | Stand-up special Also executive producer |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1985 | Ninja Turf | Member of Spike's Gang | |
| 1985 | Back to the Future | Biff Tannen | |
| 1986 | April Fool's Day | Arch Cummings | |
| 1986 | Let's Get Harry | Bob Pachowski | |
| 1987 | Smart Alex | Lieutenant Stevenson | |
| 1988 | Action Jackson | Officer Kornblau | |
| 1989 | Back to the Future Part II | Biff Tannen, Griff Tannen, Gertrude Tannen | |
| 1990 | Back to the Future Part III | Buford "Mad-Dog" Tannen, Biff Tannen | Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1991 | High Strung | Al Dalby | |
| 1993 | Blood In Blood Out | Det. Rollie McCann | |
| 1994 | Caroline at Midnight | Officer Keaton | |
| 1994 | Mr. Write | Billy | |
| 1994 | Camp Nowhere | Lt. Eliot Hendricks | |
| 1995 | Born to Be Wild | Det. Lou Greenburg | |
| 1997 | That Darn Cat | Officer Melvin | |
| 1998 | Girl | The Ticket Seller | |
| 2003 | Atlantis: Milo's Return | Ashtin Carnaby | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2004 | The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie | Victor | Voice |
| 2006 | Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector | Bart Tatlock | |
| 2006 | Zoom | Dylan's Teacher | |
| 2009 | The Informant! | Mark Cheviron | |
| 2009 | House Broken | Fire Chief Henry Decker | |
| 2010 | Yohan: The Child Wanderer | Kevin | |
| 2011 | Rio | Trapped Bird, Screaming Hang Glider | Voice |
| 2012 | Atlas Shrugged: Part II | Robert Collins | |
| 2013 | Epic | Finn | Voice |
| 2013 | The Heat | Captain Frank Woods | |
| 2013 | Tom and Jerry's Giant Adventure | Mr. Bigley, Ginormous | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2015 | The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water | Angry Customer #1 | Voice |
| 2021 | Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans | Coach Lawrence | Voice |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1984 | Knight Rider | Chip | Episode: "A Knight in Shining Armor" |
| 1984 | The Facts of Life | Moose | Episode: "All or Nothing" |
| 1990 | Turner & Hooch | Det. Scott Turner | Pilot |
| 1991–1992 | Back to the Future | Biff Tannen, additional voices | Voice, 26 episodes |
| 1992 | Batman: The Animated Series | Tony Zucco | Voice, episode: "Robin's Reckoning" |
| 1995–1996 | Gargoyles | Matt Bluestone, additional voices | Voice, 14 episodes |
| 1996 | Superman: The Animated Series | Joey | Voice, episode: "A Little Piece of Home" |
| 1996 | Wing Commander Academy | Todd 'Maniac' Marshall | Voice, 13 episodes |
| 1996 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Simon | Episode: "Dream Date" |
| 1996 | Andersonville | Thomas Sweet | Television film |
| 1997 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Carter Landry | Episode: "Lethal Weapon" |
| 1997 | Duckman | Park Ranger Smith | Voice, episode: "Short, Plush and Deadly" |
| 1997 | Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | Marty | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1997 | steve.oedekerk.com | Costumer, Talk Show Host | Television special |
| 1997–1998 | Fired Up | Steve Summer | 5 episodes |
| 1998 | Pinky and the Brain | Larry Bruhn | Voice, episode: "Dangerous Brains" |
| 1998 | Men in White | Ed Klingbottom | Television film |
| 1998 | The New Batman Adventures | Howlin' Jake | Voice, episode: "Torch Song" |
| 1998 | Oh Yeah! Cartoons | Mark the Polar Bear | Voice, episode: "Zoomates" |
| 1998 | Maggie | Hank | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | The Angry Beavers | Otis Otto, Bowling Patron | Voice, episode: "Alley Oops!" |
| 1999 | The Hughleys | Stan | Episode: "Why Can't We Be Friends?" |
| 1999 | Pepper Ann | Coach Bronson | Voice, episode: "Beyond Good and Evel/One of the Guys" |
| 1999–2000 | Freaks and Geeks | Coach Ben Fredricks | 6 episodes |
| 2000–2001 | Max Steel | Pete Costas | Voice, 20 episodes |
| 2000 | Buzz Lightyear of Star Command | Buster | Voice, episode: "Root of Evil" |
| 2001 | Nash Bridges | Jack Noon | Episode: "Bear Trap" |
| 2001 | The Zeta Project | Burly Boyfriend | Voice, episode: "West Bound" |
| 2001 | Titus | Joe | Episode: "Amy's Birthday" |
| 2001–present | SpongeBob SquarePants | Flats the Flounder, Tattletale Strangler, additional voices | Voice, recurring role |
| 2002 | She Spies | Roger 'Rush' Gibson | Episode: "Fondles" |
| 2002–2003 | Do Over | Coach Dorsey | 4 episodes |
| 2003 | Ed | Sean Nowell | 4 episodes |
| 2003 | The Pitts | Guard | Voice, episode: "Ticket to Riot" |
| 2003 | Boston Public | Paul Stanton | Episode: "Chapter Sixty-Six" |
| 2003 | Stripperella | Tom Green, Zumo, Painted Patron, Director | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2003 | Two and a Half Men | Mike | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2004 | The Mullets | Lyle Turner | Episode: "Losin' It" |
| 2004 | Rock Me Baby | Buffalo Buck | Episode: "Go, Otis! It's Your Birthday!" |
| 2004 | Johnny Bravo | Trent | Voice, episode: "The Time of My Life" |
| 2005 | Rodney | Bill | Episode: "Sorry Charlie" |
| 2005 | Zoey 101 | Coach Phelps | Episode: "Disc Golf" |
| 2005 | Higglytown Heroes | Truck Driver | Voice, episode: "Kip's Dad Gets a Strike" |
| 2005 | A.T.O.M. | Bogey | Voice, episode: "The Final Frontier" |
| 2005 | Reba | Ted | Episode: "Reba and the One" |
| 2005 | George Lopez | Sonny | Episode: "George Drives the Batmobile" |
| 2006 | Help Me Help You | Kenny | 4 episodes |
| 2006 | Still Standing | Coach Kirk Stone | Episode: "Still Flunking" |
| 2006 | Cold Case | Arnold Brown | Episode: "Superstar" |
| 2006–2008 | Ghost Whisperer | Tim Flaherty | 6 episodes |
| 2007 | American Body Shop | Juicy Lou | 2 episodes |
| 2007 | House | Lou | Episode: "Whatever It Takes" |
| 2007 | Boston Legal | Jeffrey Bass | Episode: "Attack of the Xenophobes" |
| 2008 | The Spectacular Spider-Man | Stan Carter | Voice, 6 episodes |
| 2008 | Bones | Chip Barnett | Episode: "The Baby in the Bough" |
| 2008 | Back at the Barnyard | Krebs | Voice, episode: "Brave Udders" |
| 2008–2009 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Sportsmaster, Catman, Santa Claus | Voice, 12 episodes |
| 2009 | Psych | Butch | Episode: "Let's Get Hairy" |
| 2009 | Family Guy | First Step | Voice, episode: "Quagmire's Baby" |
| 2010 | Adventure Time | Head Marauder, Cat Man, Coal Guy | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2010 | True Jackson, VP | Ben Franklin | Episode: "Field Trip" |
| 2010–2011 | Big Love | Ricky Jax | 3 episodes |
| 2011 | Harry's Law | Allan Meade | Episode: "Bangers in the House" |
| 2011 | Billion Dollar Freshmen | Principal Preston | Pilot |
| 2011 | Planet Sheen | Narrator, Blurg #1 | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Melissa & Joey | Councilman Herbert Hancock | Episode: "Play Ball" |
| 2011–2012 | Franklin & Bash | Spiritual Advisor | 2 episodes |
| 2012–2016 | Dragons: Riders of Berk | Bucket | Voice, 19 episodes |
| 2013 | Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous | Andrew "Drew" Stone | 12 episodes |
| 2014 | See Dad Run | Principal Templeman | 2 episodes |
| 2015–2018 | Pig Goat Banana Cricket | Banana, additional voices | Voice, main cast |
| 2016 | The Ranch | Coach Fitzgerald | Episode: "The Boys of Fall" |
| 2016 | K.C. Undercover | Agent Whitman | Episode: "The Legend of Bad, Bad Cleo Brown" |
| 2016 | School of Rock | Mr. Finn's Dad | Episode: "A Band with No Name" |
| 2016–2018 | Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia | Coach Lawrence | Voice, 21 episodes |
| 2017 | Workaholics | Barnes | Episode: "The Most Dangerless Game" |
| 2017 | Training Day | Gary Milestone | Episode: "Quid Pro Quo" |
| 2017 | Doubt | Anthony Kellem | Episode: "Running Out of Time" |
| 2017 | Will vs. The Future | Principal Rhodes | Pilot |
| 2017 | The Mayor | Governor Fillucci | Episode: "Here Comes the Governor" |
| 2017–2018 | Mosaic | Cliff Jones | 3 episodes |
| 2018–2019 | 3Below: Tales of Arcadia | Coach Lawrence | Voice, 9 episodes |
| 2018–2019 | Legends of Tomorrow | Hank Heywood | 9 episodes |
| 2019 | SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout | Dog walker/Himself | Television special |
| 2019 | The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants | Major Messy/Camoflush | Voice, episode: "Captain Underpants and the Cunning Combat of the Covert Camoflush" |
| 2020–2021 | Sydney to the Max | Grandpa Doug | 3 episodes |
| 2020 | Wizards: Tales of Arcadia | Coach Laurence | Voice, episode: "Wizard Underground" |
| 2020 | NCIS | Angus DeMint | Episode: "Blood and Treasure" |
| 2021–present | The Patrick Star Show | Cecil Star | Voice, main cast |
| 2022–present | Spidey and His Amazing Friends | Sandman | Voice, recurring role |
| 2022 | Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years | Cecil Star | Voice, episode: "Help Not Wanted" |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1990 | Back to the Future... The Pinball | Biff Tannen | uncredited |
| 1994 | Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger | Maj. Todd "Maniac" Marshall | Credited as Tom Wilson |
| 1996 | Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom | Maj. Todd "Maniac" Marshall | Credited as Tom Wilson |
| 1997 | Wing Commander: Prophecy | Maj. Todd "Maniac" Marshall | Credited as Tom Wilson |
| 2000 | Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force | Crewman Rick Biessman | |
| 2001 | Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex | Rok-Ko | Credited as Tom Wilson |
| 2002 | Run Like Hell: Hunt or Be Hunted | Craig | |
| 2010 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame | Catman | |
| 2010 | Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions | Electro | |
| 2010 | Back to the Future: The Game | Biff Tannen | |
| 2011 | Star Wars: The Old Republic | Additional voices | |
| 2013 | Back to the Future: Back in Time Video Slots | Biff Tannen | |
| 2015 | Back to the Future: The Game 30th Anniversary Edition | Biff Tannen | Credited as Tom Wilson |

### Theme parks

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1991 | Back to the Future: The Ride | Biff Tannen | |

## Discography

* Tom Wilson is Funny! (2005)
* Tom Wilson: Bigger Than You (2009)

## Crew work

| Year | Title | Position | Notes |
| 1989 | The Last Ride | Writer | Short film |
| 1996 | Get Serious: Seven Deadly Subs | Writer, producer | 6 episodes |

## Books

* Wilson, Tom (2012). The Masked Man: A Memoir and Fantasy of Hollywood. BookBaby. ISBN 978-1624880810. Self published.