Cruise was born as Thomas Cruise Mapother IV in Syracuse , New York , the son of Mary Lee ( née Pfeiffer ) , a special education teacher , and Thomas Cruise Mapother III ( 1934 -- 84 ) , an electrical engineer .
Cruise was born in Syracuse , New York . He is the son of Mary Lee ( nee Pfeiffer ) , a special education teacher , and Thomas Cruise Mapother III ( died 1984 ) , an electrical engineer .