Background
Villard was born in Waipahu, Hawaii and grew up in Spencerport, New York, the son of Diane Ruth (MacNaughton), a teacher of the emotionally handicapped, and Ronald Louis Villard, a photochemical engineer
Villard was born in Waipahu, Hawaii and grew up in Spencerport, New York, the son of Diane Ruth (MacNaughton), a teacher of the emotionally handicapped, and Ronald Louis Villard, a photochemical engineer
He attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, before moving to New York City to attend the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in the early 1970s.
He is known for his leading role in the 1980s series We Got lieutenant Made, as well as roles in feature films One Crazy Summer, Heartbreak Ridge, My Girl, and Popcorn. In 1980 Villard moved to Los Angeles and soon started landing roles on television and in movies. He also continued performing on stage until the end of his career.
Villard appeared throughout his career on television, in feature films, and on stage around the country.
He was featured in situation comedies, episodic television series, and had leading roles in lower and mid-range budgeted features. At the peak of his career Villard was given featured supporting roles in big-budget studio fare, such as Clint Eastwood"s Heartbreak Ridge, and My Girl (with Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis).
One of his final roles was playing a Bajoran monk on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Toward the end of his life, Villard became one of the few actors in Hollywood in the early 1990s who chose to be open about his homosexuality, and the challenge of living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. In February 1994, Villard made an unprecedented appearance on Entertainment Tonight, acknowledging to "..more than 13 million viewers that he was gay, that he had Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, and that he needed some help."
According to a POZ magazine profile in December of that year Villard said, "An awful lot of people suddenly wouldn"t let me in the door for auditions.
I started speaking a couple of months ago about living with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and having hope," he said.
"lieutenant feels a little more useful than things (I"ve done) in the past" He went on to explain that since his appearance on East.T., a whole other group of people had come forward to welcome him. Bill Melamed, Villard"s manager added: "I"m particularly proud of him. The reality is, acting is a lousy business.
He made a decision that was courageous in any walk of life, but it doesn"t surprise medical
He has one of the most open spirits."
On November 14, 1994, Villard died of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome related pneumonia. The Tom Villard Foundation was a Silver Lake community-based effort which engaged local businesses to provide free goods and services for community members living with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The beneficiaries were the client base of the former Silver Lake Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome support organization, Being Alive.
The Tom Villard Foundation no longer exists. Being Alive is now headquartered in West Hollywood.
Villard died on the same day as Los Angeles television writer/producer Rosanne "Roxy" Ventola, who, prior to her death from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome-related complications, also had gone public with her personal Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome battle, as well as that of her husband"s and daughter"son