Tommy Chong is a legendary comedian, actor, author, director, musician, cancer survivor, cannabis rights activist and father. Born Thomas Bin King Chong, “Tommy” fell in love with music at a young age and was playing guitar by his teens. He left school at 16 to pursue music and began playing with bands in the early to mid 60’s, and in 1965, his band “The Vancouvers” sign with Gordy Records (a subsidiary of Detroit’s Motown Records). But Tommy wanted to be more, his dreams were bigger than making records for someone else. His creative vision and his art were something more than just a record contract.
Tommy Chong
Tommy Chong is a legendary comedian, actor, author, director, musician, cancer survivor, cannabis rights activist and father. Born Thomas Bin King Chong, “Tommy” fell in love with music at a young age and was playing guitar by his teens. He left school at 16 to pursue music and began playing with bands in the early to mid 60’s, and in 1965, his band “The Vancouvers” sign with Gordy Records (a subsidiary of Detroit’s Motown Records). But Tommy wanted to be more, his dreams were bigger than making records for someone else. His creative vision and his art were something more than just a record contract.
Tommy co-wrote and performed on many Cheech & Chong comedy albums, four of which were nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. He and Cheech Marin shared the 1973 award in this category for Los Cochinos.
Tommy also directed four of the duo’s filmsbeginning with the iconic film “Up in Smoke”. Tommy also co-wrote and stared in all seven Cheech & Chong films with Cheech.
Tommy played Leo Chingkwake in That ’70s Show from August of 1998 through May of 2006. In 2014, he appeared on Dancing with the Stars and Tommy was the oldest contestant to have made it to the semi-finals of the show. On January 9, 2019 he was revealed at the end of the second episode of The Masked Singer to be the singer known as the Pineapple, singing “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor, showing that he’s still loving music and sharing his talent with the world.
Tommy lives in Pacific Palisades, CA. Tommy has five children, Rae Dawn and Robbi with his first wife Maxine and Precious, Paris and Gilbran with his present wife Shelby.