Philip Michael Thomas (born May 26, 1949) is an American actor. Thomas' most famous role is that of detective Ricardo Tubbs on the hit 1980s TV series "Miami Vice". His first notable roles were in "Coonskin" (1975) and opposite Irene Cara in the 1976 film "Sparkle". After his success in "Miami Vice", Thomas appeared in numerous made-for-TV movies and advertisements for telephone psychic services