Comedian and actor Tom Arnold has been previously married 4 times, most notably to Roseanne co-star, Roseanne Barr. Thrillz takes a look at his often tumultuous relationships and the women in Tom Arnold’s life.
Tom Arnold’s Early Life in Iowa
Tom Arnold was born in 1959 to parents Linda Kay and Jack Arnold. He was raised in Ottumwa, Iowa along with his six siblings. Arnold’s early childhood was unfortunately marred by a series of unsettling incidents.
Related reading: Tom Arnold’s personal life
His parents divorced early on and his mother abandoned the family, leaving his father to raise him and his siblings by himself. Arnold was also unfortunately the victim of sexual abuse by a male babysitter. He later took on a role of a child abuser in Gardens of the Night to raise awareness of the issue.
Despite going on to become a comedian and actor, Tom originally studied business administration and writing at Indian Hills Community College, and the University of Iowa. He also had a short stint working in a meatpacking plant, which he later referenced in his role as Tom Graham in the show Tom.
Arnold’s Relationship with his Estranged Mother
Tom Arnold and his sister, Lori Arnold, have often spoken about their difficult childhood years. The usual happy-go-lucky comedian spoke candidly about his mother and early life in the documentary series Queen of Meth. Arnold is shown on camera saying:
“She was never a mother. That’s what I wanted her to be. My youngest memory was after she left; I was going out looking for her.”
Tom Arnold: Spouse Roseanne and their Rollercoaster Relationship
Tom Arnold’s first wife was Roseanne Barr. They met after Roseanne saw Tom’s stand-up comedy routine in the early 1980s. Barr went on to hire Arnold as a writer on the hit ABC sitcom Roseanne.
Shortly after joining the writing staff, Arnold wrote himself into the show as Arnie Thomas, a play on his name. Their early relationship was complicated by Arnold’s drug and alcohol issues. However, eventually, in 1990, Barr divorced her former husband, Bill Pentland, and married Tom.
Arnold starred in various projects while married to Roseanne. His appearances include his own television sitcom The Jackie Thomas Show as the main character, Jackie Thomas. Arnold played Gibb in the 1994 thriller True Lies in his first major Hollywood role. He also played the starring role of Tom Graham in Tom, another loosely autobiographical sitcom.
Did Tom and Roseanne Own a Real Restaurant?
Arnold and Barr’s marriage attracted a lot of tabloid attention, mostly due to a combination of Roseanne’s popularity and their often controversial behaviour. Arnold and Barr purchased a home together in Iowa and opened up a restaurant nearby, serving loose meat sandwiches. Sadly, the restaurant later closed in 1995.
Arnold and Barr’s Much Publicised Divorce
Arnold and Barr spent 4 years of marriage together. In 1994, they divorced citing “irreconcilable differences” as the biggest factor. Tom Arnold’s divorce to Roseanne Barr is often described as a complicated and messy affair.
As they were both producers on the same shows and shared similar social circles, there were often rumours of on-set arguments.
Arnold’s later role in True Lies as the comic relief ended up making humorous references to the failing marriage. There’s nothing like a bit of on-the-nose humour to turn a bad situation into something positive…
Did Tom Arnold get Alimony?
In 2009, Arnold spoke publicly about his divorce with Roseanne Barr on Anytime with Bob Kushell. He claimed to not have taken alimony, therefore electing to not receive compensation after the couple’s marriage ended.
Tom Arnold’s divorce from Roseanne Barr was an enduring topic for the media given the Roseanne television show’s popularity and his part as Arnie Thomas. To this day, it’s still Tom’s most well-known and best-loved role.
Tom Arnold’s Second Wife Julie Armstrong
Arnold married Julie Armstrong in July 1995. After 4 years they went their separate ways in September 1999 and filed for divorce. Not much is known about their short-lived marriage.
Julie Armstrong appeared in two of Tom Arnold’s movies in minor roles, The Stupids, and Carpool. Tom had a short-lived television sitcom during this time titled The Tom Show, in which he played an ex-producer called Tom Amross. He also appeared alongside Hugh Grant in Nine Months playing Marty Dwyer.
Tom’s Marriage to Shelby Roos
Arnold’s next wife was political consultant Shelby Roos. The former couple wed in 2002 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. They stayed married for almost five years, before divorcing due to “irreconcilable differences”. When will Tom get his happy ending?
Did Tom Arnold Pay Spousal Support to Shelby Roos?
Arnold agreed to pay Roos $15,000 a month in spousal support for a total of 25 months. During their marriage, Arnold was a television co-host on The Best Damn Sports Show Period. He also had his first Hollywood leading man role in the film Happy Endings.
Tom Arnold and Ashley Groussman’s Marriage
Arnold’s fourth wife was Ashley Groussman. The marriage took place in the mystical location of Maui in 2009. The former couple remained married for more than a decade! Groussman gave birth to two children during this time named Jax and Quinn. Despite being married longer than Arnold and his previous wives, the couple eventually split.
Arnold and Groussman’s Unfortunate Divorce and Fallout
Arnold and Groussman officially filed for divorce in July 2020. As part of the separation, Arnold agreed on joint custody of their two children, his son Jax, and daughter Quinn. The former couple described the end to the custody issues as an “amicable resolution” in a joint statement.
The statement continued “We continue to work with a co-parenting therapist and are committed to raising our family in a healthy and cooperative manner.”
Arnold also paid Groussman 50 percent of the net income from “all right, title and interest in 12 intellectual properties relating to underlying works which were created during the marriage,” as well as spousal support, and child support.
Are Tom Arnold and Ashley Groussman on Good Terms After the Divorce?
Despite early signs the divorce would be an amicable process, things between Arnold and his ex quickly turned ugly. In the month of January 2020, Ashley Groussman filed a restraining order against Tom Arnold.
Ashley claimed Arnold failed to bring back their son Jax and daughter Quinn within the agreed time of their custodial terms. The police were eventually called to come and resolve the issue.
The spat continued when Arnold posted a video to his Facebook page the next day claiming that Ashley was “trying to get me arrested in front of our kids again.” Despite issues between the previously married couple, Arnold and Groussman still share joint custody of both Jax and Quinn in an effort to remain a family.
Is Tom Arnold Still Married?
Tom is not currently married. He lives in Los Angeles with his kids and dogs and co-hosts a podcast called Off Topic with Sasha Boggs. He is credited as an actor in various upcoming projects, including Hollywood.Con, Christmas Thieves, and High Holiday.