From Earth to Space: The Journey of Thomas William Black, Satellite Engineer- Know His Personal Life, Legacy & Net Worth

Thomas William Black is the father of the well-known American actor, comedian, and musician, Jack Black. As of 2023, he’s 82 years old and was born in the United States in 1941. His son, Jack Black, has been in almost 170 movies, and some of the most famous ones include “High Fidelity,” “Shallow Hal,” “Orange County,” “School of Rock,” “Envy,” “King Kong,” and “The Holiday.”

In this article, we’re going to talk about Thomas William Black’s background, education, and career as an engineer. So, let’s get right into the interesting details of Thomas William Black’s life without wasting any time.

Thomas William Black Profile’s Summary

Full NameTomas William Black
Age82 years old as of 2023
GenderMale
Date of Birth1941
Place of BirthLeominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States.
Height168 cm, 5 feet 6 inches
Weight85 kg (187.393 lbs)
ReligionJewish
Nationality American
Children Jack Black, Howard Black (Stepson), Rachel Black (Stepdaughter), Neil Siegel (Stepson)
SpouseJudith Love Cohen (m. ?–1979)
EthnicityCaucasian
Famous asFather of Jack Black and
ProfessionSatellite Engineer
InstagramLink

Age, Birthplace of Thomas William Black

Thomas William Black was born on December 26, 1941 (82 years old) in Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States.

On his 80’s birthday, his son posted a picture of the two of them sharing a father-son moment on Instagram. In the caption of the photo, he wrote, “Happy Father’s Day pops. 80 years old and still hiking the trails! Here’s to many more…years and trails.

Information about William Black’s parents is currently not available on the Internet. It will be updated whenever we get details. 

Childhood, Early Life, and Education

Thomas William Black was both raised and born in Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. He belonged to a middle-class family, that was neither poor nor rich.

Apart from being good at sports, he was also very good at academics. He was good in all subjects but science was his favorite one, which later drove him into the field of space and technology.

From a very early age, William has always had a fascination with space. He used to do critical thinking and ask questions himself while looking at the sky at night. He completed his elementary education at the nearby school.

After doing really well in high school, Thomas William Black started a journey in his studies that would really make a difference in his life.

He went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and there he got a degree in Engineering. Thomas was super interested in things like space and satellites, so he focused on a specific part of engineering called satellite engineering. This was a pretty new area of study back then, and he was really into it.

Career of Thomas William Black 

William started his profession as an electrical engineer after graduating from a prominent university with a bachelor’s degree in the field.

thomas william black

In the late 1960s, Thomas Black’s career really took off when he joined a famous aerospace company called Hughes Aircraft Company. At Hughes, he worked on lots of cool projects involving satellites. These projects were all about creating super-advanced technology that would change how we communicate and explore space.

Thomas was really good at things like designing satellites, making them move, and setting up how they talk to each other. Because he was so good at these things, the company really valued having him around.

During his career, Thomas Black was a big part of making and sending out many satellites. Some of these satellites helped with things like talking to each other far across the world, keeping an eye on the weather, and doing important scientific research.

Because of his work, people from different countries could connect better, and we could make more discoveries in science. Thomas was really dedicated and worked really hard, and because of that, he became well-known in the aerospace world. People saw him as a super-skilled and really smart engineer.

He immediately gained a reputation for his technical expertise and creative problem-solving abilities. Later, due to his abilities and skills, he was promoted to project leader for numerous high-profile satellite projects.

The most popular project on which Thomas William Black worked as a satellite engineer was the Hubble Space Telescope. He has contributed to the design and development of several high-tech satellites, including weather satellites, communication satellites, and remote sensing satellites.

He has also assisted in developing satellite-based technologies for uses, including space exploration and navigation. In addition to his profession as a satellite engineer, Thomas William Black is a passionate space enthusiast who takes pleasure in catching up with the field’s most recent advancements.

William Black participates actively in some organizations for satellite and space technologies professionals. Currently, he and his family reside in California, and in his spare time, he likes trekking and exploring the great outdoors.

Personal Life of Thomas William Black

Thomas William is the second guy who married Judith Love Cohen. She was previously married to Bernard Siegel, whom she met while in college, and became a mother of three children (Neil, Rachel, and Howard). 

Following Cohen and Siegel’s divorce in the 1960s, she married Tom Black, who had converted to Judaism to wed her. They welcomed their son Jack in 1969.

From Earth to Space: The Journey of Thomas William Black, Satellite Engineer- Know His Legacy & Net Worth

When Jack Black was just ten, his parents decided to end their marriage. The Jumanji star stated that even though he knew his parents loved him, he still believed something was wrong with him. Yet, he enjoyed his childhood and knew he could rely on his parents, even after they divorced.

Thomas William Black ceased practicing Judaism following their divorce. Jack often came to see his mother when Tom Black and his son moved to Culver City. Tom has always supported his son’s career choices and is incredibly proud of him.

Judith Love Cohen- Wife of Thomas William Black

Let’s talk about Judith Love Cohen, a really important engineer who helped make the Hubble Space Telescope. She’s quite a remarkable woman with many talents. She was really into engineering, but she also loved dancing a lot.

When Judith was just 19 years old, she joined the New York Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company – isn’t that amazing? She even went to Brooklyn College to study engineering. However, her job as an engineer made her put her dancing dreams on hold. But as time went on, she found joy in folk dancing and music again.

Now, even though Judith had a fantastic career, there’s one event that really stands out. She was one of the few women working on the Apollo 13 mission – you know, the one with the famous line “Houston, we have a problem.” She worked with a team to create something that helped the astronauts stay safe during that mission.

In 1990, Judith decided to retire from her engineering work, but that didn’t stop her from making a difference. She started something called Cascade Pass, a company that published books. But not just any books – she wanted to make books that inspired young girls to love science and think they can do anything boys can do. She wanted to make sure boys and girls were treated equally.

So, that’s the story of Judith Love Cohen, a woman who danced, engineered, helped astronauts, and made sure girls knew they could be scientists too.

Thomas William Black’s Son 

After Cohen and Siegel divorced in the 1960s, Thomas William married Cohen. They welcomed their son Jack in 1969, named Thomas Jacob Black. He was raised in Hermosa Beach, California. Jack Black has siblings, Howard Black, Neil Siegel, and Rachel

thomas william black

Thomas Jacob Black is an American actor, musician, and comedian. He is well-known for his comedic films and the rock group Tenacious D, although his parents came from different social and economic backgrounds.

Jack Black’s Parents Supported His Career

Back in 1979, when Jack Black was about ten years old, his parents, Thomas William Black and Judy Cohen, got divorced. But even though they split up, Jack still felt really supported by them, and he had a happy childhood. They always cheered him on in whatever artistic stuff he was into. They came to see him in school plays and even drove him to auditions when he was pretty young.

Jack Black’s dad, Thomas William Black, also did some amazing things in his own career. Even though he doesn’t really like being in the spotlight, he’s achieved a lot. In 2019, Thomas went to the first showing of “Jumanji” with Jack and his grandkids, and you could just see how proud and happy he was.

Thomas William Black’s Net Worth 

We have no exact information about Thomas William’s Net Worth right now. However, his son Jack Black has amassed decent wealth through his successful acting career.

Some Untold Facts Of Jack Black’s Mother

Jack Black’s mom, Judith Love Cohen, was a real hard worker. She didn’t even let being pregnant slow her down in 1969. She was so dedicated that she went to her office on the very day Jack was born! Can you believe that? She even brought a paper about the problem she was working on to the hospital. After the baby was born, she called her boss to say, “Guess what? I solved the problem. Oh, and by the way, I had a baby too!”

Judith Cohen wasn’t just any engineer – she was really successful. And you know what? Back in the 1960s, being a woman in a job mostly done by men wasn’t common at all. But she didn’t let that stop her. She worked hard and made sure women had the same chances as men in the workplace. She did things like making sure job openings were known to everyone and making clear job descriptions. She did a lot of things to help women get into engineering jobs.

So, Judith Love Cohen wasn’t just an awesome engineer, but she also pushed for fairness and equality for women in a time when it wasn’t easy.

10 Unknown Facts About Jack Black

10 facts about Thomas William Black’s son, Jack Black that you might be unaware of:

1. Musical Dreams from the Start: Before Jack Black became a big actor, he actually wanted to be a musician. He learned how to play the saxophone and was even in a teenage band called “The Innocent Criminals.”

2. Help from Tim Robbins: Jack Black got a real boost in his acting career when he starred in a play called “Carnage” by Tim Robbins in Los Angeles. This helped him get noticed and respected in the world of entertainment.

3. Funny Childhood Nickname: When he was a kid, Jack Black’s friends used to call him “Jables.” And guess what? That name stuck around and became part of his stage name when he created the comedy rock duo “Tenacious D.”

4. Voice Acting Skills: Jack Black gave his voice to a video game called “Brütal Legend.” He even voiced the main character, Eddie Riggs. This was one of his first tries at lending his voice to a character.

5. Making Movies: Jack Black and his buddy Kyle Gass, who is also part of Tenacious D, started a film company named “Electric Dynamite Productions.” They use it to make movies and TV shows.

6. Tenacious D’s Start: The idea for Tenacious D came about when Jack Black was working on a movie called “Bio-Dome” and met Kyle Gass. They both loved music, and that’s how their funny rock duo was born.

7. Juggling Talent: Believe it or not, Jack Black is pretty good at juggling! He’s shown off his juggling skills on talk shows and even did it in the movie “Nacho Libre.”

8. Spooky Role in “The X-Files”: Back in 1995, Jack Black had a small part in a TV show called “The X-Files.” The episode was called “D.P.O.” and he played a young guy with electric powers.

9. Rocking Friendship: Jack Black and Dave Grohl, the lead singer of Foo Fighters and ex-drummer of Nirvana, are actually really good pals. They’ve even teamed up for music a few times.

10. Smart Moves: Jack Black was part of the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television. He worked hard in his studies and was so good at acting that he got a scholarship.

Conclusion

To sum it all up, Thomas William Black left a significant mark as a satellite engineer and as the dad of Jack Black – both of these things are pretty amazing and motivating.

His efforts in the world of satellite engineering played a big part in making the way we communicate and explore space like we do today. On top of that, he was a big source of support and cheerleader for his son, Jack Black, who became a star in the entertainment world.

Thomas’s legacy keeps going through his son’s accomplishments, reminding us how important it is to nurture and stand by the things our loved ones are passionate about and dream of achieving.

FAQs

Q. Are Jack Black’s Parents Rocket Scientists?

Ans: Jack Black’s parents were both satellite engineers.

Q. Who is the Father of Jack Black?

Ans: Thomas William Black

Q. What do Jack Black’s Parents Do?

Ans: Judith Love Cohen and Thomas William Black were experienced, satellite engineers.

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