Tom Mardirosian is an Armenian-American performer and actor who was born on December 14, 1947 in Buffalo, New York. The son of Matthew Mardirosian and Afro Karahos, he was brought up in Buffalo before eventually entering into service for the armed forces. During his stay in the army, he was a member of a Special Services troop division, and while he was there he began to cultivate a fondness for acting. After his army service ended, he began participating in numerous productions in Buffalo, and learned how to act at The Studio ARENA Theatre School. He has also performed on Broadway, at the Cort Theatre.
Agamemnon Busmalis is portrayed by Tom Mardirosian in the HBO prison drama television series Oz. Ever since he was a young child, Busmalis was fascinated and intrigued by the science of digging. While he was still a free man and not yet in prison, he was know by the moniker “The Mole,” and became a veteran of digging tunnels in order to help perpetrate numerous crimes. He is a virgin who has never had an intimate relationship with a woman, and has a very childish personality in spite of his old age. For most of his life he has been ostracized and considered a loser, though he draws solace from his favorite television show, Ms. Sally’s Schoolyard.
(Photo courtesy of HBO)