Auction gives glimpse into Tom Cruise’s early years in Hollywood

By Dean Murray

A rare glimpse into Tom Cruise’s earliest days as a rising Hollywood star in the UK is set to go under the hammer.

A newly surfaced 1984 United Kingdom "Certificate of Registration" booklet documents the then 21-year-old actor under his birth name, Thomas C. Mapother IV, signed in black ink above a youthful, passport-style photograph.

Boston-based RR Auction says the official employment record, stamped by Thames Valley Police, was issued during Cruise’s stay in England for the production of Ridley Scott’s 1985 fantasy film, Legend.

The 16-page booklet details Cruise’s basic information: full name, date of birth, nationality and employment authorization.

Notably, the document—estimated at £5,900 ($8,000)—lists his worksite as Pinewood Studios, with the occupation recorded simply as: "Actor – Legend Production."

At the time, Cruise was coming off the breakout success of Risky Business (1983), the film that earned him his first Golden Globe nomination and placed him among Hollywood’s most promising young talents.

RR Auction says: “By early 1984, he was in the UK preparing for Legend, which further established him as a leading man just before Top Gun would launch him to global stardom.

“This personal document offers collectors an unusually intimate look at Cruise at a pivotal career moment—standing at the threshold of stardom, still signing his birth name before it gave way to the one recognized around the world.”

The booklet, complete with the rare ‘Mapother’ signature, was reportedly presented to a crew member following Top Gun’s production.

It now resurfaces as a featured highlight in RR Auction’s upcoming Remarkable Rarities sale, which takes place online and concludes on Sept. 20 in Boston.