“EGOT” is an acronym that stands for Emmy Award (television), Grammy Award (recording arts), Oscar (motion pictures) and Tony Award (theatre). Only a very few people have won all four awards.
 
Philip Michael Thomas—while working on the pilot for the TV series Miami Vice—said on his 35th birthday in May 1984 that he’d like to win the “EGOT” (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) awards all within five years. He never won any of them, although he coined the name “EGOT.”
 
   
Wikipedia: List of people who have won Academy, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards
Eleven people have won all four major annual American entertainment awards: the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Doing so may be abbreviated EGOT, or sometimes GATE (“A” for “Academy”). These awards honor outstanding achievements in, respectively, television, music (or other audio recording), film, and theater. Winning all four awards has been referred to as winning the Grand Slam of Show Business. The acronym EGOT was invented by actor Philip Michael Thomas.
   
Wikipedia: Philip Michael Thomas
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
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Thomas also coined the acronym “EGOT”, meaning “Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony”, in reference to his plans for winning all four. He has not, as yet, been nominated for any of these awards, but has received a People’s Choice Award and a Golden Globe nomination.
 
1 September 1984, Morning Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), “Guest shot in cop show leads to starring role” by Jerry Buck (AP), pg. 7-B, col. 5:
On his 35th birthday last May, he said he launched a plan called “EGOT.” “That stands for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony,” he said. “Hopefully in the next five years I will win all those awards.”
     
Google Books
20 May 1985, Jet magazine, “Celebrity Beat,” pg. 56:
KEEPING TABS ON CELEBS. TV star Philip Michael Thomas, of “Miami Vice,” who celebrates his 37th birthday on May 26 (36th is correct—ed.), says his goal this year is to become an EGOT — winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. He says his upcoming album, Living The Book Of My Life, which he wrote and produced, will cop the Grammy. He will then pursue goals that lead to the Oscar and Tony.
 
Urban Dictionary
EGOT
Philip Michael Thomas invented the phrase “EGOT”, meaning “Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony”, in reference to his plans for winning all four.
Man! I plan to win all awards in the EGOT. That is an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony-award.
by PhilipSkovgaard May 03, 2009
   
Slate
JAN. 16 2014 12:42 PM
On Oscar Night, One Man Could Complete His EGOT
By Aisha Harris
Come Oscar night this year, one nominee may make history. Robert Lopez, who is nominated along with his wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez for Best Original Song (“Let it Go,” from Frozen), may join the very exclusive club known as the winners of an EGOT (those 11 artists who have each won competitive Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards). Even more historic: He’d be the youngest ever to complete the award, finishing off his awards show grand slam before he even turned 40.