After graduating from NIDA in 1976, his early work in various productions for the Queensland Theatre Company, the Old Tote Theatre Company, and the State Theatre Company of South Australia included roles in The Merchant of Venice, Da and The One Day of the Year. He co-starred in Tribute for Peter Williams Productions in Sydney and Brisbane and played continuing roles in the TV series Kirbys' Company and The Restless Years.

In 1981 Tom was cast in the title role in the feature film The Man from Snowy River. It was an enormous box office success, and led to Tom being offered a succession of leading roles in Australian and international films and mini-series over the next several years. These included Phar Lap, Eureka Stockade, Flesh and Blood, Windrider, Piece of Cake, and The Legend of Kootenai Brown as well as The Man from Snowy River II.

In 1991 Tom sang the voice of the young Frank Sinatra in the Warner Brothers mini-series Sinatra after Frank Sinatra's daughter Tina heard him sing his own composition The Man in the Hat. This was his first professional singing engagement. Soon after he returned to Australia and to the stage to star in the Gordon Frost production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He was soon working on the international scene again in the mini-series The Way to Dusty Death, filmed in Europe.

Tom's created his own show Frank - A Life in Song under its original title of Frank - The Sinatra Story in Song, performing sell-out returns around the country.

In 2004 and 2005 Tom toured Australia in the role of Leo Bloom in the Mel Brooks' musical The Producers.

Last year he joined Red Symons and Dannii Minogue at the judges' desk for Series One of the hugely successful Australia's Got Talent and is back again this year: "I'm really looking forward to seeing more of the great variety of Australian talent, and possibly discovering some stars of the future."

This year Tom Burlinson's Frank - A Life in Song celebrates ten years of sell-out performances and rave reviews from audiences and critics around the world. For its tenth anniversary season, Frank will be performed at the Sydney Opera House for the first time.

Tom lives in Sydney with his wife Mandy, a dancer/singer/actress, and their three small children.