C. Thomas Howell
Christopher Thomas Howell (born December 7, 1966), usually credited as C. Thomas Howell, is an American actor and film director. He starred in the films The Outsiders as Ponyboy Curtis and in The Hitcher as Jim Halsey. He has appeared in Soul Man, Red Dawn, Secret Admirer, Gettysburg, H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds, The Day the Earth Stopped and Gods and Generals. Howell was born in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles to Christopher N. and Candice Howell. He has three siblings. His father worked as a stunt coordinator and rodeo performer. He played the role of the Red Knight in Terry Gilliam’s The Fisher King. As a young boy, Howell wanted to be a stuntman and was a child stunt performer. He was also a rodeo star. When Howell was young, his parents divorced. Howell graduated from Saugus High School in 1984. In 1982, Howell made his film debut as Tyler in Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. At the age of 15 in 1981, Howell was cast in Francis Ford Coppola's The Outsiders (1983). Howell played the lead role of Ponyboy Curtis, "the soulful tagalong greaser through whose eyes we see the events of the 1960s-set film unfold." Based on S.E. Hinton's bestselling 1967 novel of the same name,the coming-of-age film went on to become a cult classic. Howell's portrayal of Ponyboy was his breakthrough role, and it earned him a Young Artist Award. In 1984, Howell and his Outsiders co-star Patrick Swayze reunited for Grandview, U.S.A. and Red Dawn. Howell also had a pivotal role in Tank (1984). In 1985, he starred in Secret Admirer. After filming The Outsiders, Howell co-starred in his own television series Two Marriages, which ended after four episodes, but letters of support got it back on air. He later expressed disappointment in the series. Howell was one of two final actors in the running for the lead role of Marty McFly in Back to the Future (1985); the other was Eric Stoltz. Ultimately, Michael J. Fox was cast as Marty after Stoltz was deemed wrong for the part. In 1986, Howell was a hitchhiker's target in the film The Hitcher. He also starred in the sequel, which was released in 2003. In 1986, Howell starred in Soul Man, a film in which Howell appears in Blackface. Rounding out the 1980s , Howell played the young Arturo Toscanini in Franco Zeffirelli's 1988 film Young Toscanini.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · Reagan as Caspar Weinberger
- 2023 · Obliterated as Hagerty
- 2023 · Old Dads as Ed Cameron
- 2023 · Will Trent as Warden Sturgill Hardly
- 2022 · 1923 as Anders
- 2022 · Because We're Family as Peter
- 2019 · Dauntless: The Battle of Midway as Captain Miles Browning
- 2019 · Creepshow as Sam Spinster
- 2019 · I Am Patrick Swayze as Self
- 2018 · The Good Cop as
- 2018 · Urban Country as Jim Craft
- 2018 · The Terror as Major Bowen
- 2018 · Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay as Eobard Thawne / Professor Zoom (voice)
- 2018 · Shifting Gears as Jenkins
- 2017 · Marvel's The Punisher as Carson Wolf
- 2017 · LBJ as Walter Jenkins
- 2017 · A Question of Faith as John Danielson
- 2017 · SEAL Team as Ash Spenser
- 2016 · MacGyver as Vasil
- 2016 · Attack of the Killer Donuts as Officer Roberts
- 2015 · Magic Hour as Tom Worthy
- 2015 · A Christmas Eve Miracle as Jack Carter
- 2015 · Woodlawn as George 'Shorty' White
- 2015 · Ties That Bind as Mr. Witherspoon
- 2015 · Justice League: Gods and Monsters as Dr. Will Magnus (voice)
- 2015 · Stitchers as Daniel Stinger
- 2014 · Category 5 as Charlie DuPuis
- 2013 · The Blacklist as Earl Fagen
- 2013 · Sleepy Hollow as SAC Mick Granger
- 2013 · Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox as Professor Eobard 'Zoom' Thawne / Reverse-Flash (voice)
- 2012 · MoniKa as Double
- 2012 · Revolution as Bounty Hunter
- 2012 · The Amazing Spider-Man as Jack's Father
- 2012 · Longmire as Ray Stewart
- 2011 · Grimm as Weston Steward
- 2011 · Restitution as John Youngstown
- 2011 · Alphas as Eli Aquino
- 2011 · Cross as Jake
- 2011 · Camel Spiders as Sheriff Beaumont
- 2010 · The Walking Dead as Roy
- 2010 · The Walking Dead as Hilltop Resident
- 2010 · Blue Bloods as Alex Polanski
- 2010 · Hawaii Five-0 as Martin Cordova
- 2010 · The Glades as Peyton Robinson
- 2010 · The Terror Experiment as Chief Grasso
- 2009 · American Pie Presents: The Book of Love as Alumnus Guy #2
- 2009 · Celebrity Ghost Stories as Self
- 2009 · The Land That Time Forgot as Frost Michaels
- 2009 · Southland as
- 2009 · Southland as Officer Dewey Dudek
- 2009 · Castle as John Campbell
- 2008 · A Gunfighter's Pledge as Horn
- 2008 · Sons of Anarchy as Agent Frank Eagan
- 2008 · Celebracadabra as
- 2008 · Toxic as LIttle Joe
- 2008 · War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave as George Herbert
- 2006 · Torchwood as The Gentleman
- 2006 · Psych as Camden Driggs
- 2005 · The Poseidon Adventure as Doctor Ballard
- 2005 · Criminal Minds as The Reaper / George Foyet
- 2005 · Staying Gold: A Look Back at 'The Outsiders' as Self
- 2005 · H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds as George Herbert
- 2004 · The Hillside Strangler as Kenneth Bianchi
- 2004 · Summerland as
- 2004 · Hidalgo as Preston Webb
- 2003 · The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting as Jim Halsey
- 2003 · Gods and Generals as Sgt. Thomas Chamberlain
- 2003 · Jimmy Kimmel Live! as
- 2002 · Killer Bees as Sheriff Lyndon Harris
- 2001 · 24 as Barry Landes
- 2000 · The District as Chris Gunner
- 2000 · Son of the Beach as
- 2000 · Hot Boyz as Officer Roberts
- 1999 · Amazon as Dr. Alex Kennedy
- 1999 · Twice in a Lifetime as
- 1999 · Red Team as J.B. Gaines
- 1999 · Hitman's Run as Tom Holly
- 1998 · V.I.P. as Phil Sherman
- 1997 · Sleeping Dogs as Sanchez Boon
- 1997 · Dead Fire as Tucker
- 1997 · Dilemma as Thomas 'Quin' Quinlan
- 1996 · The Sweeper as Mark Goddard
- 1996 · Kindred: The Embraced as Det. Frank Kohanek
- 1995 · The Outer Limits as Capt. Miles Davidow
- 1995 · Payback as Oscar Bonsetter
- 1994 · ER as Vincent Jansen
- 1993 · Gettysburg as Lieut. Thomas D. Chamberlain
- 1993 · Acting on Impulse as Paul Stevens
- 1992 · That Night as Rick
- 1992 · Nickel & Dime as Jack Stone
- 1990 · Far Out Man as Himself
- 1990 · Side Out as Monroe Clark
- 1989 · The Eyes of the Panther as Jenner Brading
- 1989 · The Return of the Musketeers as Raoul
- 1986 · The Hitcher as Jim Halsey
- 1985 · Secret Admirer as Michael Ryan
- 1985 · Moonlighting as Waiter (uncredited)
- 1984 · Red Dawn as Robert
- 1984 · Grandview, U.S.A. as Tim Pearson
- 1984 · Tank as Billy
- 1983 · The Hitchhiker as Gerald
- 1983 · The Outsiders as Ponyboy Curtis
- 1982 · E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial as Tyler
- Future · Dreadtown: The Steel Pulse Story as Self
- 2024 · Ride as John Hawkins
- 2018 · Dirty Dealing as Carter
- 2018 · The Rack Pack as Ted
- 2018 · Rich Boy, Rich Girl as Blake
- 2018 · Deadman Standing as The Stranger
- 2017 · The Shadow People as Kaine
- 2016 · Blood Lust as Ryan
- 2015 · Lazarus Rising as Silent Cal
- 2015 · Rivers 9 as Sheriff Quentin
- 2015 · Borrowed Moments as Jack
- 2014 · A Magic Christmas as Jack Carter
- 2013 · Christmas Belle as Rex Everhart
- 2013 · Storm Rider as Mitch Fielding
- 2013 · Lost on Purpose as Delbert Furgeson
- 2013 · Don't Pass Me By as Jack
- 2012 · The 'E.T.' Journals as Self
- 2012 · Home Invasion as Ray
- 2012 · Wedding Day as Russ
- 2010 · Mutant Vampire Zombies from the 'Hood! as David
- 2009 · The Grind as Luke
- 2008 · The Day the Earth Stopped as Josh Myron
- 2008 · Big Game as Sully
- 2006 · Fighting Words as David Settles
- 2006 · The Da Vinci Treasure as Michael Archer
- 2006 · Hoboken Hollow as Clayton Connelly
- 2005 · Glass Trap as Curtis
- 2005 · The Lost Angel as Kuratha
- 2004 · Zolar as Hedion
- 2003 · Net Games as Adam Vance
- 2002 · Night of the Wolf as Sheriff Wade Messer
- 2001 · Askari as Joss Mckinley
- 2001 · Burning Down the House as Concierge
- 1999 · The Prince and the Surfer as Dean
- 1999 · Escape from Alaska as Jack
- 1999 · The Shepherd as Boris Dakota
- 1998 · Matter of Trust as Michael D'Angelo
- 1998 · Sealed with a Kiss as Detective Mick Cullen
- 1997 · The Big Fall as Blaise Rybeck
- 1997 · Laws of Deception as Evan Marino
- 1997 · Hourglass as Michael Jardine
- 1996 · Pure Danger as Johnie Dean
- 1996 · Baby Face Nelson as Baby Face Nelson
- 1995 · Dangerous Indiscretion as Jim Lomax
- 1995 · Suspect Device as Dan Jericho
- 1993 · Jailbait as Sergeant Lee Teffler
- 1992 · Breaking the Rules as Gene Michaels
- 1989 · Nightmare Classics as Jenner Brading
- 1988 · Young Toscanini as Arturo Toscanini
- 1988 · A Tiger's Tale as Bubber Drumm
- 1987 · Into the Homeland as Tripp Wilson
- 1986 · Soul Man as Mark Watson
- Future · Where The Wind Blows as Nathan
- 2024 · The Open Door as Mr. Sapp
- 2022 · Crimson Point as Frank
- 2021 · The Wrong Path as Dr. Eric Peselowe
- 2020 · Beast Mode as Breen Nash
- 2019 · Control as Control (voice)
- 2018 · Detroit Under S.T.R.E.S.S. as Narrator
- 2017 · Mac Daddy's Vegas Adventure as
- 2017 · Disconnected as Robert Crawford
- 2016 · My B.F.F. as Ben Wilkins
- 2016 · Advance & Retreat as Nathan Shapiro
- 2015 · Spirit Riders as Keith
- 2014 · Fruits De Mer as
- 2014 · Confessions of a Womanizer as Tony
- 2014 · Rescuing Madison as Rad
- 2014 · Bigfoot Wars as Zeke
- 2013 · An Amish Murder as Nathan Detrick
- 2012 · Chilly Christmas as Patrick Cole
- 2012 · Escape as Paul Jordan
- 2010 · Cupid's Arrow as Professor Grimes
- 2009 · The Jailhouse as Seth Delray
- 2009 · Mia's Father as
- 2008 · House of Fallen as Thomas
- 2008 · The Thirst: Blood War as Jed
- 2008 · Xenophobia as Stone
- 2007 · The Haunting of Marsten Manor as Captain Williams
- 2007 · Cold Ones as K.C. Corcoran
- 2005 · The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam as Coach Fielding
- 2005 · Crimson Force as Capt. Baskin
- 2005 · Ordinary Miracles as Jim Powell
- 2004 · A Killer Within as Addison Terrill
- 2004 · Nursie as Zack
- 2003 · The Hitcher: How Do These Movies Get Made? as
- 2002 · WillFull as Nat Wolff
- 2001 · Asylum Days as Nathan Devine
- 2001 · XCU: Extreme Close Up as Geoffrey Liddy
- 2001 · Separate Ways as Tom Milton
- 2001 · Lawless: Dead Evidence as Dean Riley
- 1999 · Fatal Affair as Malcolm 'Mack' Maddox
- 1999 · Enemy Action as John Reed
- 1999 · Cybermaster: Shepherd II as Dakota
- 1998 · Charades as Evan
- 1997 · Last Lives as Aaron
- 1995 · Mad Dogs and Englishmen as Mike
- 1994 · Teresa's Tattoo as Carl
- 1994 · Natural Selection as Ben Braden / Alex Connelly
- 1993 · Treacherous as Micky Stewert
- 1993 · Tattle Tale as Bernard Sprat
- 1992 · To Protect and Serve as Egan
- 1990 · Kid as Kid
- Future · One Mile as Stanley Dixon
- Future · One More Mile as Stanley Dixon
- 1990 · Curiosity Kills as Cat Thomas