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C. Thomas Howell

C. Thomas Howell

Acting December 7, 1966 (59 years old) Los Angeles, California, USA

Biography

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.

Movies 170

The Amazing Spider-Man 6.8

The Amazing Spider-Man

as Jack's Father

2012
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 7.5

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

as Tyler

1982
One Mile: Chapter One 6.6

One Mile: Chapter One

as Stanley Dixon

2026
The Outsiders 7.2

The Outsiders

as Ponyboy Curtis

1983
One Mile: Chapter Two 6.6

One Mile: Chapter Two

as Stanley Dixon

2026
American Pie Presents: The Book of Love 5.3

American Pie Presents: The Book of Love

as Alumnus Guy #2

2009
Hidalgo 6.9

Hidalgo

as Preston Webb

2004
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox 7.9

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox

as Professor Zoom / Thawne (voice)

2013
Red Dawn 6.3

Red Dawn

as Robert

1984
The Hitcher 7.0

The Hitcher

as Jim Halsey

1986
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay 7.1

Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay

as Zoom (voice)

2018
Justice League: Gods and Monsters 7.1

Justice League: Gods and Monsters

as Dr. Will Magnus (voice)

2015
Gettysburg 7.0

Gettysburg

as Lieut. Thomas D. Chamberlain

1993
Old Dads 6.2

Old Dads

as Ed Cameron

2023
Reagan 6.3

Reagan

as Caspar Weinberger

2024
The Poseidon Adventure 5.1

The Poseidon Adventure

as Doctor Ballard

2005
Gods and Generals 6.4

Gods and Generals

as Sgt. Thomas Chamberlain

2003
The Return of the Musketeers 6.2

The Return of the Musketeers

as Raoul

1989
Tank 5.6

Tank

as Billy

1984
The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting 4.8

The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting

as Jim Halsey

2003
Payback 4.8

Payback

as Oscar Bonsetter

1995
Dauntless: The Battle of Midway 4.3

Dauntless: The Battle of Midway

as Captain Miles Browning

2019
Where the Wind Blows 8.0

Where the Wind Blows

as Nathan

2025
Secret Admirer 6.7

Secret Admirer

as Michael Ryan

1985
Soul Man 5.2

Soul Man

as Mark Watson

1986
LBJ 6.4

LBJ

as Walter Jenkins

2017
War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave 3.6

War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave

as George Herbert

2008
Grandview, U.S.A. 5.7

Grandview, U.S.A.

as Tim Pearson

1984
A Question of Faith 7.5

A Question of Faith

as John Danielson

2017
Urban Country 6.4

Urban Country

as Jim Craft

2018
H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds 5.1

H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds

as George Herbert

2005
Attack of the Killer Donuts 4.2

Attack of the Killer Donuts

as Officer Roberts

2016
The Land That Time Forgot 3.7

The Land That Time Forgot

as Frost Michaels

2009
Woodlawn 6.8

Woodlawn

as George 'Shorty' White

2015
Home Invasion 6.2

Home Invasion

as Ray

2012
Cross 4.0

Cross

as Jake

2011
The Da Vinci Treasure 2.5

The Da Vinci Treasure

as Michael Archer

2006
Camel Spiders 4.3

Camel Spiders

as Sheriff Beaumont

2011
Side Out 5.3

Side Out

as Monroe Clark

1990
Rich Boy, Rich Girl 5.8

Rich Boy, Rich Girl

as Blake

2018
An Amish Murder 5.8

An Amish Murder

as Nathan Detrick

2013
Storm Rider 6.5

Storm Rider

as Mitch Fielding

2013
The Sweeper 4.5

The Sweeper

as Mark Goddard

1996
Dirty Dealing 3.3

Dirty Dealing

as Carter

2018
I Am Patrick Swayze 7.0

I Am Patrick Swayze

as Self

2019
That Night 6.4

That Night

as Rick

1992
The Day the Earth Stopped 3.5

The Day the Earth Stopped

as Josh Myron

2008
Breaking the Rules 5.3

Breaking the Rules

as Gene Michaels

1992
Teresa's Tattoo 4.9

Teresa's Tattoo

as Carl

1994
The Prince and the Surfer 4.0

The Prince and the Surfer

as Dean

1999
MoniKa 5.9

MoniKa

as Double

2012
My B.F.F.

My B.F.F.

as Ben Wilkins

2016
Burning Down the House 8.5

Burning Down the House

as Concierge

2001
Acting on Impulse 4.6

Acting on Impulse

as Paul Stevens

1993
Enemy Action 4.7

Enemy Action

as John Reed

1999
The Terror Experiment 4.1

The Terror Experiment

as Chief Grasso

2010
Ride 7.2

Ride

as John Hawkins

2024
Mad Dogs and Englishmen 4.0

Mad Dogs and Englishmen

as Mike

1995
Rivers 9 5.1

Rivers 9

as Sheriff Quentin

2015
Toxic 4.2

Toxic

as LIttle Joe

2008
Category 5 5.5

Category 5

as Charlie DuPuis

2014
Restitution 3.5

Restitution

as John Youngstown

2011
Deadman Standing 5.5

Deadman Standing

as The Stranger

2018
Big Game 3.9

Big Game

as Sully

2008
Kid 5.8

Kid

as Kid

1990
The E.T. Journals 10.0

The E.T. Journals

as Self

2012
A Gunfighter's Pledge 5.2

A Gunfighter's Pledge

as Horn

2008
Hot Boyz 5.0

Hot Boyz

as Officer Roberts

2000
Dangerous Indiscretion 3.7

Dangerous Indiscretion

as Jim Lomax

1995
Hoboken Hollow 3.7

Hoboken Hollow

as Clayton Connelly

2006
Baby Face Nelson 6.8

Baby Face Nelson

as Baby Face Nelson

1996
A Christmas Eve Miracle 4.3

A Christmas Eve Miracle

as Jack Carter

2015
The Big Fall 6.3

The Big Fall

as Blaise Rybeck

1997
Night of the Wolf 5.2

Night of the Wolf

as Sheriff Wade Messer

2002
Christmas Belle 5.7

Christmas Belle

as Rex Everhart

2013
Secret at Arrow Lake 7.3

Secret at Arrow Lake

2009
Cupid's Arrow 5.5

Cupid's Arrow

as Professor Grimes

2010
Red Team 3.7

Red Team

as J.B. Gaines

1999
Escape from Alaska 4.6

Escape from Alaska

as Jack

1999
A Magic Christmas 4.7

A Magic Christmas

as Jack Carter

2014
Nickel & Dime 6.0

Nickel & Dime

as Jack Stone

1992
Into the Homeland 6.6

Into the Homeland

as Tripp Wilson

1987
Curiosity Kills 5.4

Curiosity Kills

as Cat Thomas

1990
The Hillside Strangler 5.1

The Hillside Strangler

as Kenneth Bianchi

2004
Far Out Man 5.4

Far Out Man

as C. Thomas Howell

1990
Beast Mode 5.6

Beast Mode

as Breen Nash

2020
Staying Gold: A Look Back at 'The Outsiders' 9.0

Staying Gold: A Look Back at 'The Outsiders'

as Self

2005
The Million Dollar Kid 3.4

The Million Dollar Kid

as Valentino

2000
Don't Pass Me By 4.0

Don't Pass Me By

as Jack

2013
Net Games 4.9

Net Games

as Adam Vance

2003
Glass Trap 3.8

Glass Trap

as Curtis

2005
Nursie 4.8

Nursie

as Zack

2004
Chilly Christmas 4.7

Chilly Christmas

as Patrick Cole

2012
Treacherous 6.9

Treacherous

as Micky Stewert

1993
Ordinary Miracles 6.5

Ordinary Miracles

as Jim Powell

2005
Askari 7.0

Askari

as Joss Mckinley

2001
Hitman's Run 4.9

Hitman's Run

as Tom Holly

1999
Escape 4.7

Escape

as Paul Jordan

2012
The Thirst: Blood War 3.6

The Thirst: Blood War

as Jed

2008
Dead Fire 4.3

Dead Fire

as Tucker

1997
Crimson Force 4.6

Crimson Force

as Capt. Baskin

2005
Confessions of a Womanizer 2.9

Confessions of a Womanizer

as Tony

2014
Dilemma 3.9

Dilemma

as Thomas 'Quin' Quinlan

1997
The Shepherd 3.6

The Shepherd

as Boris Dakota

1998
Dreadtown: The Steel Pulse Story

Dreadtown: The Steel Pulse Story

as Self

Sleeping Dogs 4.5

Sleeping Dogs

as Sanchez Boon

1997
Young Toscanini 6.7

Young Toscanini

as Arturo Toscanini

1988
The Sin Seer 4.1

The Sin Seer

as Detective Riggers

2015
Last Lives 4.3

Last Lives

as Aaron

1997
Rescuing Madison 5.9

Rescuing Madison

as Rad

2014
Zolar 3.0

Zolar

as Hedion

2004
Advance & Retreat 6.3

Advance & Retreat

as Nathan Shapiro

2016
The Hitcher: How Do These Movies Get Made? 7.3

The Hitcher: How Do These Movies Get Made?

2003
A Tiger's Tale 4.5

A Tiger's Tale

as Bubber Drumm

1988
Spirit Riders 6.1

Spirit Riders

as Keith

2015
Because We're Family 5.0

Because We're Family

as Peter

2022
The Jailhouse 4.0

The Jailhouse

as Seth Delray

2009
Hourglass 4.9

Hourglass

as Michael Jardine

1997
Mutant Vampire Zombies from the 'Hood! 2.7

Mutant Vampire Zombies from the 'Hood!

as David

2010
Lost on Purpose 4.3

Lost on Purpose

as Delbert Furgeson

2013
XCU: Extreme Close Up 4.7

XCU: Extreme Close Up

as Geoffrey Liddy

2001
Lazarus Rising 3.0

Lazarus Rising

as Silent Cal

2015
Borrowed Moments 3.4

Borrowed Moments

as Jack

2015
The Haunting of Marsten Manor 2.6

The Haunting of Marsten Manor

as Captain Williams

2007
Wedding Day 4.0

Wedding Day

as Russ

2012
Magic Hour 4.0

Magic Hour

as Tom Worthy

2015
Jailbait 3.2

Jailbait

as Sergeant Lee Teffler

1993
A Killer Within 5.0

A Killer Within

as Addison Terrill

2004
The Rack Pack 3.7

The Rack Pack

as Ted

2018
To Protect and Serve 4.8

To Protect and Serve

as Egan

1992
The Lost Angel 4.1

The Lost Angel

as Kuratha

2005
The Eyes of the Panther

The Eyes of the Panther

as Jenner Brading

1989
The Grind 3.2

The Grind

as Luke

2009
Shifting Gears 6.5

Shifting Gears

as Jenkins

2018
Fighting Words 8.0

Fighting Words

as David Settles

2006
Crimson Point

Crimson Point

as Frank

2022
House of Fallen 3.1

House of Fallen

as Thomas

2008
Separate Ways 3.8

Separate Ways

as Tom Milton

2001
Pure Danger 4.2

Pure Danger

as Johnie Dean

1996
Killer Bees 3.8

Killer Bees

as Sheriff Lyndon Harris

2002
The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam 5.4

The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam

as Coach Fielding

2005
Mac Daddy's Vegas Adventure 2.0

Mac Daddy's Vegas Adventure

2017
Suspect Device 6.2

Suspect Device

as Dan Jericho

1995
Cold Ones 6.7

Cold Ones

as K.C. Corcoran

2007
Sealed with a Kiss 3.8

Sealed with a Kiss

as Detective Mick Cullen

1998
The Wrong Path 4.0

The Wrong Path

as Dr. Eric Peselowe

2021
The Shadow People 4.4

The Shadow People

as Kaine

2017
Blood Lust 4.3

Blood Lust

as Ryan

2016
Natural Selection 5.7

Natural Selection

as Ben Braden / Alex Connelly

1994
Laws of Deception 4.0

Laws of Deception

as Evan Marino

1997
Cybermaster: Shepherd II 10.0

Cybermaster: Shepherd II

as Dakota

1999
The Greatest Actress in the World

The Greatest Actress in the World

The Horseman

The Horseman

Tattle Tale 6.5

Tattle Tale

as Bernard Sprat

1993
Detroit Under S.T.R.E.S.S.

Detroit Under S.T.R.E.S.S.

as Narrator

2018
Fatal Affair 7.3

Fatal Affair

as Malcolm 'Mack' Maddox

1999
The Kindred Chronicles

The Kindred Chronicles

as Self / Detective Frank Kohanek

2013
Matter of Trust 4.0

Matter of Trust

as Michael D'Angelo

1998
Bigfoot Wars 4.0

Bigfoot Wars

as Zeke

2014
Asylum Days 7.8

Asylum Days

as Nathan Devine

2001
Xenophobia 8.0

Xenophobia

as Stone

2008
Charades 4.2

Charades

as Evan

1998
Disconnected 3.5

Disconnected

as Robert Crawford

2017
Lawless: Dead Evidence 6.3

Lawless: Dead Evidence

as Dean Riley

2001
WillFull 7.3

WillFull

as Nat Wolff

2002
The Open Door

The Open Door

as Mr. Sapp

2024
Michael Jackson's Black or White 10.0

Michael Jackson's Black or White

as Special appearence

1991
Fruits De Mer

Fruits De Mer

2014
Control

Control

as Control (voice)

2019
The Glass Jar

The Glass Jar

as Lanois

1999

TV Shows 45

Criminal Minds 8.3

Criminal Minds

as The Reaper / George Foyet

2005
The Walking Dead 8.1

The Walking Dead

as Roy

2010
The Walking Dead 8.1

The Walking Dead

as Hilltop Resident

2010
The Blacklist 7.6

The Blacklist

as Earl Fagen

2013
Jimmy Kimmel Live! 5.3

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

as Self

2003
Hawaii Five-0 7.7

Hawaii Five-0

as Martin Cordova

2010
Castle 8.0

Castle

as John Campbell

2009
Blue Bloods 7.8

Blue Bloods

as Alex Polanski

2010
24 7.8

24

as Barry Landes

2001
Grimm 8.3

Grimm

as Weston Steward

2011
SEAL Team 8.0

SEAL Team

as Ash Spenser

2017
Sons of Anarchy 8.4

Sons of Anarchy

as Agent Frank Eagan

2008
ER 7.8

ER

as Vincent Jansen

1994
Psych 7.9

Psych

as Camden Driggs

2006
Will Trent 7.3

Will Trent

as Warden Sturgill Hardly

2023
Marvel's The Punisher 8.2

Marvel's The Punisher

as Carson Wolf

2017
Bosch 7.9

Bosch

as Louis Degner

2015
MacGyver 7.3

MacGyver

as Vasil

2016
Sleepy Hollow 7.4

Sleepy Hollow

as SAC Mick Granger

2013
V.I.P. 5.3

V.I.P.

as Phil Sherman

1998
The Outer Limits 7.7

The Outer Limits

as Capt. Miles Davidow

1995
The District 6.9

The District

as Chris Gunner

2000
Longmire 7.7

Longmire

as Ray Stewart

2012
Moonlighting 7.6

Moonlighting

as Waiter (uncredited)

1985
1923 8.3

1923

as Anders

2022
Torchwood 7.3

Torchwood

as The Gentleman

2006
The Glades 7.0

The Glades

as Peyton Robinson

2010
Southland 7.9

Southland

as Officer Dewey Dudek

2009
The Hitchhiker 6.2

The Hitchhiker

as Gerald

1983
Celebrity Ghost Stories 7.3

Celebrity Ghost Stories

as Self

2009
The Terror 7.4

The Terror

as Major Bowen

2018
Creepshow 7.4

Creepshow

as Sam Spinster

2019
Obliterated 6.9

Obliterated

as Hagerty

2023
Revolution 6.4

Revolution

as Bounty Hunter

2012
Alphas 6.8

Alphas

as Eli Aquino

2011
Son of the Beach 6.3

Son of the Beach

2000
Twice in a Lifetime 6.2

Twice in a Lifetime

as Tony Tremaine / Phil Barlow

1999
Stitchers 6.8

Stitchers

as Daniel Stinger

2015
Summerland 6.5

Summerland

as Kyle Bale

2004
The Good Cop 6.2

The Good Cop

as Businessman

2018
Kindred: The Embraced 7.1

Kindred: The Embraced

as Det. Frank Kohanek

1996
Amazon 7.8

Amazon

as Dr. Alex Kennedy

1999
Ties That Bind 6.0

Ties That Bind

as Mr. Witherspoon

2015
Nightmare Classics 7.2

Nightmare Classics

as Jenner Brading

1989
Celebracadabra

Celebracadabra

2008

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