C. Thomas Howell
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1966-12-07 (58 years old)
Place of Birth
Los Angeles, California, USA
C. Thomas Howell
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.
Known For
Acting
One Mile
as Stanley Dixon
Where the Wind Blows
as Nathan
One More Mile
as Stanley Dixon
(2024)
Reagan
as Caspar Weinberger
(2024)
Ride
as John Hawkins
(2024)
The Open Door
as Mr. Sapp
(2023)
Old Dads
as Ed Cameron
(2022)
Because We're Family
as Peter
(2022)
Crimson Point
as Frank
(2021)
The Wrong Path
as Dr. Eric Peselowe
(2020)
Beast Mode
as Breen Nash
(2019)
Dauntless: The Battle of Midway
as Captain Miles Browning
(2019)
Control
as Control (voice)
(2019)
I Am Patrick Swayze
as Self
(2018)
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
as Eobard Thawne / Professor Zoom (voice)
(2018)
The Rack Pack
as Ted
(2018)
Urban Country
as Jim Craft
(2018)
Shifting Gears
as Jenkins
(2018)
Deadman Standing
as The Stranger
(2018)
Rich Boy, Rich Girl
as Blake
(2018)
Dirty Dealing
as Carter
(2018)
Detroit Under S.T.R.E.S.S.
as Narrator
(2017)
LBJ
as Walter Jenkins
(2017)
A Question of Faith
as John Danielson
(2017)
Disconnected
as Robert Crawford
(2017)
The Shadow People
as Kaine
(2017)
(2016)
Attack of the Killer Donuts
as Officer Roberts
(2016)
My B.F.F.
as Ben Wilkins
(2016)
Advance & Retreat
as Nathan Shapiro
(2016)
Blood Lust
as Ryan
(2015)
Lazarus Rising
as Silent Cal
(2015)
Woodlawn
as George 'Shorty' White
(2015)
Spirit Riders
as Keith
(2015)
Justice League: Gods and Monsters
as Dr. Will Magnus (voice)
(2015)
A Christmas Eve Miracle
as Jack Carter
(2015)
Rivers 9
as Sheriff Quentin
(2015)
Magic Hour
as Tom Worthy
(2015)
Borrowed Moments
as Jack
(2014)
(2014)
Rescuing Madison
as Rad
(2014)
Category 5
as Charlie DuPuis
(2014)
A Magic Christmas
as Jack Carter
(2014)
Confessions of a Womanizer
as Tony
(2014)
Bigfoot Wars
as Zeke
(2013)
Storm Rider
as Mitch Fielding
(2013)
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox
as Professor Eobard 'Zoom' Thawne / Reverse-Flash (voice)
(2013)
Lost on Purpose
as Delbert Furgeson
(2013)
An Amish Murder
as Nathan Detrick
(2013)
Don't Pass Me By
as Jack
(2013)
Christmas Belle
as Rex Everhart
(2012)
The Amazing Spider-Man
as Jack's Father
(2012)
Home Invasion
as Ray
(2012)
Wedding Day
as Russ
(2012)
MoniKa
as Double
(2012)
Chilly Christmas
as Patrick Cole
(2012)
The 'E.T.' Journals
as Self
(2012)
Escape
as Paul Jordan
(2011)
Cross
as Jake
(2011)
Camel Spiders
as Sheriff Beaumont
(2011)
Restitution
as John Youngstown
(2010)
The Terror Experiment
as Chief Grasso
(2010)
Cupid's Arrow
as Professor Grimes
(2010)
(2009)
American Pie Presents: The Book of Love
as Alumnus Guy #2
(2009)
(2009)
The Jailhouse
as Seth Delray
(2009)
The Land That Time Forgot
as Frost Michaels
(2009)
The Grind
as Luke
(2008)
The Day the Earth Stopped
as Josh Myron
(2008)
The Thirst: Blood War
as Jed
(2008)
Xenophobia
as Stone
(2008)
A Gunfighter's Pledge
as Horn
(2008)
War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave
as George Herbert
(2008)
Big Game
as Sully
(2008)
House of Fallen
as Thomas
(2008)
Toxic
as LIttle Joe
(2007)
The Haunting of Marsten Manor
as Captain Williams
(2007)
Cold Ones
as K.C. Corcoran
(2006)
The Da Vinci Treasure
as Michael Archer
(2006)
Fighting Words
as David Settles
(2006)
Hoboken Hollow
as Clayton Connelly
(2005)
H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds
as George Herbert
(2005)
The Poseidon Adventure
as Doctor Ballard
(2005)
(2005)
Crimson Force
as Capt. Baskin
(2005)
Glass Trap
as Curtis
(2005)
The Lost Angel
as Kuratha
(2005)
Ordinary Miracles
as Jim Powell
(2005)
The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam
as Coach Fielding
(2004)
Hidalgo
as Preston Webb
(2004)
The Hillside Strangler
as Kenneth Bianchi
(2004)
Zolar
as Hedion
(2004)
A Killer Within
as Addison Terrill
(2004)
Nursie
as Zack
(2003)
Gods and Generals
as Sgt. Thomas Chamberlain
(2003)
Net Games
as Adam Vance
(2003)
The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting
as Jim Halsey
(2003)
(2002)
Killer Bees
as Sheriff Lyndon Harris
(2002)
Night of the Wolf
as Sheriff Wade Messer
(2002)
WillFull
as Nat Wolff
(2001)
Lawless: Dead Evidence
as Dean Riley
(2001)
Askari
as Joss Mckinley
(2001)
XCU: Extreme Close Up
as Geoffrey Liddy
(2001)
Burning Down the House
as Concierge
(2001)
Asylum Days
as Nathan Devine
(2001)
Separate Ways
as Tom Milton
(2000)
The Million Dollar Kid
as Valentino
(2000)
Hot Boyz
as Officer Roberts
(1999)
Escape from Alaska
as Jack
(1999)
Red Team
as J.B. Gaines
(1999)
Fatal Affair
as Malcolm 'Mack' Maddox
(1999)
Hitman's Run
as Tom Holly
(1999)
Cybermaster: Shepherd II
as Dakota
(1999)
Enemy Action
as John Reed
(1999)
The Prince and the Surfer
as Dean
(1998)
The Shepherd
as Boris Dakota
(1998)
Matter of Trust
as Michael D'Angelo
(1998)
Sealed with a Kiss
as Detective Mick Cullen
(1998)
Charades
as Evan
(1997)
Dead Fire
as Tucker
(1997)
Sleeping Dogs
as Sanchez Boon
(1997)
Last Lives
as Aaron
(1997)
Laws of Deception
as Evan Marino
(1997)
Hourglass
as Michael Jardine
(1997)
Dilemma
as Thomas 'Quin' Quinlan
(1997)
The Big Fall
as Blaise Rybeck
(1996)
The Sweeper
as Mark Goddard
(1996)
Pure Danger
as Johnie Dean
(1996)
Baby Face Nelson
as Baby Face Nelson
(1995)
Payback
as Oscar Bonsetter
(1995)
Mad Dogs and Englishmen
as Mike
(1995)
Suspect Device
as Dan Jericho
(1995)
Dangerous Indiscretion
as Jim Lomax
(1994)
Natural Selection
as Ben Braden / Alex Connelly
(1994)
Teresa's Tattoo
as Carl
(1993)
Gettysburg
as Lieut. Thomas D. Chamberlain
(1993)
Tattle Tale
as Bernard Sprat
(1993)
Jailbait
as Sergeant Lee Teffler
(1993)
Treacherous
as Micky Stewert
(1993)
Acting on Impulse
as Paul Stevens
(1992)
Breaking the Rules
as Gene Michaels
(1992)
That Night
as Rick
(1992)
To Protect and Serve
as Egan
(1992)
Nickel & Dime
as Jack Stone
(1990)
Side Out
as Monroe Clark
(1990)
Far Out Man
as Himself
(1990)
Curiosity Kills
as Cat Thomas
(1990)
Kid
as Kid
(1989)
The Return of the Musketeers
as Raoul
(1989)
The Eyes of the Panther
as Jenner Brading
(1988)
A Tiger's Tale
as Bubber Drumm
(1988)
Young Toscanini
as Arturo Toscanini
(1987)
Into the Homeland
as Tripp Wilson
(1986)
The Hitcher
as Jim Halsey
(1986)
Soul Man
as Mark Watson
(1985)
Secret Admirer
as Michael Ryan
(1984)
Red Dawn
as Robert
(1984)
Tank
as Billy
(1984)
Grandview, U.S.A.
as Tim Pearson
(1983)
The Outsiders
as Ponyboy Curtis
(1982)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
as Tyler
Crew
(2015)
A Christmas Eve Miracle
Executive Producer
(2014)
A Magic Christmas
Executive Producer
(2010)
The Genesis Code
Director
(2009)
The Land That Time Forgot
Director
(2008)
The Day the Earth Stopped
Director
(2008)
(2005)
Blind Injustice
Producer, Story
(2002)
Hope Ranch
Screenplay, Producer
(1997)
Hourglass
Screenplay, Director
(1997)
The Big Fall
Director
(1996)
Pure Danger
Director
(1980)
Night of the Juggler
Stunts