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.
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Films (173)
One Mile: Chapter Two
2026 · Stanley Dixon
One Mile: Chapter One
2026 · Stanley Dixon
Where the Wind Blows
2025 · Nathan
Reagan
2024 · Caspar Weinberger
Ride
2024 · John Hawkins
The Open Door
2024 · Mr. Sapp
Papás a la antigua
2023 · Ed Cameron
Crimson Point
2022 · Frank
Because We're Family
2022 · Peter
The Wrong Path
2021 · Dr. Eric Peselowe
Beast Mode
2020 · Breen Nash
Dauntless : L'Enfer de Midway
2019 · Captain Miles Browning
Control
2019 · Control (voice)
Patrick Swayze - Acteur et danseur par passion
2019 · Self
La clé des champs
2018 · Jim Craft
Detroit Under S.T.R.E.S.S.
2018 · Narrator
Dirty Dealing
2018 · Carter
The Rack Pack
2018 · Ted
Chico rico, chica rica
2018 · Blake
Deadman Standing
2018 · The Stranger
Shifting Gears
2018 · Jenkins
Suicide Squad : Le Prix de l'enfer
2018 · Zoom (voice)
LBJ - L.B. Johnson, après Kennedy
2017 · Walter Jenkins
Una cuestión de fe
2017 · John Danielson
Mac Daddy's Vegas Adventure
2017
Disconnected
2017 · Robert Crawford
The Shadow People
2017 · Kaine
My B.F.F.
2016 · Ben Wilkins
Suivre son cœur
2016 · Nathan Shapiro
L'attaque des donuts tueurs
2016 · Officer Roberts
Blood Lust
2016 · Ryan
Magic Hour
2015 · Tom Worthy
Un voeu pour Noël
2015 · Jack Carter, Executive Producer
Woodlawn
2015 · George 'Shorty' White
The Sin Seer
2015 · Detective Riggers
Lazarus Rising
2015 · Silent Cal
Rivers 9
2015 · Sheriff Quentin
La Ligue des Justiciers : Dieux et Monstres
2015 · Dr. Will Magnus (voice)
Esprits Sauvages
2015 · Keith
Borrowed Moments
2015 · Jack
Un Noël magique
2014 · Jack Carter, Executive Producer
Fruits De Mer
2014
Confessions of a Womanizer
2014 · Tony
D'amour et de feu
2014 · Rad
Au cœur de la tempête
2014 · Charlie DuPuis
Bigfoot Wars
2014 · Zeke
Le Noël de Belle
2013 · Rex Everhart
Cabalgando en la Tormenta
2013 · Mitch Fielding
The Kindred Chronicles
2013 · Self / Detective Frank Kohanek
Lost on Purpose
2013 · Delbert Furgeson
La Ligue des Justiciers : Le Paradoxe Flashpoint
2013 · Professor Zoom / Thawne (voice)
Don't Pass Me By
2013 · Jack
Condamnés au silence
2013 · Nathan Detrick
MoniKa
2012 · Double
Christmas dog
2012 · Patrick Cole
The E.T. Journals
2012 · Self
Vengeance aveugle
2012 · Ray
L'extraordinaire Spider-Man
2012 · Jack's Father
Wedding Day
2012 · Russ
Escape
2012 · Paul Jordan
Restitucion
2011 · John Youngstown
La Croix
2011 · Jake
Camel Spiders
2011 · Sheriff Beaumont
The Genesis Code
2010 · Director
Mutant Vampire Zombies from the 'Hood!
2010 · David
Piège de verre
2010 · Chief Grasso
Cupid's Arrow
2010 · Professor Grimes
American Pie présente : Les Sex commandements
2009 · Alumnus Guy #2
The Grind
2009 · Luke
Lost Time, Monde perdu
2009 · Frost Michaels, Director
The Jailhouse
2009 · Seth Delray
Le secret de Mia
2009
Space Destructors
2008 · Josh Myron, Director
A Gunfighter's Pledge
2008 · Horn
Big Game
2008 · Sully
Toxic
2008 · LIttle Joe
House of Fallen
2008 · Thomas
H.G. Wells La Guerre des mondes 2 - Vague suivante
2008 · George Herbert, Director
Xenophobia
2008 · Stone
The Thirst: Blood War
2008 · Jed
The Haunting of Marsten Manor
2007 · Captain Williams
Cold Ones
2007 · K.C. Corcoran
Fighting Words
2006 · David Settles
El Códice Da Vinci
2006 · Michael Archer
Hoboken Hollow
2006 · Clayton Connelly
L'Aventure du Poséidon
2005 · Doctor Ballard
Staying Gold: A Look Back at 'The Outsiders'
2005 · Self
Insects - L'Attaque des fourmis géantes
2005 · Curtis
H.G. Wells La guerre des mondes - Invasion
2005 · George Herbert
The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam
2005 · Coach Fielding
Crimson Force
2005 · Capt. Baskin
The Lost Angel
2005 · Kuratha
Justice Aveugle
2005 · Story, Producer
Un petit pas vers le bonheur
2005 · Jim Powell
The Hillside Strangler
2004 · Kenneth Bianchi
A Killer Within
2004 · Addison Terrill
Zolar
2004 · Hedion
Nursie
2004 · Zack
Hidalgo
2004 · Preston Webb
Hitcher II : Retour en enfer
2003 · Jim Halsey
The Hitcher: How Do These Movies Get Made?
2003
Gods and Generals
2003 · Sgt. Thomas Chamberlain
Net Games
2003 · Adam Vance
Essaim Mortel
2002 · Sheriff Lyndon Harris
Hope Ranch
2002 · Screenplay, Producer
WillFull
2002 · Nat Wolff
Night of the Wolf
2002 · Sheriff Wade Messer
Askari
2001 · Joss Mckinley
Asylum Days
2001 · Nathan Devine
XCU: Extreme Close Up
2001 · Geoffrey Liddy
Separate Ways
2001 · Tom Milton
Burning Down the House
2001 · Concierge
Lawless: Dead Evidence
2001 · Dean Riley
The Million Dollar Kid
2000 · Valentino
American Gangsta
2000 · Officer Roberts
The Prince and the Surfer
1999 · Dean
Hitman's Run
1999 · Tom Holly
Escape from Alaska
1999 · Jack
The Glass Jar
1999 · Lanois
Fatal Affair
1999 · Malcolm 'Mack' Maddox
Red Team
1999 · J.B. Gaines
Cybermaster: Shepherd II
1999 · Dakota
Enemy Action
1999 · John Reed
Charades
1998 · Evan
Matter of Trust
1998 · Michael D'Angelo
The Shepherd
1998 · Boris Dakota
Sealed with a Kiss
1998 · Detective Mick Cullen
Last Lives
1997 · Aaron
The Big Fall
1997 · Blaise Rybeck, Director
Sleeping Dogs
1997 · Sanchez Boon
Dead Fire
1997 · Tucker
Laws of Deception
1997 · Evan Marino
Hourglass
1997 · Michael Jardine, Director, Screenplay
Dilemma
1997 · Thomas 'Quin' Quinlan
Pure Danger
1996 · Johnie Dean, Director
The Sweeper
1996 · Mark Goddard
Baby Face Nelson
1996 · Baby Face Nelson
Mad Dogs and Englishmen
1995 · Mike
Dangerous Indiscretion
1995 · Jim Lomax
Payback
1995 · Oscar Bonsetter
Suspect Device
1995 · Dan Jericho
Teresa's Tattoo
1994 · Carl
Natural Selection
1994 · Ben Braden / Alex Connelly
Jailbait
1993 · Sergeant Lee Teffler
Gettysburg
1993 · Lieut. Thomas D. Chamberlain
Treacherous
1993 · Micky Stewert
Tattle Tale
1993 · Bernard Sprat
Acting on Impulse
1993 · Paul Stevens
To Protect and Serve
1992 · Egan
Breaking the Rules
1992 · Gene Michaels
That Night
1992 · Rick
Nickel & Dime
1992 · Jack Stone
Kid
1990 · Kid
Curiosity Kills
1990 · Cat Thomas
Far Out Man
1990 · C. Thomas Howell
Side Out
1990 · Monroe Clark
The Eyes of the Panther
1989 · Jenner Brading
The Return of the Musketeers
1989 · Raoul
Young Toscanini
1988 · Arturo Toscanini
A Tiger's Tale
1988 · Bubber Drumm
Into the Homeland
1987 · Tripp Wilson
Soul Man
1986 · Mark Watson
The Hitcher
1986 · Jim Halsey
Secret Admirer
1985 · Michael Ryan
Red Dawn
1984 · Robert
Grandview, U.S.A.
1984 · Tim Pearson
Tank
1984 · Billy
The Outsiders
1983 · Ponyboy Curtis
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
1982 · Tyler
Night of the Juggler
1980 · Stunts
Dreadtown: The Steel Pulse Story
· Self
The Greatest Actress in the World
The Horseman
Séries (44)
Chargés à bloc
2023 · Hagerty
Will Trent: Agente especial
2023 · Warden Sturgill Hardly
1923
2022 · Anders
Creepshow
2019 · Sam Spinster
The Good Cop
2018 · Businessman
El Terror
2018 · Major Bowen
Marvel - The Punisher
2017 · Carson Wolf
Seal Team : Coeur et courage
2017 · Ash Spenser
MacGyver
2016 · Vasil
Conscience morale
2015 · Mr. Witherspoon
Stitchers
2015 · Daniel Stinger
Bosch
2015 · Louis Degner
Blacklist
2013 · Earl Fagen
Sleepy Hollow
2013 · SAC Mick Granger
Révolution
2012 · Bounty Hunter
Longmire
2012 · Ray Stewart
Grimm
2011 · Weston Steward
Alphas
2011 · Eli Aquino
The Walking Dead
2010 · Roy, Hilltop Resident
Sangre Azul
2010 · Alex Polanski
Hawaii 5-0
2010 · Martin Cordova
The Glades
2010 · Peyton Robinson
Celebrity Ghost Stories
2009 · Self
Southland
2009 · Officer Dewey Dudek
Castle
2009 · John Campbell
Les Sons of Anarchy
2008 · Agent Frank Eagan
Celebracadabra
2008
Torchwood: El día del milagro
2006 · The Gentleman
Psych : Enquêteur malgré lui
2006 · Camden Driggs
Esprits criminels
2005 · The Reaper / George Foyet
Summerland
2004 · Kyle Bale
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003 · Self
24
2001 · Barry Landes
The District
2000 · Chris Gunner
Son of the Beach
2000
Amazon
1999 · Dr. Alex Kennedy
Twice in a Lifetime
1999 · Tony Tremaine / Phil Barlow
V.I.P.
1998 · Phil Sherman
Kindred: The Embraced
1996 · Det. Frank Kohanek
The Outer Limits
1995 · Capt. Miles Davidow
ER
1994 · Vincent Jansen
Nightmare Classics
1989 · Jenner Brading
Moonlighting
1985 · Waiter (uncredited)
The Hitchhiker
1983 · Gerald