Acting
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.
Filmography
One Mile: Chapter One
Film · 2026
One Mile: Chapter Two
Film · 2026
Where the Wind Blows
Film · 2025
Ride
Film · 2024
Reagan
Film · 2024
The Open Door
Film · 2024
Old Dads
Film · 2023
Obliterated
Series · 2023
Will Trent
Series · 2023
Crimson Point
Film · 2022
Because We're Family
Film · 2022
1923
Series · 2022
The Wrong Path
Film · 2021
Beast Mode
Film · 2020
Dauntless: The Battle of Midway
Film · 2019
I Am Patrick Swayze
Film · 2019
Control
Film · 2019
Creepshow
Series · 2019
Dirty Dealing
Film · 2018
Rich Boy, Rich Girl
Film · 2018
Urban Country
Film · 2018
Shifting Gears
Film · 2018
Detroit Under S.T.R.E.S.S.
Film · 2018
Deadman Standing
Film · 2018
The Rack Pack
Film · 2018
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
Film · 2018
The Good Cop
Series · 2018
The Terror
Series · 2018
LBJ
Film · 2017
The Shadow People
Film · 2017
A Question of Faith
Film · 2017
Disconnected
Film · 2017
Mac Daddy's Vegas Adventure
Film · 2017
Marvel's The Punisher
Series · 2017
SEAL Team
Series · 2017
My B.F.F.
Film · 2016
Blood Lust
Film · 2016
Attack of the Killer Donuts
Film · 2016
Advance & Retreat
Film · 2016
MacGyver
Series · 2016
Borrowed Moments
Film · 2015
Woodlawn
Film · 2015
Justice League: Gods and Monsters
Film · 2015
Rivers 9
Film · 2015
Spirit Riders
Film · 2015
Magic Hour
Film · 2015
Lazarus Rising
Film · 2015
A Christmas Eve Miracle
Film · 2015
The Sin Seer
Film · 2015
Stitchers
Series · 2015
Ties That Bind
Series · 2015
Bosch
Series · 2015
Confessions of a Womanizer
Film · 2014
Bigfoot Wars
Film · 2014
Category 5
Film · 2014
Rescuing Madison
Film · 2014
Fruits De Mer
Film · 2014
A Magic Christmas
Film · 2014
An Amish Murder
Film · 2013
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox
Film · 2013
Lost on Purpose
Film · 2013
Storm Rider
Film · 2013
Don't Pass Me By
Film · 2013
Christmas Belle
Film · 2013
Sleepy Hollow
Series · 2013
The Blacklist
Series · 2013
MoniKa
Film · 2012
Chilly Christmas
Film · 2012
Home Invasion
Film · 2012
The Amazing Spider-Man
Film · 2012
Wedding Day
Film · 2012
Escape
Film · 2012
The 'E.T.' Journals
Film · 2012
Revolution
Series · 2012
Longmire
Series · 2012
Camel Spiders
Film · 2011
Restitution
Film · 2011
Cross
Film · 2011
Alphas
Series · 2011
Grimm
Series · 2011
The Terror Experiment
Film · 2010
Cupid's Arrow
Film · 2010
Mutant Vampire Zombies from the 'Hood!
Film · 2010
The Glades
Series · 2010
The Walking Dead
Series · 2010
Blue Bloods
Series · 2010
The Walking Dead
Series · 2010
Hawaii Five-0
Series · 2010
The Land That Time Forgot
Film · 2009
The Grind
Film · 2009
Secret at Arrow Lake
Film · 2009
The Jailhouse
Film · 2009
American Pie Presents: The Book of Love
Film · 2009
Southland
Series · 2009
Castle
Series · 2009
Celebrity Ghost Stories
Series · 2009
Big Game
Film · 2008
Toxic
Film · 2008
The Day the Earth Stopped
Film · 2008
War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave
Film · 2008
A Gunfighter's Pledge
Film · 2008
Xenophobia
Film · 2008
House of Fallen
Film · 2008
The Thirst: Blood War
Film · 2008
Celebracadabra
Series · 2008
Sons of Anarchy
Series · 2008
Cold Ones
Film · 2007
The Haunting of Marsten Manor
Film · 2007
Hoboken Hollow
Film · 2006
Fighting Words
Film · 2006
The Da Vinci Treasure
Film · 2006
Psych
Series · 2006
Torchwood
Series · 2006
Glass Trap
Film · 2005
H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds
Film · 2005
The Poseidon Adventure
Film · 2005
Ordinary Miracles
Film · 2005
Crimson Force
Film · 2005
The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam
Film · 2005
The Lost Angel
Film · 2005
Staying Gold: A Look Back at 'The Outsiders'
Film · 2005
Criminal Minds
Series · 2005
Hidalgo
Film · 2004
A Killer Within
Film · 2004
The Hillside Strangler
Film · 2004
Nursie
Film · 2004
Zolar
Film · 2004
Summerland
Series · 2004
Net Games
Film · 2003
The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting
Film · 2003
Gods and Generals
Film · 2003
The Hitcher: How Do These Movies Get Made?
Film · 2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Series · 2003
Killer Bees
Film · 2002
WillFull
Film · 2002
Night of the Wolf
Film · 2002
Lawless: Dead Evidence
Film · 2001
Askari
Film · 2001
Asylum Days
Film · 2001
Burning Down the House
Film · 2001
Separate Ways
Film · 2001
XCU: Extreme Close Up
Film · 2001
24
Series · 2001
Hot Boyz
Film · 2000
The Million Dollar Kid
Film · 2000
Son of the Beach
Series · 2000
The District
Series · 2000
Fatal Affair
Film · 1999
Escape from Alaska
Film · 1999
Hitman's Run
Film · 1999
The Prince and the Surfer
Film · 1999
Red Team
Film · 1999
Cybermaster: Shepherd II
Film · 1999
Enemy Action
Film · 1999
The Glass Jar
Film · 1999
Twice in a Lifetime
Series · 1999
Amazon
Series · 1999
The Shepherd
Film · 1998
Charades
Film · 1998
Sealed with a Kiss
Film · 1998
Matter of Trust
Film · 1998
V.I.P.
Series · 1998
Sleeping Dogs
Film · 1997
Last Lives
Film · 1997
Dilemma
Film · 1997
Dead Fire
Film · 1997
Hourglass
Film · 1997
Laws of Deception
Film · 1997
The Big Fall
Film · 1997
The Sweeper
Film · 1996
Pure Danger
Film · 1996
Baby Face Nelson
Film · 1996
Kindred: The Embraced
Series · 1996
Payback
Film · 1995
Suspect Device
Film · 1995
Mad Dogs and Englishmen
Film · 1995
Dangerous Indiscretion
Film · 1995
The Outer Limits
Series · 1995
Teresa's Tattoo
Film · 1994
Natural Selection
Film · 1994
ER
Series · 1994
Acting on Impulse
Film · 1993
Treacherous
Film · 1993
Jailbait
Film · 1993
Tattle Tale
Film · 1993
Gettysburg
Film · 1993
That Night
Film · 1992
Breaking the Rules
Film · 1992
Nickel & Dime
Film · 1992
To Protect and Serve
Film · 1992
Far Out Man
Film · 1990
Side Out
Film · 1990
Kid
Film · 1990
Curiosity Kills
Film · 1990
The Return of the Musketeers
Film · 1989
The Eyes of the Panther
Film · 1989
Nightmare Classics
Series · 1989
A Tiger's Tale
Film · 1988
Young Toscanini
Film · 1988
Into the Homeland
Film · 1987
Soul Man
Film · 1986
The Hitcher
Film · 1986
Secret Admirer
Film · 1985
Moonlighting
Series · 1985
Red Dawn
Film · 1984
Tank
Film · 1984
Grandview, U.S.A.
Film · 1984
The Outsiders
Film · 1983
The Hitchhiker
Series · 1983
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Film · 1982
Dreadtown: The Steel Pulse Story
Film
The Greatest Actress in the World
Film
The Horseman
Film