C. Thomas Howell

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

210

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

  • Criminal Minds

    Criminal Minds

  • The Blacklist

    The Blacklist

  • The Walking Dead

    The Walking Dead

  • The Walking Dead

    The Walking Dead

  • Blue Bloods

    Blue Bloods

  • Castle

    Castle

  • 24

    24

  • Bosch

    Bosch

  • Hawaii Five-0

    Hawaii Five-0

  • Sons of Anarchy

    Sons of Anarchy

  • Grimm

    Grimm

  • Psych

    Psych

  • SEAL Team

    SEAL Team

  • ER

    ER

  • Jimmy Kimmel Live!

    Jimmy Kimmel Live!

  • Sleepy Hollow

    Sleepy Hollow

  • MacGyver

    MacGyver

  • 1923

    1923

  • Moonlighting

    Moonlighting

  • The Hitchhiker

    The Hitchhiker

  • Marvel's The Punisher

    Marvel's The Punisher

  • V.I.P.

    V.I.P.

  • Longmire

    Longmire

  • The Outer Limits

    The Outer Limits

  • Celebrity Ghost Stories

    Celebrity Ghost Stories

  • The Amazing Spider-Man

    The Amazing Spider-Man

  • Obliterated

    Obliterated

  • Will Trent

    Will Trent

  • The District

    The District

  • Creepshow

    Creepshow

  • Twice in a Lifetime

    Twice in a Lifetime

  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

    E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

  • Torchwood

    Torchwood

  • The Glades

    The Glades

  • Southland

    Southland

  • Southland

    Southland

  • The Terror

    The Terror

  • Stitchers

    Stitchers

  • Revolution

    Revolution

  • Son of the Beach

    Son of the Beach

  • Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay

    Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay

  • Alphas

    Alphas

  • Gettysburg

    Gettysburg

  • H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds

    H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds

  • The Shepherd

    The Shepherd

  • American Pie Presents: The Book of Love

    American Pie Presents: The Book of Love

  • Dead Fire

    Dead Fire

  • Reagan

    Reagan

  • Summerland

    Summerland

  • The Outsiders

    The Outsiders

  • The Good Cop

    The Good Cop

  • Red Dawn

    Red Dawn

  • Far Out Man

    Far Out Man

  • The Day the Earth Stopped

    The Day the Earth Stopped

  • Spirit Riders

    Spirit Riders

  • Woodlawn

    Woodlawn

  • Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox

    Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox

  • Lost on Purpose

    Lost on Purpose

  • Storm Rider

    Storm Rider

  • Soul Man

    Soul Man

  • The Hitcher

    The Hitcher

  • Lawless: Dead Evidence

    Lawless: Dead Evidence

  • Mad Dogs and Englishmen

    Mad Dogs and Englishmen

  • Justice League: Gods and Monsters

    Justice League: Gods and Monsters

  • Hidalgo

    Hidalgo

  • Sleeping Dogs

    Sleeping Dogs

  • The Terror Experiment

    The Terror Experiment

  • Dilemma

    Dilemma

  • A Christmas Eve Miracle

    A Christmas Eve Miracle

  • Payback

    Payback

  • LBJ

    LBJ

  • The Thirst: Blood War

    The Thirst: Blood War

  • The Da Vinci Treasure

    The Da Vinci Treasure

  • The Hillside Strangler

    The Hillside Strangler

  • A Gunfighter's Pledge

    A Gunfighter's Pledge

  • Cupid's Arrow

    Cupid's Arrow

  • Secret at Arrow Lake

    Secret at Arrow Lake

  • Secret Admirer

    Secret Admirer

  • Dauntless: The Battle of Midway

    Dauntless: The Battle of Midway

  • Hourglass

    Hourglass

  • An Amish Murder

    An Amish Murder

  • Breaking the Rules

    Breaking the Rules

  • Tattle Tale

    Tattle Tale

  • Askari

    Askari

  • Amazon

    Amazon

  • Home Invasion

    Home Invasion

  • Laws of Deception

    Laws of Deception

  • The Rack Pack

    The Rack Pack

  • The Haunting of Marsten Manor

    The Haunting of Marsten Manor

  • Camel Spiders

    Camel Spiders

  • To Protect and Serve

    To Protect and Serve

  • A Tiger's Tale

    A Tiger's Tale

  • Gods and Generals

    Gods and Generals

  • Old Dads

    Old Dads

  • The Sweeper

    The Sweeper

  • Killer Bees

    Killer Bees

  • Kindred: The Embraced

    Kindred: The Embraced

  • Staying Gold: A Look Back at 'The Outsiders'

    Staying Gold: A Look Back at 'The Outsiders'

  • Zolar

    Zolar

  • XCU: Extreme Close Up

    XCU: Extreme Close Up

  • That Night

    That Night

  • Tank

    Tank

  • Treacherous

    Treacherous

  • Cross

    Cross

  • Nightmare Classics

    Nightmare Classics

  • Xenophobia

    Xenophobia

  • Into the Homeland

    Into the Homeland

  • Shifting Gears

    Shifting Gears

  • Urban Country

    Urban Country

  • Fighting Words

    Fighting Words

  • The Big Fall

    The Big Fall

  • Deadman Standing

    Deadman Standing

  • Escape from Alaska

    Escape from Alaska

  • Rescuing Madison

    Rescuing Madison

  • Ride

    Ride

  • Nickel & Dime

    Nickel & Dime

  • A Question of Faith

    A Question of Faith

  • WillFull

    WillFull

  • Fruits De Mer

    Fruits De Mer

  • Sealed with a Kiss

    Sealed with a Kiss

  • Burning Down the House

    Burning Down the House

  • Disconnected

    Disconnected

  • House of Fallen

    House of Fallen

  • Beast Mode

    Beast Mode

  • One Mile

    One Mile

  • Rivers 9

    Rivers 9

  • MoniKa

    MoniKa

  • Curiosity Kills

    Curiosity Kills

  • Suspect Device

    Suspect Device

  • Wedding Day

    Wedding Day

  • Control

    Control

  • The Jailhouse

    The Jailhouse

  • Pure Danger

    Pure Danger

  • Night of the Wolf

    Night of the Wolf

  • Ties That Bind

    Ties That Bind

  • Because We're Family

    Because We're Family

  • Red Team

    Red Team

  • The Million Dollar Kid

    The Million Dollar Kid

  • Crimson Point

    Crimson Point

  • Net Games

    Net Games

  • Hoboken Hollow

    Hoboken Hollow

  • War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave

    War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave

  • Restitution

    Restitution

  • Enemy Action

    Enemy Action

  • Asylum Days

    Asylum Days

  • Attack of the Killer Donuts

    Attack of the Killer Donuts

  • Big Game

    Big Game

  • Jailbait

    Jailbait

  • The Poseidon Adventure

    The Poseidon Adventure

  • Crimson Force

    Crimson Force

  • Cybermaster: Shepherd II

    Cybermaster: Shepherd II

  • The Shadow People

    The Shadow People

  • I Am Patrick Swayze

    I Am Patrick Swayze

  • Don't Pass Me By

    Don't Pass Me By

  • Confessions of a Womanizer

    Confessions of a Womanizer

  • Christmas Belle

    Christmas Belle

  • Toxic

    Toxic

  • Side Out

    Side Out

  • Cold Ones

    Cold Ones

  • The Wrong Path

    The Wrong Path

  • Charades

    Charades

  • Chilly Christmas

    Chilly Christmas

  • Glass Trap

    Glass Trap

  • Hitman's Run

    Hitman's Run

  • Matter of Trust

    Matter of Trust

  • A Magic Christmas

    A Magic Christmas

  • The Prince and the Surfer

    The Prince and the Surfer

  • A Killer Within

    A Killer Within

  • Grandview, U.S.A.

    Grandview, U.S.A.

  • Category 5

    Category 5

  • Natural Selection

    Natural Selection

  • The Eyes of the Panther

    The Eyes of the Panther

  • The Land That Time Forgot

    The Land That Time Forgot

  • Baby Face Nelson

    Baby Face Nelson

  • Fatal Affair

    Fatal Affair

  • Nursie

    Nursie

  • Young Toscanini

    Young Toscanini

  • Magic Hour

    Magic Hour

  • Bigfoot Wars

    Bigfoot Wars

  • Dangerous Indiscretion

    Dangerous Indiscretion

  • The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting

    The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting

  • Celebracadabra

    Celebracadabra

  • The Return of the Musketeers

    The Return of the Musketeers

  • Where the Wind Blows

    Where the Wind Blows

  • The 'E.T.' Journals

    The 'E.T.' Journals

  • Advance & Retreat

    Advance & Retreat

  • Kid

    Kid

  • My B.F.F.

    My B.F.F.

  • Blood Lust

    Blood Lust

  • Acting on Impulse

    Acting on Impulse

  • Hot Boyz

    Hot Boyz

  • Ordinary Miracles

    Ordinary Miracles

  • Dirty Dealing

    Dirty Dealing

  • Escape

    Escape

  • The Open Door

    The Open Door

  • Mac Daddy's Vegas Adventure

    Mac Daddy's Vegas Adventure

  • The Hitcher: How Do These Movies Get Made?

    The Hitcher: How Do These Movies Get Made?

  • The Lost Angel

    The Lost Angel

  • The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam

    The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam

  • Rich Boy, Rich Girl

    Rich Boy, Rich Girl

  • Lazarus Rising

    Lazarus Rising

  • Dreadtown: The Steel Pulse Story

    Dreadtown: The Steel Pulse Story

  • Separate Ways

    Separate Ways

  • One More Mile

    One More Mile

  • Borrowed Moments

    Borrowed Moments

  • Teresa's Tattoo

    Teresa's Tattoo

  • The Grind

    The Grind

  • Mutant Vampire Zombies from the 'Hood!

    Mutant Vampire Zombies from the 'Hood!

  • Last Lives

    Last Lives

  • Detroit Under S.T.R.E.S.S.

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