Highest rated as cast or director
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.
Acted in 201
2020s
- 2026
- 2025
- 2024
Ride
John Hawkins
The Open Door
Mr. Sapp
- 2023
- 2022
Crimson Point
Frank
Because We're Family
Peter
- 2021
The Wrong Path
Dr. Eric Peselowe
- 2020
Beast Mode
Breen Nash
2010s
- 2019
Control
Control (voice)
- 2018
Dirty Dealing
Carter
The Rack Pack
Ted
- 2017
Mac Daddy's Vegas Adventure
Movie
Disconnected
Robert Crawford
The Shadow People
Kaine
- 2016
My B.F.F.
Ben Wilkins
Blood Lust
Ryan
- 2015
Magic Hour
Tom Worthy
The Sin Seer
Detective Riggers
Lazarus Rising
Silent Cal
Ties That Bind
Mr. Witherspoon · 1 episode
Rivers 9
Sheriff Quentin
- 2014
A Magic Christmas
Jack Carter
Fruits De Mer
Movie
Confessions of a Womanizer
Tony
Rescuing Madison
Rad
Category 5
Charlie DuPuis
Bigfoot Wars
Zeke
- 2013
Lost on Purpose
Delbert Furgeson
Don't Pass Me By
Jack
- 2012
Chilly Christmas
Patrick Cole
Wedding Day
Russ
- 2011
- 2010
Mutant Vampire Zombies from the 'Hood!
David
The Terror Experiment
Chief Grasso
Cupid's Arrow
Professor Grimes
2000s
- 2009
The Jailhouse
Seth Delray
- 2008
Celebracadabra
TV
House of Fallen
Thomas
The Thirst: Blood War
Jed
- 2007
The Haunting of Marsten Manor
Captain Williams
- 2006
Fighting Words
David Settles
- 2005
Glass Trap
Curtis
The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam
Coach Fielding
Crimson Force
Capt. Baskin
The Lost Angel
Kuratha
Ordinary Miracles
Jim Powell
- 2004
The Hillside Strangler
Kenneth Bianchi
Zolar
Hedion
Nursie
Zack
- 2003
The Hitcher: How Do These Movies Get Made?
Movie
Net Games
Adam Vance
- 2002
Night of the Wolf
Sheriff Wade Messer
- 2001
Asylum Days
Nathan Devine
XCU: Extreme Close Up
Geoffrey Liddy
Separate Ways
Tom Milton
Burning Down the House
Concierge
Lawless: Dead Evidence
Dean Riley
- 2000
Hot Boyz
Officer Roberts
1990s
- 1999
Hitman's Run
Tom Holly
Amazon
Dr. Alex Kennedy · 22 episodes
Escape from Alaska
Jack
The Glass Jar
Lanois
Fatal Affair
Malcolm 'Mack' Maddox
Red Team
J.B. Gaines
Cybermaster: Shepherd II
Dakota
Enemy Action
John Reed
- 1998
Charades
Evan
Matter of Trust
Michael D'Angelo
The Shepherd
Boris Dakota
Sealed with a Kiss
Detective Mick Cullen
- 1997
Last Lives
Aaron
The Big Fall
Blaise Rybeck
Sleeping Dogs
Sanchez Boon
Laws of Deception
Evan Marino
Dilemma
Thomas 'Quin' Quinlan
- 1996
Pure Danger
Johnie Dean
The Sweeper
Mark Goddard
Baby Face Nelson
Baby Face Nelson
- 1995
Mad Dogs and Englishmen
Mike
Payback
Oscar Bonsetter
Suspect Device
Dan Jericho
- 1994
Teresa's Tattoo
Carl
Natural Selection
Ben Braden / Alex Connelly
- 1993
Jailbait
Sergeant Lee Teffler
Tattle Tale
Bernard Sprat
- 1992
Nickel & Dime
Jack Stone
- 1990
Kid
Kid
Curiosity Kills
Cat Thomas
Far Out Man
C. Thomas Howell
Side Out
Monroe Clark
1980s
- 1989
The Eyes of the Panther
Jenner Brading
Nightmare Classics
Jenner Brading · 4 episodes
- 1988
Young Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini
A Tiger's Tale
Bubber Drumm
- 1987
Into the Homeland
Tripp Wilson
- 1986
- 1985
- 1984
Tank
Billy
- 1983
- 1982
Directed 7
2010s
- 2010
The Genesis Code
Director
2000s
- 2009
- 2008
1990s
- 1997
The Big Fall
Director
- 1996
Pure Danger
Director
Produced 4
2010s
- 2015
- 2014
A Magic Christmas
Executive Producer
2000s
- 2005
Blind Injustice
Producer
- 2002
Hope Ranch
Producer
Wrote 3
2000s
- 2005
Blind Injustice
Story
- 2002
Hope Ranch
Screenplay
1990s
- 1997
Other crew 1
1980s
- 1980
Appearances7
2010s
- 2019
- 2018
Detroit Under S.T.R.E.S.S.
Narrator
- 2012
The E.T. Journals
Self
2000s
- 2009
- 2005
Staying Gold: A Look Back at 'The Outsiders'
Self
- 2003
No release date
Dreadtown: The Steel Pulse Story
Self