C. Thomas Howell

59 years old Los Angeles, California, USA

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.

Recent movies

# Name Character Rating
1 Reagan (2024) Caspar Weinberger -
2 Old Dads (2023) Ed Cameron 7.7
3 Beast Mode (2020) Breen Nash 6
4 I Am Patrick Swayze (2019) Self 7
5 Urban Country (2018) Jim Craft 4
6 Dirty Dealing (2018) Carter -
7 Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay (2018) Zoom (voice) 7
8 A Question of Faith (2017) John Danielson -
9 LBJ (2017) Walter Jenkins 6.8
10 The Shadow People (2017) Kaine 5
11 Attack of the Killer Donuts (2016) Officer Roberts -
12 Blood Lust (2016) Ryan 4
13 Rivers 9 (2015) Sheriff Quentin -
14 Woodlawn (2015) George 'Shorty' White 3.5
15 Magic Hour (2015) Tom Worthy -
16 Justice League: Gods and Monsters (2015) Dr. Will Magnus (voice) 6.9
17 A Magic Christmas (2014) Jack Carter 1
18 Bigfoot Wars (2014) Zeke 1
19 Confessions of a Womanizer (2014) Tony -
20 Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) Professor Zoom / Thawne (voice) 7.8
21 An Amish Murder (2013) Nathan Detrick 5
22 Christmas Belle (2013) Rex Everhart 7.5
23 MoniKa (2012) Double -
24 Wedding Day (2012) Russ -
25 The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) Jack's Father 7.1
26 Escape (2012) Paul Jordan 3
27 Cross (2011) Jake -
28 Restitution (2011) John Youngstown 3.5
29 Camel Spiders (2011) Sheriff Beaumont 3
30 The Terror Experiment (2010) Chief Grasso -
31 American Pie Presents: The Book of Love (2009) Alumnus Guy #2 4.7
32 The Land That Time Forgot (2009) Director / Writer 7
33 The Grind (2009) Luke -
34 Toxic (2008) LIttle Joe -
35 The Day the Earth Stopped (2008) Director / Writer 1
36 War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave (2008) Director / Writer 2.4
37 Hoboken Hollow (2006) Clayton Connelly -
38 Glass Trap (2005) Curtis 6
39 Ordinary Miracles (2005) Jim Powell 7
40 The Poseidon Adventure (2005) Doctor Ballard -
41 The Lost Angel (2005) Kuratha -
42 H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds (2005) George Herbert -
43 Zolar (2004) Hedion -
44 Hidalgo (2004) Preston Webb 6.4
45 A Killer Within (2004) Addison Terrill -
46 The Hillside Strangler (2004) Kenneth Bianchi -
47 The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting (2003) Jim Halsey 8
48 Gods and Generals (2003) Sgt. Thomas Chamberlain 7
49 Net Games (2003) Adam Vance -
50 Separate Ways (2001) Tom Milton -
51 Hitman's Run (1999) Tom Holly -
52 Red Team (1999) J.B. Gaines 5
53 Charades (1998) Evan -
54 Matter of Trust (1998) Michael D'Angelo -
55 Last Lives (1997) Aaron -
56 Hourglass (1997) Director / Writer -
57 Dilemma (1997) Thomas 'Quin' Quinlan -
58 Sleeping Dogs (1997) Sanchez Boon -
59 Baby Face Nelson (1996) Baby Face Nelson -
60 The Sweeper (1996) Mark Goddard -
61 Payback (1995) Oscar Bonsetter -
62 Teresa's Tattoo (1994) Carl -
63 Treacherous (1993) Micky Stewert -
64 Tattle Tale (1993) Bernard Sprat -
65 Jailbait (1993) Sergeant Lee Teffler -
66 Acting on Impulse (1993) Paul Stevens -
67 Gettysburg (1993) Lieut. Thomas D. Chamberlain 9
68 Nickel & Dime (1992) Jack Stone -
69 That Night (1992) Rick -
70 Far Out Man (1990) Himself -
71 Side Out (1990) Monroe Clark -
72 The Return of the Musketeers (1989) Raoul -
73 A Tiger's Tale (1988) Bubber Drumm -
74 Into the Homeland (1987) Tripp Wilson -
75 The Hitcher (1986) Jim Halsey 7.6
76 Soul Man (1986) Mark Watson 6.5
77 Secret Admirer (1985) Michael Ryan 6
78 Tank (1984) Billy 6
79 Red Dawn (1984) Robert 6.8
80 Grandview, U.S.A. (1984) Tim Pearson -
81 The Outsiders (1983) Ponyboy Curtis 7.3
82 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Tyler 7.9