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C. Thomas Howell
C. Thomas Howell
59 years (Dec 7, 1966)
Los Angeles, California, USA
137 Movies
40 TV Shows

C. Thomas Howell

Known for
SEAL Team
Ash Spenser
The Outsiders
Ponyboy Curtis
The Hitcher
Jim Halsey
Southland
Officer Dewey Dudek
An American actor from Los Angeles, C. Thomas Howell became a teen star of the 1980s, appearing as Ponyboy in Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Outsiders' (1983) and as a boy in Steven Spielberg's 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' (1982). After leading roles in 'Red Dawn' (1984) and 'The Hitcher' (1986), he settled into a prolific career of genre films, supporting parts and voice work, including 'The Amazing Spider-Man' (2012) and animation like 'Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox' (2013). A durable, hard-working actor who evolved from young lead into a reliable journeyman.
An American actor from Los Angeles, C. Thomas Howell became a teen star of the 1980s, appearing as Ponyboy in Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Outsiders' (1983) and as a boy in Steven Spielberg's 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' (1982). After leading roles in 'Red Dawn' (1984) and 'The Hitcher' (1986), he settled into a prolific career of genre films, supporting parts and voice work, including 'The Amazing Spider-Man' (2012) and animation like 'Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox' (2013). A durable, hard-working actor who evolved from young lead into a reliable journeyman.
Known for
SEAL Team
Ash Spenser
The Outsiders
Ponyboy Curtis
The Hitcher
Jim Halsey
Southland
Officer Dewey Dudek
Movies
TV Shows
Latest Trailers
One Mile: Chapter Two
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One Mile: Chapter Two
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Full Filmography
One Mile: Chapter Two
Stanley Dixon
★ 6.8
2026
Film
One Mile: Chapter One
Stanley Dixon
★ 6.9
2026
Film
Where the Wind Blows
Nathan
★ 8.0
2025
Film
Reagan
Caspar Weinberger
★ 6.4
2024
Film
Ride
John Hawkins
★ 7.1
2024
Film
The Open Door
Mr. Sapp
2024
Film
Obliterated
Hagerty · 8 episodes
★ 7.0
2023–
TV
Old Dads
Ed Cameron
★ 6.2
2023
Film
Will Trent
Warden Sturgill Hardly · 1 episode
★ 7.2
2023–
TV
Photos
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Frequently Asked Questions
How old is C. Thomas Howell and where are they from?
C. Thomas Howell is 59 years old, born on December 7, 1966 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
What are the most famous roles of C. Thomas Howell?
C. Thomas Howell is best known for roles in The Amazing Spider-Man, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox.
How many movies has C. Thomas Howell been in?
Over a 44-year career (since 1982), C. Thomas Howell has appeared in 136 movies and 39 TV shows.
What was C. Thomas Howell's first movie?
The career of C. Thomas Howell began with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982).
What is C. Thomas Howell's most recent movie or series?
C. Thomas Howell's most recent release is One Mile: Chapter Two, which premiered on February 27, 2026.
What TV shows has C. Thomas Howell appeared in?
On television, C. Thomas Howell has appeared in The Walking Dead, Criminal Minds, The Blacklist, Grimm.
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C. Thomas Howell
C. Thomas Howell
1966-12-07 · 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.

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