C. Thomas Howell

Infobox actor


name = C. Thomas Howell
birthdate = birth date and age|1966|12|7
location = Los Angeles, California, United States
height =
deathdate =
birthname = Christopher Thomas Howell
othername =
homepage =
notable role =
sagawards =
spouse(s) = Rae Dawn Chong (1989-1990)
Sylvie Anderson (1992-present)2 children
children = Isabelle (born 1993), Dashielle (1997), Liam (2001)

Christopher Thomas Howell (born December 7, 1966 in Los Angeles, California) is an American actor. He came to media attention for having a part in the film "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" and is best known for having starred in the films "The Outsiders" and "The Hitcher", as well as "Soul Man" and "Red Dawn".

Howell is noted for starring in many "crime thrillers" and for his teenage "pretty boy" features, which was a reason for his many lead roles in the 1980s.

Early life

Christopher Thomas Howell, nicknamed either "Tommy" or "CT", was born on December 7, 1966 in Van Nuys, California, one of four children of Christopher "Chris" and Candice Howell. He has two sisters, Stacy and Candy, and a brother, John. [ [http://www.cthomashowell.net/aboutct.htm aboutct ] ] His father worked as a stunt coordinator ever since his son was six. As a young boy, Howell wanted to be a stuntman and was even a child stunt player. He began acting at the age of four, when cast in the "Brian Keith Show" in an episode called "The Little People".

When Howell was young his parents divorced [ [http://www.cthowell.net/Articles/Normal_Kid/normal_kid.html Tommy Howell: I'm Just a Normal Kid! ] ] , leaving his mother with both of her sons and daughter Stacy, and his father took little Candy with him [ [http://www.cthowell.net/Articles/Marriage/marriage.html Marriage ] ] . Howell shared his time with either parent and started his career through his father's job. When he was twelve, he became a rodeo champion at the California Junior Rodeo Association and was named "All-Around Cowboy" in August 1979. While growing up, he also spent time golfing with his grandfather (where his nickname "CT" came because that's how he was recorded on screen boards).

Career

Early career

Howell's first showbiz debut was acting in the "Brian Keith Show" episode "The Little People" as a little boy whose ears are being checked out by a doctor. When he got older, he tried stunt acting like his father and worked on commercials for a while. [ [http://www.cthowell.net/Articles/Cooking/cooking.html Cooking ] ] His first film appearance was in the 1977 made-for-television movie "It Happened One Christmas". Following the movie, he tried rodeo riding for a few years. In 1982 he was originally a child stuntman in Steven Spielberg's "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial". That eventually lead to a small role as a bicycle rider near the ending. Afterwards, due to his handsome features, he was cast as the lead role in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Outsiders", which earned him a Young Artist Award. The cast for this film included two members of the Brat Pack and future Golden Globe winners and nominees as well as Oscar nominees. Since then, it became obvious that he would have a successful career. Following "The Outsiders", he became a teen idol, appearing in teen magazines like "Tiger Beat" and "16 Magazine". The magazines knew him as "Tommy" and "Tom".

1980s

After "The Outsiders" he and his co-star Patrick Swayze reunited for "Grandview, U.S.A." and "Red Dawn" in 1984. Before "Red Dawn", he appeared in "Tank", as the son of James Garner and Shirley Jones. Following "Red Dawn", he again starred as the lead role in "Secret Admirer", opposite Lori Loughlin and Kelly Preston. Howell was one of two final actors in the running to play Marty McFly in "Back to the Future" the other being Eric Stoltz, who was eventually selected. Michael J. Fox would go on to replace Stoltz after filming had begun.

In 1986, he and a "Grandview, U.S.A." co-star, Jennifer Jason Leigh, played hitchhikers in the film "The Hitcher", another of his successful movies. The was released in 2003, in which the hitchhiker is played by Jake Busey. Following that, he starred as a white student who pretends to be black in the poorly received but classic "Soul Man". In 1988, Howell played Arturo Toscanini in the only-known story of the composer in Franco Zeffirelli's "Giovane Toscanini II" with Irma Capece Minutolo and Elizabeth Taylor, which was one of his very first straight-to-DVD releases. Howell and Kelly Preston reunited as lovers in "A Tiger's Tale".

1990s

At the end of the 80s and beginning of the 90s, Howell focused on comedy in "The Return of the Musketeers" and "Side Out". After several straight-to-DVD features and a starring role in "That Night", Howell achieved success again in the movie "Gettysburg", which was popular with history buffs and history classrooms, but became one of the longest movies of all time. He started an interest in crime-thrillers after starring in "Payback" and playing serial killer Baby Face Nelson in a film of the same name. His made-for-television movie credits include "Suspect Device","Sealed with a Kiss","Dads", and "Dead Fire".

2000s

Howell returned to the theater in the 2000s in movies such as "Asylum Days", the sequel to "Gettysburg", and "The Hillside Strangler", playing a real-life serial killer. In 2004, Howell starred in "Hoboken Hollow" with Ben Browder and Rudolf Martin. He also became a supporter of the production company The Asylum, which produced his straight-to-DVD movies.

In 2005, he starred as a man who gets separated from his wife and child in " H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds". Because of its success, Howell directed and starred in a straight-to-DVD sequel in 2008. After "War of the Worlds", he appeared as a doctor in " The Poseidon Adventure" an adaptation of the 1972 film of the same name. Coincidentally, his father's first stunt coordination was for the original movie [ [http://www.cthomashowell.net/poseidoninterview.htm Interview for the Poseidon Adventure Remake ] ] , though uncredited. He briefly hosted a show on KLSX later that year.

Television work

After filming "The Outsiders", Howell starred in his own television series "Two Marriages" as a rebellious teenager, which ended after four episodes, but letters of support got it back on air. Howell later expressed disappointment, as he didn't like the series so much, [ [http://www.cthowell.net/Articles/Two_Marriages/two_marriages.html Two Marriages ] ] but later found the show more satisfying.

After "Two Marriages", Howell made guest appearances in shows like "Moonlighting" and "The Hitchhiker". In 2000, Howell played a doctor stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash in "Amazon". He initially turned down a guest role in "ER" after missing out on a role he wanted, but his wife signed him up after yet another offer. [ [http://www.cthomashowell.net/ctpalmbeachpostinterview.htm C. Thomas Howell. Who's he? Exactly ] ] After "ER", he guest appeared in "24".

Off-screen

Howell has briefly enjoyed making motion pictures including writing, producing, and directing. In 1995, he wrote and directed "Hourglasss", which starred him and Sofia Shinas. The following year, he helped produce "The Big Fall" and "Pure Danger". Howell did not write or direct another movie until 2004. He and his father co-wrote the made for television movie "Hope Ranch" and Howell produced the film as well. The film was a success and Howell went on to write and produce "Blind Injustice" the next year. Two years later he produced "The Stolen Moments of September".

Personal life

In his single days, Howell shared a place with his friend Darren Dalton, whom he costarred with in "The Outsiders" and "Red Dawn" and who later appears in his "War of the Worlds 2". From July 11, 1986, to 1990, Howell was married to actress Rae Dawn Chong, his "Soul Man" co-star. He remarried in 1992 to Sylvie Anderson. They have three children, Isabelle (born 1993), Dashiell (born 1997), and Liam (born 2001). Isabelle appeared as Molly in "Hope Ranch", credited as "Isabell Howell", and Dashiell played Howell's son Alex whom he's separated from in "H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds", as "Dash Howell". The family currently resides in Manhattan Beach, California.

In 2008, Howell was a contestant in the reality game show "Celebracadabra" opposite other celebrities such as Hal Sparks, Carnie Wilson, and his "War of the Worlds 2" costar Christopher "Kid" Reid. Celebrities would perform magic tricks practiced by experienced coaches. It began on April 27 and ended on June 12, in which Howell won and was named "Greatest Celebrity Magician".

Filmography

Television

Celebracadabra Himself He won

References

External links

* [http://www.cthomashowell.net/ Official Website]
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