C. Thomas Howell became a screen sensation after his captivating performance as Ponyboy Curtis in The Outsiders (1983). However, his role in the Francis Ford Coppola coming-of-age classic was not his first movie appearance. Howell began garnering attention with his debut film role in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1982 and went on to secure roles in more film projects, including Red Dawn (1984), Secret Admirer (1985), The Hitcher (1986), Gods and Generals (2003), War of the Worlds (2005), and The Amazing Spider-Man (2012).
On the small screen, C. Thomas Howell has appeared in prominent shows such as Criminal Minds, ER, 24, Bosch, Dynasty, and The Walking Dead to mention a few. The multi-talented star has also dabbled into music with one album, “American Storyteller,” released in 2023. Again, he has directed a few projects, including War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave which he also starred in. Beyond acting, Howell is an accomplished team roper and a rodeo star, talents he nurtured from childhood. Explore the lesser-known facts about The Outsiders star below.
Inside The Interesting Early Life of C. Thomas Howell
An American national, C. Thomas Howell was born on December 7, 1966, in Los Angeles. He was born to Candice (Webb) and Chris Howell, who divorced when Howell was still young. Through his parents, Howell has three siblings – two sisters named Stacy and Candi and a brother known as John. None of his siblings are involved in the show business. However, his father was a stuntman who appeared in a few movies, including portraying Red Knight in Terry Gilliam’s The Fisher King. Howell’s father was a professional bull rider before he became a stuntman.
As a child, C. Thomas Howell wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps to become a stunt performer and a rodeo star. Subsequently, he participated in the California Junior Rodeo Association at age 12 and became a rodeo champion. Howell also played golf with his grandma and was known as CT in his formative years. Though his parents divorced when he was young, Howell’s childhood has many heart-warming memories. He graduated from Saugus High School in 1984, just after his breakout role in 1983.
Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders Shot Howell To Fame
C. Thomas Howell made his acting debut in The Brian Keith Show in 1972. He continued to appear in commercials before his film debut in Steven Spielberg‘s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1983) as Tyler. Howell was 16 when he got his breakthrough role in The Outsiders (1983), playing the lead role of Ponyboy Curtis alongside Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe, and Patrick Swayze. The coming-of-age classic garnered a cult following and earned Howell a Young Artist Award.
Howell had one of the most prolific years of his career in 1984, reuniting with his The Outsiders co-star, Swayze in Red Dawn and Grandview, U.S.S. He also appeared in a prominent role in Tank (1984). Howell wrapped up the 80s with roles in films such as Secret Admirer (1985), The Hitcher (1986), Soul Man (1986), A Tiger’s Tale (1987), Young Toscanini (1988), and The Return of the Musketeers (1989).
C. Thomas Howell appeared in a few notable film projects in the 1990s, including Side Out (1990), Breaking the Rules (1992), Gettysburg (1993), Teresa’s Tattoo (1994), and Payback (1995). He also directed and starred in The Big Fall (1997). Other notable projects under his belt include War of the Worlds (2005), The Poseidon Adventure (2005), The Day the Earth Stopped (2008), and The Amazing Spider-Man (2012). One of his recent roles is as Casper Weinberger in the upcoming biographical film Reagan.
C. Thomas Howell Has Been Married Twice
Howell has been in many high-profile relationships since he burst onto the acting scene. He dated American actress Kyle Richards in the 1980s but the relationship ended before the end of the decade. Howell married his first wife Rae Dawn Chong on July 11, 1989. However, the marriage was short-lived and ended in a divorce the next year. Chong was Howell’s Soul Man co-star.
C. Thomas Howell gave marriage a second chance on July 25, 1992, when he married Sylvie Anderson. Again, the marriage ended in a divorce filed by Anderson in 2016. While it didn’t that the forever after route, Howell’s second marriage produced three children: Isabelle, Dashiell, and Liam. Howell has not been linked to any woman romantically since his last marriage crashed. The Los Angeles-born actor appears to be keeping his personal life away from public scrutiny. Read up on stars who defined the 1990s.
Follow Us
