C. Thomas Howell is an American actor and film director. Howell appeared in The Outsiders in 1983. He also appeared in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Red Dawn, Shifting Gears, and Southland. In 2024, he appeared in the films Ride and Reagan. Howell directed War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave and The Land That Time Forgot, and produced Hope Ranch and Spirit Riders. Beyond acting and directing, Howell released the singles Rose Hill, Ponygirl, and Whiskey Demon.