  christopher thomas howell (born december 7, 1966), known by his stage name c. thomas howell, is an american actor and director. he starred in the films the outsiders as ponyboy curtis and in the hitcher as jim halsey. he also appeared in soul man, red dawn, secret admirer, grandview u.s.a., e.t. the extra-terrestrial, the amazing spider-man, and justice league: the flashpoint paradox. ==early life== howell was born in van nuys, california, the son of candice and christopher n. howell. he has two sisters, stacy and candi, and a brother, john.aboutct. cthomashowell.net. retrieved on 2011-12-03. his father worked as a stunt coordinator and rodeo performer. as a young boy, howell wanted to be a stuntman and was even a child stunt performer. he began acting at the age of four, when he was cast in the brian keith show episode "the little people". when howell was young, his parents divorced,tommy howell: i'm just a normal kid!. cthowell.net. retrieved on 2011-12-03. leaving his mother with both of her sons and daughter stacy, and his father took candi with him.marriage. cthowell.net. retrieved on 2011-12-03. howell shared his time with each parent and started his career through his father's job. when he was 12, 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 is how he was recorded on screen boards). howell graduated from saugus high school in 1984. howell attended the national conservatory for drama arts. ==career== howell's showbiz debut was acting in the 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.cooking. cthowell.net. retrieved on 2011-12-
1966_births 20th-century_American_male_actors 21st-century_American_male_actors American_male_child_actors American_male_film_actors American_male_television_actors Living_people Male_actors_from_Los_Angeles,_California