Tom Towles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tom Towles
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| Born | March 20, 1950 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | April 2, 2015 (aged 65) Pinellas, Florida, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1971–2008 |
| Known for | Henry: Portrait of a ... Night of the Living Dead House of 1000 Corpses Miami Vice NYPD Blue |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States Marine Corps |
Tom Towles (born March 20, 1950 – died April 2, 2015) was an American actor. He was known for playing villains and tough characters in movies and TV shows. His big role was as Otis in the movie Henry: Portrait of a ... (1986). For this, he was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award.
Tom Towles appeared in many films and TV series. Some of these include Night of the Living Dead, Blood In Blood Out, and The Rock. He also acted in popular TV shows like NYPD Blue, Dr. Dolittle, and Malcolm in the Middle.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Tom Towles was born in Chicago, Illinois, on March 20, 1950. He had a sister named Kai. Before he became an actor, Towles served for a short time in the United States Marine Corps.
Acting Career Highlights
Towles started his acting journey in 1971 in Chicago. He was part of the Organic Theater Company. His first movie role was a small part as a cop in Dog Day Afternoon (1975). After this, he went back to Chicago. He continued to perform with the Organic Theater Company. He also acted at the Goodman Theatre.
After taking a break for ten years, Towles returned to movies. He appeared in the film Pink Nights (1985). He often played tough or scary characters. His role as Otis in Henry: Portrait of a ... (1986) was very important for his career.
Towles also appeared in many television shows. These include Seinfeld, NYPD Blue, L.A. Law, and ER. He also acted in popular science fiction shows like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Firefly.
He worked many times with filmmaker Rob Zombie. They made several movies together. These include House of 1000 Corpses (2003), The Devil's Rejects (2005), and Halloween (2007).
Later Life and Passing
Tom Towles passed away on April 2, 2015. He was 65 years old. He died in a hospital in Pinellas, Florida. His death was due to problems after he had a stroke.
Filmography
Film Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Dog Day Afternoon | Cop | Uncredited |
| 1985 | Pink Nights | Ralph | |
| 1986 | Henry: Portrait of a ... | Otis | Nominated- Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male |
| 1989 | The Borrower | Bob Laney | Nominated- Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1990 | Men Don't Leave | Evan Taylor | |
| Night of the Living Dead | Harry Cooper | ||
| 1991 | The Pit and the Pendulum | Don Carlos Molina | |
| 1992 | Fortress | Stiggs | |
| 1993 | Blood In Blood Out | "Red" Ryder | |
| Mad Dog and Glory | Andrew, The Beater | ||
| 1996 | God's Lonely Man | Steven | |
| Normal Life | Frank Anderson | ||
| 1996 | The Rock | Alcatraz Park Ranger | |
| 1997 | Gridlock'd | Max | |
| Warriors of Virtue | General Grillo | ||
| Night of the Lawyers | Moriarty | ||
| 1998 | The Prophecy II | Detective Waltrip | |
| Dr. Dolittle | German Shepherd | Voice | |
| 2000 | More Dogs Than Bones | Detective Waltrip | |
| 2002 | Groom Lake | Dietz | |
| 2003 | House of 1000 Corpses | Deputy George Wydell | |
| 2005 | The Devil's Rejects | ||
| 2006 | Miami Vice | Coleman | |
| 2007 | Grindhouse | Lieutenant Boorman | Segment "Werewolf Women of the SS" |
| Home Sick | Uncle Johnny | ||
| Halloween | Larry Redgrave | ||
| 2008 | Blood on the Highway | Louis Debois | Final film role |
Television Appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Jack and Mike | Maxie | Episode: "Charity Ball" |
| High Mountain Rangers | T.J. Cousins | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 1988 | Sable | Eddie | Episode: "Mob" |
| 1992 | Mann & Machine | Lomax | Episode: "Mann's Fate" |
| 1993 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Hon'Tihl | Episode: "Dramatis Personae" |
| Seinfeld | Tough Guy | Episode: "The Glasses" | |
| 1993-1994 | NYPD Blue | Inspector Anthony Lastarza | Recurring role; Season 1 |
| Bakersfield P.D. | Riley | 2 episodes | |
| 1994 | L.A. Law | Warden Geoff Ropella | Episode: "Three on a Patch" |
| Girls in Prison | Norman Stoneface | Television film | |
| 1995 | VR.5 | Shepard | Episode: "Dr. Strangechild" |
| 1996 | Pacific Blue | Mr. Baron | Episode: "Rapscallions" |
| ER | Matthew | Episode: "No Brain, No Gain" | |
| 3rd Rock from the Sun | Dale | Episode: "Gobble, Gobble, Dick, Dick" | |
| Night Stand with Dick Dietrick | Mad Cow | Episode: "Uniting Love Ones" | |
| 1997 | Profiler | Steve Calagian | Episode: "Learning From the Masters" |
| Star Trek: Voyager | Dr. Vatm | Episode: "Rise" | |
| 1998 | Mercenary II: Thick & Thin | Colonel Chamaro | Television film |
| Maximum Bob | Ike Worth | Episode: "Once Bitten..." | |
| The Pretender | Jack Brevins | Episode: "Parole" | |
| 1999 | Lansky | Nick | Television film |
| The Drew Carey Show | Detective Streible | Episode: "Drew Tries to Kill Mimi" | |
| 2001 | 18 Wheels of Justice | Ray Palmeri | Episode: "The Interrogation" |
| 2002 | Firefly | Lund | Episode: "The Train Job" |
| Push, Nevada | BRB | Recurring role; Season 1 | |
| Robbery Homicide Division | Kevin Molas | Episode: "Wild Ride" | |
| 2003 | Crossing Jordan | Bill Williamson | Episode: "Wild Card" |
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Zeke | Episode: "Homebodies" | |
| Malcolm in the Middle | Ethan | Episode: "Christmas Trees" |
Video Game Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | New Legends | Bradley | Voice |
See also
In Spanish: Tom Towles para niños
