Ajay Kumar: Created a new article

2023-09-14T06:00:40Z

Created a new article

New page

{{short description|American actor (born 1962)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Thomas Ian Griffith
| image =
| caption = Griffith as [[Terry Silver]] in [[Karate Kid 3]] and [[Cobra Kai]]
| imagesize =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|3|18}}
| birth_place = [[Hartford, Connecticut]], U.S.
| education = [[College of the Holy Cross]]
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|martial artist}}
| years_active = {{ubl|1984–2007|2021–present}}
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Mary Page Keller]]|1991}}
| children = 2
}}

'''Thomas Ian Griffith''' (born March 18, 1962)<ref name=filmref /><ref name=blackbelt /> is an American actor, [[screenwriter]] and martial artist. He is best known for portraying [[Terry Silver]] in the 1989 film ''[[The Karate Kid Part III]]'', a role he reprised in the [[Cobra Kai (season 4)|fourth]] and [[Cobra Kai (season 5)|fifth seasons]] of the television series ''[[Cobra Kai]]''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=May 27, 2021|title=Terry Silver Returns In 'Cobra Kai' Season 4|url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/terry-silver-returns-cobra-kai-season-4-thomas-ian-griffith-1234765219/|access-date=May 27, 2021|website=Deadline|language=en-US|archive-date=May 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527154040/https://deadline.com/2021/05/terry-silver-returns-cobra-kai-season-4-thomas-ian-griffith-1234765219/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Early life==
Griffith was born in [[Hartford, Connecticut]], the son of Mary Ann (née O'Neil), who worked at a dance studio, and Thomas Joseph Griffith.<ref name=filmref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/61/Thomas-Ian-Griffith.html|title=Thomas Ian Griffith Biography (1962?-)|access-date=August 27, 2017|archive-date=September 6, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.is/20120906031034/http://www.filmreference.com/film/61/Thomas-Ian-Griffith.html|url-status=live|quote=some sources cite 1962...}}</ref> Griffith attended South Catholic High School in Hartford.<ref name=bground>{{cite news|url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1993-05-17-0000101530-story.html|title=Griffith is Latest Force in Hot World of Hollywood Action Movies|date=May 17, 1993|work=[[Hartford Courant]]|access-date=January 1, 2022|archive-date=January 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101202611/https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1993-05-17-0000101530-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He then studied at the [[College of the Holy Cross]] where he was a dean's list student before leaving after his junior year to "make it" as an actor in New York.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/344451189/|title='Another World' has high hopes for Griffith|date=February 10, 1984|work=[[The Times and Democrat]]|access-date=January 1, 2022|archive-date=January 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101202609/https://www.newspapers.com/image/344451189/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Career==
Griffith made his screen-acting debut on the soap opera ''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]'' as Catlin Ewing, whom he played from 1984 to 1987. During this time, he met and dated his co-star, onscreen love interest and future wife, [[Mary Page Keller]].

Griffith became obsessed with [[taekwondo]] while in high school and earned a black belt when he was 18.<ref name="bground" /> His knowledge of taekwondo helped him land his first feature film: 1989's ''[[The Karate Kid Part III]]'', in which he played [[Terry Silver]], a rival martial arts expert who influences [[Daniel LaRusso]] against his friend and mentor, [[Mr. Miyagi]].

After his breakout role in ''The Karate Kid Part III'', Griffith was briefly positioned to be Hollywood's next big action star, even scoring a three-picture deal with [[New Line Cinema]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-01 |title=GRIFFITH IS LATEST FORCE IN HOT WORLD OF HOLLYWOOD ACTION MOVIES – Hartford Courant |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101202611/https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1993-05-17-0000101530-story.html |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=web.archive.org}}</ref> During the 1990s, he starred in a series of [[direct-to-video]] and [[Low-budget film|low-budget]] theatrically released films, most notably ''Ulterior Motives'', [[Excessive Force (film)|''Excessive Force'']] (both of which Griffith also helped write and produce), and [[Crackerjack (1994 film)|''Crackerjack'']]. He elicited frequent comparisons to actors like [[Jean-Claude Van Damme|Jean Claude van Damme]] and [[Steven Seagal]], but these films received mixed to negative reviews and Griffith ultimately never reached their level of success.

Through the late 1990s and 2000s, Griffith transitioned to smaller projects and roles, working almost exclusively direct-to-video. He did, however, star in the film ''[[Hollow Point]]'' alongside [[Tia Carrere]] as DEA agent Max Parrish and collaborate with director John Carpenter. He played head vampire Jan Valek in Carpenter's 1998 film ''[[Vampires (1998 film)|Vampires]]'' and co-created the [[comic book]] series ''Asylum'', together with Carpenter and producer Sandy King.<ref>{{cite web |last=Yanes |first=Nicholas |date=May 2014 |title=Sandy King discusses movie making and the comic book 'John Carpenter's Asylum' |url=https://www.scifipulse.net/sandy-king-discusses-movie-making-and-the-comic-book-john-carpenters-asylum/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112173645/https://www.scifipulse.net/sandy-king-discusses-movie-making-and-the-comic-book-john-carpenters-asylum/ |archive-date=2021-01-12 |access-date=June 25, 2021 |website=scifipulse.net |publisher=Trending News Theme |agency=}}</ref>

In 1999, he starred in the TV movie ''Secret of Giving'' with [[Reba McEntire]]; earlier in 1999, he had appeared in McEntire's video for the song "What Do You Say." In 2002, Griffith appeared in the film ''[[XXX (2002 film)|XXX]]'', in which he portrayed Agent Jim McGrath.

In 2007, Griffith retired from acting altogether to pursue screenwriting. From 2013 to 2017, he periodically wrote and worked as a story editor for the [[NBC]] television series ''[[Grimm (TV series)|Grimm]]'' and became a co-producer in 2015. He and his wife, Mary Page Keller, also collaborated to write the sixth episode of the dramedy series ''[[Dolly Parton's Heartstrings]]'' in 2019, as well as an episode for [[Netflix]] series [[Virgin River (TV series)|''Virgin River'']].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Kasey |date=2023-04-11 |title='Virgin River' Season 5: Netflix Release Date Estimate & What We Know So Far |url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/virgin-river-season-5-netflix-release-date-estimate-what-to-expect-04-2023/ |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=What's on Netflix |language=en}}</ref>

In 2021 and 2022, Griffith came out of his retirement from acting to reprise the role of Terry Silver in the fourth and fifth seasons of ''[[Cobra Kai]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=2021-05-27 |title=Terry Silver Returns In 'Cobra Kai' Season 4 |url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/terry-silver-returns-cobra-kai-season-4-thomas-ian-griffith-1234765219/ |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=Deadline |language=en-US |archive-date=May 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527212902/https://deadline.com/2021/05/terry-silver-returns-cobra-kai-season-4-thomas-ian-griffith-1234765219/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Moylan |first=Brian |date=2021-12-31 |title=The Complete History of New 'Cobra Kai' Villain Terry Silver |url=https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a38579940/cobra-kai-who-is-terry-silver/ |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=Men's Health |language=en-US |archive-date=March 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308102635/https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a38579940/cobra-kai-who-is-terry-silver/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Personal life==
Griffith has been married to his former ''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]'' costar [[Mary Page Keller]] since 1991 and the pair has two sons together.<ref name=filmref /> He also has two sisters, Colleen and Mary Beth.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-01 |title=GRIFFITH IS LATEST FORCE IN HOT WORLD OF HOLLYWOOD ACTION MOVIES – Hartford Courant |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101202611/https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1993-05-17-0000101530-story.html |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=web.archive.org}}</ref>

He holds a [[black belt (martial arts)|black belt]] in [[tae kwon do|taekwondo]] and [[American Kenpo|kenpo karate]].<ref name="blackbelt">{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7s8DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA18|title=Meet the Karate Kid's Worst Enemy|first=David W.|last=Clary|work=[[Black Belt (magazine)|Black Belt]]|page=18|date=March 1993|quote=Griffith, 32...|access-date=September 27, 2020|archive-date=February 10, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210202328/https://books.google.com/books?id=7s8DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA18|url-status=live}} [interview necessarily conducted prior to March 1993 publication date]</ref>

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#B0C4DE" align="center"
! Year
! Film
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1989
| ''[[The Karate Kid Part III]]''
| [[Terry Silver]]
|
|-
| 1990
| ''[[Rock Hudson (TV movie)|Rock Hudson]]''
| [[Rock Hudson]]
| TV movie
|-
| 1992
| ''Ulterior Motives''
| Jack Blaylock
|
|-
| 1993
| ''[[Excessive Force (film)|Excessive Force]]''
| Detective Terry McCain
|
|-
| 1994
| ''[[Crackerjack (1994 film)|Crackerjack]]''
| Jack Wild
|
|-
| 1994
| ''[[Blood of the Innocent (1995 film)|Blood of the Innocent]]''
| Detective Frank Wusharsky
|
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Hollow Point]]''
| Max Parrish
|
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Behind Enemy Lines (1997 film)|Behind Enemy Lines]]''
| CIA Agent Mike Weston
|
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Kull the Conqueror]]''
| General Taligaro
|
|-
| 1997
| ''The Guardian''
| The Guardian
| TV movie
|-
| 1998
| ''[[Vampires (1998 film)|John Carpenter's Vampires]]''
| Jan Valek
|
|-
| 1999
| ''[[Emily Pollifax#Mrs. Pollifax in film|The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax]]''
| Jack Farrell
| TV movie
|-
| 1999
| ''Avalanche''
| Neal Meekin
|
|-
| 1999
| ''[[The Secret of Giving: A Christmas Collection|The Secret of Giving]]''
| Harry Withers
| TV movie
|-
| 2000
| ''A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle''
| Doug Brister
| TV movie
|-
| 2000
| ''[[For the Cause (film)|For the Cause]]''
| Evans
|
|-
| 2001
| ''High Adventure''
| Chris Quatermain
|
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder]]''
| Cornelius Loudermilk
| TV movie
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Black Point (film)|Black Point]]''
| Gus Travis
|
|-
| 2002
| ''[[XXX (2002 film)|XXX]]''
| NSA Agent Jim McGrath
|
|-
| 2003
| ''[[Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision]]''
| Brandon Miller
|
|-
| 2005
| ''The Pirate's Curse''
| Captain Jeffery Thorpe
|
|-
|2007
|''The Kidnapping''
|Cash
|TV movie
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square]]
| None
| Consulting Producer
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#B0C4DE" align="center"
! Year
! Show
! Character
! Notes
|-
| 1984
| ''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]''
| Catlin Ewing
| 1984–1987
|-
| 1985
| ''[[Miami Vice (TV series)|Miami Vice]]''
| Extra (guy in pool, next to guy on raft in clothes)
| 1 episode
|-
| 1988
| ''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]''
| Luke Potter
| 2 episodes
|-
| 1989
| ''[[Wiseguy (TV series)|Wiseguy]]''
| Roger Tot
|
|-
| 2004
| ''[[One Tree Hill (TV Series)|One Tree Hill]]''
| Larry Sawyer
| 5 episodes
|-
| 2005
| ''[[The Closer]]''
| Thomas Yates
| 1 episode
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Cold Case]]''
| Mitch
| 1 episode
|-
| 2013–2017
| ''[[Grimm (TV series)|Grimm]]''
| None
| Writer (8 episodes), story editor, co-producer
|-
|2019
|''[[Dolly Parton's Heartstrings]]''
|None
|Written for television by (1 episode)
|-
| 2021–present
| ''[[Cobra Kai]]''
| [[Terry Silver]]
| Main Role (seasons 4-5)
|-
|2023
|[[Virgin River (TV series)|''Virgin River'']]
|None
|Writer (1 episode), supervising producer
|}

===Video games===
*''Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising'' (2022) as Terry Silver (voice role)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{AllMovie name}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffith, Thomas Ian}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Male actors from Hartford, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Age controversies]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male soap opera actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American male karateka]]
[[Category:American Kenpo practitioners]]
[[Category:American male taekwondo practitioners]]

Thomas Ian Griffith - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article