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Tom Bower

Tom Bower

Actor · Died May 30, 2024, aged 86 · Denver, Colorado, USA

Ralph Thomas Bower (January 3, 1938 – May 30, 2024) was an American actor who appeared in a wide variety of television and film roles from 1973 to 2023. On television, he played physician Curtis Willard (husband of Mary-Ellen) on The Waltons (1975 - 1978). Bower also appeared in numerous series in guest roles, including Hill Street Blues, The X-Files, The West Wing, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. In film, he had prominent supporting roles in notable films such as River's Edge (1986), Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), Die Hard 2 (1990), Nixon (1995), Pollock (2000), The Hills Have Eyes (2006), Appaloosa (2008), Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), The Killer Inside Me (2010), and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019). Bower was also an award-winning stage actor.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 3, 1938
Died
May 30, 2024 (aged 86)
From
Denver, Colorado, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
103 on MovieCove · 143 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Down 31% in 30 days

What are Tom Bower's films like?

Across their 61 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 60 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Light 8 · Serious 18 · Dark 34

Grounded 42 · Stylized 12 · Heightened 6

Gentle 7 · Charged 31 · Intense 22

Steady 26 · Shifting 26 · Whiplash 8

Straight-faced 47 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 3

Slow burn 26 · Even-paced 31 · Relentless 3

Casual 17 · Engaged 36 · Full focus 7

A split, not a type: Easy watch 11 · Affecting 20 · Heavy 29

A split, not a type: Resolved 33 · Open-ended 18 · Ambiguous 9

Roles they play

20 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 5 of 20 analyzed roles.

Mentor
5 of 20
Ally
4 of 20
Shadow
4 of 20
Threshold guardian
3 of 20
Herald
3 of 20
Hero
1 of 20
Show the 20 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
45
Melancholic
35
Dread
12
Hopeful
17
Contemplative
14
Other
37

How their films end · 11 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet35
  • Tragic7
  • Ambiguous10
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Tom Bower's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 72 of their 103 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (27).

Subscription and free streaming for Tom Bower's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

143 credits, 103 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Hurricanna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Dentist

  • Double Down South(2022)

    as Old Nick

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • We Have a Ghost(2023)

    as Ernest Scheller

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Raymond & Ray(2022)

    as Harris

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
  • Two Ways Home(2019)

    as Walter

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
  • Fully Realized Humans(2020)

    Additional Dialogue · as Richard

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
  • El Camino(2019)

    as Lou

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • Senior Love Triangle(2019)

    as William Selig

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Light of My Life(2019)

    as Tom

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • Making a Deal with the Devil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as MacGivens

  • The Last Big Save(2019)

    as Robert

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films
  • As You Like It(2019)

    as Jaques

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Ice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jonah Kreshman

  • Goliath(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows
  • Lamb(2015)

    as Foster

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • Digging for Fire(2015)

    as Tom the Neighbor

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • Runoff(2014)

    as Scratch

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • The Ever After (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Father O'Meara

  • Bosch(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as John Caffrey

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • 13 Sins(2014)

    as Father

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
  • Out of the Furnace(2013)

    as Dan Dugan

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • Dark Around the Stars(2013)

    as Silky

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Ray Donovan(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Roger Wettick

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
  • I Melt with You(2011)

    as Captain Bob

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • Session (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Dr. Albert Solomon

  • Black Limousine(2010)

    as Mr. Esteridge

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • Rizzoli & Isles(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Redmond Jones

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows
  • The Killer Inside Me(2010)

    as Sheriff Bob Maples

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
  • After the Denim (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as James Packer

  • Crazy Heart(2009)

    as Bill Wilson

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • For Sale by Owner(2009)

    as Sheriff O'Hare

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • Familiar Strangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Frank Worthington

  • Appaloosa(2008)

    as Abner Raines

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • Gospel Hill(2008)

    as Jack Herrod

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
  • Undoing(2006)

    as Don

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
  • Private Practice(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Dennis Hoffman

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows
  • Pain Within (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Joseph

  • Feel(2006)

    as Buck

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
  • Flannel Pajamas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Bill

  • Brothers of the Head(2005)

    as Eddie Pasqua

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • The Amateurs(2005)

    as Floyd

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • The Hills Have Eyes(2006)

    as Gas Station Attendant

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • Valley of the Heart's Delight(2006)

    as Sheriff Ackle

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • Criminal Minds(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Damon Miller

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
  • It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Pop-Pop

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
  • Fathers and Sons(2005)

    as Vito (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Schultz

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
  • The Office(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Heinrich

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows
  • North Country(2005)

    as Gray Suchett

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • Battlestar Galactica(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Joe

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • In the Land of Milk and Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Lenny Cochran

  • NCIS(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Miller Thompson

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • The Badge(2002)

    as Bull Hardwick

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
  • Monk(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Bennie Wentworth

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
  • High Crimes(2002)

    as FBI Agent Mullins

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • The Laramie Project(2002)

    as Father Roger Schmit

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
  • Hearts in Atlantis(2001)

    as Len Files

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
  • The Guardian(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Ray 'Rufus' Schmiel

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows
  • Going Greek (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Bill

  • The Division (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Bishop

  • Pollock(2000)

    as Dan Miller

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • Roswell(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Everett Hubble

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
  • The West Wing(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as General Barrie

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • Malevolence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Jim Bradley

  • A Slipping-Down Life(1999)

    as Mr. Decker

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • Monday After the Miracle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Uncle Ed

  • The Negotiator(1998)

    as Omar (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
  • Poodle Springs(1998)

    as Arnie Burns

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
  • Buffalo Soldiers(1997)

    as Gen. Pike

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • The Killing Jar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Det. Jake Pestone

  • The Practice(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · as John Pierce

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
  • Follow Me Home(1996)

    as Larry

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • Shaughnessy(1996)

    as Marshall

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • Riders of the Purple Sage(1996)

    as Judkins (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Nixon(1995)

    as Frank Nixon

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • White Man's Burden(1995)

    as Stanley

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
  • Georgia(1995)

    as Erwin Flood

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
  • The Avenging Angel(1995)

    as Bill Hickman

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • Clear and Present Danger(1994)

    as Clark's Pilot (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
  • Against the Wall(1994)

    as Ed

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • Shimmer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Mr. Speck

  • NYPD Blue(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Victor Ugo

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows
  • The X-Files(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheriff Harden

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • The Ballad of Little Jo(1993)

    as Lyle Hogg (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • Relentless 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Captain Phelan

  • Love Can Be Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Mike Riordan

  • Revenge on the Highway(1992)

    as Officer Russell Yates

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
  • Raising Cain(1992)

    as Sgt, Cully

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Talent for the Game(1991)

    as Rev. Bodeen

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
  • Love, Lies and Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 2 episodes · as Leverette

  • Dillinger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Captain Matt Leach

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Whitten

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows
  • Die Hard 2(1990)

    as Marvin

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
  • Desperado: The Outlaw Wars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Billy Dobbs

  • Wired (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Detective

  • Nightbreaker(1989)

    as Dan Cutter

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • True Believer(1989)

    as Cecil Skell

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • Distant Thunder(1988)

    as Louis

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • Split Decisions(1988)

    as Detective Walsh

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
  • Promised a Miracle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Michael Elliot

  • China Beach(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as Archie Winslow

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows
  • Lady in White(1988)

    as Sheriff Saunders

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
  • What Price Victory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Eldon Ray

  • Family Sins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Sheriff

  • Beverly Hills Cop II(1987)

    as Russ Fielding

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
  • River's Edge(1986)

    as Bennett

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
  • The Lightship(1985)

    as "Coop" Cooper

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
  • Misfits of Science (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeffries

  • Crazy like a Fox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Trumble

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Jonathan Bailey

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
  • Miami Vice(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as C.I.A. Agent Carter

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
  • Massive Retaliation(1984)

    as Kirk Fredericks

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
  • Wildrose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Rick

  • Hardcastle and McCormick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Marty Torrance

  • The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Boone Chate

  • Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
  • Tales of the Apple Dumpling Gang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Eli Nugent

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Boone Choate

  • Hill Street Blues(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as De Petrus

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
  • When Hell Was in Session(1979)

    as Lt. Jim Norton

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
  • The Winds of Kitty Hawk(1978)

    as William Tate

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • The Dain Curse(1978)

    Show 3 episodes · as Sgt. O'Gar

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows
  • Dallas(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Mancuso

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows
  • Lou Grant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Lind

  • The 3,000 Mile Chase(1977)

    as Richette

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • Kingston: Confidential (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Vincent Ross

  • Quincy, M.E. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Royce

  • The Commitment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Abe

  • A Woman for All Men(1975)

    as Construction Worker

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
  • Baretta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Eddie Ryan

  • The Rockford Files(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeff Cooperman · as Officer Hensley

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
  • Incident at Vichy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Police Guard

  • Kojak(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Brenner

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows
  • Barnaby Jones(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Baxter

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows
  • The Waltons(1972)

    Show 25 episodes · as Dr. Curtis Willard · as Rex Barker

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows
  • The Wonderful World of Disney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Eli Nugent

  • The Spittin' Image (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 141 titles, 140 of them dated from 1954 to 2025; peak year 2001.

Film career

19542025

Peak 2001 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1972Screen debut· The Waltons
  • 1983First film· The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
  • 2014Career best· 13 Sins

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting141 of 141: 140 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score59thOther crew1 of 141: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1950s1 · acting1970s16 · acting1980s26 · acting1990s34 · acting2000s34 · acting2010s23 · acting2020s6 · 6 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% of 39 roles
8393980313

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Tom Bower's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 50th percentile, the median of all 74; across their 60 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 50th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 60

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 60

Reach · how many have seen their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 60

Midcredits score across 103 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up36
  • 50th to 74th30
  • 25th to 49th26
  • Below 25th11

Shape of the crowd

46 of their 103 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved14
  • Divisive3
  • Cult Classic5
  • Crowd Pleaser46
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed28

Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 54 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 49. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Tom Bower's work okay for kids?

Across up to 21 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore15 titles39–91 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity21 titles14–56 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity17 titles36–88 · median 65 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs14 titles30–84 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense14 titles40–89 · median 65 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Tom Bower work with?

People who share at least 2 of Tom Bower's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Scott Cooper shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles