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Tom Towles

Tom Towles

Actor · Died April 2, 2015, aged 65 · Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Tom Towles (March 20, 1950 – April 2, 2015) was an American actor. Towles was born and raised in Chicago. He became an actor after a stint in the U.S. Marines, beginning with an uncredited performance in Dog Day Afternoon (1975). He has appeared in film and television extensively since the 1980s. He is probably best known for his turn in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer as a character modeled after Ottis Toole, Henry Lee Lucas' reputed accomplice in several murders. He has also appeared in Night of the Living Dead, The Rock, Blood in Blood Out, House of 1000 Corpses, and its sequel, The Devil's Rejects. Recently Tom also portrayed a vicious drug trafficking Aryan gang leader in the big screen adaptation of Miami Vice (he played a similar role as Aryan prison gang leader Red Rider in Blood In Blood Out) and had a cameo in one of the faux trailers Werewolf Women of the SS in Robert Rodriguez's Grindhouse. His television credits include appearances in NYPD Blue, L.A. Law, ER, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (in the episode "Dramatis Personae"), Star Trek Voyager, and Firefly. Towles died on April 2, 2015, at the age of 65, in a hospital in Pinellas, Florida of complications following a stroke. Description above from the Wikipedia article Tom Towles, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.  

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 20, 1950
Died
April 2, 2015 (aged 65)
From
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Works as
Actor
Titles
34 on MovieCove · 46 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 38% in 30 days

What are Tom Towles' films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 27th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 88th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Survival
33%
Bonds
24%
Self
22%
Society
6%
Morality
6%
Power
4%
Ideas
4%
Survival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 12 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 1 · Dark 7

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 3 · Intense 7

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 2 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 3

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 5 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 6

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
9
Dread
5
Warm
2
Absurd
2
Hopeful
2
Other
10

How their films linger

Unsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical1

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 Towles' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 23 of their 34 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Tom Towles' 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

46 credits, 34 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Blood on the Highway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Louis Debois

  • Halloween(2007)

    as Larry Redgrave

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Home Sick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Uncle Johnny

  • Grindhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Lt. Boorman (segment "Werewolf Women of the SS")

  • Miami Vice(2006)

    as Coleman

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Devil's Rejects(2005)

    as Lieutenant George Wydell

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • House of 1000 Corpses(2003)

    as Lieutenant George Wydell · as George Wydell

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Groom Lake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Dietz

  • Firefly(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Lund

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Crossing Jordan(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Bull Williamson

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • More Dogs Than Bones(2000)

    as Detective Smith

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Malcolm in the Middle(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Ethan

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Lansky(1999)

    as Henchman at NYC Apartment

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Maximum Bob (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Ike Worth

  • Doctor Dolittle(1998)

    as German Shepherd (voice)

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Prophecy II(1998)

    as Detective Waltrip

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Night of the Lawyers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Alien

  • Warriors of Virtue(1997)

    as Grillo

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Gridlock'd(1997)

    as D-Reper's Henchman

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Profiler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Steve Calagian

  • The Rock(1996)

    as Alcatraz Park Ranger

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Pacific Blue(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Baron

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows

  • Normal Life(1996)

    as Frank Anderson

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • 3rd Rock from the Sun(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Dale

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • The Drew Carey Show(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Detective Streible

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Star Trek: Voyager(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Vatm

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • ER(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Teenage Boy's Father

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Girls in Prison(1994)

    as Norman Stoneface

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Rebel Highway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Norman Stoneface

  • NYPD Blue(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Story · Teleplay · as Inspector Anthony Lastarza

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Bakersfield P.D. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · as Riley

  • Mad Dog and Glory(1993)

    as Andrew the Beater

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Blood in Blood Out(1993)

    as Red Ryder

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Hon'Tihl

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Fortress(1992)

    as Stiggs

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Borrower(1991)

    as Bob Laney

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Pit and the Pendulum(1991)

    as Don Carlos

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Night of the Living Dead(1990)

    as Harry Cooper

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Men Don't Leave(1990)

    as Evan Taylor

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Seinfeld(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Tough Guy

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Choice Chance Control (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Manny

  • High Mountain Rangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as T.J. Cousins

  • Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer(1986)

    as Otis

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • L.A. Law(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Warden Geoff Ropella

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Pink Nights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Ralph the Lounge Lizard

  • Dog Day Afternoon(1975)

    as Cop (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 46 titles from 1975 to 2008; peak year 1992.

Biggest box office

House of 1000 Corpses (2003)

$17M worldwide

Highest rated

Blood in Blood Out (1993)

Midcredits 97th

Film career

19752008

Peak 1992 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. 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.

  • 1986Screen debut· Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting46 of 46: 45 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score57thWriting1 of 46: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s1 · acting1980s6 · acting1990s27 · 27 acting · 1 crew2000s12 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 17 roles
8696

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 Towles' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 49th percentile, the median of all 22; across their 12 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Reach · how many have seen their films

89thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Midcredits score across 34 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 34 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · actor

Warriors of Virtue (1997)

73rd percentile spread · 41% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 65/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 40. 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 Towles' work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles70–96 · median 90 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles47–74 · median 60 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles62–93 · median 65 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles28–77 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense7 titles59–91 · median 82 · severeheavier 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 Towles work with?

People who share at least 2 of Tom Towles' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John McNaughton shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors