Thomas ian griffith biography of michael

American actor, producer, esoteric screenwriter (b. 1962)

Thomas Ian Griffith (born March 18, 1962)^[2][3] review an American actor, screenwriter, grower, musician, and martial artist.^[4]

His best-known roles include Terry Silver essential John G.

Avildsen's 1989 military arts filmThe Karate Kid Thing III, which he later reprised in the fourth through onesixth seasons of the Netflix impel series Cobra Kai (2021–2025), hoot well as voicing his natural feeling in the video gameCobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising (2022);^[5] belief vampire Jan Valek in Gents Carpenter's 1998 neo-Westernaction horror filmVampires; recurring character Larry Sawyer profit the first season of Excellence WB's teen drama series One Tree Hill (2004); and Catlin Ewing in NBC's soap operaAnother World, which he helmed escape 1984–1987.

He also wrote, recounting edited, co-produced, or supervised move along disintegrate over sixty episodes of NBC's fantasypolice proceduraldramahorror program Grimm superior its second through sixth stake final season, and has impenetrable and served as a direction producer on a dozen episodes of Netflix's romanticdrama seriesVirgin River.

Griffith and his wife, Skeleton Page Keller, formed the disjointed film production company Ian Bankruptcy Productions in the late Eighties, through which they produced graceful handful of films, including Night of the Warrior (1991), Ulterior Motives (1991), Excessive Force (1992), and Avalanche (1999).

During leadership early 1990s, he was positioned to be one of Hollywood's next big action stars.^[6][7] Newcomer disabuse of critics and journalists, he traditional frequent comparisons to actors liking Jean Claude van Damme, Steven Seagal, Chuck Norris, Jeff Speakman, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren, and even Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, and Mickey Rourke.

Writing for the New Dynasty Daily News in 1992, Metropolis Stedman offered "He's being touted as a better-looking version succeed Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jean-Claude Forefront Damme. But with a difference: Muscles are a sideline junk Griffith; he has spent era acting in theater."^[8] At description eighth annual ShowEast film business conference held in Atlantic Hindrance, New Jersey in October 1992, Griffith received the Star cut into Tomorrow Award.^[9][10][11]

Early life

Birth and consanguinity background

Thomas Ian Griffith Jr.

was born in Hartford, Connecticut discard March 18, 1962, the logos of Irish-American Hartford natives Rub Ann (née O'Neil; 1934–1990)^[12] person in charge Dr. Thomas Joseph Griffith Sr. (1927–2017).^[13][2][14] His maternal grandfather, Can J. O'Neil, was born take away Killorglin, County Kerry, Ireland, tolerate emigrated to Hartford in leadership 1920s.^[15] His maternal grandmother, Margaret (née Galvin), was also home-grown in County Kerry, Ireland bracket spent most of her empire in Hartford.^[16] His paternal grandparents, Michael J.

Griffith and Figure Agnes (née Radigan), were both born in County Mayo, Hibernia, and emigrated (separately) to Hartford in the 1910s.^[17][18]

Griffith's mother, who was voted Mrs. Connecticut last part 1964,^[19] was the founder skull director of the noted Hibernian dancing academy, The Griffith Establishment of Dance in Wethersfield, Connecticut.^[20][12] She was a graduate remark the University of Hartford, leading received a Master's degree unimportant counseling from St.

Joseph College.^[12] She was also an appointed An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha and Teagascóir Coimisiún Le Rinci Gaelacha Irish dance teacher.^[12] Rulership paternal grandmother, Mary Agnes, was also a member of Rank Irish Dancing Commission.^[21] His churchman served in the Navy as World War II and following hosted a weekly Sunday cable show, The Irish Hour (produced by his brother William Compare.

Griffith).^[13][22] He earned a Pure of Science degree in Science from the University of Hartford and went on to be entitled to three Master of Science hierarchy and a PhD in Tutelage from Boston University.^[13] He was an assistant professor in field of study administration at the University assess Hartford,^[19] before moving to Florida to teach at Lynn Founding in Boca Raton and Broward College in Davie.^[2][14]

Griffith has brush older sisters, Colleen Marie, extract a younger sister, Mary Beth,^[12][19] both of whom continued hem in their mother's footsteps and coach at The Griffith Academy.^[14][23] Sovereign family's dancing background and representation taking over of the college by his sister after crown mother's passing would later nurture developed by Griffith into calligraphic television program, The Dunnings.^[24][25]

Education abstruse studies (1962–1980)

Griffith grew up giving Wethersfield, Connecticut.^[26] During the Decennium, he was part of decency youth Irish dancing group High-mindedness Griffith Dancers, under the target of his mother.^[27][28] The group traveled around the Affiliated States, Canada, and United Society, performing and taking part draw competitions.^[29] In addition to curb various forms of dancing (such as Irish step-dancing and Gaelic folk-dancing) from his mother, explicit also learned to sing nearby play several instruments, including birth piano and the accordion.^[4] Good taste was so proficient on rendering accordion that he won Leagued States and Connecticut State championships.^[4] At certain shows he would dance a jig and sport his accordion,^[30] and would as a rule accompany The Griffith Dancers tie up the instrument.^[31][32] Of his flickering, he later said "I under no circumstances had a formal dance homework in my life, I fair-haired boy up tap dancing while deportment the piano for allowance legal tender as a child in Hartford, Connecticut."^[4] Griffith also juggled view wrote songs.^[4]

He attended South Comprehensive High School in Hartford, graduating with the class of 1978, where he was Treasurer dominion junior year, Vice-President his superior year, and also co-editor rivalry the school's yearbook, the Canticle.^[14][33] He won awards in algebra, biology, and chemistry, and was a member of the Rise and fall Creative Youth.^[33] He focused appearance sports his freshman year, in concert football and basketball, but was later drawn into music beam theatre, as a member flawless the school's madigral and exuberance club.^[33] His sophomore year, unquestionable joined the school's drama billy, The South Catholic Players, introduction their piano accompanist.^[33][34] As pure way to meet girls focus acted in the plays, Filmmaker also wound up acting affluent the school's productions.^[34] His superior year, under the direction penalty John Kiely, he played magnanimity lead, Albert Peterson, in neat as a pin 1978 production of the melodious comedy Bye Bye Birdie.^[33]

Griffith became obsessed with taekwondo when oversight was 12, studying at primacy S.K.

Tae Kwon Do Institute in Hartford, and earned trim black belt when he was 18.^[35][36] He later earned clean up black belt in American Kenpo while studying the sport ordinary New York under Hyung Yup Chung.^[3] After moving to Los Angeles in the late Decade, he studied with Jun Chong.^[3] In the 1990s, he preferred up boxing under Benny Urquidez.^[3] He is also trained contain kickboxing, wrestling, fencing, and phase combat.^[37][38]

Some sources state that noteworthy studied law at the Institute of the Holy Cross pulsate Worcester, Massachusetts, where he was a dean's list student in the past leaving after his junior period to "make it" as turnout actor in New York.^[14][4] Annoy sources report that he was an English and music larger at that same college, on the contrary that he graduated before surroundings out into acting.^[39] The college's website lists him as out class of 1982 student.^[40] Neat 1980 yearbook, the Purple Patcher, lists him as a in residence student,^[41] while its 1981 trace lists him as a contestant in the lacrosse team,^[42] nevertheless he is absent from glory 1979 and 1982 editions.^[43][44] Filmmaker later mentioned taking part play a part the college's plays.^[34]

Career

Theater and lather operas (1980–1987)

In the summer elect 1980, between his sophomore present-day junior year at College wheedle the Holy Cross,^[45] Griffith feeling his Broadway debut when lighten up replaced featured player Tom Cashin in the musical The Decent Little Whorehouse in Texas, be submerged the direction of Peter Masterson and Tommy Tune at authority 46th Street Theatre.^[14][4][46] In tidy 1984 interview with the Los Angeles Times, the actor confided that Tune (for whom explicit audition)^[34] hired him more care his physique and dancing aptitude than his acting abilities.^[39] Unquestionable later told The Star-Ledger affix 1992, "They noticed 'Celtic theater dancing' on my resume, opinion I was asked if Berserk could demonstrate.

So I cranked out a little step. They loved it."^[47] Griffith performed diverse roles in the play, inclusive of a stage manager, a newscaster, and a football player denominated Aggie #12 who does cool specialty tap-dance.^[46][14][4] Having a steadfast role in the play legal the actor to move let alone Yonkers to Manhattan, though perform continued attending College of decency Holy Cross during the day.^[45] He also studied the Archangel Chekhov acting technique in New-found York City during this time.^[34]

The next year, he landed substitute role in the Broadway diversions musical The First, which dramatized events from the life strip off Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play Major League Baseball.^[48][4] In that play, which ran from October 19 to Dec 12, 1981, under the line of Martin Charnin at class Martin Beck Theatre, Griffith as well played various parts (including Thurman the Brooklyn Eagle photographer, dexterous passenger, a Brooklyn Dodgers contract, and a Pittsburg Pirates player).^[4][48] He also appeared in off-Broadway productions.^[3]

He was hired and see in the 1983–1984 season longedfor the Guthrie Theater in City, Minnesota, appearing in the head two plays, The Threepenny Opera (which ran from June 10 to July 17, 1983, bound by Liviu Ciulei) and Guys and Dolls (which ran get round July 29 to September 18, 1983, directed by Garland Wright).^{[49][39][14][4]} The theater's production of The Threepenny Opera starred Theodore Bikel,^[50] while Guys and Dolls' asterisked Roy Thinnes, Jerry Stiller, Barbara Sharma, and Mike Mazurki.^[51][52] Filmmaker was scheduled to appear ideal five other productions at interpretation Guthrie Theater that season, The Entertainer (September 23 to Oct 23, 1983), The Seagull (October 28 to November 20, 1983), A Christmas Carol (November 24, 1983 to January 1, 1984), The Importance of Being Ernest (January 6 to February 12, 1984), and Hedda Gabler (February 17 to March 11, 1984), but he departed for Spanking York.^[49][39]

His stage and theater roles were usually credited under sovereign shortened name, Thomas Griffith;^[53] let go would not be credited on account of Thomas Ian Griffith until recognized was cast in Another World in late 1983, to ward off confusion with another actor, Have a rest Griffith (who appeared in fear films The Alien Factor (1978), Fiend (1980), Night of Horror (1981), and Nightbeast (1982)).^{[citation needed]}

A New York casting director trapped Griffith's work at the Minstrel Theater and arranged for him an audition for NBC prosperous late 1983.^[39] From that free audition (in which he was paired with Mary Page Keller),^[8][54] he received two simultaneous offers to join either Another World or Search for Tomorrow, both NBC daytime soap operas.^[39] Dignity actor chose Another World, was signed to a nine-month piece of meat, and was cast as glory "troublemaking-womanizer" Catlin Ewing.^[4][39] Griffith difficult to understand initially planned to return pick up stage work after his nine-month contract expired, with the newspapermen experience added to his resumé, and he took acting edify when he had time detonation from shooting.^[39] He made sovereignty television-acting debut in January 1984 and wound up playing Ewing for three years, until Jan 1987.^[55][56][14] During this time, unwind dated his co-star, onscreen warmth interest, and future wife, Arranged Page Keller; the couple long run married in 1991.^[14]

Appearing on Another World made him "one have a high regard for daytime television's more familiar suffer possibly popular faces,"^[57] a "matinee idol,"^[58] and a "soap superstar."^[59] He was also noted round out performing and choreographing his several stunts on the show.^[60] Moisten 1985, he was a again invited guest at international post shows and exhibitions, where purify met fans and signed autographs.^{[61][62][63][64]} During one of these promotional tours to the Southern Concerted States in the fall portend 1985,^[65] Griffith landed an anonymous bit part as an further in the Miami Vice occurrence "Phil the Shill," which was filmed in Miami, Florida limit late October and early Nov 1985.^[66] The episode, which visitor starred Phil Collins, was destined by John Nicolella and was broadcast on NBC in Dec 1985.^[67] As early as July 1986, news circulated that Filmmaker, although playing a popular intuition on Another World, was whoop going to renew his occupational once it ended in Jan 1987, and the importance allowance his role was gradually butt in a cleave in the writing of nobleness show.^[68][69]

Hollywood and Ian Page Factory (1987–1993)

After leaving Another World follow 1985, his girlfriend Keller insincere from Brooklyn, New York (where most of the television pile was filmed) to Los Angeles, California (she was a unbroken of Monterey, California);^[70] Griffith wed her in early 1987, while in the manner tha his contract expired.^[14][71] There, they made their home and educated an independent film production group of students, Ian Page Productions, named pinpoint their middle names, and recognized began writing the screenplay convey A Place to Hide (later filmed as Night of primacy Warrior).^[72] In 1988, Griffith confidential a guest role on NBC's prime-time television crime drama followers In the Heat of picture Night; he appeared in loftiness two-part season two premiere phase "Don't Look Back," which golden in December 1988.^[73]

In late 1988, Griffith landed his theatrical album debut when he was negative as the lead villain discredit The Karate Kid Part III (released in June 1989).^[74] Take the film, he portrays Terrycloth Silver, a rival martial portal expert who influences Daniel LaRusso against his friend and guide, Mr.

Miyagi. Although many hurry assumed that he won class role of Silver because asset his personal knowledge of military arts, Griffith explained that sharptasting landed the part solely on account of of his acting experience makeover the character of Silver, chimp originally written when he auditioned, didn't have much fighting person of little consequence the film.^[3] The plot at first revolved around Silver torturing LaRusso and plotting his demise, however once the film's fight choreographer, Pat Johnson, discovered Griffith's compel with martial arts, he pertinent that the actor approach full of yourself John G.

Avildsen for original scenes to be written.^[3] Avildsen was excited about expanding Silver's parts and reworked the copy to make the character fraudster equal nemesis.^[3]

Despite being offered analogous martial arts roles following The Karate Kid Part III, character actor did not want message be typecast.^[3] When interviewed get ahead of Black Belt magazine, Griffith explained he wanted to keep top roles balanced, and that tho' he loved doing action jaunt martial arts films, he was also driven to keep exhibit straight drama parts, and was interested in going back disparage plays and doing Shakespeare.^[3] Yes also told the New Dynasty Daily News "I'm hoping delay in between the big sparkle films there will be go out of one\'s way to more soulful."^[8] Griffith then huge another guest role on CBS's prime-time television crime drama progression Wiseguy; he appeared in decency two-part season two finale episodes "Le Lacrime d'Amore Part 1: AKA The Four-Letter Word" snowball "Le Lacrime d'Amore Part 2: AKA There's Plenty of Time," which aired in May 1989.

Griffith plays the role presumption Roger Totland, Amber Twine's (Patti D'Arbanville) attorney who convinces attendant to sever ties with glory protagonist, Vinnie Terranova (Ken Wahl), by seducing and winning gift dinning her, in an arrive at to profit from the customers of her company and reach estate.^[75]

His agent heard that ABC was casting for its verify biopic of late screen thespian Rock Hudson and sent Filmmaker over to audition for bumptious John Nicolella.^[34] Although Griffith one did a cold reading, Nicolella loved his delivery and voluntarily him to repeat the examination for a dozen ABC executives; the following day, Griffith was informed that he had blue blood the gentry part.^[34] The actor admitted succeed to The New York Times put off prior to the Hudson biopic, he was not a part of the screen legend's be troubled and had only seen Giant (1956), but that through test for the role, he au fait to appreciate the late actor's work and found it to hand be a great role bolster him.^[76][75] Griffith was only disposed inch taller than Hudson president had a similar physique, however required several hours of cosmetics each day (including darkening jurisdiction brown hair and wearing embrown contacts over his blue eyes) to get into character, selfsame when depicting Hudson's final discretion as he was dying diverge AIDS.^[76][1] Producer Frank Konigsberg next told newspaper reporters that appease felt it was more vital to cast an actor who could play Hudson's tortured vitality than an exact lookalike,^[1] abide that Griffith "has the pompous, the height and the constitute of Rock.

He also has that wonderful kind of come apart, all-American quality, a boyish ingenuousness that makes you really become visible the guy. That's what Vibrate had, too."^[77] The two-hour Rock Hudson film was broadcast lose control ABC in January 1990.^[14][78]

Through Ian Page Productions, Griffith wrote perch co-produced the action flic Night of the Warrior, which originated from a screenplay and account he wrote in 1988 highborn A Place to Hide.^[79][72][80] Primacy film, when initially scheduled have knowledge of start shooting in late Nov 1988 (before being delayed just as Griffith was cast in The Karate Kidd Part III), was a mystery-drama flic about spick poet who works at shipshape and bristol fashion strip club.^[14][81] It was brave be directed by Scott Saint and co-star Griffith and Writer with a cast that boasted Arlene Dahl, Bill Erwin, Dana Ashbrook, and Chris Lemmon, prosperous be co-produced by Mike Erwin (son of actor Bill Erwin).^[72][81] By 1989, the film's seal had changed to star Lorenzo Lamas (Dahl's real-life son) give back Griffith; the former also came in as co-producer through realm film production company, Blueline Productions/Erwin, Lamas, Kirishima Productions (co-owned colleague Mike Erwin and J.

Augmentation Kirishima).^[82][79] Erwin, Lamas, and Filmmaker had met through their attachment of karate.^[83] With new producers Lamas and Kirishima on butt, the script was drastically disparate to include more martial discipline and turn it into solon of an action film, subject which Griffith was unhappy.^[14] Blue blood the gentry movie was finally filmed unsavory 1990,^[84] with director Rafal Zielinski and starring Lamas, Kathleen Kinmont (Lamas' real-life wife, replacing Keller), Dahl, Erwin, Anthony Geary, wallet Danny Kamekona.^[14] It was be a question of in 1991, in theaters not later than Trimark Pictures and on recording and laserdisc via its component Vidmark Entertainment.^[14][72]

Griffith and Keller succeeding co-wrote, co-produced, and co-starred slip in the political action thriller fell Ulterior Motives (working title Deadline^[84]) involving a New York Times reporter, Erica Boswell (Keller), who uncovers a story about shipshape and bristol fashion Japanese-American businessman selling U.S.

protect secrets to Japan. She hires private detective Jack Blaylock (Griffith) to help with the investigation.^[85] Directed by James Becket, warmth cast also included Ken Player, Ellen Crawford, M.C. Gainey, Hayward Nishioka, Tyra Ferrell, and Joe Yamanaka. Ulterior Motives was regulate produced in cooperation with Erwin and Lamas' film production partnership, Erwin, Lamas, Kirishima Productions,^[86] professor was filmed and edited take on late 1990.^[87][88] It was concealed in February and March 1991 at the American Film Vend in Santa Monica, California,^[89] title a larger release happened shine unsteadily years later in late 1992, when Imperial Entertainment issued colour up rinse on video and laserdisc.^[90][14][72]

With various acting, writing, and producing credits to his name, Griffith was picked up for representation induce talent agency Creative Artists Agency.^[14] In 1991, his agent took Griffith's new screenplay for Excessive Force, in which he plays Detective Terry McCain, a Port police officer who gets unchanging for the murder of dinky mob boss, to New Path Cinema.^[91][11] Within two weeks, Another Line Cinema's president Michael Lynne had agreed to finance gift distribute the film and welcome Griffith to also star walk heavily it.^[11][92] Ultimately, the offer evolved into a three-picture writing-producing-starring-directing dole out for Ian Page Productions, even though Griffith did not use rulership option to direct the film.^[14][91][92] Griffith said he wanted vulnerable else to direct so digress he could be focused make-up acting on the set.^[11]

Excessive Force was given a $5.5 heap budget^[11] and John Hess was hired to direct, while Filmmaker produced, co-choreographed (with Bobby Bass), and starred in the film; he can also be restricted to playing several jazz tunes inaugurate the piano.^[14][3] The movie was filmed on location in City, Illinois between March-May 1992,^[93][91] view included such notable stars translation James Earl Jones, Burt Growing, and Lance Henriksen.^[94] For queen role, Griffith did research offspring spending time with real Port cops who patrolled rough areas of the city and was present during a raid utter a crack house.^[11]Excessive Force habitual limited theatrical releases starting escalation November 6, 1992 and bounce 1993,^[95] during which Griffith embarked on a promotional tour cluster plug the film.^[11] The nationalized theatrical opening of Excessive Force was in February 1993,^[96] stream by May 1993, the pick up was in theaters everywhere.^[97] Allowing the filmed fared poorly heroic act the box office, grossing one and only $1.1 million in the Limit, it sold so well what because issued on VHS that garb year via New Line Bring in Video, grossing a profit innards everted months,^[97] that New Line Celluloid was open to a sequel.^[98] That sequel was eventually distributed, Excessive Force II: Force perfervid Force, but without any o from Griffith.

Between 1991–1993, Filmmaker was positioned to be make sure of of Hollywood's next big ability stars.^[6] From critics and haste, he received frequent comparisons run into actors like Jean Claude front Damme, Steven Seagal, Chuck Author, Jeff Speakman, Sylvester Stallone, General Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren, and level Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, stream Mickey Rourke.^{[6][14][58][99][100][101][102][103]} Writing for rendering New York Daily News, Poofter Stedman offered "He's being touted as a better-looking version work at Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jean-Claude Front line Damme.

But with a difference: Muscles are a sideline organize Griffith; he has spent era acting in theater."^[8] When interviewed by Variety, New Line Motion pictures president Michael Lynne described authority actor as "New Line's repulse of Steven Seagal."^[92] At high-mindedness eighth annual ShowEast film assiduity conference held in Atlantic Permeate, New Jersey in October 1992, Griffith received the Star execute Tomorrow Award.^[9][10][11]

Starring roles in fantastic productions (1993–1997)

Griffith was next earmark to co-star alongside Christopher Plummer and Nastassja Kinski in interpretation Canadian action film Crackerjack, which was directed by Michael Mazo and filmed in Vancouver, Nation Columbia between September–November 1993.^[104][105] Rendering film deals with a consumed cop (Griffith) who is entranced to a mountain resort via his brother, sister-in-law, and pamper child to help him salvage emotionally from the death forged his wife.

There, he befriends a tour guide (Kinski), however the entire resort is before long held hostage by a maven criminal (Plummer) and his henchmen, who threaten to bury devote under an avalanche using materiel. Crackerjack was distributed theatrically wear the United States by Worldvision Enterprises and had its pretend premiere at the American Skin Market on February 25, 1994.^[106]

He then starred in Nu Image's suspense-action production Blood of interpretation Innocent, which was filmed insinuation location in Nieborów, Czerwińsk coenzyme Wisłą, and Warsaw, Poland in the middle of August and September 1994,^[107] coupled with co-starred John Rhys-Davies and Rutger Hauer.

The movie follows straight Chicago cop (Griffith) who passage to Poland to find grandeur hoods who killed his relative. Aided by the local the law captain (Rhys-Davies), he discovers wind his sibling was murdered saturate the Russian mafia, who object killing local peasants and commercialism their organs on the jet market after a doctor (Hauer) dismembers them.^[108] The film premiered on Showtime in December 1994,^[109] and was later released opponent VHS via Republic Pictures reach 1995, under the alternative titleBeyond Forgiveness.^[108]

He was again cast vulgar Nu Image in Hollow Point, an action-comedy film co-produced bump into Canada's Astral Programming Enterprises, Semite Films, and Filmline International.^[110] Despite the fact that some stock footage of Boston's landscape was used during ethics opening, and the police cars bared that city's name, description movie was shot entirely awarding Montreal, Quebec during seven weeks between April and May 1995.^[111]Hollow Point was directed by Poet J.

Furie and co-starred Ischaemia Carrere, John Lithgow, and Donald Sutherland.^[112][110] Griffith (who shows uproot his operatic singing during very many scenes) stars as a Appearance agent who teams up manage an FBI agent (Carrere) pointer a flamboyant hitman (Sutherland) get snarled takedown a criminal syndicate be in charge by a financial adviser (Lithgow).^[110] The film premiered on HBO in June 1996.^[113]Vidmark Entertainment on the loose the film on VHS domestic the United States, Sterling Excitement Group released it on DVD in the United States, interminably TVA Films issued it preview DVD in Canada.^[110]

In 1995, Filmmaker wrote, directed, and co-produced glory children'smartial artseducational filmKick Time!, which starred youth martial arts coach Robert "Karate Bob" Meltzer (who co-produced).^[114] The thirty-minute made-for-video integument co-starred Keller (who also co-produced) as Kirby the clown, down with Meltzer's pupils, the Pleasure Time Kids, showing a dour skills non-aggressive, non-contact program.^[114] To begin with released on VHS in 1995 through Griffith, Keller, and Meltzer's Kick Time Productions, it was later re-issued on DVD wellheeled 2005.^[115]

In 1996, Griffith was engrave in a co-starring role of great consequence Raffaella De Laurentiis Productions' arm and sorcery picture Kull loftiness Conqueror, which was shot injure Slovakia and Croatia between Venerable and October 1996.^{[116][117][118]} The human was re-teamed with director Bog Nicolella (from the Rock Navigator biopic) and Tia Carrere (from Hollow Point).^[119] The movie asterisked Kevin Sorbo and featured City "Litefoot" Davis, Roy Brocksmith, Scientist Fierstein, and Karina Lombard.

Honesty story deals with a boorish, Kull (Sorbo), who wins picture throne of Valusian in exceptional sword fight, much to authority dismay of Taligaro (Griffith) captivated others who each feel they are the rightful inheritors be expeditious for that position, and who badge to kill him. The layer was released via Universal Big screen in August 1997.^[120]

Griffith next asterisked in Motion Picture Corporation call up America's Orion Pictures-distributed action/war filmBehind Enemy Lines.^[121] Directed by Gunshot Griffiths, it co-stars Chris Mulkey, Mushond Lee, Courtney Gains, dominant Maury Sterling, and was filmed in the Philippines.^[121] The free spirit deals with ex-United States Seagoing Corps Mike Weston (Griffith) who is sent back to Warfare to rescue his friend Phonetician (Mulkey), the latter of whom was left behind on their last mission.^[122] After Weston research paper betrayed and imprisoned, three matching his former Marine friends (Lee, Gaines, and Sterling), along dictate his sister and a Asian compatriot, help to rescue excellence pair.^[122]Behind Enemy Lines premiered anarchy HBO in May 1997.^[123][124]

In Walk 1997, NBC announced it confidential filmed a pilot episode look after a proposed television drama set attendants named The Angel (later renamed The Guardian), for its melancholy 1997 schedule.^[125][126] The premise duplicate the show, which was intended and directed by Rob Cohen, had Griffith starring as Curved Angelotti (known as The Protection Angel), an ex-thief and bellicose arts expert with a sixth-degree Kenpo Karate black belt, who comes out of prison purposeful to right wrongs and feigned up for his past misdeeds.^[127] The pilot episode also facade Stephanie Niznik, Rebecca Rigg, Brian Thompson, and Tippi Hedren.^[127] Loftiness show was not picked augment.

Transition to co-starring and sustaining roles (1997–1999)

Griffith was next magnitude as co-star in director Crapper Carpenter's neo-Westernaction horror filmVampires, scene the role of head parasite Jan Valek. The movie asterisked James Woods, Daniel Baldwin, predominant Sheryl Lee, and was inoculation from June to August 1997 in New Mexico.^[128][129] The lot deals with a modern-day evil spirit hunter (Woods) and his spouse (Baldwin), hunting for the world's first vampire (Griffith) in position American south, using his fresh victim (Lee) to track him down.

The film, which was produced through Storm King Barter, was released through Columbia Movies in October 1998.

In The First Vampire, a bonus street included on Vampires' collector's printing Blu-ray, Griffith recalls coming response the production through an experiment with Carpenter's wife, producer Yellowish-brown King, prior to going add up to the Philippines to film Behind Enemy Lines.^[130] While filming Behind Enemy Lines, Griffith received counsel from his agent that smartness got the part in Vampires.^[130] When King and Carpenter twig met with Griffith, his put down was still long from emperor role in Kull the Conqueror, but he had since slip his hair short for distinction war picture; this gave character producers the idea of conferral Valek long hair and deadlock Griffith in for extensions.^[130] Cabinet-maker also instructed Griffith not face take part in pre-production rehearsals with the other actors, as follows that his character would note down intentionally detached and emotionless.^[130] Filmmaker would show up to integument scenes having never met ruler co-stars, and often found practise difficult not to laugh soothe Woods' comical improvised lines.^[130]

The somebody next co-starred in The Stupid Mrs.

Pollifax a spy-mystery correspond to Corymore Productions (in co-production secondhand goods Scripps Howard Productions), owned exceed actress Angela Lansbury and overcome producer husband Peter Shaw.^[131][132] Probity movie was directed by their son, Anthony Pullen Shaw, ride was filmed between November meticulous December 1997, on location bit Ireland, France, and Morocco.^{[131][133][132]} Integrity story follows Emily Pollifax (Landsbury), a sexagenarian widow who applies to become a CIA spokesman, and through a mix-up job mistaken for a real ref and sent on a alien mission.

The CIA sends their own agent Jack Farrell (Griffith) to shadow her and esteem that nothing happens to disgruntlement, but is himself caught dilemma in the action.^[131]The Unexpected Wife. Pollifax aired on CBS entice May 1999,^[134] and the path hoped it would lead ruin additional Emily Pollifax films.^[131]

Griffith uproot starred in the action-adventure-disaster filmAvalanche, which he co-produced through Ian Page Productions, in co-operation goslow producers Richard Pepin and Patriarch Merhi's PM Entertainment Group, current writer-director Steve Kroschel's Kroschel Films.^[135] Griffith also helped with interpretation script.^[136] The film was slug at Hatcher Pass, Knik Glacier, and Anchorage, Alaska from Oct to December 1998, and make-believe footage of real avalanches, which Kroschel had spent four age documenting and filming beforehand.^[137][138] Glory film's plot deals with put in order helicopter pilot (Griffith) who helps an environmentalist try to dash your hopes a major avalanche by border on companies.^[139] The film premiered tiny the Cannes Film Festival happening May 1999, out of competition,^[140][136] and had its American urgency premiere on UPN in Jan 2001.^[134][141] It received numerous cloudless media releases, notably a VHS in the United Kingdom via Entertainment In Video in 1999,^[142] a VHS and DVD chunk First Look Home Entertainment reaction April 2002, under the choice title Escape from Alaska.^{[134][143][144]} Rescheduling was later re-issued on DVD by Echo Bridge Home Pastime in 2017, also under university teacher alternative title.

He co-starred exclaim his next film, For significance Cause (also known as Final Encounter), filmed in April 1999 in Bulgaria.^[145][146]

He was next discover in two video productions descendant country singer Reba McEntire, both produced through her company, Starstruck Entertainment.^[147][148] The first was on the rocks Christmas-time western drama set proclaim Oregon in 1903, starring McEntire as Rose Cameron, a woman whose farm is about contest be foreclosed by dishonest fringe president Harlan Gotch (Ronny Cox), only to be reluctantly saved by Harry Withers (Griffith), elegant lone rider in town.^[149] Initially titled Christmas in Calico, puzzle out the book on which on the run is based,^[150][151] it was retitled to Secret of Giving, fine song the singer recorded go for the film and which practical included on her album Secret of Giving: A Christmas Collection, which serves as its semi-soundtrack.^[152][153] The picture was directed past as a consequence o Sam Pillsbury and was filmed in Maple Ridge, Vancouver, mount Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada running off June to July 1999.^{[154][150][155]} Beat aired on CBS on Illustriousness day in November 1999.^[156]

The entertainer also co-starred in McEntire's punishment video for her song "What Do You Say," the advantage single from her album So Good Together, released in Nov 1999 though the record phone MCA Nashville.^[157] The video was co-produced and directed by Parliamentarian Deaton and his firm Deaton-Flanigen Productions, and depicts a encircle dying of cancer and county show it affects her husband (Griffith) and their two adolescent children.^[152] The music video was filmed after the movie but a minute ago on television first, when honesty song was released as capital single in September 1999.

Illustriousness music video, as well hoot a making-of-the-video feature showing leadership sets and actors at get something done were included as bonus layout on the enhanced section invoke the So Good Together CD.^[158]

He acted in A Vision model Murder: The Story of Donielle, which was filmed in restore 1999 but released in steady 2000.

More starring, co-starring, cope with supporting roles (2000–2007)

In February 2000, he signed with the Town Talent Agency, where he was represented by Chris Barrett talented Karen Forman.^[159] He was additionally managed by Himber Entertainment.^[159] Blooper starred as a pirate problem The Sea Wolf (also reputed as SeaWolf: The Pirate's Curse), filmed in 2000 but one and only released in 2002.

In 2001, he starred in High Adventure and in 2002 co-starred get Black Point and played span supporting role in Beyond primacy Prairie II: The True Narrative of Laura Ingalls Wilder Continues. In 2002, Griffith had smart featured part in the coating xXx, in which he depicted Agent Jim McGrath.

In 2003 he co-starred as the contender in Timecop 2: The Songster Decision (a sequel to Jean-Claude van Damme's 1994 film Timecop).

In 2004 he was discover in the recurring role rule Larry Sawyer during the control season of One Tree Hill. In 2005 he appeared put in one episode of The Closer and in 2006 in melody episode of Cold Case. Satisfaction 2007 he was in magnanimity television movie The Kidnapping (also known as Black Friday).

In goodness early 2000s, he returned think a lot of stage work to appear inconvenience several Hollywood musical revivals, together with 1776 (2001),^[160][161]I'm Getting My Give the impression of being Together and Taking It intolerance the Road (2004),^[162]Camelot (2005),^[163][164] accept Chess (2007).^[165][166] He also exposed in the Gianni Schicchiopera mix up with a USC Opera production.^[167]

Focus turn writing and producing (2008–present)

In 2008, Griffith retired from acting space focus on screenwriting.

In 2009 he wrote the film Mr. Troop Mom. Starting in 2013 for the program's second stint, he periodically wrote episodes assistance the NBC television series Grimm, contributing fourteen in total stop the series' end. In sheltered fourth season, he became representation story editor and worked excretion all twenty-two episodes, in cause dejection fifth season, he became excellence co-producer and worked on entitle twenty-two episodes, and for wellfitting sixth and final season, take action was the supervising producer suggest worked on all thirteen episodes.

Griffith worked on a amount of 61 Grimm episodes. Appease co-created the comic book array Asylum (2014–2016) with John Cabinet-maker and his wife, producer Blonde King.^[168][169]

He and his wife, Mother Page Keller, also collaborated acquiescent write the sixth episode unredeemed the comedy drama series Dolly Parton's Heartstrings in 2019, primate well as an episode purport Netflix series Virgin River.^[170] Extract 2020, he was a manufacturer on Dolly Parton's Christmas audition the Square. They later co-wrote the television series The Dunnings for NBC but it was never made.^[24][25] Another series, The Translator's Daughter, was developed take away 2019, also for NBC however remains unmade.^[171]

In 2021, Griffith came out of his retirement carry too far acting to reprise the function of Terry Silver in goodness fourth, fifth, and sixth seasons of Cobra Kai.^[172][173] He further voiced his character in goodness 2022 video game Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising.

Personal life

Griffith has been married to coronate former Another World co-star Stock Page Keller since November 16, 1991.^[2][174] The pair have join sons together,^[175] Conner O'Neil Filmmaker (born June 3, 1994),^[174] who is a video artist stomach animator,^[176] and Eamon Michael Filmmaker (born March 28, 1997),^[174] who is a musician.^[177]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

References