Thomas Ian Griffith
Biography
Thomas Ian Griffith, born March 18, 1962, in Hartford, Connecticut, is an American actor and martial artist. He earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do at age eighteen after developing an obsession with the discipline while in high school. His martial‑arts expertise led to his first feature role as Terry Silver in the 1989 film The Karate Kid Part III, a character he later reprised in the fourth season of the Netflix series Cobra Kai. In 1996 he appeared in the action film Hollow Point alongside Tia Carrere, portraying DEA agent Max Parish opposite FBI agent Diane Norwood. Griffith has also worked with director John Carpenter and has 38 credited performances across film and television.
Career overview
Thomas Ian Griffith, born March 18 1962 in Hartford, Connecticut, is an American actor and martial artist whose career has been shaped by his early dedication to Tae Kwon Do. He earned a black belt at age 18, a skill that directly led to his first feature‑film role. In 1989 he portrayed the antagonist Terry Silver in The Karate Kid Part III, a performance that remains his most recognized work. Decades later he returned to the same character in the fourth season of the Netflix series Cobra Kai, linking his early breakthrough to contemporary streaming television.
Griffith’s film work continued through the 1990s, most notably with his starring role in the 1996 action picture Hollow Point, where he played DEA agent Max Parish opposite Tia Carrere, who portrayed FBI agent Diane Norwood. His résumé also reflects collaboration with director John Carpenter, though specific projects are not detailed in the source material. Across film and television, Griffith has accumulated at least thirty‑eight credited appearances, establishing a sustained presence in the industry as a male actor known for both his martial‑arts expertise and his portrayals of tough, often antagonistic characters.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Cobra Kai: Inside the Dojo (2024) as Self
- Beyond the Bonsai (2022)
- Reunited Apart (2020) as Self
- Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square (2020) Consulting Producer
- Virgin River (2019) Writer
- Dolly Parton's Heartstrings (2019) Writer
- Cobra Kai (2018) as Terry Silver
- Grimm (2011) Writer
- Grimm (2011) Story
- Mr. Troop Mom (2009) Writer
- The Kidnapping (2008) as Cash
- The Closer (2005) as Deputy D.A. Thomas Yates
- Sea Wolf: The Pirate's Curse (2005) as Captain Jeffery Thorpe
- One Tree Hill (2003) as Larry Sawyer
- Cold Case (2003) as Mitch
- Timecop: The Berlin Decision (2003) as Brandon Miller
- xXx (2002) as Agent Jim McGrath
- Black Point (2002) as Gus Travis
- Black Point (2002) Writer
- Beyond the Prairie, Part 2: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder Continues (2002) as Cornelius Loudermilk
- High Adventure (2001) as Chris Quartermain
- For the Cause (2000) as Evans
- A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle (2000) as Doug Brister
- Escape from Alaska (1999) as Neal Meekin
- Secret of Giving (1999) as Harry Withers
- The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (1999) as Jack Farrell
- Vampires (1998) as Jan Valek
- Kull the Conqueror (1997) as General Taligaro
- Behind Enemy Lines (1997) as Mike Weston
- The Guardian (1997) as The Guardian
- Hollow Point (1996) as Max Parrish
- Blood of the Innocent (1994) as Frank Wusharsky
- Crackerjack (1994) as Jack Wild
- Ulterior Motives (1993) as Jack Blaylock
- Excessive Force (1993) as Terry McCain
- Excessive Force (1993) Writer
- Excessive Force (1993) Producer
- Night of the Warrior (1991) Writer
- Night of the Warrior (1991) Producer
- Rock Hudson (1990) as Rock Hudson
- The Karate Kid Part III (1989) as Terry
- Wiseguy (1987)
- Another World (1964)