Thomas Ian Griffith

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.