Biography

Tom Towles was a character player, often cast as scumbags or obnoxious men, who worked for more than a decade in Chicago theatre, before establishing himself in films and TV beginning in the late 80s - often in lower-budget fare. Towles drifted into acting after serving in the Marine Corps. Although he made an isolated appearance in a bit role in Dog Day Afternoon (1975) with Al Pacino, he returned to Chicago and became a member of the Organic Theatre Company appearing in numerous productions and often collaborating on the writing as well. Towles also acted with the prestigious Goodman Theatre there. It was 1985 before Towles was again in front of the cameras, this time as a lounge lizard in Pink Nights (1985). The next year, he was the despicable, loathsome Otis in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986). In 1990, Towles played Harry Cooper, the guy everyone else trapped in the farmhouse would most like to sacrifice to the zombies in the remake of Night of the Living Dead (1990). Towles' TV work has been ongoing since he appeared as J.J., the hunted killer in Pilot (1987), the two-hour pilot for a Robert Conrad series. He was Norman Stoneface, true to his name, in the 1994 Showtime movie Girls in Prison (1994), and also appeared in numerous TV episodes.

Other films includes Mad Dog and Glory (1993), Fortress (1992), Blood in Blood Out (1993), The Rock (1996), Doctor Dolittle (1998) and Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses (2003).
- IMDb mini biography by: VidMan

Until his death, was in every movie directed by Rob Zombie, where he alwayed portrayed authority figures

Although this fact was not very well known during his lifetime, Towles was African-American. His parents were both black, with his father's family being from Alabama and Arkansas, and his mother's from Tennessee. Tom's aunts, his father's sisters, were Lois Towles, a prominent concert pianist, and Dorothea Church, who was the first black model to find fame in Europe.

Was considered for the role of Det. Andy Sipowitz on NYPD Blue (1993).

Served in the Marine Corps.

Has been in six movies with Bill Moseley (Night of the Living Dead (1990), House of 1000 Corpses (2003), Home Sick (2007) and The Devil's Rejects (2005), Grindhouse (2007) and Halloween (2007)).

He was the son of Katheryn (Sanderson) and Thomas E. Towles.

My goal is to make each one of my characters so distinct that people are amazed it's the same actor.

Theater and film are the only things I do. I'm emotionally unsuited to regular employment.