Thomas Haden Church
About
Biography
Filmography
Notes
Church, who is an avid surfer, once starred in an unsold ABC pilot called "Protect and Surf" (1989).
"My contract was over with 'Wings'. It's one of those things--you pump gas for someone else or you get your own gas station."--Thomas Haden Church in ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, September 8, 1995
Biography
Famous for his role as the loveable nitwit mechanic, Lowell Mather, on the long-running sitcom, "Wings" (NBC, 1990-97), actor Thomas Haden Church overcame being typecast in similar roles by turning out quality performances in acclaimed films like "Sideways" (2004) and major blockbusters like "Spider-Man 3" (2007). In fact, it was his turn as a selfish, washed-up actor in "Sideways" that heralded a big comeback for Church, who previously had fallen off the radar after "Wings" had gone off the air. While on the popular sitcom, he began to segue into features with prominent supporting turns as one of the Clanton brothers killed at the O.K. Corral in "Tombstone" (1993). Church left "Wings" before the show's end to star on his own series, "Ned & Stacey" (Fox, 1995-97) opposite Debra Messing, but the sitcom - despite critical acclaim - was underappreciated by audiences. After co-starring in "The Specials" (2000) and "3000 Miles to Graceland" (2001), Church revived his career with his Oscar-nominated performance in "Sideways," which led to turns in "Idiocracy" (2006), "Smart People" (2008), "Imagine That" (2009) and "Easy A" (2010), as well as voice roles in "Charlotte's Web" (2006) and "Aliens in the Attic" (2009). Despite a few stumbles like "All About Steve" (2009) and "John Carter" (2012), the ever amusing Church maintained his rejuvenated career with one quality turn after another.
A native of the Lone Star state, Thomas Haden Church began life as Thomas Richard Quesada on June 17, 1960. The third of six children, Church graduated from Harlingen High School and earned a degree in Radio, Film and Television from the University of North Texas. The first job Church landed after college was as a deejay for KBFM, a local radio station in Brownsville, TX. Hoping to segue into acting, Church signed with a commercial agent who scored him voiceover work. After hawking such products as Icehouse Beer and Merrill Lynch Securities for a couple of years, Church moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting full-time. During the mid-to-late 1980s, Church worked sporadically as a guest star on such popular series as "21 Jump Street" (Fox, 1987-1991), "Booker" (Fox, 1989-1990), "Cheers" (1982-1993) and "China Beach" (ABC, 1988-1991), but the actor's life forever changed when he won an audition for a new NBC pilot called "Wings." Reportedly reduced to tears by Church's unexpectedly bone-dry, baritone delivery, producers promptly hired Church as their resident handyman/mechanic, Lowell. An oblivious, but well-meaning dunderhead, Church often served as the show's most reliable comic relief. With his hapless expression, bad luck, and never-ending list of eccentricities, it was not long before Lowell became a fan favorite.
Despite his popularity, Church left "Wings" following its sixth season after rival Fox offered him his own sitcom. The result was the short-lived "Ned and Stacey" (Fox, 1995-97) a romantic comedy that co-starred a pre-"Will & Grace" Debra Messing. In a noticeable departure from the likeable Lowell, Church played Ned Dorsey, an egomaniacal advertising executive who would do anything to advance his career. Messing played Stacey Colbert, as a journalist in desperate need of a place to live. The premise of the show was that the two entered into a marriage of convenience. Ned needed a wife to get promoted, while Stacey needed a place to live. As the series progressed, Ned and Stacey's constant bickering slowly evolved into something resembling a romance. Unfortunately, the show was axed before this plot could be further fleshed out.
After the cancellation of "Ned and Stacey," Church made a decision to put his career on the back burner to spend more time with his family. Moving to a sprawling cattle ranch in Texas, Church focused his energies into writing a script. What came of it eventually was "Rolling Kansas" (2003), a lighthearted road movie about a trio of brothers on a quest to find a mythical field of marijuana somewhere in the sprawling plains of Kansas. In the meantime, Church continued to act occasionally just to pay the bills. Among the films Church appeared in during this period were "3000 Miles to Graceland" (2001), "Monkeybone" (2001) and "Lone Star State of Mind" (2002). Interestingly, Church was at one point close to landing the part of Randall Hertzel in the hit Jack Nicholson comedy, "About Schmidt" (2002). Although he ended up losing the part to actor Dermot Mulroney, "Schmidt" director Alexander Payne was so impressed by Church's audition that he vowed to use the actor in his next film.
True to his word, in 2003, Payne paid a visit to Church at his Texas ranch to offer him the part of Jack Lapote, the womanizing best friend of Paul Giamatti's character in "Sideways" (2004). The story of two friends who embark on a week-long road trip to California's Santa Ynez Valley, the film was a bittersweet cabernet comedy. Hoping to give his old friend, the soon-to-be-married Jack, a classy send-off, Miles (Giamatti) plans a pleasant weekend of golfing, drinking and male bonding. But the skirt-chasing Jack has other plans in mind. Intent on having one final fling before his wedding day, Jack seduces Stephanie (Sandra Oh). Despite his character's caddish behavior, Church's unexpectedly sympathetic portrayal of Jack moved audiences to forgive him. The role won Church his first Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor.
With that added piece of prestige under his, his belt, Church chose to follow-up with something decidedly more commercial. In 2007, director Sam Raimi recruited Church as his next arch-villain in "Spider-Man 3." To prepare for the role of Flint Marko, a.k.a. the Sandman, Church put in 16 months at the gym. Beefing up considerably, the actor added several pounds of muscle to his lean 5'11" frame. The final result, when combined seamlessly with CGI, was the most visually spectacular Spidey menace then to date. Commercially released in the U.S. on May 4, 2007, "Spider-Man 3" premiered in a record-setting 4,253 theaters and over 50 IMAX theaters nationwide, earning an estimated $148 million its opening weekend. Back on the small screen, Church co-starred in the AMC western, "Broken Trail" (2006-07), playing the nephew of an old cowboy (Robert Duvall) trying to help five Chinese women kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery find safe harbor. For his work in the telefilm, Church won his first Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie.
Filmography
Director (Feature Film)
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1988
Film debut, "Stolen Moments"
1989
Played the part of dim-witted airport mechanic Lowell Mather on NBC sitcom "Wings"
1989
Played a skating penguin on an episode of "Cheers" (NBC)
1993
TV-movie debut, "Fugitive Nights: Dangers in the Desert"
1995
Cast on the Fox sitcom "Ned and Stacey" opposite Debra Messing
1997
Played a villain in big screen comedy "George of the Jungle"
1998
Made producing debut with the Adam Goldberg directed "Scotch and Milk"
2001
Played a U.S. Marshal in "3000 Miles to Graceland"
2003
Feature screenwriting and directing debut, "Rolling Kansas"
2004
Co-starred with Paul Giamatti, Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh in Alexander Payne's "Sideways"; received Golden Globe, SAG and Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor
2006
Co-starred with Robert Duvall in the AMC original movie "Broken Trail"; received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a SAG nomination for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
2006
Voiced Brooks the crow in live-action/computer-animated feature film "Charlotte's Web"
2007
Portrayed Sandman, Spidey's new archenemy in director Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man 3"
2008
Joined Sarah Jessica Parker, Dennis Quaid and Ellen Page in the indie feature "Smart People"
2009
Co-starred with Eddie Murphy in "Imagine That"
2009
Played a news reporter in the comedy "All About Steve"
2010
Acted opposite Emma Stone in the comedy "Easy A"
2011
Co-starred in the ensemble family drama "Another Happy Day"
2011
Cast in the Cameron Crowe directed family feature "We Bought a Zoo," starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson
2012
Co-starred with Taylor Kitsch in sci-fi Western "John Carter"
Bibliography
Notes
Church, who is an avid surfer, once starred in an unsold ABC pilot called "Protect and Surf" (1989).
"My contract was over with 'Wings'. It's one of those things--you pump gas for someone else or you get your own gas station."--Thomas Haden Church in ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, September 8, 1995
"Everybody wants to be a household name. But they don't want to be a household commodity."--Church in THE NEW YORK POST, December 2, 1993
