Thom Mathews

{{short description|American actor (born 1958)}}

{{Use American English|date=February 2017}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2017}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Thom Mathews

| image = Thom Mathews in lake como italy 6-2009.jpg

| alt = Thom Mathews at Villa Oleandre in Lake Como, Italy June 2009

| caption = Mathews at Lake Como, Italy, June 2009

| birth_name = Thomas Mathews

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1958|11|28}}

| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| other_names =

| occupation = Actor

| years_active = 1982–present

| notable_works = Friday the 13th

| spouse = {{marriage|Karla Jensen
|2014}}

| children = 3

| homepage =

}}

Thomas Mathews (born November 28, 1958) is an American actor best known for his role as Tommy Jarvis in the Friday the 13th franchise—in particular Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)—and Freddy Hanscom in The Return of the Living Dead (1985). His other film roles include Dangerously Close (1986), Return of the Living Dead Part II (1988), and Nemesis (1992).

Career

= Acting and ''Friday the 13th'' =

Thom Mathews began his acting career in the early 1980s as a model and commercial actor, starring in national television commercials for Le Tigre, Sprite and Tostitos. From 1982 to 1984, Mathews guest starred on a string of soap operas including Falcon Crest (1982; 1984), Dynasty (1983) and Paper Dolls (1984). In 1984, Mathews portrayed Erik in the romantic comedy film The Woman in Red although he was uncredited.

Mathews' first major role was Freddy Hanscom in the 1985 cult film The Return of the Living Dead. The following year, Mathews starred in Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, being the third actor to portray Tommy Jarvis after Corey Feldman and John Shepherd. In 1987, he starred as Francis Kelly in the television film The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission. The same year, Mathews starred in the film Down Twisted and guest starred on the sitcom Mr. President. In 1988, he starred as Joey Hazel in Return of the Living Dead Part II and Charmin' in Alien from L.A.. In 1989, Mathews guest starred on an episode of CBS Summer Playhouse.

In 1990, Mathews portrayed Tim Murphy in the television film Rock Hudson, Sonny Hilderbrand in the television pilot Sporting Chance, and David in the film Midnight Cabaret. The following year, Mathews starred in the films Bloodmatch and Born to Ride and the television short The Letters from Moab. In 1992, he starred in the film Nemesis. In 1994, he portrayed Bill in Kickboxer 4 and Dan Donahue in In the Living Years. The following year, Mathews starred in Heatseeker. The same year, he guest starred on the ER second season episode "And Baby Makes Two". In 1996, Mathews starred in the television films If Looks Could Kill and Raven Hawk.

Mathews reprised the role of Tommy Jarvis twice in 2017, providing his voice and likeness to the video game Friday the 13th: The Game and making a cameo appearance in the unofficial fan film Never Hike Alone{{cite web| url = http://bloody-disgusting.com/videos/3464960/iconic-franchise-actor-returns-must-watch-50-minute-friday-fan-film-never-hike-alone/| title = Iconic Franchise Actor Returns in Must-Watch, 50-Minute 'Friday' Fan Film 'Never Hike Alone' - Bloody Disgusting| date = October 14, 2017}} and its 2020 prequel, Never Hike in the Snow. He repeated the role of Tommy Jarvis in 2022 in another unofficial fan film Vengeance Part 2: Bloodlines{{Citation |last=Brooks |first=Jason |title=Friday the 13th Vengeance 2: Bloodlines |date=2022-10-06 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14604100/ |type=Horror |publisher=Real Fiction Studios, Newton to Newton Productions |access-date=2022-11-27}} and starred in the sequel Never Hike Alone 2, released in October 2023.

Personal life

On May 10, 2014, Mathews married Karla Jensen in Los Cabos Municipality, Mexico.{{cite web |url=http://www.travelpulse.com/news/entertainment/george-clooney-fiancee-amal-alamuddin-vacation-in-cabo.html |title=George Clooney & Fiancee Amal Alamuddin Vacation In Cabo |work=TravelPulse |date=May 9, 2014 |accessdate=February 2, 2017}}

Mathews now owns a construction company, Hammer and Trowel. Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne hired his company to remodel their home during the filming of their MTV reality show The Osbournes.{{cite web |url=http://www.fridaythe13thfilms.com/saga/part6/thommathews.html |title=Friday the 13th films}}

Filmography

class="wikitable"

|+Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1984The Woman in RedErikUncredited
1985The Return of the Living DeadFreddy Hanscom
rowspan="2" | 1986Dangerously CloseBrian Rigletti
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason LivesTommy Jarvis
1987Down TwistedDamalas
rowspan="2" | 1988Return of the Living Dead Part IIJoey Hazel
Alien from L.A.Charmin'
1990Midnight CabaretDavid
rowspan="2" |1991

| Born to Ride

Willis
BloodmatchBrick Bardo
1992NemesisMarion
rowspan="2" | 1994Kickboxer 4: The AggressorBill
In the Living YearsDan Donahue
1995HeatseekerBradford
rowspan="4" | 1997BlastBillUncredited
Mean GunsCrow
The PeacemakerMajor Rich Numbers
Crazy SixAndrew
rowspan="2" | 1998Waiting for WoodyBike MessengerShort film
SorcerersThe Duke
2001The Vampire Hunters ClubHenry PrattShort film
2009A Letter to DadDan
2017Never Hike AloneTommy JarvisFan film
2019

| Killer Therapy

| John Langston

|

2020

| Never Hike in the Snow

|Tommy Jarvis

|Fan film

2022

| Vengeance Part 2: Bloodlines

|Tommy Jarvis

|Fan film

rowspan="3" |2023

|Final Summer

|Sheriff Palmer

|

Never Hike Alone 2

|Tommy Jarvis

|Fan film

Go Away

| Chuck

| {{cite web|url=https://www.joblo.com/go-away-trailer-thom-mathews-tuesday-knight-felissa-rose/|title=Go Away trailer: Thom Mathews, Tuesday Knight, Felissa Rose star in home invasion slasher|last=Hamman|first=Cody|date=February 8, 2022|website=JoBlo.com|access-date=December 29, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rue-morgue.com/thom-mathews-felissa-rose-et-al-in-home-invasion-horror-go-away-trailer-poster/|title=Thom Mathews, Felissa Rose et al. in Home-Invasion Horror "Go Away"; Trailer & Poster|last=Gingold|first=Matthew|date=December 18, 2022|website=Rue Morgue|access-date=December 29, 2022}}

class="wikitable"

|+Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1982–1984Falcon CrestPool Guy #2 / Paramedic #22 episodes
rowspan="2" | 1983DynastyBrian

|2 episodes

The Yellow Rose

|Danny

|Episode: "Only the Proud"

1984Paper DollsLewis Crosby5 episodes
rowspan="2" | 1987The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly MissionFrancis KellyTelevision film
Mr. PresidentSecret Service AgentEpisode: "Private Moments"
1989CBS Summer PlayhouseCalEpisode: "The Heat"
rowspan="2" | 1990Rock HudsonTim MurphyTelevision film
Sporting ChanceSonny HilderbrandTelevision pilot
1991The Letters from MoabTomTelevision short
1995ERMichael MazovickEpisode: "And Baby Makes Two"
rowspan="2" |1996

| Raven Hawk

Stiles

|Television film

If Looks Could KillWalterTelevision film
2000Fail SafeBilly Flynn

|Television film

class="wikitable"

|+Video Games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2017Friday the 13th: The GameTommy JarvisVoice and likeness

References

{{Reflist}}