View source for Thomas Ian Griffith

{{Short description|American actor, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1962)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Thomas Ian Griffith
| image              = Thomas Ian Griffith.png
| image_upright      = 
| landscape          = 
| alt                = A man with long grey hair tied in a ponytail, wearing black-rimmed glasses and smiling at the camera.
| caption            = Griffith during a [[YouTube]] interview in December 2021
| birth_name         = Thomas Ian Griffith Jr.
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1962|3|18}}
| birth_place        = [[Hartford, Connecticut]], U.S.
| baptised           = 
| other_names        = Thomas Griffith
| education          = 
| alma_mater         = {{hlist|[[College of the Holy Cross]]|[[New York University]]}}
| occupation         = {{hlist|Actor|screenwriter|producer|musician|martial artist}}
| years_active       = {{ubl|1976–present}}
| organization       = Ian Page Productions
| known_for          = 
| style              = {{hlist|[[Taekwondo]]|[[American Kenpo]]}}
| height             = {{convert|6|ft|4.5|in|cm|sigfig=3|abbr=on}}<ref name=":4" />
| television         = {{hlist|''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]''|''[[One Tree Hill (TV series)|One Tree Hill]]''|''[[Grimm (TV series)|Grimm]]''|''[[Cobra Kai]]''|''[[Virgin River (TV series)|Virgin River]]''}}
| spouse             = {{marriage|[[Mary Page Keller]]|1991}}
| children           = 2
| awards             = 
| website            = 
}}

'''Thomas Ian Griffith''' (born March 18, 1962)<ref name=filmref /><ref name="blackbelt">{{cite news |last=Clary |first=David W. |date=March 1993 |title=Meet the Karate Kid's Worst Enemy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7s8DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210202328/https://books.google.com/books?id=7s8DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA18 |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |access-date=September 27, 2020 |work=[[Black Belt (magazine)|Black Belt]] |page=18 |quote=Griffith, 32...}} [interview necessarily conducted prior to March 1993 publication date]</ref> is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, musician, and martial artist.<ref name=":2" />

His best-known roles include [[Terry Silver]] in [[John G. Avildsen]]'s 1989 [[martial arts film]] ''[[The Karate Kid Part III]]'', which he later reprised in the [[Cobra Kai (season 4)|fourth]] through [[Cobra Kai (season 6)|sixth and final season]] of the [[Netflix]] television series ''[[Cobra Kai]]'' (2021–2025), as well as voicing his character in the [[video game]] ''[[Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising]]'' (2022);<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=May 27, 2021|title=Terry Silver Returns In 'Cobra Kai' Season 4|url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/terry-silver-returns-cobra-kai-season-4-thomas-ian-griffith-1234765219/|access-date=May 27, 2021|website=Deadline|language=en-US|archive-date=May 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527154040/https://deadline.com/2021/05/terry-silver-returns-cobra-kai-season-4-thomas-ian-griffith-1234765219/|url-status=live}}</ref> head vampire Jan Valek in [[John Carpenter]]'s 1998 [[neo-Western]] [[action horror film]] ''[[Vampires (1998 film)|Vampires]];'' warrior Taligaro in [[Raffaella De Laurentiis]]' 1997 [[sword and sorcery]] picture ''[[Kull the Conqueror]]''; recurring character [[Larry Sawyer]] in the [[One Tree Hill season 1|first season]] of [[The WB]]'s [[teen drama]] series ''[[One Tree Hill (TV series)|One Tree Hill]]'' (2004); and Catlin Ewing in [[NBC]]'s [[soap opera]] ''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]'' from 1984–1987. He also portrayed screen legend [[Rock Hudson]] in [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s 1990 television [[Biographical film|biopic]] [[Rock Hudson (film)|''Rock Hudson'']], and serial killer [[Doug Clark (serial killer)|Doug Clark]] in [[CBS]]'s 2000 television biopic ''A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle''.

Griffith wrote, story edited, co-produced, or supervised produced over sixty episodes of NBC's [[fantasy]] [[police procedural]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] [[Horror film|horror]] program ''[[Grimm (TV series)|Grimm]]'' from its [[Grimm season 2|second]] through [[Grimm season 6|sixth and final season]] (2012–2017), and has written, [[supervising producer|supervised producer]], or [[Co-executive producer|co-executive produced]] over thirty episodes of Netflix's [[Romance film|romantic]] [[drama series]] ''[[Virgin River (TV series)|Virgin River]]'' during its fifth through seventh seasons (2023–2025).<ref name=":90">{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=2024-10-23 |title='Virgin River' Gets Early Season 7 Renewal To Become Netflix's Longest-Running Drama Series |url=https://deadline.com/2024/10/virgin-river-renewed-season-7-netflix-longest-running-drama-series-1236150665/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":91" /> He and his wife, [[Mary Page Keller]], formed the independent [[film production company]] Ian Page Productions in the late 1980s, through which they produced a handful of films, including ''[[Night of the Warrior]]'' (1991), ''[[Ulterior Motives (film)|Ulterior Motives]]'' (1991), ''[[Excessive Force (film)|Excessive Force]]'' (1992), and ''[[Avalanche (1999 film)|Avalanche]]'' (1999).

During the early 1990s, he was positioned to be one of Hollywood's next big action stars.<ref name=":8" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=1993-02-28 |title=Daily News from New York, New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/471460691/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> From critics and journalists, he received frequent comparisons to actors like [[Jean-Claude Van Damme|Jean Claude van Damme]], [[Steven Seagal]], [[Chuck Norris]], [[Jeff Speakman]], [[Sylvester Stallone]], [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], [[Dolph Lundgren]], and even [[Clint Eastwood]], [[Harrison Ford]], and [[Mickey Rourke]]. Writing for the ''[[New York Daily News]]'' in 1992, Nancy Stedman offered, "He's being touted as a better-looking version of Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jean-Claude Van Damme. But with a difference: Muscles are a sideline with Griffith; he has spent years acting in theater."<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Stedman |first=Nancy |date=1992-08-13 |title=He's more than just a pretty hunk |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/469831455/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=[[New York Daily News]] |language=en-US |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> At the eighth annual ShowEast film industry conference held in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey|Atlantic City]], New Jersey, in October 1992, Griffith received the Star of Tomorrow Award.<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":14" /><ref name=":10" />

==Early life==

=== Birth and family background ===
Thomas Ian Griffith Jr. was born in [[Hartford, Connecticut]] on March 18, 1962, the son of Irish-American Hartford natives Mary Ann (née O'Neil; 1934–1990)<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=1990-05-04 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/246370260/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and Dr. Thomas Joseph Griffith Sr. (1927–2017).<ref name=":20">{{Cite news |date=2017-03-17 |title=Obituary for Thomas Joseph Griffith, 1927-2017 (Aged 89) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-obituary-for-thomas-jos/74100242/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |work=Hartford Courant |page=B7}}</ref><ref name="filmref" /><ref name="courant.com" /> His maternal grandfather, John J. O'Neil, was born in [[Killorglin]], County Kerry, Ireland, and emigrated to Hartford in the 1920s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1986-04-19 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/245713039/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> His maternal grandmother, Margaret (née Galvin), was also born in [[County Kerry]], Ireland and spent most of her life in Hartford.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1998-03-09 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/176963535/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> His paternal grandparents, Michael J. Griffith and Mary Agnes (née Radigan), were both born in [[County Mayo]], Ireland, and emigrated (separately) to Hartford in the 1910s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1959-05-17 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/371037558/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1979-10-23 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/241018586/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Griffith's mother, who was voted Mrs. Connecticut of 1964,<ref name=":25">{{Cite web |date=1965-08-22 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/371008489/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> was the founder and director of the noted [[Irish dancing]] academy, The Griffith Academy of Dance in [[Wethersfield, Connecticut]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1985-11-17 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/369214056/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":6" /> She was a graduate of the [[University of Hartford]], and received a Master's degree in counseling from [[University of Saint Joseph (Connecticut)|St. Joseph College]].<ref name=":6" /> She was also accredited by the [[An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha]] (The Irish Dancing Commission) as a Teagascóir Coimisiún Le Rinci Gaelacha - an official Irish dance teacher.<ref name=":6" /> His paternal grandmother, Mary Agnes, was also a member of The Irish Dancing Commission.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1973-03-04 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/373175087/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> His father served in the Navy during [[World War II]] and later hosted a weekly Sunday radio show, ''The Irish Hour'' (produced by his brother William E. Griffith).<ref name=":20" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jul 23, 2015, page B11 - Hartford Courant at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/264146066/?match=2&terms=%22the%20irish%20hour%22%20+%20griffith |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.newspapers.com |language=en}}</ref> He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Hartford and went on to earn three Master of Science degrees and a PhD in Education from [[Boston University]].<ref name=":20" /> He was an assistant professor in business administration at the University of Hartford,<ref name=":25" /><ref name=":93" /> before moving to Florida to teach at [[Lynn University]] in [[Boca Raton, Florida|Boca Raton]] and [[Broward College]] in [[Davie, Florida|Davie]].<ref name="filmref">{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/61/Thomas-Ian-Griffith.html|title=Thomas Ian Griffith Biography (1962?-)|access-date=August 27, 2017|archive-date=September 6, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906031034/http://www.filmreference.com/film/61/Thomas-Ian-Griffith.html|url-status=live|quote=some sources cite 1962...}}</ref><ref name="courant.com">{{Cite web |last=Rizzo |first=Frank |date=1993-05-17 |title=The whirlwind movie career of Wethersfield's T.I. Griffith - Griffith Is Latest Force in Hot World of Hollywood Action Movies |url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1993-05-17-0000101530-story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101202611/https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1993-05-17-0000101530-story.html |archive-date=January 1, 2022 |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=[[Hartford Courant]]}}</ref>

Griffith has an older sisters, Colleen Marie, and a younger sister, Mary Beth,<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":25" /><ref name=":79">{{Cite web |date=2007-07-08 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith/Soap Opera Digest 1984 Coverstory |url=http://www.tigriffith.com/aw_coverstory.htm |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708065438/http://www.tigriffith.com/aw_coverstory.htm |archive-date=July 8, 2007 }}</ref> both of whom continued in their mother's footsteps and teach at The Griffith Academy.<ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":83">{{Cite web |title=Griffith Academy |url=https://griffithacademy.com/OurHistory.aspx |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=griffithacademy.com}}</ref> His family's dancing background and the taking over of the academy by his sister after his mother's passing would later be developed by Griffith into a television program, ''The Dunnings''.<ref name=":26">{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=2017-11-03 |title=NBC Buys Family Dance School Drama From Hazy Mills, Thomas Ian Griffith & Mary Page Keller |url=https://deadline.com/2017/11/nbc-buys-family-dance-school-drama-produced-sean-hayes-hazy-mills-thomas-ian-griffith-mary-page-keller-1202200524/ |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":27">{{Cite web |last=Newcomb |first=Roger |title=Thomas Ian Griffith & Mary Page Keller Drama 'The Dunnings' in Development at NBC |url=https://www.welovesoaps.net/2017/11/thomas-ian-griffith-mary-page-keller.html |access-date=2025-01-07 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Education, extracurricular studies, and early plays (1962–1980) ===
Griffith grew up in Wethersfield, Connecticut.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1985-11-16 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/369192859/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> During the 1960s, he was part of the youth Irish dancing group The Griffith Dancers, under the direction of his mother.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1966-05-21 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/370569395/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1967-02-05 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/371345415/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The dancing group traveled around the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Ireland, performing and taking part in competitions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1967-02-05 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/371345415/ |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":79" /><ref name=":93">{{Cite web |date=1968-03-17 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/371565888/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> In addition to learning various forms of dancing (such as [[Irish stepdance|Irish step-dancing]], [[Cèilidh|Celtic folk-dancing]], and [[Hornpipe|hornpipe dancing]]) from his mother,<ref name=":93" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=1970-07-03 |title=The Bridgeport Post from Bridgeport, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/60707284/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> he also learned to sing and play several instruments, including the [[piano]] and the [[accordion]].<ref name=":2" /> He was so proficient on the accordion that he won United States and Connecticut State championships.<ref name=":2" /> At certain shows he would dance a jig and play his accordion,<ref>{{Cite web |date=1969-02-23 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/371500815/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and would usually accompany The Griffith Dancers on the instrument.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1972-02-27 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/367892295/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1976-02-29 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/368446684/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Of his dancing, he later said "I never had a formal dance lesson in my life, I picked up tap dancing while playing the piano for allowance money as a child in Hartford, Connecticut."<ref name=":2" /> Griffith also juggled and wrote songs.<ref name=":79" /><ref name=":2" />

He attended South Catholic High School in Hartford, graduating with the class of 1978, where he was Treasurer his junior year, Vice-President his senior year, and also co-editor of the school's yearbook, the ''Canticle''.<ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":31">{{Cite web |date=1978 |title=Canticle - South Catholic High School Yearbook |url=https://secure.classmates.com/auth/login?successUrl=/siteui/yearbooks/147381 |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=[[Classmates.com]] |publication-place=Hartford, Connecticut}}</ref> He won awards in algebra, biology, and chemistry, and was a member of the State Creative Youth.<ref name=":31" /> He focused on sports his freshman year, playing [[American football|football]] and [[basketball]], but was later drawn into music and theater, as a member of the school's madigral and [[glee club]].<ref name=":31" /> His sophomore year, he joined the school's drama club, The South Catholic Players, when it needed a last-minute replacement piano accompanist for a production of ''[[You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown]]''.<ref name=":110" /><ref name=":31" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":80">{{Cite web |date=2008-04-30 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith/Premiere 11/92 |url=http://www.tigriffith.com/premiere9211.htm |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430174200/http://www.tigriffith.com/premiere9211.htm |archive-date=April 30, 2008 }}</ref> As a way to meet girls who acted in the plays, Griffith also wound up acting in the school's productions.<ref name=":3" /> His senior year, under the direction of John Kiely, he played the lead, Albert Peterson, in a March 31–April 1, 1978 production of the musical comedy ''[[Bye Bye Birdie]]''.<ref name=":31" /><ref name=":92">{{Cite web |date=1978-03-31 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/368419940/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The play also starred Marie Fischetti, Steve Dolin, and Ellen Smith.<ref name=":92" />

Griffith became obsessed with [[taekwondo]] when he was 12, studying at the S.K. Tae Kwon Do Academy in Hartford, and earned a black belt when he was 18.<ref name="bground">{{cite news |date=May 17, 1993 |title=Griffith is Latest Force in Hot World of Hollywood Action Movies |url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1993-05-17-0000101530-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101202611/https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1993-05-17-0000101530-story.html |archive-date=January 1, 2022 |access-date=January 1, 2022 |work=[[Hartford Courant]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1993-05-20 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/175849547/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> He later earned a black belt in [[American Kenpo]] while studying the sport in New York under Hyung Yup Chung.<ref name="blackbelt" /> After moving to Los Angeles in the late 1980s, he studied with [[Jun Chong]].<ref name="blackbelt" /> In the 1990s, he picked up boxing under [[Benny Urquidez]].<ref name="blackbelt" /> He is also trained in [[kickboxing]], [[wrestling]], [[fencing]], and [[stage combat]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Iqbal |first=Hamaiz |date=2024-11-15 |title=Cobra Kai star's life from co-star wife to turning down iconic role |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/thomas-ian-griffith-karate-kid-30375427 |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Manchester Evening News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Iqbal |first=Hamaiz |date=2024-11-15 |title=Cobra Kai star Thomas Ian Griffith's life from co-star wife to turning down role |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/cobra-kai-terry-silver-actor-34112347 |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=The Mirror |language=en}}</ref>

Some sources state that he studied law at the [[College of the Holy Cross]] in [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]], Massachusetts, where he was a [[dean's list]] student before leaving after his junior year to "make it" as an actor in New York.<ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":2">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/344451189/|title='Another World' has high hopes for Griffith|date=February 10, 1984|work=[[The Times and Democrat]]|access-date=January 1, 2022|archive-date=January 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101202609/https://www.newspapers.com/image/344451189/|url-status=live}}</ref> Other sources report that he was an English and music major at that same college, but that he graduated before setting out into acting.<ref name=":23">{{Cite web |date=1984-08-30 |title=The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/401255585/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The college's website lists him as a class of 1982 student.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prominent Alumni in the Arts |url=https://www.holycross.edu/academics/programs/theatre/after-graduation/prominent-alumni-arts |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=College of the Holy Cross |language=en}}</ref> Its 1980 yearbook, the ''Purple Patcher'', lists him as a resident student,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=College of the Holy Cross |date=1980-01-01 |title=Purple Patcher 1980 |url=https://crossworks.holycross.edu/purple_patcher/46/ |journal=Purple Patcher Yearbook}}</ref> while its 1981 edition lists him as a player in the [[lacrosse]] team,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=College of the Holy Cross |date=1981-01-01 |title=Purple Patcher 1981 |url=https://crossworks.holycross.edu/purple_patcher/43/ |journal=Purple Patcher Yearbook}}</ref> but he is absent from the 1979 and 1982 editions.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=College of the Holy Cross |date=1979-06-01 |title=Purple Patcher 1979 |url=https://crossworks.holycross.edu/purple_patcher/102/ |journal=Purple Patcher Yearbook}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=College of the Holy Cross |date=1982-01-01 |title=Purple Patcher 1982 |url=https://crossworks.holycross.edu/purple_patcher/14/ |journal=Purple Patcher Yearbook}}</ref> Griffith later mentioned taking part in the college's plays.<ref name=":3" /> In a 2021 interview, Griffith stated that he originally attended College of the Holy Cross, where he majored in English and music, but transferred to [[New York University]] between his sophomore and junior year after he was cast in ''The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas''.<ref name=":110" />

==Career==

=== Theater and soap operas (1980–1987) ===
In the summer of 1980, between his sophomore and junior year at College of the Holy Cross,<ref name=":32">{{Cite web |date=1992-11-27 |title=The Fresno Bee from Fresno, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/706673640/ |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Griffith made his [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] debut when he replaced featured player Tom Cashin in the musical ''[[The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas]]'', under the direction of [[Peter Masterson]] and [[Tommy Tune]] at the [[46th Street Theatre]].<ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":21">{{Cite web |date=1980 |title=The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas playbill |url=https://playbill.com/production/the-best-little-whorehouse-in-texas-46th-street-theatre-vault-0000003092}}</ref> In a 1984 interview with the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', the actor confided that Tune (for whom he audition)<ref name=":3" /> hired him more for his physique and dancing skills than his acting abilities.<ref name=":23" /> He later told ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'' in 1992, "They noticed 'Celtic step dancing' on my resume, and I was asked if I could demonstrate. So I cranked out a little step. They loved it."<ref>{{Cite web |date=1993-05-30 |title=The Star-Ledger from Newark, New Jersey |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1115026545/ |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Griffith performed various roles in the play, including a stage manager, a cameraman, and a football player named Aggie #12 who does a specialty tap-dance.<ref name=":21" /><ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":2" /> He remained with the play for about a year.<ref name=":110" /> Having a steady role in the play allowed the actor to move from [[Yonkers, New York|Yonkers]] into an apartment in [[Manhattan]], and he transferred to [[New York University]], which he attended during the day.<ref name=":32" /><ref name=":110">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltyhapJyU_4 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith Interview (Terry Silver on Cobra Kai, The Karate Kid Part III) |date=2021-07-30 |last=Kompanion Network |access-date=2025-02-10 |via=YouTube}}</ref> He also studied the [[Michael Chekhov]] acting technique in New York City during this time.<ref name=":3" />

The next year, he landed another role in the Broadway sports musical ''The First'', which dramatized events from the life of [[Jackie Robinson]], the first African-American to play [[Major League Baseball]].<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |date=1980 |title=The First playbill |url=https://playbill.com/production/the-first-martin-beck-theatre-vault-0000008226}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> In that play, which ran from October 19 to December 12, 1981, under the direction of [[Martin Charnin]] at the [[Martin Beck Theatre]], Griffith also played various parts (including Thurman the [[Brooklyn Eagle]] photographer, a passenger, a [[Brooklyn Dodgers]] rookie, and a [[Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburg Pirates]] player).<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":22" /> He also appeared in [[off-Broadway]] productions.<ref name="blackbelt" />

He was hired and cast in the 1983–1984 season of the [[Guthrie Theater]] in [[Minneapolis]], Minnesota, appearing in the first two plays, ''[[The Threepenny Opera]]'' (which ran from June 10 to July 17, 1983, directed by [[Liviu Ciulei]]) and ''[[Guys and Dolls]]'' (which ran from July 29 to September 18, 1983, directed by Garland Wright).<ref name=":24">{{Cite web |date=1983-01-20 |title=The Albert Lea Tribune from Albert Lea, Minnesota |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1025917814/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":23" /><ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":2" /> The theater's production of ''The Threepenny Opera'' starred [[Theodore Bikel]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=1983-06-10 |title=Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/188292231/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> while ''Guys and Dolls''<nowiki/>' starred [[Roy Thinnes]], [[Jerry Stiller]], [[Barbara Sharma]], and [[Mike Mazurki]] (Griffith had a small part as one of the [[Craps-shooting|craps-shooters]], which had a couple of singing numbers).<ref>{{Cite web |date=1983-07-03 |title=Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/188164885/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1983-08-01 |title=1983 Mon Aug 1 Star Tribune Guys and Dolls with Jerry Stiller |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-1983-mon-aug-1-star-tribune/18668864/?locale=en-CA |access-date=2025-01-06 |work=Star Tribune |page=31}}</ref><ref name=":111">{{Cite web |date=August 1983 |title=Vintage Guys and Dolls The Guthrie Theater Program and Magazine August 1983 |url=https://www.ebay.ca/itm/387955005075 |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=eBay |language=en}}</ref> Griffith was scheduled to appear in five other productions at the Guthrie Theater that season, ''[[The Entertainer (play)|The Entertainer]]'' (September 23 to October 23, 1983), ''[[The Seagull]]'' (October 28 to November 20, 1983), ''[[A Christmas Carol]]'' (November 24, 1983 to January 1, 1984), ''[[The Importance of Being Earnest|The Importance of Being Ernest]]'' (January 6 to February 12, 1984), and ''[[Hedda Gabler]]'' (February 17 to March 11, 1984), but he departed for New York.<ref name=":24" /><ref name=":23" />

His stage and theater roles were usually credited under his shortened names, Tom Griffith or Thomas Griffith;<ref name=":92" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Thomas Griffith – Broadway Cast & Staff {{!}} IBDB |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/thomas-griffith-79145 |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=www.ibdb.com}}</ref> he would not be credited as Thomas Ian Griffith until he was cast in ''Another World'' in late 1983, to avoid confusion with another actor, Tom Griffith (who appeared in horror films ''[[The Alien Factor]]'' (1978), ''[[Fiend (film)|Fiend]]'' (1980), ''Night of Horror'' (1981), and ''[[Nightbeast]]'' (1982)).{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

A New York [[casting director]] caught Griffith's work at the Guthrie Theater and arranged for him two auditions in late 1983; one for [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] and another for [[NBC]].<ref name=":23" /><ref name=":79" /> The one for an ABC soap opera did not pan out, but from the second audition (in which he was paired with [[Mary Page Keller]]),<ref name=":9" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=1985-01-08 |title=The State Journal from Frankfort, Kentucky |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1014369317/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> he received two simultaneous offers to join either ''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]'' or ''[[Search for Tomorrow]]'', both NBC daytime [[soap opera]]s.<ref name=":23" /><ref name=":79" /> The actor chose ''Another World'', was signed to a nine-month contract, and was cast as the Texan "troublemaking-womanizer" Catlin Ewing.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":23" /><ref name=":78" /> Griffith had initially planned to return to stage work after his nine-month contract expired, with the television experience added to his resumé, and he took acting lessons when he had time off from shooting.<ref name=":23" /> He was also noted for performing and [[Choreography|choreographing]] his own [[stunt]]s on the show.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1984-11-03 |title=Fort Lauderdale News from Fort Lauderdale, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/235352352/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> He made his television-acting debut in January 1984 and wound up playing Ewing for three years, until January 1987.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jan 25, 1984, page 40 - The Philadelphia Inquirer at Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/172240192/?match=1&terms=%22thomas%20ian%20griffith%22 |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1987-01-02 |title=The Flint Journal from Flint, Michigan |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1106401662/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="courant.com" /> After nine months on the show, he started dating his co-star and onscreen new love interest, Mary Page Keller; the couple eventually married in 1991.<ref name=":79" /><ref name="courant.com" />

Appearing on ''Another World'' made him "one of [[daytime television]]'s more familiar and possibly popular faces,"<ref>{{Cite web |date=1985-01-10 |title=Familiar faces on the daytime dial |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/304376484/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website= |publisher=The News-Messenger |page=30 |language=en-US |publication-place=Fremont, Ohio |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> a "matinee idol,"<ref name=":11" /> and a "soap superstar."<ref>{{Cite web |date=1985-02-13 |title=The Californian from Salinas, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/520456495/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> He was featured on the cover of ''[[Soap Opera Digest]]''<nowiki/>'s October 1984 issue.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Soap Opera Digest October 23, 1984 Thomas Ian Griffith Marla Adams Marisa Tomei |url=https://www.ebay.com/itm/305859497599 |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=eBay |language=en}}</ref> By 1985, he was a frequently invited guest at international [[trade show]]s and [[exhibition]]s, where he met fans and signed autographs.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1985-08-28 |title=The Roanoke Times from Roanoke, Virginia |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/917621944/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1985-11-16 |title=The Gazette from Montreal, Quebec, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/423399928/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1985-11-16 |title=The Toronto Star from Toronto, Ontario, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/958155648/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1985-11-17 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/369213773/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> During one of these promotional tours to the Southern United States in the fall of 1985,<ref>{{Cite web |date=1985-10-17 |title=The State from Columbia, South Carolina |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/751359218/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Griffith landed an uncredited bit part as an extra in the ''[[Miami Vice]]'' episode "[[Phil the shill|Phil the Shill]]," which was filmed in [[Miami]], Florida in late October and early November 1985.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-22 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith in the center as an extra in "Phil The Shill" |url=https://miamiviceonline.com/index.php?/gallery/image/6038-thomas-ian-griffith-in-the-center-as-an-extra-in-phil-the-shill/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=The Miami Vice Community |language=en-US}}</ref> The episode, which guest starred [[Phil Collins]], was directed by [[John Nicolella]] and was broadcast on NBC in December 1985.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1985-12-24 |title=The Buffalo News from Buffalo, New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/875441426/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> As early as July 1986, news circulated that Griffith, although playing a popular character on ''Another World'', was not going to renew his contract once it ended in January 1987, and the importance of his role was gradually diminished in the writing of the show.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1986-07-13 |title=Sunday Dispatch from Pittston, Pennsylvania |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/507522383/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1986-08-23 |title=Fremont Tribune from Fremont, Nebraska |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/524888479/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

In December 1986, Griffith and Keller were invited to perform on the tenth annual televised benefit special ''Telethon of Stars'', broadcast from [[CFCF-DT|CTV]] and [[TQS]] in [[Montreal]], Quebec, Canada.<ref name=":62">{{Cite web |date=1986-12-20 |title=The Toronto Star from Toronto, Ontario, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/948130124/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1986-12-06 |title=Samedi 6 décembre |url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2255543?docsearchtext=%22thomas%20ian%20griffith%22 |url-access=registration |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=[[La Presse]] |language=fr |via=[[BAnQ numérique]]}}</ref> The 22-hour program was a fundraiser for research into children's diseases and featured such stars as [[Tony Bennett]], [[James Brown]], [[Ginette Reno]], [[Daniel Lavoie]], [[Joe Bocan]], [[Ranee Lee]], and [[Édith Butler]].<ref name=":63">{{Cite web |date=1986-12-05 |title=The Gazette from Montreal, Quebec, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/422620075/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The couple performed two originals songs, but were plagued by issues.<ref name=":62" /><ref name=":64">{{Cite web |date=1986-12-09 |title=The Gazette from Montreal, Quebec, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/422622516/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Reviewing their much-publicized set for ''[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Montreal Gazette]]'', a critic wrote "As for Thomas Ian Griffin [<nowiki/>[[sic]]] and Mary Page Keller of ''Another World'', they were downright livid and for good reason. On their first song, they couldn't hear themselves singing, and the camera cut away from them before the applause started. They were promised everything would be ironed out by their second tune, but when they started to lip-sync, the tape started halfway through the song. As soon as the song was over, they stormed off in a huff. Or was it a limo?"<ref name=":64" />

=== Hollywood and Ian Page Productions (1987–1993) ===
After leaving ''Another World'' in 1985, his girlfriend Keller moved from their [[Upper West Side]], Manhattan [[cooperative apartment]] (which they shared with an actress and a choreographer)<ref name=":79" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-03-11 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith/People Weekly 1987 |url=http://www.tigriffith.com/people_weekly_1987.htm |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080311140532/http://www.tigriffith.com/people_weekly_1987.htm |archive-date=March 11, 2008 }}</ref> to [[Los Angeles]], California (she was a native of [[Monterey, California|Monterey]], California);<ref>{{Cite web |date=1992-10-11 |title=The Times from Hammond, Indiana |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/310684017/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Griffith remained behind as ''Another World'' was mostly filmed in [[Brooklyn]], but he joined her in early 1987, when his contract expired.<ref name="courant.com" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=1985-05-31 |title=The Daily Sentinel from Grand Junction, Colorado |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/538341915/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-07-08 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith/People Weekly 1987 |url=http://www.tigriffith.com/people_weekly_1987.htm |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708065422/http://www.tigriffith.com/people_weekly_1987.htm |archive-date=July 8, 2007 }}</ref> There, they made their home and formed an independent film production company, initially named A Place to Hide Productions but later renamed Ian Page Productions, after the couple's middle names, and he began writing the screenplay for ''A Place to Hide'' (later filmed as ''[[Night of the Warrior]]'').<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=1992-01-02 |title=Jackson County Banner from Brownstown, Indiana |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/227643631/ |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> He also appeared in a production of the ''[[Gianni Schicchi]]'' [[opera]] at the [[University of Southern California]].<ref name=":80" /><ref name=":110" /><ref name=":61">{{Cite web |date=2001-10-31 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith Movie Gallery |url=http://tigriff.net/gallery/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011031102856/http://tigriff.net/gallery/ |archive-date=October 31, 2001 |access-date=2025-01-12}}</ref>

In 1988, Griffith had a guest role on NBC's [[Prime time|prime-time]] television [[crime drama]] series ''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]''; he appeared in the [[Peter Levin]]-directed two-part season two premiere episode "Don't Look Back," which aired on December 4, 1988.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1987-11-28 |title=Fort Lauderdale News from Fort Lauderdale, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/237916666/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1988-12-20 |title=Telecasting |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=f50eff72-abb6-45a9-b2e2-fac47f06adc9&pnum=11&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=11}}</ref><ref name=":84">{{Cite news |date=1988-12-06 |title=Telefilm Reviews: In the Heat of the Night - Don't Look Back |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=02919f9b-7f77-4089-a162-cedc253c3190&pnum=12&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=12}}</ref> Griffith plays the role of Luke Potter, a transient carnival worker suspected of committing a murder with [[Haitian Vodou|voodoo]] connections, one that has the same [[modus operandi]] as an unsolved murder from twenty years prior.<ref name=":84" />

In late 1988, Griffith landed his theatrical film debut when he was cast as the lead villain in ''[[The Karate Kid Part III]]'' (released in June 1989).<ref>{{Cite web |date=1988-12-18 |title=The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/405861134/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> In the film, he portrays [[Terry Silver]], a rival martial arts expert who influences [[Daniel LaRusso]] against his friend and mentor, [[Mr. Miyagi]]. Although many reporters assumed that he won the role of Silver because of his knowledge of martial arts, Griffith explained that he landed the part solely because of his acting experience as the character of Silver, as originally written when he auditioned, didn't have much fighting in the film.<ref name="blackbelt" /> The plot initially revolved around Silver torturing LaRusso and plotting his demise, but once the film's fight choreographer, [[Pat E. Johnson|Pat Johnson]], discovered Griffith's expertise with martial arts, he recommended that the actor approach director [[John G. Avildsen]] for new scenes to be written.<ref name="blackbelt" /> Avildsen was excited about expanding Silver's parts and reworked the script to make the character an equal nemesis.<ref name="blackbelt" />

Despite being offered similar martial arts roles following ''The Karate Kid Part III'', the actor did not want to be [[Typecasting|typecast]].<ref name="blackbelt" /> When interviewed by ''[[Black Belt (magazine)|Black Belt]]'' magazine, Griffith explained he wanted to keep his roles balanced, and that although he loved doing action and martial arts films, he was also driven to keep playing straight drama parts, and was interested in going back to plays and doing [[Shakespeare]].<ref name="blackbelt" /> He also told the ''[[New York Daily News]]'' "I'm hoping that in between the big action films there will be something more soulful."<ref name=":9" />

Griffith then landed another guest role on [[CBS]]'s [[Prime time|prime-time]] television [[crime drama]] series ''[[Wiseguy (TV series)|Wiseguy]]''; he appeared in the two-part season two finale episodes "Le Lacrime d'Amore Part 1: AKA The Four-Letter Word" (directed by [[Frank E. Johnson]]) and "Le Lacrime d'Amore Part 2: AKA There's Plenty of Time," (directed by [[Bill Corcoran]]) which both aired on May 24, 1989. Griffith plays the role of Roger Totland, Amber Twine's ([[Patti D'Arbanville]]) attorney who convinces her to sever ties with the protagonist, Vinnie Terranova ([[Ken Wahl]]), by seducing and wining and dining her, in an attempt to profit from the sale of her company and real estate.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=1990-01-07 |title=Honolulu Star-Advertiser from Honolulu, Hawaii |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/263334904/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

His agent heard that [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] was casting for its television [[biopic]] of late screen actor [[Rock Hudson]] and sent Griffith over to audition for director [[John Nicolella]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Christy |first=George |author-link=George Christy (columnist) |date=1990-01-02 |title=TV Close-Up: Thomas Ian Griffith |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1059737140/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=[[Cornwall Standard-Freeholder]] |language=en-US |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Although Griffith only did a [[Cold reading (theatrical)|cold reading]], Nicolella loved his delivery and asked him to repeat the audition for a dozen ABC executives; the following day, Griffith was informed that he had the part.<ref name=":3" /> The actor admitted to ''[[The New York Times]]'' that before the Hudson biopic, he was not a fan of the screen legend's work and had only seen ''[[Giant (1956 film)|Giant]]'' (1956), but that through research for the role, he learned to appreciate the late actor's work and found it to be a great role for him.<ref name="Farber">{{cite news |last1=Farber |first1=Stephen |date=7 January 1990 |title=The Rock Hudson Story Gets Told. And Perhaps Retold |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/07/arts/television-the-rock-hudson-story-gets-told-and-perhaps-retold.html |access-date=28 August 2018 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> Griffith was only one inch taller than Hudson and had a similar physique, but required several hours of makeup each day (including darkening his brown hair and wearing brown contacts over his blue eyes) to get into character, especially when depicting Hudson's final years as he was dying from [[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]].<ref name="Farber" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=1990-01-03 |title=Palm Desert Post from Palm Desert, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/747229744/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Producer [[Frank Konigsberg]] later told newspaper reporters that he felt it was more important to cast an actor who could play Hudson's tortured spirit than an exact lookalike,<ref name=":4" /> and that Griffith "has the presence, the height and the build of Rock. He also has that wonderful kind of open, all-American quality, a boyish innocence that makes you really like the guy. That's what Rock had, too."<ref>{{Cite web |date=1990-01-07 |title=The Sacramento Bee from Sacramento, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/625002390/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The two-hour ''[[Rock Hudson (film)|Rock Hudson]]'' film was broadcast on ABC in January 1990.<ref name="courant.com" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=1989-09-24 |title=Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/389296891/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Through Ian Page Productions, Griffith wrote and co-produced the action flic ''[[Night of the Warrior]]'', which originated from a screenplay and story he wrote in 1988 titled ''A Place to Hide''.<ref name=":16">{{Cite web |date=1993-05-17 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/175738303/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=1993-05-03 |title=The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/712087230/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The film, when initially scheduled to start shooting in late November 1988 (before being delayed when Griffith was cast in ''The Karate Kid Part III''), was a mystery-drama flic about a poet who works at a strip club.<ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":17" /> It was to be directed by [[Scott Thomas (director)|Scott Thomas]] and co-star Griffith and Keller with a cast that boasted [[Arlene Dahl]], [[Bill Erwin]], [[Dana Ashbrook]], and [[Chris Lemmon]], and be co-produced by Mike Erwin (son of actor Bill Erwin) and Jeff King.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":17">{{Cite web |date=1988-11-24 |title=Mount Vernon Argus from White Plains, New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/895999792/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1989-10-31 |title=1988–1989 Film Production |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=d36897b1-bd7e-4832-8a54-e975b10f03bb&pnum=202&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=122}}</ref> By 1989, the film's cast had changed to star [[Lorenzo Lamas]] (Dahl's real-life son) replacing Griffith; the former also came in as co-producer through his film production company, Blueline Productions/Erwin, Lamas, Kirishima Productions (co-owned with Mike Erwin and J. Max Kirishima).<ref>{{Cite web |date=1989-12-13 |title=Citizen Register from Ossining, New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/905763135/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":16" /> Erwin, Lamas, and Griffith had met through their love of karate.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1990-12-11 |title=The Post-Standard from Syracuse, New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1088668159/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> With new producers Lamas and Kirishima on board, the script was drastically changed to include more martial arts and turn it into more of an action film, about which Griffith was unhappy (the film was also retitled ''Night Warrior'').<ref name="courant.com" /> With a $3 million budget,<ref name=":66">{{Cite news |last=Lieberman |first=Jane |date=1990-08-29 |title=Lamas & Co. Crank Up Pic Prod'n Via Blueline |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=116cc427-807f-4669-a423-73f6f4acf9d0&pnum=6&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=24}}</ref> the movie was finally filmed between March–May 1990,<ref name=":15">{{Cite web |date=1990-11-08 |title=The Journal News from White Plains, New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/165218671/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":67">{{Cite news |date=1990-05-04 |title=Filming in the U.S. |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=a0bbc0a6-8600-4ca9-a5bf-0d67a27a1256&pnum=6&search=%22Lorenzo+lamas%22 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=6}}</ref> with director [[Rafal Zielinski]] and starring Lamas, [[Kathleen Kinmont]] (Lamas' real-life wife, replacing Keller), Dahl, Erwin, [[Anthony Geary]], and [[Danny Kamekona]].<ref name="courant.com" /> It was initially to be distributed in 1990 via Kodiak Films,<ref name=":67" /> but was ultimately distributed in theaters via [[Trimark Pictures]] and Little Bear Films in June 1991, and on [[VHS|video]] and [[LaserDisc|laserdisc]] via its division [[Vidmark Entertainment]], in September 1991.<ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=1991-07-16 |title=Night of the Warrior |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=3047d4aa-a002-4e6f-9a9b-996d5d544505&pnum=39&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=39}}</ref>

Griffith and Keller next co-wrote, co-produced, and co-starred in the [[Political thriller|political action thriller]] film ''[[Ulterior Motives (film)|Ulterior Motives]]'' (working title ''Deadline''<ref name=":15" />) involving a ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' reporter, Erica Boswell (Keller), who uncovers a story about a Japanese-American businessman selling U.S. defense secrets to Japan. She hires private detective Jack Blaylock (Griffith) to help with the investigation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1993-02-16 |title=The Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/123283634/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Directed by [[James Becket]], its cast also included [[Ken Howard]], [[Ellen Crawford]], [[M. C. Gainey|M.C. Gainey]], [[Hayward Nishioka]], [[Tyra Ferrell]], and [[Joe Yamanaka]]. ''Ulterior Motives'' was again produced in cooperation with Erwin and Lamas' film production company, Erwin, Lamas, Kirishima Productions,<ref>{{Cite web |date=1990-11-07 |title=USA Today from McLean, Virginia |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1146858387/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and was filmed between June–August 1990 for $3 million.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1990-12-28 |title=Springfield News-Sun from Springfield, Ohio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/826422299/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1993-01-22 |title=The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/133174774/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":66" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=1990-07-20 |title=Filming in the U.S. |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=f3c34248-21ac-4dfb-9902-143c8e406f4a&pnum=10&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=10}}</ref> It was screened in February and March 1991 at the [[American Film Market]] in Santa Monica, California,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ulterior Motives |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/94309/ulterior-motives#notes |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Turner Classic Movies |language=en}}</ref> was then presented out-of-competition at the [[Cannes Film Festival]] in France through Filmstar in May 1991,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1991-05-06 |title=Who's Bringing What to Market |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=cd18110b-eb79-44e4-86a1-ec708f01c9b8&pnum=162&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=C-60}}</ref> then received limited screenings via Pangea Film Group in 1991.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1992-10-19 |title=Pangea Film Group |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=4da1fcd5-b81b-4597-af62-1db42a8975d3&pnum=130&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=128}}</ref> A larger release happened two years later in late 1992, when Imperial Entertainment issued it on video and laserdisc.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1990-12-28 |title=Daily News from New York, New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/406857244/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":1" />

With several acting, writing, and producing credits to his name, Griffith was picked up for representation by talent agency [[Creative Artists Agency]].<ref name="courant.com" /> In 1991, his agent took Griffith's new screenplay for ''[[Excessive Force (film)|Excessive Force]]'', in which he plays Detective Terry McCain, a Chicago police officer who gets framed for the murder of a mob boss, to [[New Line Cinema]].<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Bowen |first=Mike |date=1992-11-23 |title=Star dons many hats for rogue cop film |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/515324547/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Tulare Advance-Register |language=en-US |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Within two weeks, New Line Cinema's president [[Michael Lynne]] had agreed to finance and distribute the film and wanted Griffith to also star in it.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":29">{{Cite web |last=Noglows |first=Paul |date=1992-11-09 |title=NL to give Freddy new life in '93 |url=https://variety.com/1992/film/news/nl-to-give-freddy-new-life-in-93-100612/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> It was also organized as a co-production with [[Erwin Stoff]], [[Michael Rotenberg]], and [[Howard Klein (television producer)|Howard Klein]]'s [[3 Arts Productions]]. Ultimately, the offer evolved into a three-picture writing-producing-starring-directing deal for Ian Page Productions, though Griffith did not use his option to direct the film.<ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |date=1992-05-17 |title=Richmond Times-Dispatch from Richmond, Virginia |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/831985572/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":29" /> Griffith said he wanted someone else to direct so that he could focus on acting on the set.<ref name=":10" />

''Excessive Force'' was given a $5.5 million budget<ref name=":10" /> and John Hess was hired to direct, while Griffith produced, co-choreographed (with [[Bobby Bass]]), and starred in the film; he can also be seen playing several jazz tunes on the piano.<ref name="courant.com" /><ref name="blackbelt" /> The movie was filmed on location in [[Chicago]], Illinois between March–May 1992,<ref>{{Cite web |date=1992-02-26 |title=The Henderson County Quill from Stronghurst, Illinois |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1013615447/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":7" /> and included such notable stars as [[James Earl Jones]], [[Burt Young]], and [[Lance Henriksen]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1992-11-25 |title=The Fresno Bee from Fresno, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/706672692/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> For his role, Griffith did research by spending time with real Chicago cops who patrolled rough areas of the city and was present during a raid on a [[crack house]].<ref name=":10" /> ''Excessive Force'' received limited theatrical releases starting on November 6, 1992 and into 1993,<ref>{{Cite web |date=1992-09-13 |title=Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/389769287/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> during which Griffith embarked on a promotional tour to plug the film.<ref name=":10" /> The wide theatrical opening of ''Excessive Force'' was in February 1993,<ref>{{Cite web |date=1993-01-10 |title=Santa Cruz Sentinel from Santa Cruz, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/67366768/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and by May 1993, the film was in theaters everywhere.<ref name=":19">{{Cite web |date=1993-10-15 |title=The Sun from Jonesboro, Arkansas |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1102659446/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Although the film fared poorly at the box office, grossing only $1.1 million in the US, it sold so well when issued on VHS and laserdisc that same year via [[New Line Home Video]] (with distribution through [[Image Entertainment]]), grossing a profit within months,<ref name=":19" /> that New Line Cinema was open to a sequel.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1994-01-14 |title=Staten Island Advance from Staten Island, New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1118897189/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> That sequel was eventually produced, ''[[Excessive Force II: Force on Force]]'', but without any input from Griffith.

Between 1991–1993, Griffith was positioned to be one of Hollywood's next big action stars.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |date=1992-07-14 |title=Newsday (Suffolk Edition) from Melville, New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/724837729/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> From critics and journalists, he received frequent comparisons to actors like [[Jean-Claude Van Damme|Jean Claude van Damme]], [[Steven Seagal]], [[Chuck Norris]], [[Jeff Speakman]], [[Sylvester Stallone]], [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], [[Dolph Lundgren]], and even [[Clint Eastwood]], [[Harrison Ford]], and [[Mickey Rourke]].<ref name=":8" /><ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":11">{{Cite web |date=1992-08-16 |title=The State from Columbia, South Carolina |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/752138866/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |date=1993-01-02 |title=Niagara Falls Review from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1016787659/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":18">{{Cite web |date=1993-06-06 |title=Abilene Reporter-News from Abilene, Texas |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/765127681/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1993-06-08 |title=The Daily Herald from Everett, Washington |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1030454495/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1993-06-10 |title=The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/130402343/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1993-06-10 |title=The Wichita Eagle from Wichita, Kansas |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/697361330/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Writing for the ''[[New York Daily News]]'', Nancy Stedman offered "He's being touted as a better-looking version of Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jean-Claude Van Damme. But with a difference: Muscles are a sideline with Griffith; he has spent years acting in theater."<ref name=":9" /> When interviewed by ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', New Line Cinema president Michael Lynne described the actor as "New Line's version of Steven Seagal."<ref name=":29" /> At the eighth annual ShowEast film industry conference held in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey|Atlantic City]], New Jersey in October 1992, Griffith received the Star of Tomorrow Award.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=1992-10-12 |title=Record crowd due at ShowEast |url=https://variety.com/1992/film/news/record-crowd-due-at-showeast-101128/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":14">{{Cite web |last=Toner |first=Noreen |date=1992-10-17 |title=Attenborough gets achievement award at A.C. convention |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/923228727/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=[[The Press of Atlantic City]] |language=en-US |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref name=":10" />

=== Starring roles in foreign productions (1993–1997) ===
Griffith was next cast to co-star alongside [[Christopher Plummer]] and [[Nastassja Kinski]] in the Canadian action film ''[[Crackerjack (1994 film)|Crackerjack]]'', which was directed by [[Michael Mazo]] and filmed in [[Vancouver]], British Columbia between September–November 1993.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1993-09-24 |title=The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/495746244/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="prov-15oct93">{{cite news |last=McNamara |first=Lynne |date=October 15, 1993 |title=It's so busy, busy, busy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/503034842/ |newspaper=The Province |location=Vancouver |page=B2 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref> The film deals with Jack Wild (Griffith), a burnt-out cop who is taken to a mountain resort by his brother, sister-in-law, and newborn child to help him recover emotionally from the death of his wife. There, he befriends a tour guide (Kinski), but the entire resort is soon held hostage by a master criminal (Plummer) and his henchmen, who threaten to bury it under an avalanche using explosives. ''Crackerjack'' was produced by North American Releasing and was distributed theatrically in the United States by [[Worldvision Enterprises]] and had its world premiere at the [[American Film Market]] on February 25, 1994.<ref name="var-25feb94">{{Cite web |date=February 25, 1994 |title=AFM Notes |url=https://variety.com/1994/film/news/afm-notes-2-118646/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> A sequel was produced in 1995, ''[[Crackerjack 2]],'' but with [[Judge Reinhold]] taking over Griffith's role; a third film was produced in 1999, ''[[Crackerjack 3]]'', but with no relation to the first two movies.

He then starred in [[Nu Image]]'s suspense-action production ''[[Blood of the Innocent (film)|Blood of the Innocent]]'', which was filmed on location in [[Nieborów]], [[Czerwińsk nad Wisłą]], and [[Warsaw]], [[Poland]] between August and September 1994,<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109300/locations/?ref_=tttr_ql_dt_5 |title=Beyond Forgiveness (1994) - Filming & production - IMDb |language=en-US |access-date=2025-01-11 |via=www.imdb.com}}</ref> as a co-production with Poland's Mondofin.<ref name=":65">{{Cite news |date=1994-09-16 |title=Filming Outside the U.S. |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=95461a4a-dfa9-4e38-b677-2af9d5229f3e&pnum=18&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22 |work=[[Daily Variety]] |pages=18}}</ref> The film's working title was ''Angel of Death'' and it co-starred [[John Rhys-Davies]] and [[Rutger Hauer]].<ref name=":65" /> The movie follows Chicago cop Frank Wusharsky (Griffith) who travels to Poland to find the hoods who killed his brother. Aided by the local police captain (Rhys-Davies), he discovers that his sibling was murdered by the [[Russian Mafia|Russian mafia]], who are killing local peasants and selling their [[organs]] on the [[black market]] after a doctor (Hauer) dismembers them.<ref name=":33">{{Cite web |date=1995-09-17 |title=The Sacramento Bee from Sacramento, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/627309353/ |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The film premiered on [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] in December 1994,<ref>{{Cite web |date=1994-12-02 |title=Elko Daily Free Press from Elko, Nevada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/477120866/ |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and was later released on VHS via [[Republic Pictures]] in 1995, under the [[alternative title]] ''Beyond Forgiveness''.<ref name=":33" />

He was again cast by Nu Image in ''[[Hollow Point]]'', an [[Action comedy|action-comedy]] film co-produced with Canada's [[Astral Media|Astral Programming Enterprises]], Phoenician Films, and Filmline International.<ref name=":34">{{Cite web |last=Leydon |first=Joe |date=1996-12-23 |title=Hollow Point |url=https://variety.com/1996/film/reviews/hollow-point-1200448003/ |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> Though some stock footage of Boston's landscape was used during the opening, and the police cars bared that city's name, the movie was shot entirely in [[Montreal]], Quebec during seven weeks between April and May 1995.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1995-04-21 |title=The Gazette from Montreal, Quebec, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/420953279/ |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cloutier |first=Mario |date=1995-05-06 |title=Montréal devient Boston pour les besoins d'un film d'action |url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2179805?docsearchtext=%22thomas%20ian%20griffith%22 |url-access=registration |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=[[La Presse]] |language=fr |via=[[BAnQ numérique]]}}</ref> ''Hollow Point'' was directed by [[Sidney J. Furie]] and co-starred [[Tia Carrere]], [[John Lithgow]], and [[Donald Sutherland]].<ref>{{Cite web |author=Variety Staff |date=1995-05-15 |title=FOREIGN FILMS |url=https://variety.com/1995/film/features/foreign-films-6-99127568/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":34" /> Griffith (who shows off his operatic singing during several scenes) stars as Max Parrish, a [[Drug Enforcement Administration|DEA]] agent who teams up with an [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] agent (Carrere) and a flamboyant hitman (Sutherland) to take down a criminal syndicate led by a financial adviser (Lithgow).<ref name=":34" /> The film premiered on [[HBO]] in June 1996.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1996-06-14 |title=The Daily Tribune from Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/244887667/ |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Vidmark Entertainment]] released the film on VHS in the United States, [[Sterling Entertainment Group]] released it on DVD in the United States, while [[TVA Films]] issued it on DVD in Canada.<ref name=":34" />

In 1995, Griffith wrote, directed, and co-produced the [[Children's film|children's]] [[Martial arts film|martial arts]] [[educational film]] ''Kick Time!'', which starred youth martial arts instructor Robert "Karate Bob" Meltzer (who co-produced).<ref name=":45">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhbd5y_gIhg&ab_channel=RobertMeltzer |title=My Gym Kick-Time Karate for Kids |date=2017-03-30 |last=Robert Meltzer |access-date=2025-01-19 |via=YouTube}}</ref> The thirty-minute [[made-for-video]] film co-starred Keller (who also co-produced) as Kirby the clown, along with Meltzer's pupils, the Kick Time Kids, showing a basic skills non-aggressive, non-contact program.<ref name=":45" /> Originally released on VHS in 1995 through Griffith, Keller, and Meltzer's Kick Time Productions, it was later re-issued on DVD in 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1995 |title=Kick time! |url=https://search.worldcat.org/en/title/35684772 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=search.worldcat.org}}</ref>

In 1996, Griffith was cast in a co-starring role in Korsala Productions/[[Raffaella De Laurentiis|Raffaella De Laurentiis Productions]]' [[sword and sorcery]] picture ''[[Kull the Conqueror]]'', which was shot in [[Slovakia]] and [[Croatia]] between August and October 1996.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-QrxfSiDDU |title=Kevin Sorbo "Kull the Conqueror" 8/19/97 |date=2023-04-13 |last=The Bobbie Wygant Archive |access-date=2025-01-27 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1996-03-01 |title=Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/179572967/ |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1996-08-29 |title=The Rutherford Courier from Smyrna, Tennessee |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/675092248/ |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The actor was re-teamed with director [[John Nicolella]] (from the Rock Hudson biopic) and Tia Carrere (from ''Hollow Point'').<ref>{{Cite web |date=1996-07-17 |title=The Journal Times from Racine, Wisconsin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/342948658/ |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The movie starred [[Kevin Sorbo]] and featured [[Gary "Litefoot" Davis]], [[Roy Brocksmith]], [[Harvey Fierstein]], and [[Karina Lombard]]. The story deals with a barbarian, Kull (Sorbo), who wins the throne of Valusian in a sword fight, much to the dismay of Taligaro (Griffith) and others who each feel they are the rightful inheritors of that position, and who attempt to kill him. The film was released via [[Universal Pictures]] in August 1997.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1997-08-15 |title=The Plain Dealer from Cleveland, Ohio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1071199597/ |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Griffith next starred in [[Motion Picture Corporation of America]]'s [[Orion Pictures]]-distributed action/[[war film]] ''[[Behind Enemy Lines (1997 film)|Behind Enemy Lines]].<ref name=":36">{{Cite web |date=2018-08-26 |title=Behind Enemy Lines (1997) |url=https://monsterhuntermoviereviews.com/2018/08/26/behind-enemy-lines-1997/ |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=MonsterHunter |language=en-US}}</ref>'' Directed by [[Mark Griffiths (film director)|Mark Griffiths]], it co-stars [[Chris Mulkey]], [[Mushond Lee]], [[Courtney Gains]], and [[Maury Sterling]], and was filmed in the [[Philippines]].<ref name=":36" /> The story deals with ex-[[United States Marine Corps]] Mike Weston (Griffith) who is sent back to [[Vietnam]] to rescue his friend Jones (Mulkey), the latter of whom was left behind on their last mission.<ref name=":37">{{Cite web |date=2001-12-04 |title=Behind Enemy Lines |url=http://www.mgm.com/mgmhv/enemy/ |access-date=2025-01-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011204133541/http://www.mgm.com/mgmhv/enemy/ |archive-date=December 4, 2001 }}</ref> After Weston is betrayed and imprisoned, three of his former Marine friends (Lee, Gaines, and Sterling), along with his sister and a Vietnamese compatriot, help to rescue the pair.<ref name=":37" /> ''Behind Enemy Lines'' was released in some markets in 1996, such as Ecovideo/Prisvideo's VHS in Portugal, but it had its American premiere on [[HBO]] in May 1997.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Behind Enemy Lines |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/458881/behind-enemy-lines#notes |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Turner Classic Movies |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1997-05-16 |title=Friday Night |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1036013382/ |access-date=2025-03-17 |newspaper=[[The Daily News (Bogalusa, Louisiana)|The Daily News]] |publication-place=Bogalusa, Louisiana |publisher=[[Wick Communications]] |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |language=en-US |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

In March 1997, [[NBC]] announced it had filmed a [[pilot episode]] for a proposed television drama series named ''The Angel'' (later renamed ''The Guardian''), for its fall 1997 schedule.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1997-03-27 |title=The Rutherford Courier from Smyrna, Tennessee |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/675095288/ |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1997-03-30 |title=Citizen Register from Ossining, New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/905798221/ |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The premise of the show, which was written and directed by [[Rob Cohen]], had Griffith starring as Ray Angelotti (known as The Guardian Angel), an ex-thief and martial arts expert with a sixth-degree Kenpo Karate black belt, who comes out of prison determined to right wrongs and make up for his past misdeeds.<ref name=":35">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0272974/reference/ |title=The Guardian (TV Movie 1997) - IMDb |access-date=2025-01-12 |via=www.imdb.com}}</ref> The pilot episode also included [[Stephanie Niznik]], [[Rebecca Rigg]], [[Brian Thompson (actor)|Brian Thompson]], and [[Tippi Hedren]].<ref name=":35" /> The show was not picked up.

=== Transition to co-starring roles (1997–1999) ===
Griffith was next cast as a co-star in director [[John Carpenter]]'s [[neo-Western]] [[action horror film]] ''[[Vampires (1998 film)|Vampires]]'', playing the role of head vampire Jan Valek. The movie starred [[James Woods]], [[Daniel Baldwin]], and [[Sheryl Lee]], and was shot from June to August 1997 in [[New Mexico]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1997-06-25 |title=Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/157071527/ |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Hochman |first=Steve |date=June 8, 1997 |title=Sheryl Lee / Actress |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-06-08-ca-1136-story.html |access-date=February 9, 2019 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> The plot deals with a modern-day [[vampire hunter]] (Woods) and his partner (Baldwin), hunting for the world's first vampire (Griffith) in the American south, using his latest victim (Lee) to track him down. The film, which was produced through Spooky Tooth Productions and Storm King Production was distributed via [[Largo Entertainment]], and released through [[Columbia Pictures]] in October 1998.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1998-10-26 |title=Largo Entertainment |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=6f2cbbef-cd93-4418-96b3-0a3207984d76&pnum=118&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=M36}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1997-08-22 |title=Film Production Chart |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=7702f021-dde4-407f-a1d7-810b0f9b4837&pnum=15&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22 |work=[[Daily Variety]] |pages=15}}</ref>

In ''The First Vampire'', a bonus feature included on ''Vampires''<nowiki/>' collector's edition [[Blu-ray]], Griffith recalls coming into the production through an audition with Carpenter's wife, producer [[Sandy King (producer)|Sandy King]], before going to the Philippines to film ''Behind Enemy Lines''.<ref name=":38">{{Cite web |title=John Carpenter's Vampires [Collector's Edition] |url=https://shoutfactory.com/en-ca/products/john-carpenters-vampires-collectors-edition |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Shout! Factory |language=en}}</ref> While filming ''Behind Enemy Lines'', Griffith received news from his agent that he got the part in ''Vampires''.<ref name=":38" /> When King and Carpenter first met with Griffith, his hair was still long from his role in ''Kull the Conqueror'', but he had since cut his hair short for the war picture; this gave the producers the idea of giving Valek long hair and sent Griffith in for [[Hair extensions|extensions]].<ref name=":38" /> Carpenter also instructed Griffith not to take part in pre-production rehearsals with the other actors so that his character would be intentionally detached and emotionless.<ref name=":38" /> Griffith would show up to film scenes having never met his co-stars, and often found it difficult not to laugh at Woods' comical improvised lines.<ref name=":38" />

The actor next co-starred in ''[[Emily Pollifax#Mrs. Pollifax in film|The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax]]'' a [[Spy film|spy]]-[[Mystery film|mystery]] for [[Corymore Productions]] (in co-production with [[E. W. Scripps Company|Scripps Howard Productions]]), owned by actress [[Angela Lansbury]] and her producer husband [[Peter Shaw (producer, born 1918)|Peter Shaw]].<ref name=":39">{{Cite news |last=Rudolph |first=Eric |date=19 May 1999 |title=The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax |url=https://variety.com/1999/tv/reviews/the-unexpected-mrs-pollifax-1117499761/ |access-date=28 March 2024 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref><ref name=":40">{{Cite web |date=1997-11-01 |title=News-Pilot from San Pedro, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/608722553/ |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The movie was directed by their son, Anthony Pullen Shaw, and was filmed between November and December 1997, on location in [[Ireland]], [[France]], and [[Morocco]].<ref name=":39" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=1997-10-29 |title=Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/176891467/ |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":40" /> The story follows Emily Pollifax (Landsbury), a sexagenarian widow who applies to become a CIA agent, and through a mix-up is mistaken for a real agent and sent on a foreign mission. The CIA sends their agent Jack Farrell (Griffith) to shadow her and see that nothing happens to her, but he is caught up in the action.<ref name=":39" /> ''The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax'' aired on [[CBS]] in May 1999,<ref name=":41">{{Cite web |date=2004-02-12 |title=TIG News/Reviews/Articles |url=http://www.tigriff.net/news.html |access-date=2025-01-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040212235718/http://www.tigriff.net/news.html |archive-date=February 12, 2004 }}</ref> and the network hoped it would lead to additional [[Emily Pollifax]] films.<ref name=":39" />

Griffith next starred in the action-[[disaster film]] ''[[Avalanche (1999 film)|Avalanche]]'', which he co-produced through Ian Page Productions, in co-operation with producers Richard Pepin and Joseph Merhi's PM Entertainment Group, [[Greg Mellott]], and writer-director Steve Kroschel's Kroschel Films.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Dana |date=2001-02-07 |title=Cinetel to o'see library of Harvey subsid PM |url=https://variety.com/2001/film/news/cinetel-to-o-see-library-of-harvey-subsid-pm-1117793359/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> Griffith also helped with the script.<ref name=":42">{{Cite web |date=1999-03-20 |title=Anchorage Daily News from Anchorage, Alaska |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1060198426/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The film was shot at [[Hatcher Pass]], [[Knik Glacier]], and [[Anchorage, Alaska|Anchorage]], Alaska from October to December 1998, and includes footage of real [[avalanche]]s, which Kroschel had spent four years documenting and filming beforehand.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1998-10-08 |title=The Peninsula Clarion from Kenai, Alaska |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1138537802/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1998-10-09 |title=Anchorage Daily News from Anchorage, Alaska |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1060155317/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Co-starring in the movie are Caroleen Feeney, [[R. Lee Ermey]], [[John Ashton (actor)|John Ashton]], and [[C. Thomas Howell]]. The film's plot deals with a helicopter pilot, Neal Meekin (Griffith), who helps an [[EPA]] employee (Feeney) try to prevent an oil company's new pipeline from causing a major avalanche.<ref name="Stratton">{{Cite web |last=Stratton |first=David |date=1999-06-21 |title=Avalanche |url=https://variety.com/1999/film/reviews/avalanche-2-1117499918/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> The film premiered at the [[Cannes Film Festival]] in May 1999, out of competition,<ref name="Stratton"/><ref name=":42" /> and had its North American television premiere on [[UPN]] in January 2001.<ref name=":41" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-07-09 |title=UPN's Movie Tuesday |url=http://www.upn.com/shows/movienight/avalanche/avalanche.htm |access-date=2025-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010709000238/http://www.upn.com/shows/movienight/avalanche/avalanche.htm |archive-date=July 9, 2001 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-01-19 |title=Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/476330588/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> It received numerous home media releases, notably a VHS in the United Kingdom by [[Entertainment in Video|Entertainment In Video]] in 1999,<ref>{{Cite web |date=1999-12-16 |title=The Herts and Essex Observer from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/851157142/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and a VHS and DVD by [[First Look Media|First Look Home Entertainment]] in April 2002, under the alternative title ''Escape from Alaska''.<ref name=":41" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-04-26 |title=South Florida Sun Sentinel from Fort Lauderdale, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/284600323/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-03-02 |title=ESCAPE FROM ALASKA |url=http://firstlookmedia.com/Home%20Entertainment/efa.html |access-date=2025-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040302150939/http://firstlookmedia.com/Home%20Entertainment/efa.html |archive-date=March 2, 2004 }}</ref> It was later re-issued on DVD by [[Echo Bridge Home Entertainment]] in 2017, also under its alternative title.

He then appeared in the [[Dystopian film|dystopian]]-[[science fiction film]] ''[[For the Cause (film)|For the Cause]]'' (also known as ''Final Encounter''), filmed in April 1999 in [[Bulgaria]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Frauenfelder |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Frauenfelder |date=October 1999 |title=The Back-Door Director - David Douglas was too cheap for Hollywood. They'll be sorry. |url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.10/douglas_pr.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000711135755/https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.10/douglas_pr.html |archive-date=2000-07-11 |access-date=2025-01-18 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113092/locations/?ref_=tttr_ql_dt_5 |title=For the Cause (2000) - Filming & production - IMDb |language=en-US |access-date=2025-01-15 |via=www.imdb.com}}</ref> Although second-billed as co-star, Griffith only appears in less than a third of the movie before being killed, and as such is more of a supporting character. [[Justin Whalin]] and Jodi Bianca Wise, who are third and fourth billed (behind [[Dean Cain]] and Griffith) have more screen time. The plot deals with a future civilization that has been in a hundred-year war with another colony, but its general, Murran (Cain), wishes to bring peace between them. He assembles a team, including Evans (Griffith), Sutherland (Whalin), Abel (Wise), Stoner (Trae Thomas), and Layton ([[Michelle Krusiec]]), to lead him across to the other side where, unbeknownst to his crew, he plans to set off a bomb.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-01-24 |title=Coming Attractions |url=http://www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/forthecause.html |access-date=2025-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010124054900/http://www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/forthecause.html |archive-date=January 24, 2001 }}</ref> The film was written and directed by [[David Douglas (director)|David Douglas]] (and co-directed by his brother Tim), through their Grand Designs Entertainment production company. After a failed distribution deals with [[Miramax]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-03-03 |title=Ain't It Cool News - View Article |url=http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=4950 |access-date=2025-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000303084753/http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=4950 |archive-date=March 3, 2000 }}</ref> the picture was finally released via [[Dimension Films]] / [[Nu Image]], initially in foreign markets in early 2000, before premiering in the United States in February 2001.<ref name=":41" />

He was next cast in two video productions by country singer [[Reba McEntire]], both produced through her company, [[Starstruck Entertainment]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-05-10 |title=Reba News |url=http://www.reba.com/record/r_news.asp?archive=yes |access-date=2025-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000510061707/http://www.reba.com/record/r_news.asp?archive=yes |archive-date=May 10, 2000 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-07-09 |title=Reba: Many Talents, One Name |url=http://www.fancyreba.com/rebamany.htm |access-date=2025-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000709154651/http://www.fancyreba.com/rebamany.htm |archive-date=July 9, 2000 }}</ref> The first was a Christmas-time [[western drama]] set in Oregon in 1903, starring McEntire as Rose Cameron, a widow whose farm is about to be foreclosed by dishonest bank president Harlan Gotch ([[Ronny Cox]]), only to be reluctantly rescued by Harry Withers (Griffith), a lone rider in town.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-12-15 |title=Rebanews |url=http://www.reba.com/rebanews/Newsarticle.asp?idnewsarticle=88 |access-date=2025-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031215184027/http://www.reba.com/rebanews/Newsarticle.asp?idnewsarticle=88 |archive-date=December 15, 2003 }}</ref> Originally titled ''Christmas in Calico'', after the book on which it is based,<ref name=":43">{{Cite web |date=1999-06-18 |title=The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/496210479/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="newspapers.com">{{Cite web |date=1999-06-24 |title=The Province from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/504610565/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> it was retitled to ''Secret of Giving'', a song the singer recorded for the film and which is included on her album ''[[Secret of Giving: A Christmas Collection]]'', which serves as its semi-soundtrack.<ref name=":44">{{Cite web |title=Reba McEntire |url=http://www.jamcaster.com/JamMusicArtistsM/mcentire_reba.html |access-date=2025-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818070506/http://www.jamcaster.com/JamMusicArtistsM/mcentire_reba.html |archive-date=August 18, 2000 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-06-01 |title=Amarillo Globe-News: Entertainment: Reba keeps riding the wave on albums, concerts, movies 11/25/99 |url=http://www.amarilloglobenews.com/stories/112599/ent_movies.shtml |access-date=2025-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020601143140/http://www.amarilloglobenews.com/stories/112599/ent_movies.shtml |archive-date=June 1, 2002 }}</ref> The picture was directed by [[Sam Pillsbury]] and was filmed in [[Maple Ridge, British Columbia|Maple Ridge]], [[Vancouver]], and [[Kamloops]], British Columbia, Canada from June to July 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1999-06-06 |title=The Province from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/505155745/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":43" /><ref name="newspapers.com"/> It had a special premiere at the [[Tennessee Performing Arts Center]] in Nashville, Tennessee in early November 1999,<ref>{{Cite web |title=So Good Together promotional VHS |url=https://i.discogs.com/a9GFIvkehQae2Kr-p-Qdf6fUDKOyysMdf0DxXihbUoY/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:440/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTI3NjEx/OTEwLTE2ODg3ODAx/MzYtNTU0My5qcGVn.jpeg |access-date=2025-01-23}}</ref> and had its official television premiere on [[CBS]] on [[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving]] day in November 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1999-09-19 |title=The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/161354987/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

The actor also co-starred in McEntire's music video for her song "[[What Do You Say (Reba McEntire song)|What Do You Say]]," the lead single from her album ''[[So Good Together]]'', released in November 1999 though the record label [[MCA Nashville]].<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPx1HT9pqos |title=Reba McEntire - What Do You Say (Official Music Video) |date=2009-06-16 |last=RebaMcEntireVEVO |access-date=2025-01-15 |via=YouTube}}</ref> The video was co-produced and directed by [[Robert Deaton]] and his firm [[Deaton-Flanigen Productions]], and depicts a mother dying of cancer and how it affects her husband (Griffith) and their two adolescent children.<ref name=":44" /> The music video was filmed after the movie but aired on television first, when the song was released as a single in September 1999. The music video, as well as a making-of-the-video feature showing the sets and actors at work, were included as bonus features on the [[Enhanced CD|enhanced section]] of the ''So Good Together'' CD.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-05-10 |title=Reba - So Good Together |url=http://www.mca-nashville.com/rebamcentire/base.htm |access-date=2025-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000510045025/http://www.mca-nashville.com/rebamcentire/base.htm |archive-date=May 10, 2000 }}</ref> The music video was later included in McEntire's DVD collection ''Video Gold I'', released in November 2006. At the [[43rd Annual Grammy Awards]] in February 2001, the video was nominated for the [[Grammy Award for Best Music Video|Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video]].<ref>{{cite news |date=February 21, 2001 |title=43rd Annual Grammy Awards |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/21/grammy.winners/ |access-date=April 15, 2011 |publisher=CNN}}</ref>

Griffith was next cast to co-star as serial killer Doug Brister, a character based on real-life serial killer "Sunset Strip Slayer" [[Doug Clark (serial killer)|Doug Clark]], in the [[Thriller film|thriller]] ''A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle''.<ref name=":46">{{Cite web |date=2002-02-12 |title=California Serial Killer Case Inspires CBS Movie |url=http://www.apbnews.com/media/celebnews/2000/02/08/don0208_01.html |access-date=2025-01-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020212162832/http://www.apbnews.com/media/celebnews/2000/02/08/don0208_01.html |archive-date=February 12, 2002 }}</ref> The film stars [[Melissa Gilbert]] as Donielle Patton (the real-life woman who helped capture Clark), a woman with psychic capabilities who has visions of murdered victim's killers and helps the police apprehend a local serial killer.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-03-03 |title=Little Forethought in Vision of Murder |url=http://www.apbnews.com/media/reviews/television/2000/02/08/donielle0208_01.html |access-date=2025-01-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000303032349/http://www.apbnews.com/media/reviews/television/2000/02/08/donielle0208_01.html |archive-date=March 3, 2000 }}</ref> The movie was co-produced through director-producer [[Donald Wrye]]'s SpyGaze Pictures company, who had bought the rights to the story directly from Patton.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=1995-08-22 |title=COMPANY TOWN : Grey to Remain With Brillstein |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-08-22-fi-37796-story.html |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":46" /> The film also co-stars [[María Conchita Alonso|Maria Conchita Alonso]], [[Kim Hawthorne]], and [[Rip Torn]], and was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia during November and December 1999,<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0224120/locations/?ref_=tttr_ql_dt_5 |title=A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle (TV Movie 2000) - Filming & production - IMDb |language=en-US |access-date=2025-01-24 |via=www.imdb.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-01-13 |title=The Daily Herald-Tribune from Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/730600175/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> before premiering on CBS in February 2000.<ref name=":47">{{Cite web |last=Horst |first=Carole |date=2000-02-09 |title=A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle |url=https://variety.com/2000/tv/reviews/a-vision-of-murder-the-story-of-donielle-1117778657/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Final starring roles (2000) ===
In February 2000, Griffith signed with the Metropolitan Talent Agency, where he was represented by Chris Barrett and Karen Forman.<ref name=":30">{{Cite web |last=Loggia |first=Cynthia |date=2000-02-11 |title=Tenpercenteries |url=https://variety.com/2000/biz/news/tenpercenteries-160-1117776342/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> He was also managed by Himber Entertainment.<ref name=":30" /> That same month, it was announced that he would star in Hilltop Entertainment's thriller film ''Heart of Gold'' for producer Harel Goldstein and director Yakov Bentsvi.<ref name=":68">{{Cite news |date=2000-02-21 |title=Hilltop Entertainment Product Highlights |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=f174c3e4-0b9f-4ae4-a38d-604f0ffeda68&pnum=68&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22&archiveopen=true |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=66}}</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' described the plot as "Based on a true story, life on the streets becomes a nightmare when a bodyguard to L.A.'s top call girls falls in love with one of his charges."<ref name=":68" /> The film was never made.

The actor was next scooped up by a group of Canadian-British-Italian co-producers to star in two modern [[adventure film]]s shot back-to-back in 2000: ''[[High Adventure (film)|High Adventure]]'' and ''[[The Sea Wolf (2001 film)|The Sea Wolf]]''. Both films were co-executive produced by British-Canadian [[Harry Alan Towers]]' Towers of London (with his wife [[Maria Rohm]]), Canadian Gary Howsam's Greenlight Film and Television Entertainment (GFT Entertainment), and Italian [[Fulvio Lucisano]]'s Italian International Film. They were also both directed by [[Mark Roper]], produced by Canadian Lewin Webb (who worked for Howsam at GFT Entertainment), and written by [[Peter Welbeck]] (Towers' pen name) and Peter Jobin.<ref name=":49">{{Cite web |date=2009-11-04 |title=The Independent from London, Greater London, England |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/723380496/ |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

''High Adventure'' was filmed first during the summer of 2000 in Bulgaria, as a co-production with Evgeni Mihailov's [[Boyana Film|Boyana Film Company]].<ref name=":50">{{Cite web |date=2002-06-01 |title=Business Wire: Prophecy Entertainment Acquires Five Feature Films for Distribution. |url=http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0EIN/2000_Oct_11/65937105/p1/article.jhtml?term=%22Thomas+Ian+Griffith%22 |access-date=2025-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020601173858/http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0EIN/2000_Oct_11/65937105/p1/article.jhtml?term=%22Thomas+Ian+Griffith%22 |archive-date=June 1, 2002 }}</ref><ref name=":49" /> The plot deals with Chris Quatermain (Griffith), grandson of famed explorer and adventurer [[Allan Quatermain]], who teams up with a German archaeologist, Hope Gruner ([[Anja Kling]]), and an Englishman, Johnny Ford ([[Harry Peacock (actor)|Harry Peacock]]), to find [[Alexander the Great]]'s lost treasure.<ref name=":51">{{Cite web |date=2001-05-15 |title=PROPHECY ENTERTAINMENT |url=http://www.prophecy-entertainment.com/html/main_film.htm |access-date=2025-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010515062110/http://www.prophecy-entertainment.com/html/main_film.htm |archive-date=May 15, 2001 }}</ref><ref name=":52"/> ''High Adventure'' was picked up for limited distribution in North America by Canadian company Prophecy Entertainment,<ref name=":51" /><ref name=":50" /> and in the United Kingdom by British financing company Future Film Group.<ref name=":52">{{Cite web |date=2001-05-15 |title=future film group |url=http://www.futurefilmgroup.com/archive.html |access-date=2025-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010515133623/http://www.futurefilmgroup.com/archive.html |archive-date=May 15, 2001 }}</ref> It had a two-day premiere screening in February 2001 at the [[AMC Theatres|AMC Theater]] in Santa Monica, California.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-05-03 |title=AFMA {{!}} AFM - Full Screening Schedule by Title |url=http://www.afma.com/AFM/screen_sched_bytitle.asp?StartName=G |access-date=2025-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010503220357/http://www.afma.com/AFM/screen_sched_bytitle.asp?StartName=G |archive-date=May 3, 2001 }}</ref> However, the film was released on DVD only in Europe; for its German release by E-M-S in October 2001 it was retitled ''Quatermain - Der Schatz der Könige'' (''Quatermain - The Treasure of Kings''), while in France it was retitled ''Les aventuriers du trésor perdu'' (''Adventurers of the Lost Treasure'').<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-05-03 |title=BEST BUY MOVIE - Große Unterhaltung zum kleinen Preis |url=http://www.bestbuymovie.de/titel.asp?name=515 |access-date=2025-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050503164105/http://www.bestbuymovie.de/titel.asp?name=515 |archive-date=May 3, 2005 }}</ref>

''The Sea Wolf'' was next filmed in the fall of 2000 in Cuba, as a co-production with [[Camilo Vives]]' [[Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos|Productora Cinematografica Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos]] (ICAIC).<ref name=":50" /> Griffith was not the producers' original choice for the role, who had initially cast [[Mark Dacascos]], when the film was to be co-produced by another financier, [[Amco Entertainment|Amco Entertainment Group]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2000-02-21 |title=Amco Entertainment Group |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=f174c3e4-0b9f-4ae4-a38d-604f0ffeda68&pnum=42&search=%22The+Sea+Wolf+%22 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=40}}</ref> The plot deals with boat Capitan Jeffery Thorpe (Griffith), an ex-[[United States Navy]] and self-proclaimed pirate, who comes across a map of [[Montezuma's treasure]] shown to him by a mysterious Columbian woman, Helena ([[Gerit Kling]], who also plays her twin sister Marlena), and the two must find it before The Colonel (Barry Flatman) claims it for his own.<ref name=":51" /> ''The Sea Wolf'' was also picked up for limited distribution in North America by Canadian company Prophecy Entertainment,<ref name=":51" /><ref name=":50" /> and in the United Kingdom by British financing company Future Film Group in 2001.<ref name=":52" /><ref name=":53">{{Cite web |date=2003-01-24 |title=Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/476177565/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> It was later distributed by Canadian company Cinemavault Releasing, which arranged for a television premiere in January 2003,<ref name=":53" /> and a VHS and DVD release under the alternative title ''SeaWolf: The Pirate's Curse'' via [[The Asylum]] in July 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-07-13 |title=SEAWOLF |url=http://theasylum.cc:80/pages/features/seawolf.html |access-date=2025-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030713011322/http://theasylum.cc:80/pages/features/seawolf.html |archive-date=July 13, 2003 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-06-20 |title=Asylum Domestic |url=http://www.theasylum.cc/pages/home/domhomeent.html |access-date=2025-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030620134349/http://www.theasylum.cc/pages/home/domhomeent.html |archive-date=June 20, 2003 }}</ref> It was later re-issued on DVD by [[Echo Bridge Home Entertainment]] in 2004, also under its alternative title.

=== Continued co-starring roles and return to theater (2000–2002) ===
Griffith had a co-starring role in [[Laura Ingalls Wilder]]'s [[biopic]] sequel ''[[Beyond the Prairie II: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder Continues]]'', which was produced by Dori Weiss' D.W. Productions and financed by [[CBS]]. In the movie, Griffith plays the role of a drifter, Cornelius Loudermilk, who is offered work on Wilder's (portrayed by [[Meredith Monroe]]) farm when her husband, [[Almanzo Wilder]] (portrayed by [[Walton Goggins]]) gets sick.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-03-11 |title=The Kansas City Star from Kansas City, Missouri |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/686916270/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-05-23 |title=The Index-Journal from Greenwood, South Carolina |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/70015909/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-05-04 |title=Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/476420051/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The [[teleplay]], written and produced by [[Stephen Harrigan]], was directed by Marcus Cole and filmed around [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], Texas (including [[Spicewood, Texas|Spicewood]], Texas) in March–April 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-01-06 |title=Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/356978363/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-04-06 |title=Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/357171110/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> ''Beyond the Prairie II: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder Continues'' was scheduled to air in November 2001,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-10-07 |title=Sunday Dispatch from Pittston, Pennsylvania |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/507659794/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> but it was postponed due to the Emmys' broadcast on CBS;<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-10-18 |title=South Florida Sun Sentinel from Fort Lauderdale, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/229840228/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> it finally aired four months later in March 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-02-05 |title=News and Record from Greensboro, North Carolina |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/959650614/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

With [[Greg Mellott]], he co-wrote the [[psychological thriller]] ''[[Black Point (film)|Black Point]]'', in which he also co-starred; the film starred [[David Caruso]] and [[Susan Haskell]], and also co-starred [[Miguel Sandoval]] and [[Gordon Tootoosis]].<ref name=":41" /> Filmed from April to May 2001 in [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]], [[Deep Cove, North Vancouver|Deep Cove]], [[Fernwood, Greater Victoria|Fernwood]], and [[Brentwood Bay, British Columbia|Brentwood Bay]], British Columbia (standing in for [[Washington (state)|Washington]]),<ref name=":69">{{Cite web |date=2001-04-13 |title=Times Colonist from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/509363360/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-04-20 |title=The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/496415368/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-05-13 |title=Times Colonist from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/509352814/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> the plot deals with John Hawkins (Caruso), a divorced father whose life has been derailed when his daughter went missing years prior. He befriends and falls in love with Natalie Travis (Haskell), a woman who has moved into the little coastal town in which he lives, but soon learns that her partner is Gus Travis (Griffith), a criminal who is physically abusive to her. Through a series of double-cross and deception, Natalie uses Hawkins to get rid of Travis and get away with the money he is laundering for mobster Malcolm (Sandoval).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-04-27 |title=Times Colonist from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/509322850/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

''Black Point'' was directed by David Mackay, produced by Canadian producer Raymond Massey (grandson of actor [[Raymond Massey]])<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-06-11 |title=Welcome to Community Portal |url=http://www.peninsulanewsreview.com/story19460.html |access-date=2025-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020611052955/http://www.peninsulanewsreview.com/story19460.html |archive-date=June 11, 2002 }}</ref> through Massey Productions and Black Point Films,<ref name=":69" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-04-11 |title=Welcome to Community Portal |url=http://www.peninsulanewsreview.com/story19462.html |access-date=2025-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020411015108/http://www.peninsulanewsreview.com/story19462.html |archive-date=April 11, 2002 }}</ref> and had financing and distribution via Promark Entertainment Group/Das Werk AG Company and [[HBO]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Variety Archive |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=5f12c7c9-ac95-4dc7-9702-d520eff78d8c&pnum=90&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22&archiveopen=true |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=read-archive.variety.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":70">{{Cite web |date=2001-12-04 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith Movie Gallery - Black Point |url=http://tigriff.net/gallery/bpoint.html |access-date=2025-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011204113032/http://tigriff.net/gallery/bpoint.html |archive-date=December 4, 2001 }}</ref> Although announced as a television film,<ref name=":70" /> it was screened at several festivals and events starting in October 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Variety Archive |url=https://read-archive.variety.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=7bcd3608-1d61-423c-9271-31da4f5e4db7&pnum=27&search=%22thomas+ian+griffith%22&archiveopen=true |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=read-archive.variety.com |language=en-US}}</ref> At the fifth annual Marco Island Film Festival in October 2002, the film won the Best Feature Thriller award.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-11-15 |title=News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/217863403/ |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-12-20 |title=Marco Island Film Fest |url=http://www.marcoislandfilmfest.com/filmsdatabase/publicresults.tpl?_eqfilmtypedatarq=feature&_eqselecteddatarq=TRUE |access-date=2025-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021220190532/http://www.marcoislandfilmfest.com/filmsdatabase/publicresults.tpl?_eqfilmtypedatarq=feature&_eqselecteddatarq=TRUE |archive-date=December 20, 2002 }}</ref> It was eventually released on VHS and DVD in 2002, in Canada via Videal/Universal Studios/[[Remstar]], and in the United States via CityHeat Productions/[[Artisan Entertainment]].

Griffith was then hired by producer [[Edgar Lansbury (producer)|Edgar Lansbury]] to co-star in Cohort Productions' drama film ''Italian Lessons'', which was planned to be shot during the summer of 2001.<ref name=":71">{{Cite web |date=2004-02-11 |title=Cohort Productions |url=http://www.cohortproductions.com/projects.html |access-date=2025-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010225014537/http://www.cohortproductions.com/projects.html |archive-date=February 25, 2001 }}</ref><ref name=":41" /> The film was described by the production company as "a witty drama of a Brooklyn youth confronting his origins and growing up."<ref name=":71" /> The financing and distribution were to come from Moonstone and [[Overseas Filmgroup|Overseas Film Group]], but it fell through and the film was never made.<ref name=":41" />

The actor returned to stage work in late July 2001, when he began rehearsals for [[Reprise Theatre Company|Reprise! Theatre Company]]'s production of ''[[1776 (musical)|1776]]'', a Hollywood revival of the musical about the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]], staged for its Reprise! Broadway's Best series.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-07-29 |title=The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/188381426/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-09-02 |title=The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/188638471/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The play was directed by [[Gordon Hunt (director)|Gordon Hunt]] and starred [[Orson Bean]] as [[Benjamin Franklin]], [[Roger Rees]] as [[John Adams]], Griffith as [[Thomas Jefferson]], [[Marcia Mitzman Gaven]] as [[Abigail Adams]], and [[Beth Malone]] as [[Martha Jefferson]].<ref name=":55">{{Cite web |title=Reprise! 1776 Adds Griffith and Scherer to Sept. 4-16 Performances {{!}} Playbill |url=https://playbill.com/article/reprise-1776-adds-griffith-and-scherer-to-sept-4-16-performances-com-98022 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20210304170834/https://www.playbill.com/article/reprise-1776-adds-griffith-and-scherer-to-sept-4-16-performances-com-98022 |archive-date=2021-03-04 |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=Playbill |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-09-07 |title=The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/188710051/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> It ran for a planned week and a half, from September 4–16, 2001 at [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]]'s [[Freud Playhouse]].<ref name=":54">{{Cite web |last=Hirschhorn |first=Joel |date=2001-09-07 |title=1776 |url=https://variety.com/2001/legit/reviews/1776-2-1200470059/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-09-06 |title=The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/188709270/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Reuniting with director [[Rob Cohen]] (who had written and directed the pilot for ''The Guardian'' in 1997), Griffith was given a featured part in the [[Spy film|spy]]-action flick ''[[XXX (2002 film)|xXx]]'', in which he portrays [[National Security Agency|NSA]] Agent Jim McGrath, who gets shot during the opening scene while running through a [[Rammstein]] concert; his dead body is then passed around via [[crowd surfing]].<ref name="rammstein">{{cite web |title=Scene Shooting for the Movie Triple X |url=http://www.rammstein.de/history/#/article=206&timestamp=999314159647 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502204201/http://www.rammstein.de/history/#/article=206&timestamp=999314159647 |archive-date=2 May 2012 |access-date=6 May 2012 |publisher=Rammstein & Pilgrim Management}}<!-- The archive link for this is a bad link too -->{{Dead link|fix-attempted=yes|date=August 2020}}</ref> Griffith's scenes were filmed between December 2001 and March 2002, in [[Prague]], [[Czech Republic]], where most of the movie is set.<ref name=":48">{{cite web |last=Koehler |first=Robert |date=5 August 2002 |title=XXX |url=https://variety.com/2002/film/reviews/xxx-1200546971/ |website=Variety |quote=highlighted by lenser Dean Semler and designer Gavin Bocquet turning Prague into one of pic’s major attractions.}}</ref> The film, which stars [[Vin Diesel]] and co-stars [[Samuel L. Jackson]], [[Asia Argento]], and [[Marton Csokas]], was produced for [[Revolution Studios]] and released by [[Columbia Pictures]] and [[Sony Pictures]] in August 2002.<ref name=":48" /> Footage from ''xXx'' is used extensively throughout Rammstein's music video for "[[Feuer frei!]]", which was also directed by Cohen, including Griffith's dead body crowd surfing which can be seen toward the end. The song was released as a single in October 2002, and the music video was included as a bonus feature on an [[Enhanced CD|enhanced section]] of the "Feuer frei!" CD single.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-11-13 |title=rammstein.com |url=http://www.rammstein.com:80/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021113161950/http://www.rammstein.com:80/ |archive-date=November 13, 2002 }}</ref> The music video was also later included on Rammstein's DVD ''[[Lichtspielhaus]]'', which was released via [[Motor Music]], [[Republic Records]], and [[Universal Music Group|Universal Music]] in December 2003, and the Blu-ray edition of ''xXx''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-12-08 |title=LICHTSPIELHAUS |url=http://www.motor.de/rammstein_newsletter/lichtspielhaus1.html |access-date=2025-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031208160923/http://www.motor.de/rammstein_newsletter/lichtspielhaus1.html |archive-date=December 8, 2003 }}</ref>

Griffith next co-starred in the [[cyberpunk]] [[Science fiction film|science fiction]] action film ''[[Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision]]'' (a sequel to Jean-Claude van Damme's 1994 film ''[[Timecop]]''), which was shot at the [[Universal Studios Lot]] in [[Universal City, California]] between March and April 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-02-01 |title=Ukiah Daily Journal from Ukiah, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1676440/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":72">{{Cite web |date=2002-03-17 |title=Honolulu Star-Bulletin from Honolulu, Hawaii |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/274507433/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOB2L8JPaW0 |title=Behind the Scenes of "Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision" (2003) - Documentary |date=2012-04-13 |last=cronosmantas |access-date=2025-02-03 |via=YouTube}}</ref> In the sequel, van Damme's role is replaced by Time Enforcement Commission agent Ryan Chang, portrayed by [[Jason Scott Lee]].<ref name=":73">{{Cite web |date=2002-06-23 |title=The Winnipeg Sun from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/736983991/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Griffith plays Brandon Miller, another Time Enforcement Commission agent with altruistic ideals, who travels back in time to assassinate [[Adolf Hitler]]. Chang and Miller get into physical fights in different periods of time as the former realizes the latter is out to erase his [[Lineage (anthropology)|lineage]], thereby making him non-existent. Griffith's wife, Keller, plays the role of Doc and [[John Beck (actor)|John Beck]] also co-stars as director O'Rourke.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-10-16 |title=Record Searchlight from Redding, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/795286976/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The film was produced by [[Mike Elliott (filmmaker)|Mike Elliott]] and [[Gary Scott Thompson]] (the latter of whom also wrote the screenplay), and directed by [[Steve Boyum]], as a direct-to-video release by [[Universal Pictures|Universal Studios]]' Universal Home Entertainment Productions,<ref name=":72" /><ref name=":73" /> and was released on VHS and DVD in September 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-09-04 |title=The Star Press from Muncie, Indiana |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/253847977/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Periodic supporting roles in television and theater (2002–2007) ===
After filming wrapped for ''Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision'' in April 2002, Griffith took a year-and-a-half hiatus from acting. From then on, he only sporadically appeared in television and theater productions. In late 2003, he landed a semi-recurring role in the [[One Tree Hill season 1|first season]] of [[The WB]]'s [[teen drama]] series ''[[One Tree Hill (TV series)|One Tree Hill]]'', portraying [[Peyton Sawyer]]'s (played by [[Hilarie Burton]]) adoptive father, [[Larry Sawyer]].<ref name=":74">{{Cite web |date=2022-11-30 |title='One Tree Hill' Cast Secrets Revealed on 'Drama Queens' Podcast |url=https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/pictures/one-tree-hill-cast-secrets-revealed-on-drama-queens-podcast/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130071807/https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/pictures/one-tree-hill-cast-secrets-revealed-on-drama-queens-podcast/ |archive-date=November 30, 2022 }}</ref><ref name=":75">{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Elise |date=2021-09-06 |title='One Tree Hill': The Real Reason Why Peyton's Dad, Larry Sawyer, Was Recast |url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/one-tree-hill-peytons-dad-larry-sawyer-recast.html/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Showbiz Cheat Sheet |language=en-US}}</ref> In the series, Sawyer was often away due to working on a boat, so his character only appeared in a sparse five episodes during the first season: "The Living Years" (which aired in January 2004), "Crash Course in Polite Conversations" (February 2004), "Spirit in the Night" (April 2004), "To Wish Impossible Things" (April 2004), and "The Leaving Song" (May 2004). The character was omitted from the series [[One Tree Hill season 2|second season]] because the writers felt that Griffith and Burton's on-screen chemistry and energy came off as "too flirty".<ref name=":74" /><ref name=":75" /> When the character was re-introduced in the [[One Tree Hill season 3|third season]], Griffith was replaced by [[Kevin Kilner]].<ref name=":74" /><ref name=":75" />

In January 2004, he again returned to stage work to appear in a one-night-only revival of the musical ''[[I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road]]'' at the [[Freud Playhouse]] in Los Angeles (the play went on January 26, the night before his first episode of ''One Tree Hill'' aired).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-01-11 |title=The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/192713217/ |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":56">{{Cite web |last=Hirschhorn |first=Joel |date=2004-01-27 |title=I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road |url=https://variety.com/2004/legit/markets-festivals/i-m-getting-my-act-together-and-taking-it-on-the-road-1200536796/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> Directed by Kay Cole for [[Reprise Theatre Company|Reprise! Theatre Company]]'s Marvelous Musical Monday series, the play starred [[Sharon Lawrence]] as Heather, a middle-aged woman who wants to make a comeback musical show of her own material but is discouraged by her manager, Joe Epstein (Griffith).<ref name=":56" />

In October 2004, [[Tobinworld]] published the [[cookbook]] ''Recipes from the Stars Cookbook'', which included one recipe each from Griffith and Keller, along with fun anecdotes, facts, and pictures from each of the nearly one hundred contributors.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-10-22 |title=Recipes From the Stars Cookbook |url=http://www.tobinworld.org/cookbookLearnmore.htm |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041022151925/http://www.tobinworld.org/cookbookLearnmore.htm |archive-date=October 22, 2004 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-07-08 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith/Biography |url=http://www.tigriffith.com:80/griffith_bio_english.htm |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708141343/http://www.tigriffith.com:80/griffith_bio_english.htm |archive-date=July 8, 2007 }}</ref><ref name=":81">{{Cite web |date=2004-10-13 |title=Cooking with star power |url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/glendale-news-press/news/tn-gnp-xpm-2004-10-13-export7091-story.html |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Glendale News-Press |language=en-US}}</ref> The book was in development since 1996,<ref name=":82">{{Cite web |date=1996-07-11 |title=The Sentinel from Carlisle, Pennsylvania |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/346403825/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and was put together as a fund raiser to benefit Tobinworld, a non-profit special education school for autistic and other special needs children and adults in [[Glendale, California|Glendale]], California.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-10-16 |title=The Montana Standard from Butte, Montana |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/352517023/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":81" /><ref name=":82" />

After another year-and-a-half off, he appeared in a guest supporting role on [[TNT (American TV network)|TNT]]'s [[Prime time|prime-time]] [[police procedural]] television series ''[[The Closer]]'', in the first season episode "The Butler Did It." The episode was directed by [[Tawnia McKiernan]] and aired on August 15, 2005.<ref name=":85">{{Cite web |date=2005-12-31 |title=The Butler Did It (01x09) - The Closer |url=http://www.serienjunkies.de/TheCloser/1x9-The-Butler-Did-It.html |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051231102244/http://www.serienjunkies.de/TheCloser/1x9-The-Butler-Did-It.html |archive-date=December 31, 2005 }}</ref><ref name=":86">{{Cite web |date=2005-08-04 |title=The Closer |url=http://www.tnt.tv/title/0,,612019,00.html |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050804083410/http://www.tnt.tv/title/0,,612019,00.html |archive-date=August 4, 2005 }}</ref> Griffith played the role of [[Deputy District Attorney]] Thomas Yates who joins an investigation into the apparent suicide of an affluent family's butler, on trial for murder, when the police department and district attorney's office are not convinced of his guilt.<ref name=":85" /><ref name=":86" />

Around the same time, he had a featured role in another one-night-only revival of the stage musical ''[[Camelot (musical)|Camelot]]'', based on the legend of [[King Arthur]] and the [[Knights of the Round Table]].<ref name=":57">{{Cite web |last=Hirschhorn |first=Joel |date=2005-08-15 |title=Camelot |url=https://variety.com/2005/music/markets-festivals/camelot-9-1200523878/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":58">{{Cite web |title=James Barbour and Malcolm Gets Join Hollywood Bowl Camelot {{!}} Playbill |url=https://playbill.com/article/james-barbour-and-malcolm-gets-join-hollywood-bowl-camelot-com-126456 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20210511005344/https://www.playbill.com/article/james-barbour-and-malcolm-gets-join-hollywood-bowl-camelot-com-126456 |archive-date=2021-05-11 |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=Playbill |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":76">{{Cite web |title=Casting Complete for Hollywood Bowl Camelot; Creative Team Announced |url=https://playbill.com/article/casting-complete-for-hollywood-bowl-camelot-creative-team-announced-com-127160 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241130071649/https://playbill.com/article/casting-complete-for-hollywood-bowl-camelot-creative-team-announced-com-127160 |archive-date=2024-11-30 |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Playbill |language=en-US}}</ref> Coincidentally, like the year before, the play went on the night before his episode of ''The Closer'' aired, on August 14, 2005, at the [[Hollywood Bowl]].<ref name=":57" /> Directed by [[Gordon Hunt (director)|Gordon Hunt]], Griffith was cast as [[Dinadan]], with the lead of King Arthur played by [[Jeremy Irons]].<ref name=":76" /><ref name=":77">{{Cite web |date=2005-06-13 |title=Irons, Errico, Barbour, Gets to Star in Hollywood Bowl's Camelot - TheaterMania.com |url=https://www.theatermania.com/news/irons-errico-barbour-gets-to-star-in-hollywood-bowls-camelot_6171/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |language=en-US}}</ref> The rest of the cast also included [[Melissa Errico]], [[Paxton Whitehead]], [[James Barbour (singer)|James Barbour]], [[Orson Bean]], [[Malcolm Gets]], [[Anthony Meindl]], and [[Kevin Earley]].<ref name=":77" /><ref name=":76" />

Another year and a half went by before he guest co-starred in a [[Cold Case season 4|season four]] episode of [[CBS]]'s prime-time [[police procedural]] [[crime drama]] television series ''[[Cold Case]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-12-23 |title=Cold Case: The Red and the Blue - TV.com |url=http://www.tv.com/cold-case/the-red-and-the-blue/episode/906070/summary.html |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223155523/http://www.tv.com/cold-case/the-red-and-the-blue/episode/906070/summary.html |archive-date=December 23, 2008 }}</ref><ref name=":87">{{Cite web |date=2008-01-09 |title=Cold Case - Kein Opfer ist je vergessen - Cold Case - TV-Serie : Episode-Guide, News, Spoiler, Darsteller, Informationen und DVD Shop |url=http://www.serienjunkies.de/ColdCase/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080109042354/http://www.serienjunkies.de/ColdCase/ |archive-date=January 9, 2008 }}</ref> The episode, "[[The Red and the Blue (Cold Case)|The Red and the Blue]]", which aired on December 10, 2006, reunited Griffith with ''Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision'' director [[Steve Boyum]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-12-10 |title=Cold Case on CBS |website=[[CBS]] |url=http://www.cbs.com/primetime/cold_case/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061210115052/http://www.cbs.com/primetime/cold_case/ |archive-date=December 10, 2006 }}</ref> The story follows an investigation into a cold case murder of a Tennessee musician when his three-piece country band, The Sugar Boys, played in Philadelphia six years earlier. Griffith portrays Mitch, a sleazy booking agent and club owner in Philadelphia, one of the many suspected of the crime after he is accused by his wife of murdering the musician.<ref name=":87" />

In mid-2007, Griffith and [[Judd Nelson]] were cast as co-stars supporting [[Amy Carlson]] in the suspense thriller film ''Black Friday'' (later retitled ''The Kidnapping)''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-07-11 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith/photos |url=http://www.tigriffith.com:80/griffith_photos.htm |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070711195832/http://www.tigriffith.com:80/griffith_photos.htm |archive-date=July 11, 2007 }}</ref> The plot deals with two dirty cops, Cash (Griffith) and Glen (Nelson), who kidnap the daughter of bank security expert Rachel McKenzie (Carlson) and demand as ransom that she crack her bank's high-tech security system in order to retrieve some incriminating evidence hidden in a dead cop's safety deposit box.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-03-22 |title=LMN.tv: Movie Details |url=http://www.lmn.tv/movies/details.php?id=MOVE+4079 |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322143657/http://www.lmn.tv/movies/details.php?id=MOVE+4079 |archive-date=March 22, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-01-08 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith/Black Friday |url=http://www.tigriffith.com/black_friday.htm |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080108134323/http://www.tigriffith.com/black_friday.htm |archive-date=January 8, 2008 }}</ref> The movie was directed by [[Arthur Allan Seidelman]] and produced through Alpine Medien Productions (operated by producers [[Robert Halmi]], Kevin Bocarde, Brian J. Gordon, Nick Lombardo, and Michael Moran), in association with [[Larry Levenson|Larry Levinson]]'s [[Larry Levinson Productions]]. ''The Kidnapping'' was distributed via [[RHI Entertainment]] and had its American premiere on the [[Lifetime Movie Network]] television channel in February 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-02-10 |title=LMN.tv: TV Schedule |url=http://www.lmn.tv/schedule/index.php?show=month |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080210033109/http://www.lmn.tv/schedule/index.php?show=month |archive-date=February 10, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-02-19 |title=Florence Morning News from Florence, South Carolina |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/986533794/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-02-07 |title=The Salisbury Post from Salisbury, North Carolina |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1029715935/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> It was later released on DVD under its original title, ''Black Friday'', by [[Paramount Home Entertainment|Paramount Home Video Entertainment]].

His final acting role was as a supporting character, playing the Russian Alexander Molokov in the one-night-only revival of the stage musical ''[[Chess (musical)|Chess]]'', which went on at the [[John Anson Ford Amphitheatre]] in Los Angeles on September 17, 2007.''<ref name=":59">{{Cite web |title=Chess: The Musical Benefit - September 17, 2007 |url=http://chess-the-musical.com/Thomas.html |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=chess-the-musical.com}}</ref>''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sims |first=James |title=Photos: Broadway Cares LA 'Chess' Benefit |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo-Coverage-Broadway-Cares-LA-Chess-Benefit-20070920 |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}</ref> The play, which tells the story of two chess players during the [[Cold War]], was produced and directed by Brian Michael Purcell as a benefit for [[Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS]].''<ref name=":59" />''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-10-07 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith/Theater |url=http://www.tigriffith.com/theatre.htm |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007092212/http://www.tigriffith.com/theatre.htm |archive-date=October 7, 2008 }}</ref> ''Chess'' starred Kevin Early, Tom Schmid, [[Matthew Morrison]], [[Susan Egan]], and [[Cindy Robinson]].''<ref name=":59" />'' Another project Griffith worked on in 2007, was a film titled ''Pre-K'', which he wrote, produced, and directed, and which features [[Kevin Earley|Kevin Early]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-08-27 |title=Kevin Earley - Actor, Singer |url=http://www.kevinearley.com:80/content/view/20/67/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070827211923/http://www.kevinearley.com:80/content/view/20/67/ |archive-date=August 27, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-06-30 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith/movies |url=http://www.tigriffith.com:80/griffith_movies.htm |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630182255/http://www.tigriffith.com:80/griffith_movies.htm |archive-date=June 30, 2007 }}</ref>

=== Focus on writing and producing (2007–2020) ===
After appearing in ''Chess'' in September 2007, Griffith retired from acting to focus on writing.<ref name=":110" /> In addition to his credited screenplays, he had also done a number of uncredited re-writes over the years and wanted to settle down as a writer and spend more time with his sons.<ref name=":110" /> In 2007, he began working on a [[Star vehicle|film vehicle]] for comedian [[George Lopez]], ''Brownie Master''.<ref name=":59" /> The plot involves the comedian as a workaholic and widowed single father, who takes his teenage daughter to [[Brownies (Scouting)|Brownie camp]] and gets involved with the outdoors. The movie was produced through Lopez's Encanto Enterprises, directed by [[William Dear]], and filmed at the YMCA Camp Howdy in [[Port Moody]], British Columbia, Canada in September 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-09-11 |title=The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/497591232/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Briefly retitled to ''Operation Troop Master'', then to ''[[Mr. Troop Mom]]'', the film premiered on [[Nickelodeon]] on June 19, 2009,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-06-27 |title=The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/497456420/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="MrNickAtNitePage">{{cite web |title=Mr. Troop Mom - A Brand New Movie! |url=http://www.nickatnite.com/shows/mr-troop-mom/home.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527004822/http://www.nickatnite.com/shows/mr-troop-mom/home.jhtml |archive-date=May 27, 2009 |access-date=2009-05-25 |publisher=Nick@Nite}}</ref> and was released and distributed via [[Warner Home Video]] on [[DVD]] and [[Blu-ray]] on June 23, 2009.<ref name="MrTroopMomNews">{{cite web |title=Lopez Goes to Camp for Nick |url=http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/05/lopez_goes_to_camp_for_nick.php |access-date=2009-05-22 |publisher=TVWeek}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=2640 |title=Mr. Troop Mom Announced for Blu-ray |access-date=2025-02-08 |via=www.blu-ray.com}}</ref><ref name="BluRayRelease">{{cite web |title=Warner, Nickelodeon Bring 'Mr. Troop Mom' to Blu-ray |url=http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Disc_Announcements/Direct-to-High-Def_Premieres/Warner/Warner,_Nickelodeon_Bring_Mr._Troop_Mom_to_Blu-ray/2755 |access-date=2009-05-22 |publisher=High-Def Digest}}</ref>

In the mid 2000s, Griffith went to see [[John Carpenter]] and his wife, producer [[Sandy King (producer)|Sandy King]], at their Storm King Productions office to pitch an idea for a new project.<ref name=":95">{{Cite web |date=2014-12-13 |title=In the Mouth of John Carpenter's Misunderstood Masterpiece - Speakeasy - WSJ |work=Wall Street Journal |url=http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/12/05/in-the-mouth-of-john-carpenters-misunderstood-masterpiece/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213054511/http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/12/05/in-the-mouth-of-john-carpenters-misunderstood-masterpiece/ |archive-date=December 13, 2014 |last1=Calia |first1=Michael }}</ref><ref name=":96">{{Cite web |last=Yanes |first=Nicholas |date=2021-01-12 |title=Sandy King discusses movie making and the comic book "John Carpenter's Asylum" |url=https://www.scifipulse.net/sandy-king-discusses-movie-making-and-the-comic-book-john-carpenters-asylum/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=SciFiPulse.Net |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=edohotep |date=2022-10-15 |title=An Interview With Sandy King Of Storm King Comics {{!}} Otaku No Culture |url=https://otakunoculture.com/2022/10/15/storm-king-comics-interview/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=otakunoculture.com |language=en-US}}</ref> He proposed a story about a [[defrocked priest]] who has the [[gift of discernment]] - someone with the ability to see pure innocence and true evil, take the latter into themselves, and dissolve it - but with the added catch that while the evil is inside him, he becomes that demon/evil before it is dissolved.<ref name=":95" /><ref name=":97">{{Cite web |date=2016-01-07 |title=Tales for a HalloweeNight, Asylum, and More: An Interview with Real-Life Scream Queen Sandy King Carpenter |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tales-for-a-halloween-nig_b_8650264 |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Greg |title=The Pullbox Interviews Sandy King Carpenter from Storm King Productions - The PullBox |url=https://www.thepullbox.com/2016/03/skc/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |language=en-US}}</ref> Carpenter and King were impressed with the premise, as it was not something they had seen used in film before, and King felt it gave a new twist to the [[Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (character)|Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]] character and story.<ref name=":97" /><ref name=":96" /><ref name=":95" /> The three of them continued developing the plot together, with Griffith and King taking on the job of writing a pilot episode to pitch to networks as a new television series titled ''Asylum''.<ref name=":98">{{Cite web |last=Nunn |first=Jerry |title=Comics for the Carpenters |url=https://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/I804025 |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=GoPride Chicago (ChicagoPride.com) |language=EN}}</ref><ref name=":96" /><ref name=":95" /> King also suggested splitting up the priest's role into two characters for dramatic effect: one as the former priest with the gift of discernment, and another as a [[Los Angeles Police Department|Los Angeles Police Department Detective]] to help with the investigation and who internalizes the demon before it is dissolved.<ref name=":97" /><ref name=":96" /><ref name=":95" /> After coming up with the several story arcs, characters, and settings, taking much inspiration from the ''[[Book of Revelation]]'' and the ''[[Bible]]'', the trio proposed the ''Asylum'' pilot to television network executives but were turned down because it was deemed too dark.<ref name=":96" /><ref name=":95" /> The project was shelved for several years.<ref name=":95" /><ref name=":99">{{Cite web |last=Earl |first=William |date=2023-01-10 |title=Sandy King Carpenter Was Sick of Comic Book Industry Gatekeepers. A Decade Later, Her Self-Started Publishing House Is Scary Successful |url=https://variety.com/2023/biz/news/sandy-king-carpenter-storm-king-comics-john-carpenter-1235484193/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

In April 2011, Carpenter, King, and Griffith decided to tempt the networks again with their [[Supernatural horror film|supernatural horror series]] ''Asylum'', since they felt that other shows being produced at the time had broken new grounds.<ref name=":95" /> They formed a new partnership, Storm Tiger Enterprises, an imprint of Storm King Productions.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=July 2011 |title=John Carpenter's Asylum |url=https://trendingpopculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/John-Carpenters-Asylum-Creator-Intro-and-Bios.pdf |journal=John Carpenter's Asylum}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Storm Tiger Enterprises LLC |url=https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ca/201110810124 |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=OpenCorporates}}</ref> To help convey their vision with the network executives, King and Griffith had elaborate [[storyboard]]s created which illustrated scenes that looked similar to a comic book.<ref name=":100">{{Cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=How Sandy and John Carpenter will celebrate 10 years of terror in graphic novels – Daily News |website=[[Los Angeles Daily News]] |url=https://www.dailynews.com/2023/09/26/how-sandy-and-john-carpenter-will-celebrate-10-years-of-terror-in-graphic-novels/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928104549/https://www.dailynews.com/2023/09/26/how-sandy-and-john-carpenter-will-celebrate-10-years-of-terror-in-graphic-novels/ |archive-date=September 28, 2023 }}</ref><ref name=":99" /><ref name=":101">{{Cite web |last=Cavanaugh |first=Patrick |date=2019-03-21 |title=Storm King Productions President Sandy King Details the State of Horror Comics and the Genre's Future |url=https://comicbook.com/horror/news/sandy-king-carpenter-interview-storm-king-comics/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":102">{{Cite web |last=Waldstein |first=Howard |date=2023-09-11 |title=INTERVIEW: Storm King Comics' Sandy King Talks Darked & Twisted Serial Killers, and Cultivating Talent |url=https://www.cbr.com/interview-storm-king-comics-sandy-king/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref> Although several major studios showed initial interest in the series, King later stated she felt they were more interested in using Carpenter's name for publicity and had no intention of respecting the artistic integrity and vision of the project.<ref name=":95" /><ref name=":102" /><ref name=":103">{{Cite web |last=Foreman |first=Alison |date=2024-10-31 |title=The Killer Instinct of Sandy King Carpenter: In Conversation with the Horror Icon |url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/sandy-king-carpenter-interview-1235061636/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=IndieWire |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":98" /> During a development meeting with a major television network which had agreed to co-produce the series, an assistant executive insisted that the show be filmed in a sleepy little town in the [[Carolinas]], instead of the planned Los Angeles, so that it would cost less money by using [[International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees|non-union film workers]].<ref name=":95" /><ref name=":99" /><ref name=":101" /> King was adamant about filming on location in Los Angeles because of the city's [[Santa Ana winds]], which make the city's skies look as if it is on fire, and because of the tongue-in-cheek reference to [[Lucifer]] being loose in "the city of angels."<ref name=":95" /><ref name=":99" /><ref name=":102" /> When the same assistant pushed that the [[cinematography]] of the show did not need to match that of the storyboards and art pieces provided because they were not making a [[comic book]], King became disenchanted with the television prospect, and ended the meeting.<ref name=":102" /><ref name=":101" />

Griffith and King spent the next two years developing the ''Asylum'' project into a comic book, initially hoping to produce it in cooperation with an established publisher, but King ultimately formed the Storm King Comics division to keep full control over its artistic vision.<ref name=":103" /><ref name=":100" /><ref name=":99" /> Although Griffith, King, and Carpenter all pitched in with creating the three-arc story-line and the outline of each issue, comic book writer [[Bruce Jones (comics)|Bruce Jones]] does most of the bulk writing.<ref name=":100" /><ref name=":98" /> They also hired such illustrators as [[Leonardo Manco]], [[Tom Mandrake]], [[Trent Olsen]], and Mariana Sanzone.<ref name=":105">{{Cite web |title=Comic Review: John Carpenter's Asylum Volume 2 |url=https://geeksofdoom.com/2017/03/01/comic-review-john-carpenters-asylum-volume-2 |access-date=2025-02-09}}</ref><ref name=":97" /> ''Asylum''<nowiki/>'s first issue was released on May 29, 2013,<ref name=":108">{{Cite web |title=JOHN CARPENTERS ASYLUM #1 (MR) (APR131232) |url=https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/APR131232 |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=www.previewsworld.com |language=en}}</ref> distributed by [[Diamond Comic Distributors]] in North America and the UK.<ref name=":104">{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Debi |date=2016-05-02 |title=Get a Sneak Peek of Issue #14 of John Carpenter's Asylum |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/163995/get-sneak-peek-issue-14-john-carpenters-asylum/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=Dread Central |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":103" /> On October 29, 2014, Volume 1 of the ''Asylum'' series was released in [[Hardcover|hardback]], which contains the first six issues of the series (the entire first arc), with an additional prequel not found elsewhere.<ref name=":109">{{Cite web |date=2014-10-29 |title=PREVIEWSworld - New Releases |url=http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |access-date=2025-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029040549/http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |archive-date=October 29, 2014 }}</ref><ref name=":107">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Derek |date=2014-08-25 |title=John Carpenter's Asylum Comic Book Series Collected in Graphic Novel |url=https://dailydead.com/john-carpenters-asylum-comic-book-series-collected-graphic-novel/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=Daily Dead |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-08-25 |title=NYCC'14: John Carpenter's Asylum releases graphic novel at New York Comic Con — Major Spoilers — Comic Book Reviews, News, Previews, and Podcasts |url=https://majorspoilers.com/2014/08/25/nycc14-john-carpenters-asylum-releases-graphic-novel-new-york-comic-con/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |language=en-US}}</ref> On May 25, 2016, the fourteenth issue was released, bringing the second arc of the series to a close;<ref name=":104" /> Volume 2 was released in hardback on October 11, 2016, which contains the entire second arc of the series (issues seven to fourteen).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Asylum – Storm King Comics |url=https://old.stormkingcomics.com/asylum/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":105" /> ''Asylum''<nowiki/>'s third arc has been planned and written for some time but is delayed because a new illustrator needs to be secured.<ref name=":103" /><ref name=":26" /><ref name=":97" />

In 2012, Keller was invited by one of the [[showrunner]]s to appear in the [[Grimm season 2|second season]] episode "[[The Other Side (Grimm)|The Other Side]]" of [[NBC]]'s [[fantasy]] [[police procedural]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] [[Horror film|horror]] television series ''[[Grimm (TV series)|Grimm]]''.<ref name=":110" /> This led Griffith and Keller to write the episode "[[Natural Born Wesen]]" for the program, which was filmed later that same season, and aired on March 15, 2013. Griffith went on to write a total of fourteen episodes by the series' end. This included the [[Grimm season 3|season 3]] episodes "[[Cold Blooded (Grimm)|Cold Blooded]]" (aired December 13, 2013), "[[Eyes of the Beholder]]" (January 14, 2014), and "[[My Fair Wesen]]" (May 2, 2014); the [[Grimm season 4|season 4]] episodes "[[The Last Fight (Grimm)|The Last Fight]]" (November 7, 2014), "[[Wesenrein]]" (January 16, 2015), "[[Bad Luck (Grimm)|Bad Luck]]" (March 20, 2015), and "[[Cry Havoc (Grimm)|Cry Havoc]]" (May 15, 2015); the [[Grimm season 5|season 5]] episodes "[[Clear and Wesen Danger]]" (November 6, 2015), "[[Eve of Destruction (Grimm)|Eve of Destruction]]" (January 29, 2016), "[[Key Move]]" (March 4, 2016), and the second portion of the two-part episode "[[The Beginning of the End (Grimm)|The Beginning of the End]]" (May 20, 2016); and the [[Grimm season 6|season 6]] episodes "[[Oh Captain, My Captain (Grimm)|Oh Captain, My Captain]]" (January 20, 2017) and "[[Blood Magic]]" (March 10, 2017).

For ''Grimm''<nowiki/>'s fourth season, Griffith worked as [[story editor]] on all twenty-two episodes (along with fellow story editor [[Michael Golamco]]), in addition to the four episodes he authored; Keller was also offered the job but turned it down for a recurring role in ''[[Chasing Life]]''.<ref name=":110" /> For the program's fifth season, he became [[Television producer|co-producer]] and worked on all twenty-two episodes (while Golamco was promoted to executive story editor). For the series [[Grimm season 6|sixth and final season]], he was promoted to [[supervising producer]] and worked on all thirteen episodes. Griffith worked on a total of 61 ''Grimm'' episodes during his five years on the show.

After ''Grimm'' wrapped up in 2017, he and Keller co-created the drama television series ''The Dunnings'', which romanticizes Griffith's family and his mother's dance school, The Griffith Academy of Dance.<ref name=":26" /> The press release described the show as "''The Dunnings'' revolves around a prominent Connecticut family. When the matriarch passes away, her youngest daughter returns home to take over the dance school that her mother ran for 40 years and, in doing so, embarks on a journey to redefine the American dream."<ref name=":27" /><ref name=":88">{{Cite web |date=2017-11-03 |title=NBC Buys Family Dance School Drama From Hazy Mills, Thomas Ian Griffith & Mary Page Keller |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/nbc-buys-family-dance-school-163019982.html |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Yahoo Entertainment |language=en-US}}</ref> In October 2017, Griffith and Keller teamed up with ''Grimm''<nowiki/>'s executive producers [[Sean Hayes]] and Todd Milliner and their company, [[Hazy Mills Productions]], to bring the hour-long show into development.<ref name=":26" /><ref name=":88" /> The producer made a deal with [[Universal Television]] and NBC, but ''The Dunnings'' was never made.<ref name=":26" /><ref name=":88" />

In 2018, the couple collaborated to write the sixth episode of [[Dolly Parton]]'s [[comedy drama]] [[Anthology series|anthology]] series ''[[Dolly Parton's Heartstrings]]'' for [[Netflix]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Previewing Dolly Parton's Heartstrings – TV Goodness |url=https://www.tvgoodness.com/2019/11/21/previewing-dolly-partons-heartstrings/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |language=en-US}}</ref> Co-produced by Parton's [[Sandollar Productions|Dixie Pixie Productions]] and Sam Haskell's [[Magnolia Hill Productions]], along with producer [[Patrick Sean Smith]], the series presents Parton's songs into televised stories.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Porter |first=Rick |date=2018-11-01 |title=Dolly Parton Netflix Series 'Heartstrings' Sets Cast for 'Jolene' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/dolly-partons-netflix-series-heartstrings-sets-cast-jolene-1157002/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> Griffith and Keller penned the episode "Sugar Hill," which recounts the long relationship of an elder couple together since childhood, starring [[Timothy Busfield]], [[Patricia Wettig]], [[Virginia Gardner]], and [[Tom Brittney]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Porter |first=Rick |date=2019-02-11 |title='Dolly Parton's Heartstrings': All the Details on the Netflix Series |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/country/dolly-parton-heartstrings-netflix-series-details-8497753/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref> It was directed by [[Lev L. Spiro]], and was filmed in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] between September 2018 and January 2019; it was released (simultaneously with the entire series) on November 22, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Turchiano |first=Danielle |date=2019-02-11 |title=Melissa Leo, Camryn Manheim Among Cast for 'Dolly Parton's Heartstrings' |url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/dolly-parton-heartstrings-cast-melissa-leo-camryn-manheim-tim-busfield-casting-1203135743/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

After ''The Dunnings'' fell through, Griffith and Keller co-created another television series, the political thriller drama ''The Translator's Daughter''.<ref name=":89" /> The press release described the show as "A thriller about an American college student who, while interning for the CIA, finds herself torn among the loyalty to her country, the female crime boss protecting her and the young New York detective with whom she's fallen in love."<ref name=":89" /> In October 2019, the couple teamed up again with Hayes and Milliner's Hazy Mills Productions to co-produce the show, in a deal with Universal Television and NBC, but ''The Translator's Daughter'' was never made.<ref name=":89">{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=2019-10-14 |title=NBC Buys 'The Translator's Daughter' CIA Drama From Hazy Mills & 'Grimm' Writers |url=https://deadline.com/2019/10/nbc-the-translators-daughter-cia-drama-hazy-mills-grimm-writers-1202758528/ |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Petski |first=Nellie Andreeva,Denise |date=2019-11-07 |title=ABC Nabs Comedy 'Freedom' From Suzanne Martin & Hazy Mills As Put Pilot |url=https://deadline.com/2019/11/abc-freedom-comedy-suzanne-martin-hazy-mills-put-pilot-womens-prison-release-1202779742/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2019, Griffith and Keller reunited with Dolly Parton's Dixie Pixie Productions and Sam Haskell's Magnolia Hill Productions to help as consulting producers on the [[Christmas by medium#Films|Christmas]] [[musical film]] ''[[Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oganesyan |first=Natalie |date=September 29, 2020 |title=Netflix Announces 'Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square' (TV News Roundup) |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/netflix-dolly-parton-christmas-on-the-square-premiere-1234786945/ |access-date=October 26, 2020 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lancaster |first=Jessilyn |date=2020-12-04 |title=Dolly Parton Movie Producer Discusses Producing for Film and Television |url=https://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/dolly-parton-movie-producer-discusses-producing-for-film-and-television.html |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Movieguide {{!}} The Family Guide to Movies & Entertainment |language=en-US}}</ref> Directed and choreographed by [[Debbie Allen]], it was filmed in Georgia<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-18 |title="Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square" Sets Were Made Using Finds from HomeGoods and Amazon |url=https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/a35009116/set-design-dolly-parton-christmas-on-the-square-netflix/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=House Beautiful |language=en-US}}</ref> and stars Parton, [[Christine Baranski]], [[Jenifer Lewis]], [[Treat Williams]], [[Jeanine Mason]], and [[Josh Segarra]].<ref name=":94">{{Cite web |last=McHenry |first=Jackson |date=October 7, 2020 |title=Behold Actual Angel Dolly Parton in Netflix's Christmas on the Square |url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/10/dolly-parton-christmas-movie-netflix.html |access-date=October 26, 2020 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}}</ref> The plot follows the wealthy Regina Fuller (Baranski), returning to her hometown to evict the residents and sell the land to a mall developer, but ultimately has a change of heart.<ref name=":94" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Turchiano |first=Danielle |date=October 22, 2020 |title=Dolly Parton Sings as an Angel in 'Christmas on the Square' Trailer |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/dolly-parton-christmas-on-the-square-trailer-netflix-1234812926/ |access-date=October 26, 2020 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> The movie premiered on [[Netflix]] on November 22, 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mallenbaum |first=Carly |date=October 21, 2020 |title=Everything new on Netflix in November: 'The Crown' Season 4 to Shawn Mendes documentary |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2020/10/21/new-netflix-november-2020-the-crown-shawn-mendes-doc/5996229002/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021152717/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2020/10/21/new-netflix-november-2020-the-crown-shawn-mendes-doc/5996229002/ |archive-date=October 21, 2020 |access-date=November 23, 2020 |work=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> At the [[73rd Primetime Emmy Awards]], ''Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square'' won the award for Outstanding Television Movie.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Outstanding Made for Television Movie Nominees / Winners 2021 |url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2021/outstanding-made-for-television-movie}}</ref>

=== Return to acting and continued writing and producing (2021–present) ===
On December 21, 2020, Griffith took part of the ''[[Reunited Apart]]'' [[videocast]] that included most cast members of ''The Karate Kid'' series.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gilcrease |first=Grayson |date=December 21, 2020 |title=Mr. Miyagi Would Approve of This Massive Karate Kid and Cobra Kai Reunion |url=https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/karate-kid-cast-reunion-with-josh-gad-video-48075224 |access-date=December 21, 2020 |work=[[Popsugar]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYwPHqKvdJM |title=The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai REUNITED APART |date=2020-12-21 |last=Josh Gad |access-date=2025-02-10 |via=YouTube}}</ref> In 2021, Griffith came out of his retirement from acting to reprise the role of [[Terry Silver]] in the fourth, fifth, and sixth seasons of ''[[Cobra Kai]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=2021-05-27 |title=Terry Silver Returns In 'Cobra Kai' Season 4 |url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/terry-silver-returns-cobra-kai-season-4-thomas-ian-griffith-1234765219/ |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=Deadline |language=en-US |archive-date=May 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527212902/https://deadline.com/2021/05/terry-silver-returns-cobra-kai-season-4-thomas-ian-griffith-1234765219/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Moylan |first=Brian |date=2021-12-31 |title=The Complete History of New 'Cobra Kai' Villain Terry Silver |url=https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a38579940/cobra-kai-who-is-terry-silver/ |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=Men's Health |language=en-US |archive-date=March 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308102635/https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a38579940/cobra-kai-who-is-terry-silver/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He also voiced his character in the 2022 video game ''[[Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising]]''.

Griffith and Keller reunited with ''Dolly Parton's Heatrstrings'' producer [[Patrick Sean Smith]] in 2022, who had been named new [[showrunner]] for the upcoming fifth season of Netflix's [[Romance film|romantic]] [[drama series]] ''[[Virgin River (TV series)|Virgin River]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Swift |first=Andy |date=July 26, 2022 |title=''Virgin River'' Season 5: Greek Creator Patrick Sean Smith Named New Showrunner — Here's His First Tease |url=https://tvline.com/2022/07/26/virgin-river-season-5-new-showrunner-patrick-sean-smith-sue-tenney/ |access-date=November 21, 2022 |website=TVLine}}</ref> Griffith and Keller were brought in as [[supervising producer]]s (working on all twelve episodes of the season), and also co-wrote the episode "Heroes Rise," which was directed by [[Martin Wood (director)|Martin Wood]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-22 |title=What Another World Alums and Real Life Husband and Wife Thomas Ian Griffith and Mary Page Keller Are Up To |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/another-world-alums-real-life-184536067.html |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=Yahoo Entertainment |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":106">{{Cite web |last=Choudhury |first=Priyashmita |date=2025-01-09 |title=Cobra Kai and Virgin River have a shocking connection that no one knows about |url=https://www.soapcentral.com/shows/cobra-kai-virgin-river-shocking-connection-one-knows |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=www.soapcentral.com |language=en-us}}</ref> The series is filmed in and around Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; filming for the fifth season began on July 18 and concluded on November 21, 2022,<ref>{{cite news |date=November 18, 2022 |title=DGC BC Production List |url=https://www.dgc.ca/assets/Uploads/BritishColumbia/AvailsProductionLists/Production/Production-List.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120063333/https://www.dgc.ca/assets/Uploads/BritishColumbia/AvailsProductionLists/Production/Production-List.pdf |archive-date=November 20, 2022 |access-date=November 21, 2022 |work=[[Directors Guild of Canada]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite instagram |postid=ClPBbwvADQk |user=virginriverseries |title=That's a WRAP on Season 5!😉 |author=virginriverseries |date=November 21, 2022 |access-date=November 21, 2022}}</ref> but was only released a year later on September 7, 2023. In April 2023, Griffith and Keller were promoted to [[co-executive producer]]s for the show's sixth season,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Kasey |date=2023-04-11 |title='Virgin River' Season 5: Netflix Release Date Estimate & What We Know So Far |url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/virgin-river-season-5-netflix-release-date-estimate-what-to-expect-04-2023/ |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=What's on Netflix |language=en}}</ref> which was filmed between February 22 and May 31, 2024.<ref name="S6Filminandprequel">{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=February 22, 2024 |title='Virgin River' Prequel About Mel's Parents In Works At Netflix As Season 6 Starts Production |url=https://deadline.com/2024/02/virgin-river-prequel-mels-parents-sarah-everett-season-6-production-start-date-1235833712/ |access-date=February 22, 2024 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref> Season six was released on December 19, 2024, and includes another episode penned by the couple, "Love Story," directed by Felipe Rodriguez.<ref name=":106" /> Griffith and Keller have been announced as writing and co-executive producing the ten episodes for season seven, which will be released in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Caruso |first=Nick |date=2024-11-18 |title=Cobra Kai's Thomas Ian Griffith on Silver's Return, Rivalry With Kreese: 'He's Not a Redeemable Character in Terry's Eyes' |url=https://tvline.com/interviews/cobra-kai-thomas-ian-griffith-terry-silver-returns-season-6-1235376596/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=TVLine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":90" /><ref name=":91">{{Cite web |last=Sharpe |first=Josh |title=Netflix Renews Virgin River for a Seventh Season Ahead of Season 6 Premiere |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Netflix-Renews-Virgin-River-for-a-Seventh-Season-Ahead-of-Season-6-Premiere-20241023 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 1983, Griffith began dating model Jacqueline Scott, but the relationship ended in October 1984.<ref name=":78">{{Cite web |date=2007-07-08 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith/Another World Interview |url=http://www.tigriffith.com/aw_interview_english.htm |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708065344/http://www.tigriffith.com/aw_interview_english.htm |archive-date=July 8, 2007 }}</ref><ref name=":79" /> He then started dating his ''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]'' co-star [[Mary Page Keller]] in late 1984, and the couple eventually married on November 16, 1991.<ref name="filmref" /><ref name=":28">{{Cite web |last=Balogun |first=Oyin |date=2020-06-26 |title=Mary Page Keller Looks Ageless at 59 — Inside Her Marriage and Motherhood |url=https://news.amomama.com/213955-mary-page-keller-looks-ageless-59-a-look.html |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=news.amomama.com |language=en}}</ref> The pair have two sons together,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Palmer |first=Katie |date=2021-12-31 |title=Thomas Ian Griffith age: How old is the Cobra Kai Terry Silver actor? |url=https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1542719/Thomas-Ian-Griffith-age-Cobra-Kai-Terry-Silver |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Express.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> Conner O'Neil Griffith (born June 3, 1994),<ref name=":28" /> who is a video artist and animator,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.connergriffith.com/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Conner Griffith |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Selin & Eylül |date=April 16, 2025 |title=ait Dialogue #23: Conner Griffith |url=https://aitistanbul.com/dialogue/ait-dialogue-23-conner-griffith |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250420090426/https://aitistanbul.com/dialogue/ait-dialogue-23-conner-griffith |archive-date=April 20, 2025 |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=ait Istanbul |language=en}}</ref> and Eamon Michael Griffith (born March 28, 1997),<ref name=":28" /> who is a musician.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UAB piano students win state Music Teachers National Association competition |url=https://www.uab.edu/news/campus/item/6724-uab-piano-students-win-state-music-teachers-national-association-competition |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=UAB News |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{{Split section|Thomas Ian Griffith on stage, screen and television|date=February 2025}}

===Film===
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Film
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1989
| ''[[The Karate Kid Part III]]''
| [[Terry Silver]]
|
|-
|1991
|''[[Night of the Warrior]]''
|{{N/A}}
|writer and producer
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Ulterior Motives (film)|Ulterior Motives]]''
| Jack Blaylock
|also writer and producer
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Excessive Force (film)|Excessive Force]]''
| Terry McCain
|also writer and producer
|-
| 1994
| ''[[Crackerjack (1994 film)|Crackerjack]]''
| Jack Wild
|
|-
| 1994
| ''[[Blood of the Innocent (film)|Blood of the Innocent]]''
| Frank Wusharsky
|
|-
|1995
|''Kick Time!''
| {{N/A}}
| writer, producer, and director
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Hollow Point]]''
| Max Parrish
|
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Behind Enemy Lines (1997 film)|Behind Enemy Lines]]''
| Mike Weston
|
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Kull the Conqueror]]''
| Taligaro
|
|-
| 1998
| ''[[Vampires (1998 film)|Vampires]]''
| Jan Valek
|
|-
| 1999
| ''[[Avalanche (1999 film)|Avalanche]]''
| Neal Meekin
|also writer and producer
|-
| 2000
| ''[[For the Cause (film)|For the Cause]]''
| Evans
|
|-
| 2001
| ''[[High Adventure (film)|High Adventure]]''
| [[Allan Quatermain|Chris Quatermain]]
|
|-
| 2001
| ''[[The Sea Wolf (2001 film)|The Sea Wolf]]''
| Jeffery Thorpe
|
|-
| 2001
| ''[[Black Point (film)|Black Point]]''
| Gus Travis
|also writer
|-
| 2002
| ''[[XXX (2002 film)|xXx]]''
| Jim McGrath
|
|-
| 2003
| ''[[Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision]]''
| Brandon Miller
|
|-
|2007
|''Pre-K''
| {{N/A}}
| writer, producer, and director
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square]]''
| {{N/A}}
| consulting producer
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Show
! Character
! Notes
|-
| 1984–1987
| ''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]''
| Catlin Ewing
|52 episodes
|-
| 1985
| ''[[Miami Vice (TV series)|Miami Vice]]''
| Extra (guy in pool, next to guy on raft in clothes)
| 1 episode – "Phil the Shill"
|-
| 1986
| ''Telethon of Stars''
| {{N/A}}
| Benefit television special
|-
| 1988
| ''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]''
| Luke Potter
| 2 episodes – "Don't Look Back" (two-part)
|-
| 1989
| ''[[Wiseguy (TV series)|Wiseguy]]''
| Roger Totland
|2 episodes – "Le Lacrime d'Amore Part 1: AKA The Four-Letter Word" and "Le Lacrime d'Amore Part 2: AKA There's Plenty of Time,"
|-
|1990
|''[[Rock Hudson (TV movie)|Rock Hudson]]''
|[[Rock Hudson]]
|TV movie
|-
|1997
|''The Guardian''
|Ray Angelotti
|TV pilot
|-
|1999
|''[[Emily Pollifax#Mrs. Pollifax in film|The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax]]''
|Jack Farrell
|TV movie
|-
|1999
|"[[What Do You Say (Reba McEntire song)|What Do You Say]]"
|Father
|Music video by [[Reba McEntire]]
|-
|1999
|''Secret of Giving''
|Harry Withers
|TV movie
|-
|2000
|''A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle''
|[[Doug Clark (serial killer)|Doug Brister]]
|TV movie
|-
|2002
|''[[Beyond the Prairie II: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder Continues]]''
|Cornelius Loudermilk
|TV movie
|-
|2002
|"[[Feuer frei!]]"
|Jim McGrath
|Music video by [[Rammstein]], using footage from ''[[XXX (2002 film)|xXx]]''
|-
| 2004
| ''[[One Tree Hill (TV series)|One Tree Hill]]''
| [[Larry Sawyer]]
| 5 episodes
|-
| 2005
| ''[[The Closer]]''
| Thomas Yates
| 1 episode – "The Butler Did It"
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Cold Case]]''
| Mitch
| 1 episode – "The Red and the Blue"
|-
|2007
|''The Kidnapping''
|Cash
|TV movie
|-
|2009
|''[[Mr. Troop Mom]]''
| {{N/A}}
|TV movie – Writer
|-
| 2013–2017
| ''[[Grimm (TV series)|Grimm]]''
| {{N/A}}
| Writer (14 episodes), story editor (season 4; 22 episodes), co-producer (season 5; 22 episodes), supervising producer (season 6; 13 episodes)
|-
|2019
|''[[Dolly Parton's Heartstrings]]''
| {{N/A}}
|Writer (1 episode) – "Sugar Hill"
|-
|2020
|''[[Reunited Apart]]''
|Self
|1 episode – "[[The Karate Kid]]''/''[[Cobra Kai]]"
|-
| 2021–2025
| ''[[Cobra Kai]]''
| [[Terry Silver]]
| 27 episodes (seasons 4–6)
|-
|2023–2025
|''[[Virgin River (TV series)|Virgin River]]''
| {{N/A}}
|Writer (2 episode), supervising producer (season 5; 12 episodes), co-executive producer (seasons 6–7; 20 episodes)<ref name=":90" /><ref name=":91" />
|}

===Video game===
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Game
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 2022
| ''[[Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising]]''
| [[Terry Silver]]
| (voice)
|}

==Stage==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
!scope="col"| Year(s)
!scope="col"| Title
!scope="col"| Role
!scope="col"| Theater
!scope=col class="unsortable" | Notes
!scope=col class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
! scope="row" |1976
|''[[You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown]]''
|non-performing: piano accompanist
|South Catholic High School Auditorium
|
| style="text-align:center;" |<ref name=":110" />
|-
! scope="row" |1977
|''The Legend of the Blarney Stone''
|Unknown
|West Haven Knights of Columbus Hall
|December 3
| style="text-align:center;" |<ref name=":83" />
|-
!scope=row|1978
|''[[Bye Bye Birdie]]''
|Albert Peterson
|South Catholic High School Auditorium
|March 31–April 1
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=":31" /><ref name=":92" />
|-
!scope=row|1980–1981
|''[[The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas]]''
|various: stage manager, cameraman, football player Aggie #12
|[[46th Street Theatre]]
|
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":21" />
|-
!scope=row|1981
|''The First''
|various: Thurman the [[Brooklyn Eagle]] photographer, passenger, [[Brooklyn Dodgers]] rookie, [[Pittsburgh Pirates|Pittsburg Pirates]] player
|[[Martin Beck Theatre]]
|October 19–December 12
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":22" /> 
|-
!scope=row|1983
|''[[Gas Light|The Threepenny Opera]]''
|Unknown
|[[La Jolla Playhouse|Guthrie Theater]]
|June 10–July 17
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=":24" /><ref name=":23" /><ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":2" />
|-
!scope=row|1983
|''[[Guys and Dolls]]''
|unnamed craps-shooter
|Guthrie Theater
|July 29–September 18
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=":111" /><ref name=":24" /><ref name=":23" /><ref name="courant.com" /><ref name=":2" />
|-
! scope="row" |1987
|''[[Gianni Schicchi]]''
|Unknown
|[[USC Thornton School of Music|USC Opera]]
|
| style="text-align:center;" |<ref name=":80" /><ref name=":61" />
|-
!scope=row|2001
|''[[1776 (musical)|1776]]''
|[[Thomas Jefferson]]
|[[Freud Playhouse]]
|September 4–16
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=":54" /><ref name=":55" />
|-
!scope=row|2004
|''[[I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road]]''
|Joe Epstein
|Freud Playhouse
|January 26
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=":56" />
|-
!scope=row|2005
|''[[Camelot (musical)|Camelot]]''
|[[Dinadan]]
|[[Hollywood Bowl]]
|August 14
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=":57" /><ref name=":58" />
|-
!scope=row|2007
|''[[Chess (musical)|Chess]]''
|Alexander Molokov
|[[John Anson Ford Amphitheatre]]
|September 17
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=":59" /><ref name=":60">{{Cite web |title=Thomas Ian Griffith and Tom Schmid Photo (2007-09-19) |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/galleryphoto.php?photoid=44556&personid=9159 |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=www.broadwayworld.com}}</ref>
|-
|}

==Publication==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
!scope="col"| Date
!scope="col"| Title
!scope="col"| Role
!scope="col"| Publisher
!scope=col class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
! scope="row" |October 2004
|''Recipes from the Stars Cookbook''
|Recipe contributor
|[[Tobinworld]]
| style="text-align:center;" |<ref name=":81" />
|-
!scope=row|May 29, 2013
|''Asylum'' – Issue 1
|rowspan="16"|Co-creator, story contributor
|rowspan="16"|Storm King Comics
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=":108" />
|-
!scope=row|August 7, 2013
|''Asylum'' – Issue 2
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-08-08 |title=PREVIEWSworld - New Releases |url=http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |access-date=2025-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808191122/http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |archive-date=August 8, 2013 }}</ref>
|-
!scope=row|October 9, 2013
|''Asylum'' – Issue 3
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-10-13 |title=Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/108548972/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
!scope=row|February 12, 2014
|''Asylum'' – Issue 4
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{Cite web |title=JOHN CARPENTERS ASYLUM #4 (MR) (SEP131306) |url=https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/SEP131306 |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=www.previewsworld.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
!scope=row|April 9, 2014
|''Asylum'' – Issue 5
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{Cite web |title=JOHN CARPENTERS ASYLUM #5 (MR) (NOV131234) |url=https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/NOV131234 |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=www.previewsworld.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
!scope=row|June 4, 2014
|''Asylum'' – Issue 6
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{Cite web |title=JOHN CARPENTERS ASYLUM #6 MAIN CVR (MR) (JAN141317) |url=https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JAN141317 |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=www.previewsworld.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |August 6, 2014
|''Asylum'' – Issue 7
| style="text-align:center;" |<ref>{{Cite web |title=JOHN CARPENTERS ASYLUM #7 (MR) (MAR141357) |url=https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/MAR141357 |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=www.previewsworld.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |October 15, 2014
|''Asylum'' – Issue 8
| style="text-align:center;" |<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-10-13 |title=PREVIEWSworld - New Releases |url=http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |access-date=2025-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013031209/http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |archive-date=October 13, 2014 }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |October 29, 2014
|''Asylum'' – Volume 1 (Issues 1–6) 
| style="text-align:center;" |<ref name=":109" />
|-
!scope=row|January 7, 2015
|''Asylum'' – Issue 9
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-06 |title=PREVIEWSworld - New Releases |url=http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |access-date=2025-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106001532/http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |archive-date=January 6, 2015 }}</ref>
|-
!scope=row|April 8, 2015
|''Asylum'' – Issue 10
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-04-07 |title=PREVIEWSworld - New Releases |url=http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |access-date=2025-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407004600/http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |archive-date=April 7, 2015 }}</ref>
|-
!scope=row|July 22, 2015
|''Asylum'' – Issue 11
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-07-20 |title=PREVIEWSworld - New Releases |url=http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |access-date=2025-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150720174557/http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |archive-date=July 20, 2015 }}</ref>
|-
!scope=row|January 13, 2016
|''Asylum'' – Issue 12
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-01-13 |title=PREVIEWSworld - New Releases |url=http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |access-date=2025-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113003818/http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |archive-date=January 13, 2016 }}</ref>
|-
!scope=row|February 24, 2016
|''Asylum'' – Issue 13
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-23 |title=PREVIEWSworld - New Releases |url=http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |access-date=2025-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223052112/http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/952 |archive-date=February 23, 2016 }}</ref>
|-
!scope=row|May 25, 2016
|''Asylum'' – Issue 14
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=":104" />
|-
!scope=row|October 12, 2016
|''Asylum'' – Volume 2 (Issues 7–14)
|style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=":105" />
|-
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{TCMDb name}}
* {{AFI person | 267813-Thomas-IanGriffith | Thomas Ian Griffith }}
* {{IBDB name}}
* {{Playbill person}}
* [https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/thomas_ian_griffith Thomas Ian Griffith] at [[Rotten Tomatoes]]

{{The Karate Kid series}}
{{Grimm}}
{{One Tree Hill}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffith, Thomas Ian}}
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