Born Thomas Richard McMillen on June 17, 1960 in Yolo, California, Thomas Haden Church is an American actor.  After co-starring in the 1990s sitcom Wings, Church became well known for his film roles, including his Academy Award-nominated performance in Sideways and his role as the Sandman in Spider-Man 3.

Church, the fourth of six children, was born to an Army officer/health care worker father and a telephone company sales rep mother.  He was raised under his stepfather’s surname, “Quesada”, and later changed his surname to “Haden Church” (both names are in his family tree).  He was raised in Laredo, Texas, and graduated from Harlingen High School, Harlingen, Texas, in 1979, going on to attend the University of North Texas where he earned a degree in Radio, Film and Television.

The first job Church landed after college was as a deejay for KBFM, a local radio station in Brownsville, TX.  Hoping to segue into acting, Church signed with a commercial agent who got him voice-over work. After hawking such products as Icehouse Beer and Merrill Lynch Securities for a couple of years, Church moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting full time.  During the mid-to-late 1980s, Church worked sporadically as a guest star on such popular series as “21 Jump Street” (Fox, 1987-1991), “Booker” (Fox, 1989-1990), “Cheers” (1982-1993) and “China Beach” (ABC, 1988-1991), but the actor’s life forever changed when he won an audition for a new NBC pilot called “Wings.”  Reportedly reduced to tears by Church’s unexpectedly bone-dry, baritone delivery, producers promptly hired Church as their resident handyman- mechanic, Lowell.

He worked in television for two more seasons with a lead role on Ned and Stacey opposite Debra Messing. He has had supporting roles in films such as Tombstone, George of the Jungle, and The Specials. Church often plays villains or comic relief in films, most evident by turns in Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight and Over the Hedge.  After having small roles in films such as Monkeybone and 3000 Miles to Graceland, he made his directorial debut with Rolling Kansas in 2003.  Church later took a break from films and relocated back to his native Texas.

However, he did go on the occasional casting call.  He nearly landed the lead in Alexander Payne’s drama About Schmidt (the role went to Jack Nicholson), but Payne was so impressed with Church that he cast him as an aging, commitment-phobic playboy in the critically acclaimed indie Sideways.  Church’s seriocomic turn earned him Oscar and Golden Globe nods and an Independent Spirit Award, and completely revitalized his career.

He has since appeared in films such as Idiocracy, done voice-over work on films such as Over the Hedge and starred in one of AMC’s highest rated television productions, Broken Trail, with Robert Duvall, in 2006, for which he won an Emmy. In 2007, he appeared as the villain Sandman in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3 starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.

Church resides on his large ranch in Bandera County, Texas, which he bought in 1998.

Thomas Haden Church Photo Gallery