David Howard Thornton is an American actor. He is known for his role as Art the Clown from the Terrifier franchise, a role in which he appeared in Terrifier (2016), Mistress Peace Theatre (2020), Terrifier 2 (2022) and Bupkis (2023) and is set to reprise in Terrifier 3 (2024). He has had other various roles in film, television and video games, including Two Worlds II: Pirates of the Flying Fortress (2011), Ride to Hell: Retribution (2013), Invizimals: The Lost Kingdom (2013), Gotham (2017), The Bravest Knight (2019), The Exigency (2019), Alma's Way (2021) and starring as the Mean One in The Mean One (2022).
David Howard Thornton | |
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![]() Thornton in 2023 | |
Born | David Howard Thornton Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 2010-present |
Known for | Art the Clown |
Career
Thornton has lent his voice to various characters in film, anime, television and in video games. In 2011, he voiced Malvic, Volran and Tengo in Two Worlds II: Pirates of the Flying Fortress. He later provided voices in 2013 as Anvil, Dr. Blotter and Baggy Miner in Ride to Hell: Retribution and as Shizoku, Metal Mutt and Toxitoad in Invizimals: The Lost Kingdom. In 2015, he provided additional voices for Miss Hokusai.[1] From 2016 to 2017, he appeared as the Joker in the fan-made webseries Nightwing: Escalation and later went on to appear in Gotham, both projects that included characters by DC Comics.[2]
In 2016, Thornton portrayed Art the Clown in Terrifier, a film that became a cult classic and for which he was nominated for a Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actor and was the first feature-length appearance of the character in the Terrifier franchise.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9] In 2022, Thornton reprised the role of Art the Clown in Terrifier 2. Terrifier 2 was well received by critics and a hit at the box office, grossing more than $15 million on a $250,000 budget.[10][11][12][13][14][15] Also in 2022, Thornton starred as the Mean One, a horror retelling of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, in The Mean One.[16][17][18][19][20]
Thornton reprised the role of Art the Clown in the 2023 Peacock series, Bupkis,[21][22] with the character also set to return in Terrifier 3.[23][24][25][26][27] He is set to appear as Shark Bait Zombie in the upcoming film, Night of the Living Dead 2[2] and as Player 2 in the upcoming film, Stream.[28][29][30]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Miss Hokusai | Additional Voices | Voice |
2016 | Terrifier | Art the Clown | |
2019 | The Exigency | Bumbo | Voice |
2021 | The Dark Offerings | Tim Cobb | |
2022 | Terrifier 2 | Art the Clown | |
The Mean One | The Mean One | ||
2024 | Stream | Player 2 | [28][29][30] |
Terrifier 3 | Art the Clown | [27][31] | |
2025 | Screamboat | Steamboat Willie | [32][33] |
TBA | Night of the Living Dead 2 | Shark Bait Zombie | [2] |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2017 | Gotham | Orderly | Episode: "A Dark Knight: The Blade's Path" |
2019 | The Bravest Knight | Billy Goats / Newt | 2 episodes Voice |
2020 | Mistress Peace Theatre | Art the Clown / Himself | Episode: "Hallowday Special II" |
2021 | Alma's Way | SFX Box | Episode: "No-Go Mofongo/Alma vs. Eddie"[1] Voice |
2023 | Bupkis | Art the Clown | Episode: "Show Me the Way"[21][22] |
Web series
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2016–2017 | Nightwing: Escalation | The Joker | 6 episodes |
Video games
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Two Worlds II: Pirates of the Flying Fortress | Malvic / Volran / Tengo | Voice |
2013 | Ride to Hell: Retribution | Anvil / Dr. Blotter / Baggy Miner | Voice[1] |
Invizimals: The Lost Kingdom | Shizoku / Metal Mutt / Toxitoad | Voice |
Accolades
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Terrifier | Nominated | [3] |
References
External links
- David Howard Thornton at Behind The Voice Actors
- David Howard Thornton at IMDb
- David Howard Thornton at Rotten Tomatoes