Thomas Kent Carter (born December 18, 1956)^[1][2] is an American actor.

In films, he is mostly known for his many comedic performances, such as the street-smart Chester in Seems Like Old Times and the karaoke-singing Iceman in Ski Patrol. He is also known for playing slightly nervous characters, such as the rollerskating chef Nauls in John Carpenter's The Thing, as well as the unfortunate National Guardsman, Cribbs, in Walter Hill's Southern Comfort.

On TV, he is known for playing Michael "Mike" Fulton, an elementary schoolteacher, on the NBC series Punky Brewster and Mylo Williams on the Disney Channel series Good Morning, Miss Bliss. Carter is also well known for playing the role of drug addicted Gary McCullough in the HBO miniseries The Corner, a performance that The Boston Globe said "perfectly captures the gentleness and passivity that can be addiction's easiest conquest".^[3][4] Carter's first starring role on television was on Just Our Luck.^[5]

His acting debut was on an episode of Police Woman.^[1] Carter also made appearances on Good Times, The Sinbad Show,^[6] The Steve Harvey Show, A Different World, and in the television films Polly and its 1990 sequel.

Carter grew up in the San Gabriel Valley area of Southern California.^[7]

On June 13, 1990, Carter was arrested after refusing to answer police officers' questions and babbling incoherently. He resisted being arrested and was tasered three times.^[8] In December 1991, Carter was arrested after assaulting a woman and then stealing her car.^[9]