Tony O'Dell


Tony O'Dell is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Cobra Kai member Jimmy in the 1984 film The Karate Kid, and the second season of its spinoff Cobra Kai, and as preppy Alan Pinkard on the ABC sitcom Head of the Class.

Early life and career

O'Dell was born Anthony Dell'Aquila in Pasadena, California and raised in Altadena. He graduated from St. Francis High School. His first television appearance was the 1978 Halloween episode of the NBC television series CHiPs, titled "Trick or Trick." He later appeared in the short lived 1985 CBS science fiction series Otherworld, as Trace Sterling. One of his longest roles was of high school student Alan Pinkard on the ABC sitcom Head of the Class. He later appeared in Suddenly Susan, The George Lopez Show, and K.C. Undercover.
In 1984, he portrayed Cobra Kai member Jimmy, in the first two Karate Kid films, and appeared in the 2007 music video for the song Sweep the Leg by No More Kings as a caricature of himself and Jimmy from The Karate Kid. O'Dell reprised the role of Jimmy during the 2019 Season 2 YouTube web series Cobra Kai.

Selected filmography

Movies

YearTitleRoleNotes
1979Good Luck, Miss WyckoffStudent
1980Falling in Love AgainDonny Lewis
1981RivalsStudent
1983Hadley's RebellionDorm Boy
1984The Karate KidJimmy
1985Evils of the NightBilly
1986Chopping MallFerdy Meisel
1986The Karate Kid Part IIJimmy

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1978CHiPsTeenager1 Episode, "Trick or Treat"
1979Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-DooAdditional Voices
1980FridaysBoy 1 Episode, "#1.2"
1980Eight Is EnoughScott1 Episode, "Finally Grad Night"
1980FamilyHoward1 Episode, "Letting Go"
1981DynastyChristopher4 Episodes
1981ABC Weekend SpecialsTommy1 Episode, "The Puppy Saves the Circus"
1982The Scooby & Scrappy-Doo/Puppy HourTommy-
1982McClain's LawQuinn1 Episode, "From the Mouths of Babes"
1983The Puppy's Further AdventuresTommy
1984Lottery!1 Episode, "Miami: Sharing"
1985OtherworldTrace Sterling8 Episodes
1985Simon & SimonJerry Carton1 Episode, "Facets"
1986AirwolfTerry Haines1 Episode, "Break-In at Santa Paula"
1986-1991Head of the ClassAlan Pinkard114 Episodes
1988Murder, She WroteLarry McIver1 Episode, "Snow White, Blood Red"
1996In the HouseJonathan1 Episode, "Home Again"
2000Suddenly SusanBird 1 Episode, "The Bird in the Wall"
2002-2003George LopezPatrick / Delivery Guy2 Episodes
2011Shake It UpKelly1 Episode, "Vatalihootsit It Up"
2015K.C. UndercoverMr. Hancock1 Episode, "The Neighborhood Watchdogs"
2019Cobra KaiJimmy1 Episode
2021Sydney to the MaxDavid1 Episode, "Pie Hard"