Tom Joyner began his career in the film industry in 1969, when he was accepted into the DGA-Producers Assistant Directors Training Program. He worked as a Second Assistant Director on feature films and movies for television including Sugarland Express, Breezy, Joe Kidd, High Plains Drifter, Pete and Tillie, and Ulzana's Raid.
His first feature film as a First Assistant Director was Steven Spielberg's Jaws, followed by The Bingo Long Traveling Allstars and Motor Kings, Slapshot, The Last Remake of Beau Geste, Bronco Billy, and Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder. Joyner served as Unit Production Manager on Two Minute Warning, Jaws II, More American Graffiti, The Last Married Couple in America, The Blues Brothers, Walking Tall, Starman, Poltergeist II, Against All Odds, Grandview USA, Tough Enough, and Tender Mercies. He was Executive Production Manager at Walt Disney Pictures from 1985 to 1987, supervising films such as Ruthless People, The Color of Money, Outrageous Fortune, Tin Men, Good Morning Vietnam and Three Men and a Baby. From 1990 to 1996 he was Vice President, Feature Production at Warner Bros., supervising the production of films like The Client, On Deadly Ground, Doc Hollywood, Point of No Return, and The Bodyguard.
Tom Joyner served on the DGA’s Western AD/UPM Council from 1984-2012, on the National Board from 1999-2005 and was a member of the 1973, 1999 and 2008 Negotiating Committees. In 1999, Tom Joyner received the DGA's Frank Capra Achievement Award in recognition of his career achievement and service to the Guild.
Joyner passed away in March 2023.