James Tolkan

Infobox actor


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birthname = James S. Tolkan
birthdate = birth date and age|1931|6|20
birthplace = flagicon|USACalumet, Michigan, U.S.
deathdate =
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James S. Tolkan (born June 20, 1931) is an American actor, often cast as a strict, overbearing, bald-headed authority figure.

Biography

Personal life

He was born in Calumet, Michigan, the son of Ralph M. Tolkan, [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/17/James-Tolkan.html Film Reference.com] ] a cattle dealer, and attended the University of Iowa, Coe College, the Actors Studio and Eastern Arizona College. [ [http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800094247/bio Yahoo Movies biography] ] Tolkan currently lives in Lake Placid, New York and is an active participant in the Saranac Lake Pool League.

Career

Tolkan is best known for his role in the 1985 film "Back to the Future" as the strict, disciplinarian Hill Valley High School principal Gerald Strickland. He referred to Marty McFly and his father derisively as "slackers". He reprised the role in the 1989 sequel "Back to the Future Part II" and, in 1990, he played the part of Mr. Strickland's grandfather in "Back to the Future Part III". Other well-known roles include a government agent in "WarGames" and Stinger, the no-nonsense officer in the 1986 box-office hit "Top Gun". He also appeared in the 1987 film "Masters of the Universe" as a police officer. He played a dual role in the Woody Allen comedy "Love and Death", playing both Napoléon and a Napoléon look-alike. He also appeared as Big Boy Caprice's accountant "Numbers" in the 1990 Warren Beatty film "Dick Tracy".

Tolkan has also made guest appearances on many TV shows, including "Naked City", "Remington Steele", "Miami Vice" and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". A member of the repertory cast of "A Nero Wolfe Mystery" (2001-2002), he played more than a dozen varied roles in the A&E TV series and also directed two episodes ("Die Like a Dog" and "The Next Witness").

Filmography

Actor

* "They Might Be Giants" (1971) as Mr. Brown
* "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" (1973) as The Man's contact man
* "Serpico" (1973) as Lt. Steiger
* "Love and Death" (1975) as Napoleon Bonaparte
* "Independence" (1976) as Tom Paine
*"The Amityville Horror" (1979) as Coroner
*"Wolfen" (1981) as Baldy
*"Prince of the City" (1981) as District Attorney Polito
*"Hanky Panky" (1982) as Conferee
*"Author! Author!" (1982) as Lt. Glass
*"WarGames" (1983) as FBI Agent Nigan
*"Nightmares" (1983) (Voice of the Bishop,
segment "Bishop of Battle")
*"Iceman" (1984) as Maynard
*"The River" (1984) as Howard Simpson
*"Back to the Future" (1985) as Principal Strickland
*"Top Gun" (1986) as Cmdr. Tom 'Stinger' Jordan
*"Armed and Dangerous" (1986) as Lou Brackman
*"Little Spies" (1986) as The Kennel Master
*"Remington Steele" (1985–1987) as Norman Keyes
*"Masters of the Universe" (1987) as Detective Lubic
* "Made in Heaven" (1987) as Mr. Bjornstead
*"Back to the Future Part II" (1989) as Principal Strickland
*"Family Business" (1989) as Judge in 2nd Trial
*"Back to the Future Part III" (1990) as Chief Marshal James Strickland
*"Dick Tracy" (1990) as Numbers
*"Hangfire" (1991) as Patch
*"Problem Child 2" (1991) as Mr. Thorn
*"" (1992) as Agent Sterling
*"Boiling Point" (1993) as Levitt
*"Cobra" (1993–1994) as Dallas Cassel
*"Robo Warriors" (1996) as Quon
*"Nowhere Man" (1995) as Commander Cyrus Quinn (episode "Heart of Darkness")
*"Underworld" (1996) as Dan "Iceberg" Eagan
*"A Nero Wolfe Mystery" (2001-2002) (21 episodes, various roles)
*"Seven Times Lucky" (2004) as Dutch
*"Heavens Fall" (2005) as Thomas Knight Sr.

Director

* "A Nero Wolfe Mystery" (2001–2002):"The Next Witness" (2002):"Die Like a Dog" (2002)

References

External links

*imdb name|id=0866055|name=James Tolkan
*tvtome person|id=2147|name=James Tolkan
*ibdb name|id=83243|name=James Tolkan