James Tolkan
Born
June 20, 1931 (94 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Calumet, Michigan, USA
Fiery, forceful and intimidating character actor James Tolkan has carved out a nice little niche for himself in both movies and television alike as a formidable portrayer of fierce and flinty hard-boiled tough guy types. James Stewart Tolkan was born on June 20, 1931 in Calumet, Michigan. His father, Ralph M. Tolkan, was a cattle dealer. James attended the University of Iowa, Coe College and Eastern Arizona College. After serving a year-long stint in the United States Navy, Tolkan went to New York and studied acting with both Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler at the Actors Studio. Short and bald, with beady, intense eyes, a wiry, compact, muscular build, a gruff, jarring, high-decibel voice, and an aggressive, confrontational, blunt-as-a-battle-ax, rough-around-the-edges demeanor, Tolkan has been often cast as rugged, cynical no-nonsense cops, mean, domineering authority figures, and various ruthless and dangerous criminals.
Tolkan first began acting in movies in the late 1960s and was highly effective in two pictures for Sidney Lumet: He was a rabidly homophobic police lieutenant in the superbly gritty Serpico (1973) and a sneaky district attorney in the equally excellent Prince of the City (1981). Best known as the obnoxiously overzealous high school principal Gerard Strickland in the Back to the Future films, Tolkan's other most memorable roles include Napolean in Woody Allen's Love and Death (1975), a ramrod army officer in WarGames (1983), mayor Robert Culp's mordant, wisecracking assistant in Turk 182 (1985), the hard-nosed Stinger in Top Gun (1986), the choleric Detective Lubric in Masters of the Universe (1987), meek mob accountant Numbers in Dick Tracy (1990), and Wesley Snipes' bullish superior in Boiling Point (1993).
Known For
Val
Self (archive footage)
2021
Bone Tomahawk
Pianist
2015
Back in Time
Self
2015
Phil Spector
Judge Fidler
2013
Tales from the Future
Self
2010
Looking Back to the Future
Self
2009
Leverage
Dean Chesny · (1 episode)
2008
Heavens Fall
Thomas Knight, Sr.
2006
7 Times Lucky
Dutch
2004
A Nero Wolfe Mystery
Richard Wragg · (1 episode)
2001
A Nero Wolfe Mystery
Mr. Hackett · (2 episodes)
2001
A Nero Wolfe Mystery
FBI Agent Richard Wragg · (2 episodes)
2001
A Nero Wolfe Mystery
Leo Bingham · (2 episodes)
2001
A Nero Wolfe Mystery
Bernard Quest · (2 episodes)
2001
Love in Ambush
Agent Price
1997
Robo Warriors
Quon
1996
Early Edition
Coach Philips · (1 episode)
1996
The Pretender
FBI Special Agent Korkos · (2 episodes)
1996
Underworld
Dan 'Iceberg' Eagan
1996
Nowhere Man
Commander Cyrus Quinn · (1 episode)
1995
Sketch Artist II: Hands That See
Tonelli
1995
Cobra
Dallas Cassel · (22 episodes)
1993
Boiling Point
Levitt
1993
Bloodfist IV: Die Trying
Agent Sterling
1992
The Hat Squad
Mike Ragland · (11 episodes)
1992
Sketch Artist
Tonelli
1992
Problem Child 2
Mr. Thron
1991
Driving Me Crazy
Vince
1991
Hangfire
Patch
1991
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Dr. Oates · (1 episode)
1990
Back to the Future Part III
Marshal Strickland
1990
Sunset Beat
Ray Parker
1990
Dick Tracy
Numbers
1990
Opportunity Knocks
Sal
1990
Family Business
Judge
1989
Back to the Future Part II
Strickland
1989
Second Sight
Coolidge
1989
Ministry of Vengeance
Colonel Freeman
1989
Tales from the Crypt
Sgt. McClaine ("segment "The Trap") · (1 episode)
1989
True Blood
Det. Joseph Hanley
1989
The Case of the Hillside Stranglers
Lt. Ed Henderson
1989
Question of Faith
Doctor Siegel
1988
Split Decisions
Benny Pistone
1988
Weekend War
Dr. Alex Thompson
1988
The Wonder Years
Coach Silva · (1 episode)
1988
Viper
William Tansey
1988
Made in Heaven
Mr. Bjornstead
1987
Masters of the Universe
Detective Lubic
1987
Little Spies
Kennel Master
1986
Armed and Dangerous
Lou Brackman
1986
Top Gun
Stinger
1986
Off Beat
Harry
1986
Mary
Lester Mintz · (13 episodes)
1985
Flanagan
Turner
1985
The Equalizer
Ruger · (1 episode)
1985
Back to the Future
Mr. Strickland
1985
Turk 182!
Hanley
1985
The River
Howard Simpson
1984
Miami Vice
Mason Mather · (1 episode)
1984
Iceman
Maynard
1984
WarGames
Wigan
1983
Wings
Billy
1983
Remington Steele
Norman Keyes · (4 episodes)
1982
Author! Author!
Lt. Glass
1982
Hanky Panky
Conferee
1982
Prince of the City
George Polito
1981
Wolfen
Baldy
1981
Hill Street Blues
(1 episode)
1981
The Amityville Horror
Coroner
1979
Independence
Tom Paine
1976
Love and Death
Napoleon
1975
Serpico
Steiger
1973
The Werewolf of Washington
Dark Glasses
1973
The Friends of Eddie Coyle
The Man's contact man
1973
They Might Be Giants
Mr. Brown
1971
Stiletto
Edwards
1969
The Three Sisters
1966
Naked City
Evan Humbolt, Mail Clerk · (1 episode)
1958
The Wonderful World of Disney
The Kennel Master · (1 episode)
1954