James Tolkan, ‘Back to the Future’ and ‘Top Gun’ Actor, Dies at 94

Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment James Tolkan, the character actor who expressed a disdain for “slackers” in the Back to the Future trilogy and portrayed Tom Cruise’s no-nonsense commanding officer in Top Gun , has died. He was 94. Tolkan died Thursday in Saranac Lake, New York, Michael Klastorin, a unit publicist on the second and third Back to the Future films, announced. Tolkan also played Napoleon and his look-alike in Woody Allen’s Love and Death (1975) and was the crooked accountant known as Numbers who works for Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino) in Warren Beatty’s Dick Tracy (1990). Related Stories Music Dash Crofts, Seals & Crofts Singer Behind "Summer Breeze," Dies at 87 Music News Chip Taylor, "Wild Thing" and "Angel of the Morning" Songwriter, Dies at 86 He appeared in three movies directed by Sidney Lumet: as a cop in the Pacino-starring Serpico (1973), as a determined D.A. in Prince of the City (1981) and as a judge in Family Business (1989). On Broadway, Tolkan portrayed salesman Dave Moss in the original 1984-85 production of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross . (Ed Harris played the character in the 1992 movie adaptation.) Tolkan, whose specialty was playing intense, intimidating types, was steely as Hill Valley High School principal Mr. Strickland in Back to the Future (1985) and its 1989 sequel, then returned as Strickland’s grandfather in Back to the Future Part III (1990). Pretty much wherever he went, fans asked him to berate them as “slackers” just for fun. In Top Gun (1986), he was imposing yet again as Tom “Stinger” Jardian when he lights into Cruise’s Pete “Maverick” Mitchell for reckless behavior. Tolkan’s big-screen résumé also included The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973), The Amityville Horror (1979), Wolfen (1981), WarGames (1983), Masters of the Univer...