. . . Where Are They Now? . . .Hello fans,Actor James Tolkan is best known for his roles in Back to the Future and Top Gun. What is he up to now? Let's find out!
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*View Past Issues: Where Are They Now Archives*--DEAD OR ALIVE?--See if you know if the following celebrities have had a visit from the "Grim Reaper":
Glenne Headly: She played Tess Trueheart in the movie "Dick Tracy" and has appeared in numerous other films, including "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" (as the Jackal) and "Mr. Holland's Opus"
Shirley Booth: She appeared in the movie "Come Back, Little Sheba" and played the maid, Hazel, on the TV show "Hazel"
Barry Corbin: Played former astronaut Maurice Minnifield on the TV series "Northern Exposure" and General Beringer in the movie "WarGames"
(Answer at the bottom)*James TolkanLearn More About James Tolkan on Celebrity NoozBIRTH DATE: June 20, 1931, Calumet, Michigan
CLAIM TO FAME: is best known for his role in the 1985 film Back to the Future as Hill Valley High School principal Gerald Strickland.
FAMILY LIFE: He is married to a costume designer by the name of Parmalee.
INFO: Tolkan has made a career for himself as a prolific actor of stage, film, and TV. On television, he made guest appearances on such classic sitcoms as "The Wonder Years" and "Hill Street Blues." He was also a regular on many short-lived series, including "Mary" and "The Hat Squad."
However, he is probably best known for his supporting roles in the 1980s blockbusters "Top Gun" (1986) and as the Vice Principal Strickland in Robert Zemeckis' "Back to the Future" (1985). He ended up reprising his role for the sequel "Back to the Future II" (1989) and did a cameo as Marshal Strickland for the Western-themed "Back to the Future III" (1990).
TRIVIA: Was the first person in mind for Strickland in Back to the Future (1985).
Attended college at the University of Iowa.
Studied with Stella Adler in New York and was an understudy to Robert Duvall in the 1965 production of Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge.".
Acted on stage with Al Pacino in The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel and Jungle in the Cities.
Left Eastern Arizona College to serve in the US Navy.
Provided narration for several installments of America Undercover documentary specials on HBO.
His father, Ralph M. Tolkan, was a cattle dealer.
WHERE IS HE NOW: In the early 2000s, Tolkan was part of the cast of the A&E television series "A Nero Wolfe Mystery." He appeared in varied roles on the series and also directed two episodes ("Die Like a Dog" and "The Next Witness").
He appeared in a 2011 episode of the TV series "Leverage" as Dean Chesny, and is currently filming a TV movie based on the relationship between Phil Spector and defense attorney Linda Kenney Baden.
Tolkan currently lives in Lake Placid, New York.
WRITE TO JAMES TOLKAN: Agent: Paradigm, 360 N. Crescent Dr.
North Building
Beverly Hills,CA 90210.
* CREDITS:Untitled Phil Spector Biopic (TV movie) (filming)...Judge Fidler
2011 Leverage (TV series)...Dean Chesny
The Cross My Heart Job
2006 Heavens Fall...Thomas Knight, Sr.
2004 Seven Times Lucky...Dutch
2001-2002 A Nero Wolfe Mystery (TV series)
1999 Wings: Thrill of Flight...Host
1997 The Pretender (TV series)...FBI Special Agent Korkos
Dragon House: Part 1
Dragon House: Part 2
1997 Love in Ambush...Agent Price
1997 Robo Warriors...Quon
1996 Early Edition (TV series)...Coach Philips
Hoops (1996)
1996 Underworld...Dan 'Iceberg' Eagan
1996 Nowhere Man (TV series)...Commander Cyrus Quinn
Heart of Darkness
1996 Top Gun: Fire at Will (Video Game)...Commander Hondo
1995 Sketch Artist II: Hands That See (TV movie)...Tonelli
1994 Beyond Betrayal (TV movie)...Joe Maloney
1993-1994 Cobra (TV series)...Dallas Cassel
1994 River of Stone
1993/I Boiling Point...Levitt
1993 The Wonder Years (TV series)...Coach Silva
Hulk Arnold
1992-1993 The Hat Squad (TV series)...Mike Ragland
Lifestyles of the Rich and Infamous
The Widow Marker
Pilot
1992 Bloodfist IV: Die Trying (video)...Agent Sterling
1992 Sketch Artist (TV movie)...Lt. Tonelli
1992 Tequila and Bonetti (TV series)
Fetch This, Pal
1991 Problem Child 2...Mr. Thorn
1991 Tales from the Crypt (TV series)...Sgt. McClaine
The Trap (1991)
1991/I Driving Me Crazy...Vince
1991 Hangfire...Patch
1990 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (TV series)...Dr. Oates
Day Damn One (1990) â?¦ Dr. Oates
1990 Dick Tracy...Numbers
1990 Back to the Future Part III...Marshal James Strickland
1990 Sunset Beat (TV movie)...Ray Parker
1990 Sunset Beat (TV series)...Ray Parker
One Down, Four Up (1990)
1990 Opportunity Knocks...Sal
1989 Family Business...Judge (as James S. Tolkan)
1989 Back to the Future Part II...Mr. Strickland
1989 Second Sight...Coolidge
1989 Ministry of Vengeance...Col. Freeman
1989 True Blood...Det. Joseph Hanley
1989 The Case of the Hillside Stranglers (TV movie)...Lt. Ed Henderson
1989 The Equalizer (TV series)...Ruger
The Visitation (1989)
1988 Split Decisions...Benny Pistone
1988 Leap of Faith (TV movie)...Doctor Siegel
1988 Viper...Col. William Tansey
1988 Weekend War (TV movie)...Dr. Alex Thompson (as James B. Tolkan)
1987 Miami Vice (TV series)...Mason Mather
Amen... Send Money
1987 Made in Heaven...Mr. Bjornstead
1987 Masters of the Universe...Detective Lubic
1985-1987 Remington Steele (TV series)...Norman Keyes
1986 Little Spies (TV movie)...The Kennel Master
1986 Armed and Dangerous...Lou Brackman
1986 Top Gun...Stinger
1986 Off Beat...Harry
1985-1986 Mary (TV series)...Lester Mintz
1985 Walls of Glass...Turner
1985 Back to the Future...Mr. Strickland
1985 Hill Street Blues (TV series)...Coach Beasley
Queen for a Day
1985 Turk 182!...Hanley
1984 The River...Howard Simpson
1984 Iceman...Maynard
1983 Nightmares...Voice of The Bishop (segment "Bishop of Battle") (voice)
1983 WarGames...Nigan
1983 American Playhouse (TV series)...Billy
Wings (1983)
1982 Author! Author!...Lt. Glass
1982 Hanky Panky...Conferee
1981 Prince of the City...District Attorney Polito
1981 Wolfen...Baldy
1979 The Amityville Horror...Coroner
1976 Independence (short)...Tom Paine
1975 Love and Death...Napoleon
1973 Serpico...Steiger (as James Tolkin)
1973 The Werewolf of Washington...Dark Glasses
1973 The Friends of Eddie Coyle...The Man's contact man
1971 They Might Be Giants...Mr. Brown
1969 Stiletto...Edwards
1969 N.Y.P.D. (TV series)
The Night Watch (1969)
1966 The Three Sisters (as James Tolkin)
1962 Armstrong Circle Theatre (TV series)...Stefan Malwitz
Episode #12.22
The Man Who Refused to Die
1960 Naked City (TV series)...Evan Humboldt - Mail Clerk
The Man Who Bit a Diamond in Half
To see Then & Now pictures of James Tolkan, visit: Celebrity Nooz*--Answers to DEAD OR ALIVE--Glenne Headly - ALIVE
Born: 03/13/1955
Shirley Booth - DEAD
Born: 08/30/1898 Died: 10/16/1992
Barry Corbin - ALIVE
Born: 10/16/1940
*WHO PASSED ON THIS WEEK...2/22Frank Carson, 85, Northern Irish comedian.
Marie Colvin, 55, American reporter (The Sunday Times), shelling.
Lyudmila Kasatkina, 86, Russian actress, People's Artist of the USSR.
Koji Kita, 63, Japanese singer (Four Leaves), liver cancer.
Remi Ochlik, 28, French photographer, shelling.
Royal Academy, 25, Irish racehorse.
2/21Ranil Abeynaike, 57, Sri Lankan cricketer and commentator, heart attack.
Thom Enright, 59, American musician (The Young Adults), brain cancer.
Manuel Franco da Costa de Oliveira Falcão, 89, Portuguese Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of Beja (1980â??1999).
Emlyn Hooson, Baron Hooson, 86, British politician, MP for Montgomeryshire (1962â??1979).
Colin Ireland, 57, British serial killer.
Pierre Juneau, 89, Canadian broadcasting executive and federal cabinet minister.
Andreas Lunnan, 71, Norwegian journalist and musician.
Tom Martinez, 66, American football coach, heart attack.
Asahi Matsui, 84, Japanese politician, pneumonia.
John Michuki, 79, Kenyan politician, heart attack.
Tsutomu Omori, 49, Japanese executive, suicide by hanging.
Christopher Reimer, 26, Canadian rock guitarist (Women, The Dodos).
Benjamin Romualdez, 81, Filipino politician and diplomat, Governor of Leyte (1967â??1986), cancer.
Barney Rosset, 89, American publisher (Grove Press) and free speech advocate.
2/20Renato Dulbecco, 97, Italian-born American virologist, Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine (1975).
Knut Torbjorn Eggen, 51, Norwegian Olympic football player and coach.
Asar Eppel, 77, Russian translator, stroke.
Sebhat Gebre-Egziabher, 76, Ethiopian author.
Imanuel Geiss, 81, German historian.
Katie Hall, 73, American politician, U.S. Representative from Indiana (1982â??1985).
S. N. Lakshmi, 85, Indian actress, cardiac arrest.
Lydia Lamaison, 97, Argentine actress (Muñeca Brava).
Christoffer Schander, 51, Norwegian marine biologist.
Edgardo Gabriel Storni, 75, Argentine Roman Catholic prelate, Archbishop of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz (1984-2002).
Kjell Thue, 92, Norwegian radio host.
Vitaly Vorotnikov, 86, Soviet politician, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR (1988-1990).