JT
James Tolkan
Actor, Director, Producer
Born June 20, 1931 (93 years)
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).
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
Filmography
| 2021 | Expedition: Back to the Future (TV Series) · as Guard |
| 2015 | Bone Tomahawk · as Pianist |
| 2013 | Phil Spector · as Judge Fidler |
| 2008 | Leverage (TV Series) · as Dean Chesny |
| 2006 | Heavens Fall · as Thomas Knight, Sr. |
| 2004 | Seven Times Lucky · as Dutch |
| 2001 | Nero Wolfe (2001) (TV Series) · as Fbi Agent Richard Wragg |
| 1997 | Love in Ambush · as Agent Price |
| 1996 | Early Edition (TV Series) |
| 1996 | The Pretender (TV Series) · as Fbi Special Agent Korkos |
| 1996 | Underworld · as Dan 'iceberg' Eagan |
| 1996 | Robo Warriors · as Quon |
| 1995 | Nowhere Man (TV Series) · as Commander Cyrus Quinn |
| 1995 | Sketch Artist II: Hands That See · as Tonelli |
| 1994 | Beyond Betrayal · as Joe Maloney |
| 1993 | Cobra (TV Series) · as Dallas Cassel |
| 1993 | Boiling Point · as Levitt |
| 1992 | Bloodfist IV: Die Trying · as Agent Sterling |
| 1992 | The Hat Squad (TV Series) · as Mike Ragland |
| 1992 | Sketch Artist · as Tonelli |
| 1992 | Tequila and Bonetti (TV Series) · as Cdr. Rinker - K-9 Unit Leader |
| 1991 | Problem Child 2 · as Mr. Thron |
| 1991 | Driving Me Crazy · as Vince |
| 1991 | Hangfire · as Patch |
| 1990 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (TV Series) · as Dr. Oates |
| 1990 | Dick Tracy · as Numbers |
| 1990 | Back to the Future Part III · as Marshal Strickland |
| 1990 | Opportunity Knocks · as Sal |
| 1989 | Family Business · as Judge |
| 1989 | Back to the Future Part II · as Strickland |
| 1989 | Ministry of Vengeance · as Colonel Freeman |
| 1989 | Second Sight · as Coolidge |
| 1989 | Tales from the Crypt (TV Series) · as Sgt. Mcclaine |
| 1989 | True Blood · as Det. Joseph Hanley |
| 1989 | The Case of the Hillside Stranglers · as Lt. Ed Henderson |
| 1988 | Split Decisions · as Benny Pistone |
| 1988 | Leap of Faith · as Doctor Siegel |
| 1988 | Weekend War · as Dr. Alex Thompson |
| 1988 | The Wonder Years (TV Series) · as Coach Silva |
| 1988 | Viper · as William Tansey |
| 1987 | Made in Heaven · as Mr. Bjornstead |
| 1987 | Masters of the Universe · as Detective Lubic |
| 1986 | Little Spies · as Kennel Master |
| 1986 | Armed and Dangerous · as Lou Brackman |
| 1986 | Top Gun · as Stinger |
| 1986 | Off Beat · as Harry |
| 1985 | Mary (1985) (TV Series) · as Lester Mintz |
| 1985 | Walls of Glass · as Turner |
| 1985 | The Equalizer (TV Series) · as Ruger |
| 1985 | Back to the Future · as Mr. Strickland |
| 1985 | Turk 182 · as Hanley |
| 1984 | The River · as Howard Simpson |
| 1984 | Miami Vice (TV Series) · as Mason Mather |
| 1984 | Iceman · as Maynard |
| 1983 | Nightmares · as Bishop's Voice (segment "the Bishop Of Battle") |
| 1983 | WarGames · as Wigan |
| 1982 | Remington Steele (TV Series) · as Norman Keyes |
| 1982 | Author! Author! · as Lt. Glass |
| 1982 | Hanky Panky · as Conferee |
| 1981 | Prince of the City · as George Polito |
| 1981 | Wolfen · as Baldy |
| 1981 | Hill Street Blues (TV Series) |
| 1980 | American Playhouse (TV Series) · as Billy |
| 1979 | The Amityville Horror · as Coroner |
| 1975 | Love and Death · as Napoleon |
| 1975 | Abduction · as Off-Duty Cop |
| 1973 | Serpico · as Steiger |
| 1973 | The Werewolf of Washington · as Dark Glasses |
| 1973 | The Friends of Eddie Coyle · as The Man's Contact Man |
| 1971 | They Might Be Giants · as Mr. Brown |
| 1969 | Stiletto · as Edwards |
| 1967 | N.Y.P.D. (TV Series) · as Mccloud |
| 1966 | |
| 1958 | Naked City (TV Series) · as Evan Humbolt, Mail Clerk |
| 1954 | Disneyland (TV Series) · as The Kennel Master |
| 1950 | The Armstrong Circle Theatre (TV Series) · as Stefan Malwitz |