‘Top Gun’ star James Tolkan passes away at 94: A look at his most iconic roles
Hollywood actor James Tolkan, known for his iconic roles in ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Back to the Future’ (1985), has passed away at the age of 94. Having played multiple roles across theatre and Broadway, he etched a memory for all his fans.
Remembered for characters like Commander ‘Stinger’ Jordian and Vice Principal Gerald Strickland, he breathed his last in his New York state home. A career spanning 55 years, the news was confirmed on the ‘Back to the Future’ website, according to The Sun.
James Tolkan’s cause of death
John Alcantar, a spokesperson for Tolkan, told USA Today, “The news is sadly true about James,” as he recalled that Tolkan was a beloved professional who lived a good, full life.
While no cause of death has been shared, some reports suggest that he passed peacefully, surrounded by his family and loved ones. He is survived by his wife, Parmelee, 54, whom he met on the sets of the off-Broadway play Pinkville in 1971. He also leaves behind three nieces. His love for animals was echoed in his obituary as it sought donations in his memory to the local animal shelter, an animal rescue organisation or the Humane Society chapter.
James Tolkan’s famous roles: From theatre to TV
Spanning across five decades, James Tolkan started his career in the 1960s with a series called ‘Naked City’ and was last seen as a pianist in ‘Bone Tomahawk’, a 2015 film. Born in 1931 in Michigan, Tolkan was a veteran of the Korean War. Walking into New York City, he had $75 in his pocket, and he set out to learn the art of acting with Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg.
A member of the original ensemble cast of the Broadway production ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’, he launched his career in film with War Games when he moved to Canada in 1983. Looking back, he has played several memorable roles, including those in Top Gun, Back to the Future, and a dual role in Woody Allen‘s Love and Death.
Tolkan reprised the Back to the Future series with a second part in 1990. In the third part of the franchise, Tolkan played Strickland’s grandfather, Chief Marshal James Strickland, in the sci-fi western film.
The time-travelling trilogy was one of his biggest hits, before he appeared in Tom Cruise‘s epic ‘Top Gun’ series. He immortalised his character with the dialogue, “Your ego is writing checks your body can’t cash,” in the Tom Cruise starrer.
Some of his latest works came in 2013 with a television film, ‘Phil Spector’ where Tolkan played the role of Judge Fidler, presiding over the murder trial of the titular Wall of Sound producer. He starred alongside Al Pacino and Helen Mirren.
