James Tolkan

{{Infobox person

| name = James Tolkan

| image = James Tolkan.jpg

| caption = Tolkan autographing a Back to the Future poster in 2019

| birth_name = James Stewart Tolkan

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1931|6|20}}

| birth_place = Calumet, Michigan, U.S.

| other_names =

| education = University of Iowa
Coe College
Eastern Arizona College
Actors Studio

| occupation = Actor

| years_active = 1960–2015 • 2021 • 2024https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32131799/

| spouse = {{marriage|Parmelee Welles|1971}}

}}

James Stewart Tolkan (born June 20, 1931) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as high school vice-principal in charge of disciplineCraig Shaw Gardner: Back to the Future Part II (novelization) (page 105) Mr. Strickland in Back to the Future (1985) and Back to the Future Part II (1989), and as his ancestor, Marshal James Strickland, in Back to the Future Part III (1990). Other memorable film roles include Love and Death (1975), Top Gun (1986), Masters of the Universe (1987), Dick Tracy (1990), and Problem Child 2 (1991).

Early life

File:American actor James Tolkan, high school yearbook photo, 1949.png

Tolkan[https://www.nytimes.com/1971/08/29/archives/miss-welles-wed-io-actor.html "Miss Welles Wed to Actor"]. The New York Times. August 29, 1971. was born in Calumet, Michigan, the son of Dale Nichols and Ralph M. Tolkan,{{cite web| url= http://www.filmreference.com/film/17/James-Tolkan.html|title=James Tolkan Biography|work= FilmReference.com| publisher= | date= | access-date= }} a cattle dealer.

Tolkan graduated from Amphitheater High School in Tucson, Arizona, in 1949, where he played on the football team.{{cite book |date=1949 |title=Panther Trails |location=Tucson, Arizona |publisher=Amphitheater High School |page=28}} He then attended the University of Iowa, Coe College, the Actors Studio and Eastern Arizona College.{{cite web| url= https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800094247/bio |title= James Tolkan| publisher= Yahoo Movies |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070822185137/http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800094247/bio |archivedate=August 22, 2007 | date= | access-date= }} Tolkan served in the U.S. Navy onboard the USS Sandoval, but he had an issue with his heart; within a year, he was discharged for medical reasons.{{Cite web |last=Searls |first=Joel |date=March 23, 2021 |title=From gangs to the Navy and then to the theater, James Tolkan has seen it all |url=https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-movies/actor-james-tolkan-has-seen-it-all/ |website=We Are the Mighty}}

Career

Tolkan is perhaps best known for his role in the 1985 film Back to the Future as the strict Hill Valley High School vice principal Gerald Strickland; the character refers to Marty McFly, his father, and Biff Tannen derisively as "slackers". He reprised the role in the 1989 sequel Back to the Future Part II, in which unnamed gang members make a drive-by assault on him in a dystopian 1985; he also refers to these criminals as "slackers" as he shoots back. In 1990, he played the part of Strickland's grandfather Chief Marshal James Strickland in Back to the Future Part III. Tolkan would again reprise his role as Strickland, and the character's ancestors and descendants, in the 1991 animated series spin-off.

Other well-known roles include an FBI agent in WarGames and Stinger, the no-nonsense commanding officer of {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65|6}}'s embarked F-14 squadron in the 1986 box-office hit Top Gun. He portrayed the role of cold and determined District Attorney Polito in Sidney Lumet's Prince of the City. He played the obsequious and evasive union treasurer Lou Brackman in 1986’s Armed and Dangerous. He appeared in the 1987 film Masters of the Universe as Detective Lubic. He had a dual role in the Woody Allen comedy Love and Death, playing both Napoleon and a look-alike.{{Cite web| url= http://www.bttf.com/tolkan-donates-scripts-memorabilia-to-una-archives.php |title=Tolkan Donates Scripts, Memorabilia To UNA Archives |date=April 26, 2012| website= BTTF.com| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121018181613/http://www.bttf.com/tolkan-donates-scripts-memorabilia-to-una-archives.php|archive-date=October 18, 2012|access-date=September 16, 2018}} He appeared as Big Boy Caprice's accountant "Numbers" in the 1990 Warren Beatty film Dick Tracy. He appeared in Serpico (1973) in a small but notable role as a policeman who accuses Serpico of having a homosexual encounter with another policeman in a men's room.

Tolkan has made guest appearances on many TV shows, including The Hat Squad, Naked City, Remington Steele, Miami Vice and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.{{Cite web| url= https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-fresh-prince-of-bel-air/episode-14-season-1/day-damn-one/100167/ |title=The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Season 1 Episode 14|website= TVGuide.com|language=en|access-date=September 16, 2018}} A member of the repertory cast of A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2001–02), he played more than a dozen varied roles in the A&E TV series and also directed two episodes ("Die Like a Dog" and "The Next Witness").

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ James Tolkan film credits
align="center" ! Year ! Title ! \| Role
1966	The Three Sisters	Unknown
1969	Stiletto	Edwards
1971	They Might Be Giants	Mr. Brown
1973	The Friends of Eddie Coyle	The Man's Contact Man
1973	The Werewolf of Washington	Dark Glasses
1973	Serpico	Lieutenant Steiger (as James Tolkin)
1975	Love and Death	Napoleon Bonaparte
1975	Abduction	Off-Duty Cop
1976	Independence	Tom Paine
1979	The Amityville Horror	The Coroner
1981	Wolfen	"Baldy", Medical Examiner
1981	Prince of the City	District Attorney Polito
1982	Hanky Panky	Conferee
1982	Author! Author!	Lieutenant Glass
1983	WarGames	FBI Agent George Wigan
1983	Nightmares {{small\|"The Bishop of Battle"}}	Voice of The Bishop
1984	Iceman	Maynard
1984	The River	Howard Simpson
1985	Turk 182!	Hanley
1985	Back to the Future	Principal Gerald Strickland
1985	Walls of Glass	Turner
1986	Off Beat	Harry
1986	Top Gun	Commander Tom "Stinger" Jardian
1986	Armed and Dangerous	Lou Brackman
1986	Little Spies	The Kennel Master
1987	Masters of the Universe	Detective Hugh Lubic
1987	Made in Heaven	Mr. Bjornstead
1988	Viper	Colonel William Tansey
1988	Split Decisions	Benny Pistone
1989	True Blood	Detective Joe Hanley
1989	Second Sight	Captain Coolidge
1989	Back to the Future Part II	Principal Gerald Strickland
1989	Ministry of Vengeance	Colonel Freeman
1989	Family Business	Judge In 2nd Trial
1990	Opportunity Knocks	Sal Nichols
1990	Back to the Future Part III	U.S. Marshal James Strickland
1990	Dick Tracy	"Numbers"
1991	Hangfire	"Patch"
1991	Trabbi Goes to Hollywood	Vince
1991	Problem Child 2	Mr. Thorn
1992	Bloodfist IV: Die Trying	Agent Sterling
1993	Boiling Point	Senior US Treasury Agent Jerry Levitt
1996	Underworld	Dan "Iceberg" Eagan
1996	Robo Warriors	Quon
1999	Wings: Thrill of Flight	Host
2004	Seven Times Lucky	"Dutch"
2006	Heavens Fall	Thomas Knight Sr.
2015	Bone Tomahawk	The Pianist
2024 \|Tom Wilson: Humbly Super Famous {{small\|(Documentary)}}{{Citation \|last=Wilson \|first=Tom \|title=Tom Wilson: Humbly Super Famous \|date=2024-02-22 \|type=Documentary \|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32131799/ \|access-date=2024-11-12 \|others=Michael J. Fox, Coleen Goodrich, Anna May Wilson Hand \|publisher=Dusty Tuba Entertainment Inc.}} \|Himself

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ James Tolkan television credits
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1960 \| Naked City \| Evan Humboldt \| Episode: "The Man Who Bit a Diamond in Half"
1962 \| Armstrong Circle Theatre \| Stefan Malwitz \| Episode: "The Man Who Refused to Die"
1969 \| N.Y.P.D. \| McCloud \| Episode: "The Night Watch"
1983 \| American Playhouse \| Billy \| Episode: "Wings"{{Cite web \|title=American Playhouse: Wings (TV) \|url=https://www.paleycenter.org/collection/item/?q=richard&p=317&item=T:21280 \|access-date=2022-08-18 \|website=The Paley Center for Media}}
1985 \| Hill Street Blues \| Coach Beasley \| Episode: "Queen for a Day"
1985–1986 \| Mary \| Lester Mintz \| 13 episodes
1985–1987 \| Remington Steele \| Norman Keyes \| {{Hidden\|{{align\|left\|5 episodes}}\| "Diced Steele" "Forged Steele" "Bonds of Steele" "The Steele That Wouldn't Die" (2 parts)}}
1987 \| Miami Vice \| Mason Mather \| Episode: "Amen ... Send Money"
1988 \| Weekend War \| Dr. Alex Thompson \| TV movie
1988 \| Leap of Faith \| Dr. Siegel \| TV movie
1989 \| The Equalizer \| Ruger \| Episode: "The Visitation"
1989 \| The Case of the Hillside Stranglers \| Lt. Ed Henderson \| TV movie
1990 \| Sunset Beat \| Ray Parker \| Episode: "One Down, Four Up"
1990 \| The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air \| Dr. Oates / Dr. Bloat \| Episode: "Day Damn One"
1991 \| Tales from the Crypt \| Sergeant McClaine \| Episode: "The Trap"
1992 \| Tequila and Bonetti \| Unknown \| Episode: "Fetch This, Pal"
1992 \| Sketch Artist \| Lieutenant Tonelli \| TV movie
1992 \| The Hat Squad \| Mike Ragland \| Episode: "The Widow Marker"
1992 \| Back to the Future \| Civil Defense Warden \| Episode: "Marty McFly PFC"
1993 \| The Wonder Years \| Coach Silva \| Episode: "Hulk Arnold"
1993–1994 \| Cobra \| Dallas Cassel \| 22 episodes
1994 \| Beyond Betrayal \| Joe Maloney \| TV movie
1995 \| Sketch Artist II: Hands That See \| Lieutenant Tonelli \| TV movie
1996 \| Nowhere Man \| Commander Cyrus Quinn \| Episode: "Heart of Darkness"
1996 \| Early Edition \| Coach Phillips \| Episode: "Hoops"
1997 \| Love in Ambush \| Agent Price \| TV movie
1997 \| The Pretender \| FBI Special Agent Korkos \| Episode: "Dragon House"
2001–2002 \| Nero Wolfe \| {{Hidden\|{{align\|left\|14 roles}}\| Richard Wragg Mr. Hackett Bernard Quest W.J. Mr. Joseph Pitcairn Percy Ludlow Avery Ballou Loftus, Dog Expert Leo Bingham Adrian Dart Benedict Aiken Ben Jenson Richard Wragg Ed Graboff}} \| {{Hidden\|{{align\|left\|14 episodes}}\| "The Doorbell Rang" "Champagne for One" "Prisoner's Base" "Disguise for Murder" "Door to Death" "Over My Dead Body" "Death of a Doxy" "Die Like a Dog" "Motherhunt" "Poison à la Carte" "Too Many Clients" "Help Wanted, Male" "The Silent Speaker" "Cop Killer"}}
2011 \| Leverage \| Dean Chesny \| Episode: "The Cross My Heart Job"
2013 \| Phil Spector \| Larry Fidler \| TV movie
2021 \| Expedition: Back to the Future \| Strickland / Guard \| Season 1, episode 1

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ James Tolkan television credits

Year

Title

Role

Notes

1960

| Naked City

| Evan Humboldt

| Episode: "The Man Who Bit a Diamond in Half"

1962

| Armstrong Circle Theatre

| Stefan Malwitz

| Episode: "The Man Who Refused to Die"

1969

| N.Y.P.D.

| McCloud

| Episode: "The Night Watch"

1983

| American Playhouse

| Billy

| Episode: "Wings"{{Cite web |title=American Playhouse: Wings (TV) |url=https://www.paleycenter.org/collection/item/?q=richard&p=317&item=T:21280 |access-date=2022-08-18 |website=The Paley Center for Media}}

1985

| Hill Street Blues

| Coach Beasley

| Episode: "Queen for a Day"

1985–1986

| Mary

| Lester Mintz

| 13 episodes

1985–1987

| Remington Steele

| Norman Keyes

| {{Hidden|{{align|left|5 episodes}}|
"Diced Steele"
"Forged Steele"
"Bonds of Steele"
"The Steele That Wouldn't Die" (2 parts)}}

1987

| Miami Vice

| Mason Mather

| Episode: "Amen ... Send Money"

1988

| Weekend War

| Dr. Alex Thompson

| TV movie

1988

| Leap of Faith

| Dr. Siegel

| TV movie

1989

| The Equalizer

| Ruger

| Episode: "The Visitation"

1989

| The Case of the Hillside Stranglers

| Lt. Ed Henderson

| TV movie

1990

| Sunset Beat

| Ray Parker

| Episode: "One Down, Four Up"

1990

| The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

| Dr. Oates / Dr. Bloat

| Episode: "Day Damn One"

1991

| Tales from the Crypt

| Sergeant McClaine

| Episode: "The Trap"

1992

| Tequila and Bonetti

| Unknown

| Episode: "Fetch This, Pal"

1992

| Sketch Artist

| Lieutenant Tonelli

| TV movie

1992

| The Hat Squad

| Mike Ragland

| Episode: "The Widow Marker"

1992

| Back to the Future

| Civil Defense Warden

| Episode: "Marty McFly PFC"

1993

| The Wonder Years

| Coach Silva

| Episode: "Hulk Arnold"

1993–1994

| Cobra

| Dallas Cassel

| 22 episodes

1994

| Beyond Betrayal

| Joe Maloney

| TV movie

1995

| Sketch Artist II: Hands That See

| Lieutenant Tonelli

| TV movie

1996

| Nowhere Man

| Commander Cyrus Quinn

| Episode: "Heart of Darkness"

1996

| Early Edition

| Coach Phillips

| Episode: "Hoops"

1997

| Love in Ambush

| Agent Price

| TV movie

1997

| The Pretender

| FBI Special Agent Korkos

| Episode: "Dragon House"

2001–2002

| Nero Wolfe

| {{Hidden|{{align|left|14 roles}}|
Richard Wragg
Mr. Hackett
Bernard Quest
W.J.
Mr. Joseph Pitcairn
Percy Ludlow
Avery Ballou
Loftus, Dog Expert
Leo Bingham
Adrian Dart
Benedict Aiken
Ben Jenson
Richard Wragg
Ed Graboff}}

| {{Hidden|{{align|left|14 episodes}}|
"The Doorbell Rang"
"Champagne for One"
"Prisoner's Base"
"Disguise for Murder"
"Door to Death"
"Over My Dead Body"
"Death of a Doxy"
"Die Like a Dog"
"Motherhunt"
"Poison à la Carte"
"Too Many Clients"
"Help Wanted, Male"
"The Silent Speaker"
"Cop Killer"}}