James Tolkan

Personal Info

Know For

Acting

Gender

Male

Birthday

1931-06-20 (94 years old)

Place of Birth

Calumet, Michigan, USA

James Tolkan

Biography

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, muscul...

Acting

1985

Back to the Future

as Mr. Strickland

1990

Back to the Future Part III

as Marshal Strickland

1983

WarGames

as Wigan

2021

Val

as Self (archive footage)

1986

Top Gun

as Stinger

1989

1993

Boiling Point

as Levitt

1987

Masters of the Universe

as Detective Lubic

1984

Iceman

as Maynard

1987

Made in Heaven

as Mr. Bjornstead

2006

Heavens Fall

as Thomas Knight, Sr.

1991

Problem Child 2

as Mr. Thron

1986

Off Beat

as Harry

2004

1992

Bloodfist IV: Die Trying

as Agent Sterling

1986

Little Spies

as Kennel Master

1988

Split Decisions

as Benny Pistone

1989

True Blood

as Det. Joseph Hanley

2013

Phil Spector

as Judge Fidler

1975

Love and Death

as Napoleon

1971

1991

Hangfire

as Patch

1979

1986

Armed and Dangerous

as Lou Brackman

1996

1985

Turk 182!

as Hanley

1989

Second Sight

as Coolidge

1988

Weekend War

as Dr. Alex Thompson

1973

Serpico

as Steiger

1991

1981

Prince of the City

as George Polito

1988

Viper

as William Tansey

1984

The River

as Howard Simpson

2015

Bone Tomahawk

as Pianist

1996

Underworld

as Dan 'Iceberg' Eagan

1982

Hanky Panky

as Conferee

1990

Dick Tracy

as Numbers

2015

1989

Ministry of Vengeance

as Colonel Freeman

1985

Flanagan

as Turner

1981

Wolfen

as Baldy

1973

The Friends of Eddie Coyle

as The Man's contact man

1988

Question of Faith

as Doctor Siegel

1982

Author! Author!

as Lt. Glass

1992

Sketch Artist

as Tonelli

1969

Stiletto

as Edwards

1973

1990

Sunset Beat

as Ray Parker

1983

Wings

as Billy

1997

Love in Ambush

as Agent Price

1976

Independence

as Tom Paine

Production

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