Social Entertainment / People

James Tolkan

Acting · Born June 20, 1931 · Calumet, Michigan, USA

Fiery, forceful and intimidating character actor James Tolkan 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.

Movies with James Tolkan

• Back to the Future (1985) — Mr. Strickland
• Back to the Future Part II (1989) — Strickland
• Top Gun (1986) — Stinger
• Back to the Future Part III (1990) — Marshal Strickland
• Masters of the Universe (1987) — Lubic
• Bone Tomahawk (2015) — Pianist
• WarGames (1983) — Wigan
• Serpico (1973) — Steiger
• The Amityville Horror (1979) — Coroner
• Problem Child 2 (1991) — Mr. Thron
• Dick Tracy (1990) — Numbers
• Val (2021) — Self (archive)

TV shows with James Tolkan

• Cobra (1993) — Dallas Cassel
• The Hat Squad (1992) — Mike Ragland
• Mary (1985) — Lester Mintz
• Sunset Beat (1990) — Ray Parker