Back to the Future and Top Gun star James Tolkan dies aged 94
Actor James Tolkan, best known for his appearance in the Back to the Future franchise, died on Friday at the age of 94.
Tolkan featured in Robert Zemeckis’ original 1985 Back to the Future movie as Hill Valley High School chief Mr. Strickland.
He returned to the role for the 1989 sequel Back to the Future Part II.
Bob Gale, who, along with director Zemeckis, created the franchise, confirmed to TMZ that Tolkan died peacefully at his Lake Placid home.
His cause of death was not revealed.
Tolkan’s acting journey began in the 1960s series Naked City.
Another best-remembered character was Stinger, the commanding officer of Tom Cruise and Anthony Edwards’ characters in the 1986 classic Top Gun.
‘Tom Cruise was most impressive. I knew he was going to be great right from the beginning,’ Tolkan reflected of his experience on set.
He continued working onscreen, guest-starring on such classic series as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alongside Will Smith.
His career spanned five decades, with his final credit appearing in the 2015 film Bone Tomahawk.
The actor enjoyed the affection he received from Back to the Future fans, who would ask him to call them ‘slackers.’
And as recently as last year, he attended a Back to the Future fan expo in New Orleans where he and Michael J. Fox enjoyed a reunion on camera.
Before making it big in Hollywood, he served in the Korean War as a member of the United States Navy.
He was eventually discharged due to a heart condition. Following this, he pursued his passion for acting and earned a BA in drama from the University of Iowa.
Tolkan is survived by his wife of 54 years, Parmelee, and his three nieces.
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