James Tolkan

James Tolkan
Tolkan autographing a Back to the Future poster in 2019
Born	James Stewart Tolkan (1931-06-20) June 20, 1931 Calumet, Michigan, U.S.
Education	University of Iowa Coe College Eastern Arizona College Actors Studio
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1960–2015 • 2021 • 2024
Spouse	Parmelee Welles ​ (m. 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 discipline 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

Tolkan as a high school senior in 1949

Tolkan was born in Calumet, Michigan, the son of Dale Nichols and Ralph M. Tolkan, a cattle dealer.

Tolkan graduated from Amphitheater High School in Tucson, Arizona, in 1949, where he played on the football team. He then attended the University of Iowa, Coe College, the Actors Studio and Eastern Arizona College. 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.

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'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. 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. 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

James Tolkan film credits

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 "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 (Documentary)	Himself

Television

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"
1985	Hill Street Blues	Coach Beasley	Episode: "Queen for a Day"
1985–1986	Mary	Lester Mintz	13 episodes
1985–1987	Remington Steele	Norman Keyes	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	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	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

Video games

• 1996: Top Gun: Fire at Will - Commander Hondo
• 1998: Top Gun: Hornet's Nest - Commander Hondo

External links

• James Tolkan at IMDb
• James Tolkan at the Internet Broadway Database
• James Tolkan at the Internet Off-Broadway Database