James Tolkan

Biography

James Tolkan was an American character actor, born in Calumet, Michigan, who trained in drama at the University of Iowa and made his film debut in the 1966 Actors Studio production The Three Sisters. He became best known as Gerald Strickland, the strict vice principal in Back to the Future (1985), a role he reprised in Back to the Future Part II (1989) and, as the character's grandfather, in Back to the Future Part III (1990). His other films included Serpico (1973), Prince of the City (1981), WarGames (1983), Top Gun (1986), Masters of the Universe (1987) and Problem Child 2 (1991). On television he made guest appearances on many series and, as part of the repertory cast of Nero Wolfe from 2001 to 2002, played more than a dozen parts there and also directed two episodes. He died in 2026.

94years old at death

Born June 20, 1931Calumet
Died March 26, 2026Saranac Lake
Star sign: GeminiLast day of the sign, on the Cancer cusp

Movie Career

Films: 32
Career span: 44 years1971 to 2015

Genres

Comedy47%, 15 films
Drama44%, 14 films
Crime31%, 10 films
Action19%, 6 films
Sci-Fi16%, 5 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
James Tolkan's first film was The Three Sisters, a 1966 Actors Studio adaptation of a play, made independently. Geraldine Page, Sandy Dennis, Kim Stanley and Shelley Winters were among the ensemble cast.
Behind the camera
Tolkan was part of the repertory cast of Nero Wolfe, appearing in more than a dozen roles and directing two episodes.

James Tolkan movies on Netflix

Back in Time2015IMDb rating 6.3as Himself
Bone Tomahawk2015IMDb rating 7.1as Pianist
Phil Spector2013IMDb rating 6.2as Judge Fidler
Heavens Fall2006IMDb rating 6.6as Thomas Knight, Sr.
Sketch Artist II: Hands That See1995IMDb rating 5.7as Tonelli
Boiling Point1993IMDb rating 5.0as Levitt
Bloodfist IV: Die Trying1992IMDb rating 5.0as Agent Sterling
Sketch Artist1992IMDb rating 5.2as Tonelli
Driving Me Crazy1991IMDb rating 3.5as Vince
Problem Child 21991IMDb rating 5.0as Mr. Thorn
Back to the Future Part III1990IMDb rating 7.5as Marshal James Strickland
Opportunity Knocks1990IMDb rating 6.0as Sal
Back to the Future Part II1989IMDb rating 7.8as Strickland
Family Business1989IMDb rating 5.8as Judge
Second Sight1989IMDb rating 4.4as Coolidge
Made in Heaven1987IMDb rating 6.2as Mr. Bjornstead
Masters of the Universe1987IMDb rating 5.4as Detective Lubic
Off Beat1986IMDb rating 5.1as Harry
Top Gun1986IMDb rating 7.0as Stinger
Back to the Future1985IMDb rating 8.5as Mr. Strickland
Turk 182!1985IMDb rating 6.0as Hanley
Iceman1984IMDb rating 6.2as Maynard
The River1984IMDb rating 6.3as Howard Simpson
WarGames1983IMDb rating 7.1as Wigan
Author! Author!1982IMDb rating 6.2as Lt. Glass
Hanky Panky1982IMDb rating 5.7as Conferee
Prince of the City1981IMDb rating 7.4as Assistant U.S. Atty. George Polito
Wolfen1981IMDb rating 6.3as Baldy
Serpico1973IMDb rating 7.7as Steiger
The Friends of Eddie Coyle1973IMDb rating 7.4as The Man's contact man
The Werewolf of Washington1973IMDb rating 4.1as Dark Glasses
They Might Be Giants1971IMDb rating 6.7as Mr. Brown

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Back to the Future Part II1989 Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fias Strickland
IMDb rating 7.8630K votes
Back to the Future1985 Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fias Mr. Strickland
IMDb rating 8.51.5M votes
Back to the Future Part III1990as Marshal James Strickland
IMDb rating 7.5527K votes
Top Gun1986as Stinger
IMDb rating 7.0561K votes
Masters of the Universe1987as Detective Lubic
IMDb rating 5.454K votes
Bone Tomahawk2015as Pianist
IMDb rating 7.1143K votes
WarGames1983as Wigan
IMDb rating 7.1123K votes
Opportunity Knocks1990as Sal
IMDb rating 6.03.7K votes

Most often with

Robert Zemeckis directed three of these films, Sidney Lumet three. Four actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Christopher Lloyd

Lea Thompson

Timothy Hutton

Michael J. Fox

Al Pacino

Thomas F. Wilson

Robert ZemeckisDirector, 3 films

Sidney LumetDirector, 3 films

Films together

Christopher Lloyd4 films together, 1985 to 2015
Christopher Lloyd's page
- Back in Time2015IMDb rating 6.3Tolkan as HimselfLloyd as Himself
- Back to the Future Part III1990IMDb rating 7.5Tolkan as Marshal James StricklandLloyd as Dr. Emmett Brown
- Back to the Future Part II1989IMDb rating 7.8Tolkan as StricklandLloyd as Doctor Emmett Brown
- Back to the Future1985IMDb rating 8.5Tolkan as Mr. StricklandLloyd as Dr. Emmett Brown
Lea Thompson4 films together, 1985 to 2015
Lea Thompson's page
- Back in Time2015IMDb rating 6.3Tolkan as HimselfThompson as Himself
- Back to the Future Part III1990IMDb rating 7.5Tolkan as Marshal James StricklandThompson as Maggie McFly / Lorraine McFly
- Back to the Future Part II1989IMDb rating 7.8Tolkan as StricklandThompson as Lorraine
- Back to the Future1985IMDb rating 8.5Tolkan as Mr. StricklandThompson as Lorraine Baines
Timothy Hutton4 films together, 1984 to 2006
Timothy Hutton's page
- Heavens Fall2006IMDb rating 6.6Tolkan as Thomas Knight, Sr.Hutton as Samuel Leibowitz
- Made in Heaven1987IMDb rating 6.2Tolkan as Mr. BjornsteadHutton as Mike Shea / Elmo Barnett
- Turk 182!1985IMDb rating 6.0Tolkan as HanleyHutton as Jimmy Lynch
- Iceman1984IMDb rating 6.2Tolkan as MaynardHutton as Dr. Stanley Shephard
Michael J. Fox4 films together, 1985 to 2015
Michael J. Fox's page
- Back in Time2015IMDb rating 6.3Tolkan as HimselfFox as Himself
- Back to the Future Part III1990IMDb rating 7.5Tolkan as Marshal James StricklandFox as Marty McFly / Seamus McFly
- Back to the Future Part II1989IMDb rating 7.8Tolkan as StricklandFox as Marty McFly / Marty McFly Jr. / Marlene McFly
- Back to the Future1985IMDb rating 8.5Tolkan as Mr. StricklandFox as Marty McFly
Al Pacino3 films together, 1973 to 2013
Al Pacino's page
- Phil Spector2013IMDb rating 6.2Tolkan as Judge FidlerPacino as Phil Spector
- Author! Author!1982IMDb rating 6.2Tolkan as Lt. GlassPacino as Ivan Travalian
- Serpico1973IMDb rating 7.7Tolkan as SteigerPacino as Serpico
Thomas F. Wilson3 films together, 1985 to 1990
Thomas F. Wilson's page
- Back to the Future Part III1990IMDb rating 7.5Tolkan as Marshal James StricklandWilson as Buford 'Mad Dog' Tannen / Biff Tannen
- Back to the Future Part II1989IMDb rating 7.8Tolkan as StricklandWilson as Biff Tannen / Griff
- Back to the Future1985IMDb rating 8.5Tolkan as Mr. StricklandWilson as Biff Tannen
Robert ZemeckisDirector, 3 films, 1985 to 1990
All films by Robert Zemeckis
- Back to the Future Part III1990IMDb rating 7.5Tolkan as Marshal James Strickland
- Back to the Future Part II1989IMDb rating 7.8Tolkan as Strickland
- Back to the Future1985IMDb rating 8.5Tolkan as Mr. Strickland
Sidney LumetDirector, 3 films, 1973 to 1989
All films by Sidney Lumet
- Family Business1989IMDb rating 5.8Tolkan as Judge
- Prince of the City1981IMDb rating 7.4Tolkan as Assistant U.S. Atty. George Polito
- Serpico1973IMDb rating 7.7Tolkan as Steiger

Box office

What James Tolkan's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

Top

Combined worldwide box office

$1.6 billion

20 of the 32 films have a worldwide figure.

20Worldwide figure
2US gross only
4Never in cinemas
6Figure not found

Top grosser

Back to the Future1985Mr. Strickland$392 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 94% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Back to the Future1985as Mr. Strickland
$392M24.0% of the total
2
Top Gun1986as Stinger
$357M21.9% of the total
3
Back to the Future Part II1989as Strickland
$333M20.4% of the total
4
Back to the Future Part III1990as Marshal James Strickland
$245M15.0% of the total
5
WarGames1983as Wigan
$125M7.6% of the total
6
Problem Child 21991as Mr. Thorn
$33M2.0% of the total
7
Serpico1973as Steiger
$31M1.9% of the total
8
Masters of the Universe1987as Detective Lubic
$17M1.1% of the total