Beloved character actor James Tolkan, best known as the strict principal in Back to the Future, has died at 94.
He played Principal Strickland—famous for calling students “slackers”—across the film series and its animated version. He was also widely known as Stinger in Top Gun alongside Tom Cruise.
His death was confirmed by co-writer Bob Gale, who said Tolkan passed peacefully at home.
Born in 1931 in Wisconsin, Tolkan had a troubled youth but later served briefly in the Navy, studied arts using the GI Bill, and pursued acting in New York. He built a strong career with roles in films like Serpico and WarGames, often playing tough authority figures.
A lifelong stage actor, he also appeared in Broadway’s Glengarry Glen Ross and stayed connected with fans, even reuniting with Michael J. Fox later in life.