Page 117 - 2020 LP Yearbook

James Tolkan

This year Blue Bomber Weekly and journalism students had the chance to interview Mr. James Tolkan
who has been in numerous movies and tv shows that total over 70! They include Back to the Future, War
Games, and most importantly Top Gun.

Many of you may be wondering why do we have this super cool guy in our yearbook? Well this year our
yearbook theme is “blast from the past” and the new top gun movie is coming out this summer and the first
top gun movie came out in the 80’s when all of the teachers were young, so it is a blast from their past!
Planning ahead all of the teachers had their photos taken in a bomber jacket and aviators.

When we had the opportunity to interview Mr. Tolkan we asked all sorts of questions which gave us
some insight on how the actor became who he is today. Mr. Tolkan started acting at the age of 26 which is
considered to be a late start to acting. This was after he took a Greyhound bus from the University of Iowa
to New York to study acting with Stella Adler. He decided to live in Lake Placid when his wife Parmelee
brought him up here and he had received a big residual from Back to the Future, and decided it was a good
down payment on his home. Most people think he is strictly a movie actor, but most of his work has been on
the stage and he has even been on broadway. When Mr. Tolkan was asked what are the worst parts of acting
he said the worst part was auditioning and being ignored. He also loves watching himself in movies and
wishes he could redo every scene from Top Gun because he loved it that much! He later elaborated that he
only likes the way he acted in a few films and tv shows the films include Top Gun, Love and Death, and
Prince of the City and for the tv shows he liked Remington Steele. His least favorite role to work on was a
series called Cobra. He didn't like the writing, he didn’t like the directors, all around he just didn’t like it,
and he would rather be playing pool in a huge pool hall that was in the location he was filming that tv series.
Mr. Tolkan’s favorite place he has traveled is Vancouver and his favorite person he has ever worked with is
Sideny Lumet because he spoiled him and was a wonderful director. Overall it was such a great experience
with a lively, cool, fun, actor and hopefully this gave you a little insight on why Mr. Tolkan is in our “blast
from the past” themed yearbook!

-Caleb Mihill

James Tolkan

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