Profile Text
Birth Name: James Stewart Tolkan
Date of Birth: June 20, 1931
Place of Birth: Calumet, Michigan, U.S.
Date of Death: March 26, 2026
Place of Death: Saranac Lake, New York, U.S.
Ethnicity: * father – Ashkenazi Jewish * mother – Finnish, likely German
James Tolkan was an American actor. His roles included the films Stiletto (1969), They Might Be Giants , The Werewolf of Washington , The Friends of Eddie Coyle , Serpico , Love and Death , Abduction (1975), Independence (1976), The Amityville Horror (1979), Wolfen , Prince of the City , Hanky Panky , Author! Author! ; WarGames , Nightmares (1983), Iceman , The River (1984), Turk 182! , Back to the Future , and its sequels; Walls of Glass , Off Beat , Top Gun , Armed and Dangerous (1986), Masters of the Universe , Made in Heaven (1987), True Blood , Ministry of Vengeance , Second Sight , Family Business (1989), Opportunity Knocks , Dick Tracy (1990), Trabbi Goes to Hollywood , Problem Child 2 , Bloodfist IV: Die Trying , Boiling Point (1993), Underworld (1996), Heavens Fall , and Bone Tomahawk ; the shows Mary , Remington Steele , Cobra , and Nero Wolfe ; and the made-for-tv movies Weekend War , Sketch Artist , and its sequel; and Phil Spector .
He was the son of Marjorie Effie (raised under the name Silvola, later Nichols), a watercolour artist, and Ralph Milton Tolkan, a cattle dealer. His father was born in Wisconsin, to Russian Jewish/Lithuanian Jewish parents. His mother was born in Michigan, to a Finnish-American mother. James attended high school in Tucson, Arizona. He was married to Parmelee Welles, until his death.
James’s paternal grandfather was named Harry Tolkan (the son of Benjamin Tolkan and Rose).
James’s paternal grandmother was named Anna Wiletsky.
James’s maternal grandfather was named George Distel. George likely was of German descent.
James’s maternal grandmother was Lillian H. “Lily” Silvola (the daughter of Alexander/Alex Silvola and Sophia/Sofia Greeta Hamina). Lillian was born in Michigan, to Finnish parents. Alexander was born in Toholampi, Toholampi Municipality, Central Ostrobothnia, the son of Erik Silvola and Amalia Sophia Seppälä. Sophia was the daughter of Gustaf Hamina and Greeta.
Sources: Genealogy of James Tolkan – https://www.findagrave.com
James Tolkan on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
James’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
James’s mother on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org James’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of James’s mother – https://www.familysearch.org
Genealogy of James’s maternal grandmother, Lillian H. “Lily” Silvola – https://www.findagrave.com
James’s maternal grandmother, Lillian H. “Lily” Silvola, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of James’s maternal grandmother, Lillian H. “Lily” Silvola – https://www.familysearch.org