Entertainment
SAD! Popular Actor Dies At 94
James Tolkan, the character actor who expressed a disdain for “slackers” in the Back to the Future trilogy and portrayed Tom Cruise’s no-nonsense commanding officer in Top Gun, has died.
He was 94.
Tolkan died Thursday in Saranac Lake, New York, a family spokesperson announced.
Tolkan also played Napoleon and his look-alike in Woody Allen’s Love and Death (1975) and was the crooked accountant known as Numbers who works for Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino) in Warren Beatty’s Dick Tracy (1990).
He appeared in three movies directed by Sidney Lumet: as a cop in the Pacino-starring Serpico (1973), as a determined D.A. in Prince of the City (1981), and as a judge in Family Business (1989).
On Broadway, Tolkan portrayed salesman Dave Moss in the original 1984-85 production of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross. (Ed Harris played the character in the 1992 movie adaptation.)
Tolkan, whose specialty was playing intense, intimidating types, was steely as Hill Valley High School principal Mr. Strickland in Back to the Future (1985) and its 1989 sequel, then returned as Strickland’s grandfather in Back to the Future Part III (1990).
Pretty much wherever he went, fans asked him to berate them as “slackers” just for fun.
In Top Gun (1986), he was imposing yet again as Tom “Stinger” Jardian when he lights into Cruise’s Pete “Maverick” Mitchell for reckless behavior.
Tolkan’s big-screen résumé also included The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973), The Amityville Horror (1979), Wolfen (1981), WarGames (1983), Masters of the Universe (1987), True Blood (1989), and Opportunity Knocks (1990).
Born on June 20, 1931, in Calumet, Michigan, James Stewart Tolkan cycled through Chicago after his parents divorced and wound up in Tucson, Arizona, where he graduated from Amphitheater High School in 1949.
After a stint in the U.S. Navy, he attended Coe College and the University of Iowa, came to New York with $75 in his pocket, and studied with Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg at The Actors Studio, where Beatty was a classmate in 1956.
He made his onscreen debut in 1960 on an episode of ABC’s Naked City, and in 1966, he understudied for Robert Duvall before replacing him as bad guy Harry Roat in the original Broadway production of Wait Until Dark, starring Lee Remick. (Alan Arkin was cast as Roat in the 1967 film.)
Later, Tolkan played insurance investigator Norman Keyes on five episodes of NBC’s Remington Steele and several characters over 21 installments of A&E’s A Nero Wolfe Mystery (he directed a couple of episodes as well).
He also guest-starred on Miami Vice, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Wonder Years, Leverage, and many other shows.
Survivors include his wife, Parmelee, who worked at the American Place Theater as a costume and scenery painter.
They met on the set of the 1971 off-Broadway play Pinkville when he was acting in it, and she was a prop girl, and they married that year in Lake Placid.
Donations in his memory can be made to your local animal shelter, animal rescue organization or Humane Society chapter.
Entertainment
Veteran Nollywood Actor Dies In His Sleep
Veteran Nollywood actor and producer Solomon Akiyesi has died.
His death was confirmed on Monday by the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Abubakar Yakubu.
Yakubu said the actor passed away in his sleep on Sunday, adding that his remains have been deposited in a morgue in Abuja.
“Yes, it is true. He died yesterday. Slept and did not wake up from sleep. We await further details from the family. His body is in the morgue in Abuja, where the sad incident happened,” he said.
According to him, the guild is still expecting more information from the deceased’s family regarding the circumstances surrounding his death.
Akiyesi, who hailed from Ososo in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, began his Nollywood career in the late 1990s and went on to feature in over 100 films.
He was known for roles in movies such as Marry Who You Love, Kiss My Pain, Joy of Nakasha, Heart of a Saint, Deadly Affair, Gen Z Wife, Olaedo The Fisher Girl, Pretty Liars, The End Is Near, and Desperate Ladies.
Akiyesi was born and raised in Ososo, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, Edo State.
He had his primary and secondary education in his hometown before enrolling at the University of Ibadan for his tertiary education.
An actor, producer, and director, Akiyesi starred in several significant films, including ‘Deadly Affair’ (1995), ‘Olaedo the Fisher Girl’ 2 (2015), ‘Gen Z Wife (2024), ‘Kiss My Pain’, ‘Heart of a Saint’, and others.
He served on the Board of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and was the President of the National Association of Ososo Creatives.
In April 2013, the actor’s wedding to his second wife, Uloma Agwu, was disrupted when his wife from his first marriage stormed the Overcomers Church World Outreach in Surulere, Lagos, claiming they were still legally married.
The actor’s first wife, Lilian, pregnant and accompanied by friends, walked into the marriage ceremony immediately after the praise and worship session, as the minister was about to begin officiating.
It took the efforts of police officers to restore order within the church’s premises.
The late actor later apologised for the disruption to the wedding.
Entertainment
“I Prefer Pets To Children” — BBNaija Star Phyna Replies Critics Over Decision To Be Childless
Nigerian reality TV star and former Big Brother Naija winner, Phyna, has responded strongly to the backlash surrounding her decision not to have children.
Phyna had earlier sparked conversations online after stating that she would rather raise pets than become a biological mother, a comment that quickly drew criticism from social media users who questioned her stance.
Reacting to the wave of insults, the actress and influencer described the judgment as unfair and accused many Nigerians of holding outdated beliefs about womanhood and motherhood.
She expressed frustration over how people rushed to label her a failure simply because she chose not to have children, insisting that her decision is personal and rooted in her life experiences.
According to her, her childhood played a major role in shaping how she views parenting, revealing that she is afraid of becoming the kind of parent she had while growing up.
Phyna explained that the fear of repeating painful patterns from her upbringing has made her unwilling to bring a child into the world unless she feels emotionally ready for that responsibility.
She said she would rather remain child-free than risk becoming a parent she herself would not have wanted.
“Dumb country people, so me not wanting a child is what makes me a failure and resulting to all this insults na… y’all brains is still stuck in the 60’s era,” she wrote.
She added that many critics fail to understand the emotional reasons behind such decisions and simply judge based on societal expectations.
“Me wey dem born how them take care of me. I don’t want to bring a child in. I’m scared of becoming a parent like the one I had… and that’s on period,” she stated.
Her comments have since triggered mixed reactions online, with some people supporting her honesty and right to make personal life choices, while others insisted that motherhood remains an important part of womanhood.
The debate continues to generate strong opinions, especially around issues of parenting, trauma, and the pressure society places on women regarding marriage and childbirth.
Entertainment
Former ‘Home Alone’ House Owner Found De@d Days After Arrest For Child P0rn
A former owner of the iconic “Home Alone” home was found d£ad from a suspected su!cide at an Illinois nature preserve days after he was hit with child p0rnography charges.
John Abendshien’s body was discovered in the Lake Forest Open Lands: Derwen Mawr Nature Preserve in Lake Forest just before 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, NBC Chicago reported.
The 79-year-old was identified the next morning and “asphyxia in a manner consistent with being self-inflicted” was ruled the preliminary cause of d£ath, according to the outlet.
Police have opened an investigation into his d£ath.
“This is believed to be an isolated incident with no threat to the community at this time,” the Lake County Coroner’s Office said.
Abendshien was the longtime owner of the famed house featured in the beloved 1990 Christmas film.
Abendshien had lived in the “Home Alone” house while the movie was being filmed.
He later released a memoir, “Home but Alone No More,” detailing life inside his home that was turned into the iconic Christmas movie backdrop.
His family sold the five-bedroom home in the Chicago suburb of Winnetka back in 2012 for $1.585 million, according to Chicago Agent Magazine.
Earlier this month, the Lake County State Attorney’s Office launched an investigation into Abendshien over alleged child p0rnography possession.
Officials had received multiple cyber tips reporting an online account linked to Abendshien being used in the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child s£xual abuse material, officials said.
The Lake Forest Police Department executed a search warrant at his home on April 16 and seized electronic evidence.
Abendshien was later charged with seven felonies: three counts of possession of child s£xual abuse material (Class 2 felony) and four counts of possession of child s£xual abuse material (Class 3 felony).
He was released with conditions after he attended a detention hearing on April 17.
-
News17 hours agoCourt bars INEC from recognising ADC congresses conducted by Mark-led C’ttee
-
News17 hours agoUnbelievable: Police say officer who publicly executed handcuffed Delta man was under “spiritual attack”
-
News13 hours agoReps back digital overhaul of election petition procedures
-
News12 hours agoSenate confirms Yuguda as CBN deputy governor
-
News12 hours agoBREAKING: Supreme Court fixes date for verdict on ADC, PDP leadership tussles
-
News18 hours agoTinubu Allocates Abuja Lands to Ambassadors Designate as Wike Charges Diplomats to Project Nigeria’s Image(Photos)
-
News17 hours agoPolice nab suspects over alleged removal of 19-yr-old girl’s womb
-
Economy11 hours agoSee Black Market Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate Today 29th April 2026
