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Frightening Villain Actor Tom Noonan Dies at 74
18 Feb
Summary
- Actor Tom Noonan, known for villain roles, passed away at 74.
- He starred as Frankenstein's monster and Hannibal Lecter's foe.
- Noonan also wrote plays adapted into successful films.
Actor and writer Tom Noonan, renowned for his memorable villainous roles, died on Saturday, February 14th, at the age of 74. His passing was confirmed by colleagues who remembered his significant contributions to film and theater.
Noonan gained significant recognition for his chilling performance as Francis Dollarhyde, the antagonist in Michael Mann's 1986 film "Manhunter," which introduced Hannibal Lecter to the screen. He further cemented his status as a captivating on-screen presence by portraying Frankenstein's monster in Fred Dekker's 1987 cult classic "The Monster Squad."
His extensive filmography includes appearances as a drug kingpin in "RoboCop 2" and a role in John McTiernan's "Last Action Hero." Noonan also collaborated with Michael Mann again, featuring in the 1995 crime drama "Heat" alongside Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.
Beyond acting, Noonan demonstrated his literary talents by writing plays during the 1990s, two of which were adapted into movies: "What Happened Was..." (1994) and "The Wife" (1995). His later career saw critical acclaim for roles in Charlie Kaufman's "Synecdoche, New York" and Sean Penn's "The Pledge."
Noonan also lent his voice to all supporting characters in the 2015 stop-motion film "Anomalisa" and had notable television roles in series such as "The X-Files" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." His debut feature film, "Willie & Phil" (1980), earned him a Sundance Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and Screenwriting Award.
