Tom Noonan, the character actor known for playing unsettling villains in RoboCop 2 and Last Action Hero, has died at 74.
His co-star Karen Sillas confirmed that he passed away peacefully on February 14. No cause of death has been disclosed.
Born in 1951 in Greenwich, Noonan began his career in theater. He appeared in the original Off-Broadway production of Buried Child in 1978 before transitioning to film in 1980 with Willie & Phil, followed by Gloria and Heaven’s Gate.
His breakthrough came in 1986 as serial killer Francis Dolarhyde in Manhunter, opposite William Petersen’s Will Graham. The role established him as a formidable on-screen antagonist.
In 1987, he portrayed Frankenstein’s monster in The Monster Squad, further cementing his reputation for complex villain roles.
Noonan later played Cain in RoboCop 2, appearing both as the Nuke drug lord and the cyborg RoboCop 2. In Last Action Hero, he starred opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Ripper.
Beyond acting, Noonan wrote and directed What Happened Was (1994), adapting his own stage play. He continued appearing in notable films including Heat (1995), Eight Legged Freaks (2002), and Synecdoche, New York (2008).
His final film role was in Wonderstruck (2017), directed by Todd Haynes.
Noonan is remembered for his commanding presence, deliberate performances, and distinctive ability to inhabit unsettling characters with depth and restraint.
