Beloved character actor Tom Noonan has died at 74. The news was shared by longtime collaborator Karen Sillas, who said he passed peacefully on Valentine’s Day 2026. No cause of death has been announced. Tributes quickly followed from colleagues who worked with him across film, theater, and television.
Noonan was widely recognized for his chilling performance as Francis Dollarhyde in Manhunter, directed by Michael Mann. His portrayal of the serial killer known as The Tooth Fairy remains one of the most haunting in modern crime cinema. He also memorably played Frankenstein’s monster in The Monster Squad and the villain Cain in RoboCop 2, bringing depth and humanity to characters that could have been one-note.
Beyond acting, Noonan built a respected career as a writer and director. His film What Happened Was…, adapted from his own Off-Broadway play, won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 1994. The intimate two-character drama, co-starring Sillas, became a defining work of 1990s American independent cinema.
Across decades, Noonan appeared in projects ranging from Last Action Hero to Synecdoche, New York, as well as series including The X-Files and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Whether portraying quiet menace or wounded vulnerability, he brought unmistakable gravity to every role. Colleagues described him as a gentleman, a scholar, and a singular talent whose work will endure.