Character Actor Tom Noonan Leaves Behind a Legacy of Great Performances

Although he was rarely the first name on the poster, Tom Noonan was nevertheless a crucial component to some of the best movies ever made. He starred in everything from RoboCop 2 to Anomalisa over his long career as an actor, and following the news of his death, many people are looking back at every great performance from his decades-spanning career on screen.

Even as people consider his legacy, though, some are also wondering what Tom's cause of death was. Here's what we know about how Tom died.

No cause of death has been publicly disclosed in relation to Tom's death yet. So far, the news of his death has only been shared by close friends and collaborators, and they have spent the bulk of their announcements remembering Tom as a great friend and collaborator. “My dear friend and costar, Tom Noonan passed peacefully on Valentine’s Day 2026," his former co-star Karen Sillas wrote in a now-deleted post, per The Phrasemaker.

"Working with him in his original off Broadway play, What Happened Was…, at the Paradise Factory Theater in the early '90s was a turning point for me and my career that still resonates throughout my life and work as an actor," she continued “Little did I know when we shot it as a film a year later, we would be creating one of 1990s' most iconic Indies in American cinema."

Fred Dekker, the director of Monster Squad, also paid tribute to Tom, who was one of the movie's stars.

“Tom’s indelible performance as Frankenstein in The Monster Squad is a highlight of my modest filmography,” said Dekker, who also co-wrote the film with Shane Black. Fred said that he appealed to Tom in part by comparing the character of Frankenstein in the movie to Lenny from Of Mice and Men.

“Somehow or other, this appealed to Tom, who, like most great actors, enjoy playing roles with contradictions and challenges (and a reference to a classic novel and movie never hurts),” Dekker recalled. “In the end, he found the make-up ardous and annoying (he was fond of tearing it off after we wrapped, and one night didn’t even bother to take it off; just drove home in his Frankenstein appliance)."

In addition to his work in Monster Squad, Tom was also well-known for playing Francis Dolarhyde in Michael Mann's Manhunter, and for roles in movies like The Last Action Hero and Heaven's Gate.

Tom was not the kind of actor who became a marquee idol, but he worked steadily in and around Hollywood precisely because he was capable of doing so many different things and could disappear into any role.

Tom's career lasted for decades, although he had slowed down in recent years, last appearing on screen in 2017. We don't know whether Tom had actually retired or whether he was simply taking a break from the world of show business. Still, he leaves behind decades of great work that are worth remembering.