Tom Noonan, Frankenstein of ‘The Monster Squad,’ Dies at 74

When I think of Frankenstein, I think of Tom Noonan. His portrayal of the monster in one of my favorite films, the 1987 cult classic monster squadKnowing about the character shaped everything I grew up with. Noonan’s Frankenstein’s monster was kind; He made friends, and he can tear you limb from limb very easily. He also called things “fake,” which is a great way to describe this week’s news that Noonan has died at the age of 74. “Fake” indeed.

In addition to playing the famous monster, Noonan has had an incredible career working with some of the best people in the industry. Born in 1951, Noonan did not begin acting in films until his late twenties. He played several minor roles before landing the leading role of Francis Dollarhyde, aka the Tooth Fairy, in Michael Mann’s 1981 film. manhunter. This was the first Hannibal Lecter film, and Noonan played the killer whom Hannibal helped the FBI track down. That was awesome, and it set the stage for his future career.

Noonan found his most famous work in playing such villains. that villain is cain robocop 2He is the invincible “Ripper” opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger In last action hero, And he worked again with Mann Heat In the form of a criminal named Kelso. Later, he worked with Oscar winner Charlie Kaufman on some of the filmmaker’s strangest assignments: Synecdoche, New York And anomalisa. Then again, his TV work was arguably even more impressive, filled with shows like The X-Files, 12 Monkeys, The Leftovers, Damages, Hell on Wheels, And much more.

It was a historic career that spanned nearly four decades. But, with my work monster squadNoonan went against her typecast and brought a distinctive innocence to the character that really got to her core. On Facebook, the film’s director, Fred Dekker, wrote about the late star and how he featured kids in the movie fighting monsters. Decker recalled, “I knew the first thing a serious actor would want to know was that my approach to Frankenstein was serious and not ‘campy’.” “Fortunately, this was the case. ‘He’s not a monster,’ I argued, ‘but, rather, a pitiful creature born from distorted science and dead bodies – a sad, strange orphan whose only goal is to live a normal life.'”

There’s more to that story (read it here), but Tom Noonan himself lived anything but an ordinary life. he created. He entertained. And he inspired. For me personally, he inspired a love of monsters that still lives on today. He showed how love and compassion can be found even in the scariest places. He will truly be missed.

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