Tom Noonan death: Manhunter and RoboCop 2 star was 74

Tom Noonan, the actor best known for his roles in RoboCop 2 and Manhunter, has died at 74.

Horror director Fred Dekker, who worked with Noonan on 1987 film The Monster Squad, announced Wednesday that the actor had passed away Saturday. His cause of death has not been disclosed.

“It's with great sadness that I share the passing of Tom Noonan,” Dekker wrote on Facebook, adding in part, “Tom's indelible performance as Frankenstein in The Monster Squad is a highlight of my modest filmography.”

Dekker wrote that he campaigned for Noonan to consider the monstrous part after he had been “knocked out by his performance as Francis Dollarhyde in Michael Mann’s Manhunter.”

He went on to say, “In the end, he found the make-up ardous [sic] 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). But all in all, he was the proverbial gentleman and scholar, and the world has lost a great talent. R.I.P. Tom. Thanks for the great work.”

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Actor Karen Sillas, Noonan’s friend and former co-star, also confirmed the news on Instagram, saying that Noonan had “passed peacefully” Saturday.

“My dear friend and co-star, Tom Noonan passed peacefully on Valentine’s Day 2026,” Sillas wrote in her since-deleted announcement. “Working with him in his original off Broadway play, What Happened Was…, at the Paradise Factory Theatre in the early nineties, was a turning point for me and my career that still resonates throughout my life and work as an actor.”

Sillas went on to remember the film adaptation of Noonan’s play was one of the most “iconic indies in America cinema.” She continued, “What a privilege and crazy fun it was working with this man and calling him my friend to the end … may his Legacy continue to shine on.”

Noonan began his acting career in theater, but made his on-screen debut in the 1980 comedy Willie & Phil. His breakout role came in 1986 as the terrifying serial killer nicknamed “The Tooth Fairy” in Michael Mann’s crime thriller Manhunter, which kickstarted his reputation for villainous roles. The actor and director then took on the character Cain in 1990 sequel RoboCop 2. He later reunited with Mann for 1995 film Heat.

He was also known for his roles in Charlie Kaufman’s films Synecdoche, New York, and Anomalisa. Noonan’s last film credit was Todd Haynes’ 2017 movie Wonderstruck, which starred Michelle Williams.