Michael Tolan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Tolan
Tolan in the Beverly Garland crime drama, Decoy (1958)
Born	Seymour Tuchow (1925-11-27)November 27, 1925 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died	January 31, 2011(2011-01-31) (aged 85) Hudson, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Wayne State University, Stanford University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1951–2007
Spouse(s)	Carol Hume (divorced) Rosemary Forsyth ​ (m. 1966⁠–⁠1975)​ (divorced)
Partner(s)	Donna Peck (? – 2011; his death)
Children	3

Michael Tolan (born Seymour Tuchow, November 27, 1925 – January 31, 2011) was an American actor. He was known for his many roles in movies and on television shows.

Early Life and Education

Michael Tolan was born Seymour Tuchow in Detroit, Michigan. His father was Morris Tuchow. Michael went to Central High School and then to Wayne State University in Detroit. He also studied acting with a famous teacher named Stella Adler. Later, he continued his studies at Stanford University.

Acting Career

Michael Tolan started his acting journey on the radio. He worked at station WXYZ in Detroit. There, he was heard on popular shows like The Green Hornet and The Lone Ranger. He also worked with a group called the Actors Company. In 1948, he performed in summer plays in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Stage and Film Roles

Early in his career, Tolan mostly acted in plays. He had small parts in movies during the early 1950s. Some of his stage roles included Romanoff and Juliet. His first time acting on Broadway was in the play Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?.

He appeared in several films. These included Fort Worth (1951) and The Savage (1952). He was also in Hiawatha (1952). Later films included The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) and Hour of the Gun (1967). He also acted in John and Mary (1969) and Presumed Innocent (1990).

Television Appearances

From the mid-1950s onward, Tolan mostly worked on television. He appeared in many TV series. In 1960, he was on the CBS show Diagnosis: Unknown. He also had a role in The Doctors and the Nurses. He played Jordan Boyle in "The Senator" parts of The Bold Ones (1970–71). This was a TV series that told different stories each week.

In 1967, he was in an episode of The Rat Patrol. His name was spelled "Michael Tolin" in the credits for that episode. He also appeared in three episodes of Mission: Impossible. These episodes were called "Trial by Fury," "The Play," and "Terror."

Michael Tolan had a recurring role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He played Dan Whitfield, who was Mary's night-school teacher and boyfriend. He also made guest appearances on many other TV shows. These included The Invaders, The F.B.I., and Kojak. His last known TV role was in an episode of Murder, She Wrote in 1994.

In the 1979 film All That Jazz, Tolan played Dr. Ballinger. This character was a heart doctor for the main character, Joe Gideon.

Personal Life

Michael Tolan was married twice. Both of his marriages ended in divorce. He had one child with actress Rosemary Forsyth. They were married from 1966 to 1975. At the time of his death, he lived with Donna Peck in Ancram, New York.

Death

Michael Tolan passed away on January 31, 2011. He died at a hospital in Hudson, New York. The cause of his death was kidney failure.

Selected Filmography