Tolkan starred as Dallas Cassel in the television series Cobra from 1993 to 1994. From 2001 to 2002 he starred in the series A Nero Wolfe Mystery. Tolkan has starred in the movies The Werewolf of Washington, Serpico, The Amityville Horror, WarGames, Back to the Future, Top Gun, Masters of the Universe, Back to the Future Part II, Back to the Future Part III, Dick Tracy, and Problem Child 2. He has also appeared in episodes of the TV series Hill Street Blues, Remington Steele, Miami Vice, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Tales from the Crypt, and The Wonder Years.