Tom Troupe had a career in film, television and on stage that spanned decades, and he’s one of those actors you’ve seen many times, but maybe not remembered from one appearance to the next.
He popped up on everything from classic series like Star Trek and Mission Impossible to Cheers, Fraiser, Who’s the Boss, Murder She Wrote, Highway to Heaven and Cagney and Lacey.
One of his most memorable roles was in the Gus Van Sant film My Own Private Idaho where he played the Mayor Jack Favor, father of Keanu Reeves character.
The 1991 film starring River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves is considered a queer classic.
My Own Private Idaho saw Phoenix and Reeves play hustlers Mike Walter and Scott Favor. The narrative of the film is based on Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2 and Henry V.
Upon its release the film was surrounded in controversy, people were shocked by two of Hollywood’s brightest stars appearing as male sex workers, and while it might seem surprising today, there was a lot of discussion about the film’s depictions of gay sex.
Toupe passed away at his own in Hollywood. He celebrated his ninety seventh birthday just five days before his passing.
He began his acting career in his local theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, before moving to New York in 1948. He served in the Korean War where he was awarded a Bronze Star, before returning to his acting career.
After making his Broadway debut in the original production of The Diary of Anne Frank in 1957. He found many roles in Hollywood during his long career.
