Tom Troupe, prolific star of the stage and screen, is dead at 97

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Theater and television actor Tom Troupe has died at 97.

On a Sunday morning, the entertainer passed away peacefully at home in Beverly Hills due to natural reasons, as confirmed by his representative, Harlan Boll.

With a long-standing career in both theater and television, Troupe first graced Broadway stages in 1957 as Peter van Daan in “The Diary of Anne Frank.” The following year, he transitioned to Los Angeles where he appeared in over 75 TV shows throughout his career. Notable appearances include roles in “Mission: Impossible,” “Star Trek,” “Planet of the Apes,” “CHiPs,” “Quincy M.E.,” and “Who’s the Boss.

Despite this, he persisted with stage performances, featuring in “The Lion in Winter,” “Fathers Day,” and “The Gin Game.” Notably, each of these productions saw him share the limelight with his acting partner, Carole Cook. Additionally, he took on a one-man play that he co-authored titled “The Diary of a Madman.

The troupe was featured in various films as well, such as “My Own Private Idaho” from 1991, which starred Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix, the 1970’s production “Kelly’s Heroes,” with Clint Eastwood and Don Rickles, and the 1959 film “The Big Fisherman.

In 2002, they received the L.A. Ovation Award for Career Achievement due to their numerous stage performances spanning years in Los Angeles.

Hailing from Kansas City, Missouri, on the 15th of July, 1928, Troupe initially found his passion for acting in local plays. Subsequently, he decided to take his talents to the bustling city of New York in 1948.

Before heading off to fight in the Korean War, which earned him a Bronze Star, he had previously been granted a scholarship to learn from renowned stage actor and theater instructor Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghof Studio in Manhattan. Post-war, he resumed his acting career on New York’s stages.

In 1964, the actress, famously recognized for her parts in “Sixteen Candles” and “The Lucy Show,” got married to Cook. Tragically, she passed away in 2023 at the grand old age of 98.

As I pen down my thoughts on this captivating cinematic journey, I find myself reflecting upon the lives of those who graced the silver screen – both in front and behind it. Among them is a talented individual, whose spirit continues to shine brightly through his loved ones: my son, Christopher; his wife, Becky Coulter; their daughter, Ashley Troupe; and a host of cherished nieces and nephews. Their resilience and dedication to keeping his memory alive are testaments to the profound impact he had on all those who knew him.

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2025-07-21 02:01