
Tom Noonan, Iconic Manhunter Villain and Indie Pioneer, Dies at 74
Tom Noonan, the distinctive character actor and filmmaker best known for playing Francis Dollarhyde in Manhunter and for the Sundance-winning What Happened Was…, died on Valentine’s Day 2026 at age 74, confirmed by former co-star Karen Sillas. A prolific presence on stage, screen and TV—from The Last Action Hero to Synecdoche, New York, Damages and Hell on Wheels—Noonan helped shape modern indie cinema with What Happened Was…, the two-hander adapted from his stage play that premiered at Sundance and won the Grand Jury Prize.




