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

Los Angeles Times

7 days ago

Theater and television actor Tom Troupe has died at 97.
Troupe died Sunday morning of natural causes in his home in Beverly Hills, according to his publicist, Harlan Boll.
Known for his extensive career in theater and TV, Troupe made his Broadway debut in 1957 playing Peter van Daan in 'The Diary of Anne Frank.' A year later, he moved to Los Angeles and appeared in more than 75 TV series over the course of his career, including 'Mission: Impossible,' 'Star Trek,' 'Planet of the Apes,' 'CHiPs,' 'Quincy M.E.' and 'Who's the Boss.'
However, he continued to act in stage productions, appearing in 'The Lion in Winter,' 'Fathers Day' and 'The Gin Game,' all three of which also co-starred his wife, actor Carole Cook. He also starred in a single-character play he co-wrote called 'The Diary of a Madman.'
Troupe also had roles in several films, including 1991's 'My Own Private Idaho,' starring Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix; 1970's 'Kelly's Heroes,' which starred Clint Eastwood and Don Rickles; and 1959's 'The Big Fisherman.'
He and Cook were awarded the L.A. Ovation Award for Career Achievement in 2002 because of their extensive stage work over the years in Los Angeles.
Born in Kansas City, Mo., on July 15, 1928, Troupe got his start acting in local theater productions before he moved to New York City in 1948.
He won a scholarship to train with stage actor and theater instructor Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghof Studio in Manhattan before he went to fight in the Korean War, where he was awarded a Bronze Star. After the war, he returned to New York to act on the stage.
Troupe married Cook in 1964. The actor, who was known for her roles in 'Sixteen Candles' and Lucille Ball's 'The Lucy Show,' died in 2023 at the age of 98.
Troupe is survived by his son, Christopher, daughter-in-law Becky Coulter, granddaughter Ashley Troupe and several nieces and nephews.