Veteran stage and screen actor Tom Troupe died Sunday morning, July 20, at his Beverly Hills, California, home at age 97, according to his representatives. Troupe passed away from natural causes just five days after celebrating his 97th birthday on July 15.
Born July 15, 1928, in Kansas City, Missouri, Troupe began his entertainment career performing in local theater productions before moving to New York City in 1948 to pursue acting professionally. His Broadway aspirations were temporarily put on hold when he served in the Korean War, where he earned a Bronze Star for his military service.
After returning from military service, Troupe made his Broadway debut in 1957 as Peter van Daan in “The Diary of Anne Frank” alongside Joseph Schildkraut. The following year, he relocated to Los Angeles, launching what would become a prolific television and film career spanning more than six decades.
Troupe appeared in more than 75 television series throughout his career, typically in guest-starring roles. His notable television credits included appearances in the original “Star Trek” series in 1967 as Lt. Harold, and “Mission: Impossible” that same year as IMF operative David Day. He also portrayed Judge William E. Grey in “Cheers” during a 1987 episode.
His extensive television resume included roles in “The Fugitive,” “The Wild Wild West,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” “CHiPs,” “Quincy, M.E.,” “Archie Bunker’s Place,” “Cagney & Lacey,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Knots Landing,” “Frasier,” and “ER.” Troupe’s television career demonstrated remarkable longevity, with appearances spanning from the mid-1950s through the late 2010s.
On the film side, Troupe appeared in several notable productions, including “The Big Fisherman,” “The Devil’s Brigade” with William Holden, “Kelly’s Heroes” starring Clint Eastwood, the 1987 comedy “Summer School” with Mark Harmon, and “My Own Private Idaho” featuring River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves. He also co-wrote and starred in the 1968 film “Sofi,” an adaptation based on Nikolai Gogol’s “The Diary of a Madman.”
Troupe’s stage career continued alongside his screen work through collaborations with his wife, actress Carole Cook, whom he married in 1964. The couple performed together in several theatrical productions, including “The Lion in Winter,” “Father’s Day,” and “The Gin Game.” Troupe also starred in a national tour of “Same Time, Next Year” opposite Barbara Rush in the late 1970s and appeared in the Broadway production “Romantic Comedy” with Mia Farrow.
Troupe received his acting training at the Herbert Berghof Studio in New York, where he studied under renowned actress and teacher Uta Hagen and received a scholarship for his studies.
In 2002, Troupe and Cook received the Theater Ovation Award for Career Achievement, making them the first husband and wife team to be honored with this recognition. The couple was affectionately known in Los Angeles theater circles as “the Lunts of L.A. Theater.”
Cook, who had established her own successful acting career as a protégé of Lucille Ball and appeared in “The Lucy Show,” “Here’s Lucy,” and “Sixteen Candles,” predeceased her husband in January 2023. She died of heart failure at age 98.
News of Troupe’s death was confirmed by his nephew, Mark Cocanougher, who shared a tribute on social media. Cocanougher indicated that his uncle “had a lovely, full life, and an equally graceful departure” and noted that Troupe’s son Christopher had been present the day before his death, providing peace for the family.
The nephew also reflected on the couple’s impact, stating that Troupe and Cook “touched many lives” and expressing gratitude for the positive influence they had on friends and fans through their work and generous spirit.
His representatives confirmed that Troupe is survived by his son Christopher Troupe, daughter-in-law Becky Coulter, granddaughter Ashley Troupe, and several nieces and nephews. Donations in his memory can be made to the Entertainment Community Fund or the Pasadena Humane Society.
