Philip Baker Hall

Philip Baker Hall (September 10, 1931 – June 12, 2022) was an illustrious American character actor. His collaborations with Paul Thomas Anderson, including Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, and Magnolia were met with acclaimed recognition. As a versatile actor, Hall executed leading roles in films such as Secret Honor and Duck, while also supporting roles in numerous films like Midnight Run, Say Anything, The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Contender, Bruce Almighty, and Argo. His performance in Hard Eight even earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Male Lead and two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his work in Boogie Nights and Magnolia. Hall's film career was parallelled by his prolific work in television. His early work portrayed in MASH*, Murder, She Wrote, and Cheers, and one of his most memorable roles in television was as Lt. Joe Bookman in Seinfeld. He had recurring roles in shows like The Practice, The West Wing, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Modern Family, and BoJack Horseman. Hall was born in Toledo, Ohio, to parents Alice Birdene (née McDonald) and William Alexander Hall. He served as an Army translator and a high school teacher and laid roots to his acting career after his film debut Cowards. He has guest starred in episodes of Murder, She Wrote and has had over 200 guest roles since 1977. His performance as Richard Nixon in the one-character film Secret Honor was deemed with 'savage intensity' and 'venom' and was highly praised by critics.