Who was Philip Baker?
Philip Baker Hall (September 10, 1931 – June 12, 2022) was an American actor. Although known primarily as a prolific character actor known for his collaborations with Robert Altman and Paul Thomas Anderson, he starred in leading roles on films, such as Secret Honor (1984), Hard Eight (1996), and Duck (2005).
His other supporting roles in films include ones in Say Anything… (1989), Boogie Nights (1997), The Truman Show (1998), Magnolia (1999), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), The Contender (2000), Dogville (2003), Zodiac (2007), and Argo (2012).
He received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Hard Eight and two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Boogie Nights and Magnolia.
Actor Philip Baker Hall, known for ‘Hard Eight’ and ‘Seinfeld’, dies at 90
Philip Baker Hall, the prolific character actor of film and theater who starred in Paul Thomas Anderson’s first movies and who memorably hunted down a long-overdue library book in Seinfeld, has died. He was 90.
Holly Wolfle Hall, the actor’s wife of nearly 40 years, on Monday said Hall died Sunday surrounded by loved ones in Glendale, Calif. She said Hall had been well until a few weeks earlier, and spent his final days in warm spirits, reflecting on his life.
“His voice at the end was still just as powerful,” said Wolfle Hall. Her husband, she added, never retired from acting.
In a career spanning half a century, Hall was a ubiquitous hangdog face whose doleful, weary appearance could shroud a booming intensity and humble sensitivity. His range was wide, but Hall, who had a natural gravitas, often played men in suits, trench coats and lab coats.
“Men who are highly stressed, older men, who are at the limit of their tolerance for suffering and stress and pain,” Hall told The Washington Post in 2017. “I had an affinity for playing those roles.”
Philip Baker Hall Biography, Wiki
Hall was born in Toledo, Ohio. His mother was Alice Birdene (née McDonald), and his father, William Alexander Hall, was a factory worker from Montgomery, Alabama.
He attended the University of Toledo. He served in Germany as a United States Army translator and as a high school teacher. He worked for Off Broadway and Broadway productions in New York City.
Hall had two daughters, Patricia and Darcy, with his first wife, Mary-Ella Holst. He married Holly Wolfle, and had two daughters, Adella and Anna. Hall died from emphysema at his home in Glendale, California, on June 12, 2022, at the age of 90.
| Born | September 10, 1931 Toledo, Ohio, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died | June 12, 2022 (aged 90) Glendale, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1960–2021 |
| Spouse(s) | Mary-Ella Holst(m. 1955; div. 1966) Dianne Lewis(m. 1973; div. 1976) Holly Wolfle (m. 1981) |
| Children | 4 |
Philip Baker Hall Career
Hall was born in Toledo, Ohio, and began acting on the Off-Broadway and Broadway stage, then moved on to the screen, debuting in the 1970 film Cowards, later appearing in Three O’Clock High (with John P. Ryan), Midnight Run (with Dennis Farina), Jack Kehoe, and John Toles-Bey), Ghostbusters II, Live Wire (with Tony Plana and Brent Jennings), Hard Eight, Air Force One (with Paul Guilfoyle, Xander Berkeley, and Dean Stockwell), Boogie Nights (with Luis Guzman), Rush Hour and its’ sequels Rush Hour 2 and Rush Hour 3, The Insider (with Bruce McGill), Bruce Almighty, The Amityville Horror, The Shaggy Dog (with Annabelle Gurwitch), Magnolia (with Guzman and Alfred Molina), and his final film, The Last Word.
His TV appearances include his debut in Good Times, followed by Man From Atlantis (with Belinda Montgomery), The Waltons, Quincy, M.E. (with Val Bisoglio), Family Ties, Falcon Crest (with Norman Parker), L.A. Law (with Jimmy Smits), Nurses (with David Rasche), 3rd Rock From The Sun, Millennium (with Terry O’Quinn), Seinfeld (with Michael Richards), The Fugitive (with Mykelti Williamson), The Life and Times of Tim, and his final TV appearance, in Messiah.
Philip Baker Hall FAQ’s
Who is Philip Baker Hall?
Philip Baker Hall (September 10, 1931 – June 12, 2022) was an American actor. Although known primarily as a prolific character actor known for his collaborations with Robert Altman and Paul Thomas Anderson, he starred in leading roles on films, such as Secret Honor (1984), Hard Eight (1996), and Duck (2005).
How did Philip Baker Hall die?
Holly Wolfle Hall, the actor’s wife of nearly 40 years, on Monday said Hall died Sunday surrounded by loved ones in Glendale, Calif. She said Hall had been well until a few weeks earlier, and spent his final days in warm spirits, reflecting on his life.
How old was Philip Baker Hall?
Philip Baker Hall died at 90.
Also Read:
- Kevin Parker Biography, Wiki, Age, Career, Girlfriend, Net Worth, Lebels, Album | Who is Kevin Parker? Bio, Wiki
- Jennifer Hudson Biography, Wiki, Age, Career, Boyfriend, Net Worth | Who is Jennifer Hudson? Bio, Wiki
