Philip Baker Hall was born on September 10 1932 in Toledo, Ohio. He attended the University of Toledo and then enlisted in the United States Army where he served as a translator in Germany. When he left the military he worked as a radio announcer and later a high school teacher. He was 30 years old when his wife encouraged him to pursue his dream of being an actor.
Philip Baker Hall made his film debut in 1970 in an uncredited role as a diner owner in Zabriskie Point. That same year he appeared in Love-In '72. In the Seventies he appeared in the films Throw Out the Anchor! (1974), Coma (1978), The Man with Bogart's Face (1980), and The Last Reunion (1980). He made his television debut in 1975 in the TV movie The Last Survivors. During the decade he guest starred on the shows Good Times, Man from Atlantis, M*A*S*H, Visions, The Fitzpatricks, Emergency!, The Waltons, and It's a Living.
In the Eighties he was a regular on the short-lived show Mariah, as well as the recurring role of Ed Meyers on Falcon Crest. He guest starred on the shows McClain's Law, Quincy M.E., Cagney & Lacey, T. J. Hooker, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, General Hospital, Lottery!, Benson, Hardcastle & McCormick, Miami Vice, Matlock, and Baghdad Cafe. He appeared in the movies Secret Honor (1984), Nothing in Common (1986), Three O'Clock High (1997), Midnight Run (1988), Say Anything (1989), How I Got into College (1989), Ghostbusters II (1989), An Innocent Man (1989), and Blue Desert (1990).
In the Nineties he was a regular on the show Michael Hayes. He guest starred on the shows Murder, She Wrote; L.A. Law; Equal Justice; The Antagonists; Dark Justice; Nurses; Civil Wars; Cheers; Bob; Empty Nest; The Good Life; Roswell; Madman of the People; Chicago Hope; Hardball; Life's Work;. The John Larroquette Show; 3rd Rock from the Sun; The Practice; Millennium; Seinfeld; L. A. Doctors; Partners; and the 2000 version of The Fugitive. He appeared in the films Live Wire (1992), Kiss of Death (1995), Eye for an Eye (1996), Hard Eight (1996), The Little Death (1996), The Rock (1996), Hit Me (1996), Buddy (1997), Air Force One (1997), Boogie Nights (1997), Sour Grapes (1998), The Truman Show (1998), Judas Kiss (1998), Rush Hour (1998), Enemy of the State (1998), Psycho (1998), Implicated (1998), Let the Devil Wear Black (1999), Cradle Will Rock (1999), The Insider (1999), Magnolia (1999), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Rules of Engagement (2000), The Contender (2000), and Lost Souls (2000).
In the Naughts Philip Baker Hall was a regular on the shows Pasadena and The Loop. He was a guest voice on the animated series Baby Blues. He guest starred on the shows Night Visions, Without a Trace, Everwood, Monk, Boston Legal, The West Wing, Big Love, Psych, Worst Week, Curb Your Enthusiasm, True Jackson VP, The Life & Times of Tim, and Warren the Ape. He appeared in the movies A House on the Hill (2001), The Sum of All Fears (2002), A Gentleman's Game (2002), Die, Mommie, Die! (2003), Bruce Almighty (2003), Dogville (2003), In Good Company (2004), The Matador (2005), Duck (2005), The Amityvile Horror (2005), The Zodiac (2005), The Shaggy Dog (2006), The TV Set (2006), Islander (2006), Zodiac (2007), You Kill Me (2007), Rush Hour 3 (2007), The Lodger (2009), Fired Up! (2009), Wonderful World (2009), and All Good Things (2009).
In the Teens he was a regular on the shows Ruth & Erica, Second Chance, and Messiah. He guest starred the shows Modern Family, The Newsroom, Childrens Hospital, Rake, Madam Secretary, Room 104, and Corporate. He was a guest voice on the animated TV series BoJack Horseman. He appeared in the movies The Chicago 8 (2011), Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011), 50/50 (2011), Bending the Rules (2012), People Like Us (2012), Argo (2012), Bad Words (2013), Playing It Cool (2014), Person to Person (2017), and The Last Word (2017).
Philip Baker Hall was an incredible actor. Throughout his career he played a variety of roles, everything from clergymen to military officers to police officers to criminals. In Hard Eight he shined as professional gambler Sydney who takes a homeless man under his wing. Perhaps his most memorable guest appearance was in the Seinfeld episode "The Library," in which he played dogged library investigations officer Lt. Joe Bookman, who confronts Jerry about having not returned Tropic of Cancer for twenty years. Philip Baker Hall was even good when a particular movie or TV show wasn't. Hit Me is not a particularly good movie, but Mr. Hall still gave a stellar performance as gangster Lenny Ish. So versatile was Philip Baker Hall that he did equally well in comedies and dramas. It is no wonder that Philip Baker Hall was so prolific. His talent was so great that he was very much in demand.
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