Actor Philip Baker Hall, who has distinguished himself in three films by director Paul Thomas Anderson, died Sunday night (6/12) at his Glendale, California home at the age of 90.
With a long film career, which began in 1970 as an extra in “Zabskie Point” (Michelangelo Antonioni’s American film), he has also made over 100 appearances in series, as well as numerous plays.
Thanks to his expression marked by deep bags under his eyes, Hall always looked older, even before his own age, which made his career marked by roles of authority, such as judges, priests, doctors, generals, directors of the CIA and even a president of the United States. Hall portrayed Richard Nixon in the acclaimed comedy “The Secret Honor” and reprized the role of the disgraced president in the film in 1984 in director Robert Altman’s adaptation.
Directed by many famous directors, he had his most significant collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson, whom he met when he was still a production assistant on the public channel PBS. The two shared coffee after work and this experience led to the short film “Cigarettes & Coffee” in 1993. Later, Hall starred in Anderson’s first three feature films: “Risk Game” (1996), “Boogie Nights” (1997) and “Magnolia” (1999), all critically acclaimed.
The success, however, also served to disrupt the collaboration, as Hall became in high demand in Hollywood, filling the work schedule. In 1998 alone there were 10 films, followed by 7 more in 1999.
His filmography has exploded with blockbusters and award-winning works such as Peter Weir’s “The Truman Show” (1998), Brett Ratner’s “Rush Hour” (1998), Michael Mann’s “The Insider” (1999), “The Talented Ripley” (1999), by Anthony Minghela, “Rules of the Game” (2000), by William Friedkin, “The Sum of All Fears” (2002), by Phil Alden Robinson, “Almighty” (2003), by Tom Shadyac, ” Dogville “(2003) by Lars Von Trier and even two films about one of the most famous serial killers of the 1960s:” The Zodiac “(2005) and” Zodiac “(2007), the latter directed by David Fincher.
Hall has also been a TV regular since the 1970s, appearing primarily in classic comedy episodes (“Good Times”, “M * A * S * H”, “Cheers”), dramas (“The Waltons”, ” Chicago Hope “,” The West Wing “) and crime series (” Matlock “,” Miami Vice “,” Cagney & Lacey “,” Command Car “,” LA Law “,” Written Murder “). But none of those appearances matched the backlash of his role as “Seinfeld”.
Hall stole the show in a famous 1991 episode, when a library detective named Joe Bookman stubbornly pursues Jerry Seinfeld in search of a book the comedian borrowed 20 years ago. The cameo garnered so much attention that Hall was asked to repeat it in the final installment of “Seinfeld,” which aired in 1998. Additionally, series creator Larry David enlisted him to play his doctor in two of the most popular episodes. hilarious of “Seinfeld”. “Stop your enthusiasm” (in 2004 and 2009).
During his television career, the actor had few regular or recurring roles. Among the reinterpretations are the character of Ed Meyers in “Falcon Crest” (between 1989 and 1990), a judge in “The Challenge” (in 1997), a doctor in “Everwood” (between 2003 and 2004) and a grumpy neighbor from “Modern Family” (between 2011 and 2012). The regular ones were in series that did not go beyond the 2nd season, most notably the comedy “The Loop” (2006-2007) and the recent Netflix drama “Messiah” (2020), his latest work on the screen.
He left no works unfinished. His last five films were “Daddy’s Penguins” (2011) with Jim Carrey, “50%” (2011) with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen, “Argo” by Ben Affleck (2012), “Expletives” (2013) , actor Jason Bateman’s directorial debut and “The Last Word” (2017), by Mark Pellington, in which he starred alongside one of the actresses he idolized in his youth, Shirley MacLaine.
Source: Terra
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