Remembering the Great Character Actor Philip Baker Hall

Philip Baker Hall Has Passed Away

The great character actor, Philip Baker Hall, who was a regular in Paul Thomas Anderson‘s earlier films has died at age 90.

Philip Baker Hall, who was born in 1931, and was a key ingredient to acclaimed filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson’s earlier pictures, has passed away. He had been living with emphysema. Hall’s most renowned role was playing Jimmy Gator, a quiz show host in Anderson’s Magnolia. In the film, Gator suffers greatly and many believe Hall’s work was one of the best performances in a film which received several Oscar nominations, including one for Tom Cruise’s compelling supporting work in the picture. Before Magnolia, Hall was in Hard Eight and Boogie Nights also directed by Anderson.

Right before his heartfelt turn in Magnolia, Hall was seen in the 1998 Jim Carrey box-office smash, The Truman Show as one of the men behind the scenes of the television show which featured Carrey’s character, Truman Burbank. That same year, Hall appeared in the wacky action comedy, Rush Hour. In 2003, he appeared opposite Nicole Kidman in Lars von Trier’s compelling dramatic film, Dogville. While Hall was best known for his dramatic turns, he also appeared in a great number of comedies.

Hall was also known for his television work on shows like “Messiah,” “Modern Family,” and “The West Wing,” to name a few. He had a tremendous screen presence which made him very believable in shows that were geared towards more mature audiences.

Hall also appeared in another Jim Carrey movie (this time a comedy) in 2011–Mr. Popper’s Penguins. There were so many good roles Hall was cast in throughout his career. Including character parts like the actor’s superb work in the underappreciated movies 50/50 or All Good Things, he was quite prolific as a performer.

It is, perhaps, Hall’s layered performance in the masterpiece, Magnolia, which his fans will remember him most for. That three-hour plus dramatic picture revealed a performance by Hall which was delicate, complex and absolutely unforgettable much like the cinematic qualities possessed by the actor himself.

Hall will be most prominently remembered by television fans for his role as library cop Bookman on a couple of episodes of the hit sitcom, “Seinfeld.”

Paul Thomas Anderson helped create the tremendous career Philip Baker Hall had. When analyzing the work the terrific character actor has left behind, it would be hard not to associate Hall with the early films of the Oscar-nominated director, Anderson. Those films may have just gotten Hall warmed up for the more mainstream roles that followed, but Anderson helped shape the legacy that this fine actor has left behind.

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