Philip Baker Hall: who was Seinfeld and Modern Family actor, and what else did he star in - as he dies at 90

Philip Baker Hall, an American actor best known for his roles in Seinfeld and Magnolia has died, aged 90
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Philip Baker Hall, a prolific actor with a career which spanned more than five decades, passed away in California on 12 June, aged 90.

His widow, Holly Wolfle, said that he died surrounded by his loved ones.

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Hall’s first screen role was as Father Reis in Vietnam War film Cowards in 1970, and his last was as Zelman Katz in the 2020 thriller series Messiah.

Philip Baker HallPhilip Baker Hall
Philip Baker Hall

Who was Philip Baker Hall?

Philip Baker Hall was born in Ohio in 1931 and went on to attend a local university before going off to serve as a United States Army translator in Germany.

He began acting in stage productions in Off-Broadway and Broadway productions in New York City.

He began his screen career in 1970 and over the next 50 years racked up 185 screen credits.

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One of his most iconic roles was his guest appearance as librarian Mr. Bookman in a season three episode of Seinfeld called The Library.

Philip Baker Hall (right) with the cast of MagnoliaPhilip Baker Hall (right) with the cast of Magnolia
Philip Baker Hall (right) with the cast of Magnolia

The role saw him hunt for an overdue copy of Tropic of Cancer and his appearance was so well received that he returned for the last ever episode of Seinfeld in 1998.

Hall was also known for collaborating with director Paul Thomas Anderson in his early films, appearing in Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, and Magnolia.

He has been married twice and has four daughters - Patricia and Darcy from his marriage to Dianne Lewis from 1973-6, and Anna and Adella from his marriage to Holly Wolfle whom he married in 1981.

What else has he been in?

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Hall’s acting credits spanned the whole gamut of TV and film - he appeared in the cult comedy Midnight Run alongside Robert De Niro, played President Richard Nixon in the biopic Secret Honor, and starred as Sheriff Chambers in the Psycho remake that no-one asked for.

He made appearances in a number of major films including Zodiac, The Truman Show, 50/50, Rush Hour, The Insider and Bruce Almighty.

Philip Baker Hall (right of Al Pacino) in The InsiderPhilip Baker Hall (right of Al Pacino) in The Insider
Philip Baker Hall (right of Al Pacino) in The Insider

Hall will also be recognisable for his guest roles in several popular TV shows - he played Senator Matt Hunt on The West Wing, Walt Kleezak in Modern Family, Doctor Morrison in Curb Your Enthusiasm, and voiced Hank Hippopopalous in BoJack Horseman.

He became the kind of actor that was so ubiquitous that even if you didn’t know his name, the chances are you’ve seen him on screen a dozen times.

How did Hall die?

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A cause of death has not been confirmed, but Hall suffered from the lung condition emphysema, which was a result of contracting pneumonia as a child.

The condition meant that towards the end of his acting career Hall could only film for a few minutes at a time.

Hall died at his home in Glendale, California on 12 June 2022.

What have his co-stars said about his death?

Jason Alexander, who played George Costanza on Seinfeld, tweeted: “One of the highlights of our year on Seinfeld was sharing and benefitting from the enormous talents of our guests.

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“One of the giants who blessed us was the great Phillip Baker Hall who has left us 90 years of tremendous work. Rest well, sir.”

Mark Ruffalo, who starred alongside Hall in Zodiac, also took to Twitter to share a tribute to the actor.

He wrote: “RIP Philip Baker Hall. One of the greats. It’s been a gift watching you. It was an honor working with you in Zodiac. Kindness, generosity, humility, and great talent.”

The official Seinfeld Twitter page also honoured the actor.

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