Philip Baker Hall

Biography

Philip Baker Hall was an American character actor whose career stretched across decades of film and television, best known for his work with Paul Thomas Anderson. Born in Toledo, Ohio, he made his film debut in Cowards, joined the Los Angeles Theatre Center and had his first television role on Good Times, going on to more than 200 guest parts. He played Richard Nixon in Secret Honor (1984) and took a leading role in Duck (2005). Anderson cast him in Hard Eight (1996), which earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination, and in Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999), both of which brought Screen Actors Guild ensemble nominations. Supporting parts followed in Midnight Run (1988), The Insider (1999), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), The Contender (2000), Bruce Almighty (2003), Zodiac (2007) and 50/50 (2011). On television he was the library cop Joe Bookman on Seinfeld and had recurring roles on The Practice, The West Wing and Modern Family.

90years old at death

Born September 10, 1931Toledo
Died June 12, 2022Glendale
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22

Movie Career

Films: 49
Career span: 47 years1970 to 2017

Genres

Drama65%, 32 films
Comedy43%, 21 films
Crime31%, 15 films
Thriller27%, 13 films
Action12%, 6 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Hall created the role of Richard Nixon in Secret Honor during its original Off-Broadway run, then reprised it for the one-character film.
Big break
Hall's first appearance as Seinfeld's library cop Joe Bookman was widely praised as one of the series' best guest turns and brought him many other jobs.
Beyond film
Hall provided the opening narration on Shellac's 2000 album 1000 Hurts, a parody of calibration tape announcements for analog tape recorders.

Philip Baker Hall movies on Netflix

Person to Person2017IMDb rating 5.7as Jimmy
The Last Word2017IMDb rating 6.6as Edward
Playing It Cool2014IMDb rating 5.9as Granddad
Bad Words2013IMDb rating 6.7as Dr. Bowman
Clear History2013IMDb rating 6.4as McKenzie
Bending the Rules2012IMDb rating 4.9as Herb Gold
People Like Us2012IMDb rating 7.0as Ike Rafferty
50/502011IMDb rating 7.6as Alan
Mr. Popper's Penguins2011IMDb rating 6.0as Franklin
All Good Things2010IMDb rating 6.2as Malvern Bump
Fired Up!2009IMDb rating 6.1as Coach Byrnes
The Lodger2009IMDb rating 5.7as Captain Smith
Wonderful World2009IMDb rating 6.0as The Man
You Kill Me2007IMDb rating 6.4as Roman Krzeminski
Zodiac2007IMDb rating 7.7as Sherwood Morrill
The Shaggy Dog2006IMDb rating 4.4as Lance Strictland
Duck2005IMDb rating 5.9as Arthur Pratt
The Amityville Horror2005IMDb rating 5.9as Father Callaway
The Matador2005IMDb rating 6.7as Mr. Randy
The Zodiac2005IMDb rating 5.3as Frank Perkins
In Good Company2004IMDb rating 6.4as Eugene Kalb
Bruce Almighty2003IMDb rating 6.8as Jack Baylor
Die, Mommie, Die!2003IMDb rating 6.4as Sol Sussman
Path to War2002IMDb rating 7.3as Everett Dirksen
The Sum of All Fears2002IMDb rating 6.5as Defense Secretary Becker
Lost Souls2000IMDb rating 4.8as Father James
Rules of Engagement2000IMDb rating 6.4as Gen. H. Lawrence Hodges
The Contender2000IMDb rating 6.9as Oscar Billings
Cradle Will Rock1999IMDb rating 6.7as Gray Mathers
Magnolia1999IMDb rating 8.0as Jimmy Gator
The Insider1999IMDb rating 7.8as Don Hewitt
The Talented Mr. Ripley1999IMDb rating 7.4as Alvin MacCarron
Judas Kiss1998IMDb rating 6.1as Pobby Malavero
Psycho1998IMDb rating 4.6as Sheriff Chambers
Rush Hour1998IMDb rating 7.1as Captain Diel
Sour Grapes1998IMDb rating 5.8as Mr. Bell
Buddy1997IMDb rating 4.8as Minister
Eye for an Eye1996IMDb rating 6.2as Sidney Hughes
Hard Eight1996IMDb rating 7.1as Sydney
Kiss of Death1995IMDb rating 6.0as Big Junior Brown
Roswell1994IMDb rating 6.3as Roswell General
Live Wire1992IMDb rating 5.6as Senator Thyme
Blue Desert1991IMDb rating 5.3as Joe
An Innocent Man1989IMDb rating 6.5as Judge Kenneth Lavet
How I Got Into College1989IMDb rating 5.8as Dean Patterson
Midnight Run1988IMDb rating 7.5as Sidney
Three O'Clock High1987IMDb rating 7.1as Detective Mulvahill
Secret Honor1984IMDb rating 7.2as Richard Milhous Nixon
Zabriskie Point1970IMDb rating 6.9as Diner Owner

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Magnolia1999 Dramaas Jimmy Gator
IMDb rating 8.0353K votes
Bruce Almighty2003 Comedy, Drama, Fantasyas Jack Baylor
IMDb rating 6.8476K votes
Rush Hour1998as Captain Diel
IMDb rating 7.1335K votes
50/502011as Alan
IMDb rating 7.6357K votes
The Insider1999as Don Hewitt
IMDb rating 7.8193K votes
Hard Eight1996as Sydney
IMDb rating 7.161K votes
Zodiac2007as Sherwood Morrill
IMDb rating 7.7690K votes
The Talented Mr. Ripley1999as Alvin MacCarron
IMDb rating 7.4276K votes

Most often with

Paul Thomas Anderson directed two of these films. Five actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Samuel L. Jackson

Bruce McGill

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Nora Dunn

Hope Davis

Morgan Freeman

Paul Thomas AndersonDirector, 2 films

Films together

Samuel L. Jackson3 films together, 1995 to 2000
Samuel L. Jackson's page
- Rules of Engagement2000IMDb rating 6.4Hall as Gen. H. Lawrence HodgesJackson as Col. Terry L. Childers
- Hard Eight1996IMDb rating 7.1Hall as SydneyJackson as Jimmy
- Kiss of Death1995IMDb rating 6.0Hall as Big Junior BrownJackson as Calvin Hart
Bruce McGill3 films together, 1999 to 2002
Bruce McGill's page
- Path to War2002IMDb rating 7.3Hall as Everett DirksenMcGill as George Ball, Undersecretary of State
- The Sum of All Fears2002IMDb rating 6.5Hall as Defense Secretary BeckerMcGill as National Security Advisor Revell
- The Insider1999IMDb rating 7.8Hall as Don HewittMcGill as Ron Motley
Philip Seymour Hoffman3 films together, 1996 to 1999
Philip Seymour Hoffman's page
- Magnolia1999IMDb rating 8.0Hall as Jimmy GatorHoffman as Phil Parma
- The Talented Mr. Ripley1999IMDb rating 7.4Hall as Alvin MacCarronHoffman as Freddie Miles
- Hard Eight1996IMDb rating 7.1Hall as SydneyHoffman as Young Craps Player
Nora Dunn3 films together, 1989 to 2003
Nora Dunn's page
- Bruce Almighty2003IMDb rating 6.8Hall as Jack BaylorDunn as Ally Loman
- Die, Mommie, Die!2003IMDb rating 6.4Hall as Sol SussmanDunn as Shatzi Van Allen
- How I Got Into College1989IMDb rating 5.8Hall as Dean PattersonDunn as Francine Bauer, SAT Coach
Hope Davis3 films together, 1995 to 2009
Hope Davis's page
- The Lodger2009IMDb rating 5.7Hall as Captain SmithDavis as Ellen Bunting
- The Matador2005IMDb rating 6.7Hall as Mr. RandyDavis as Carolyn 'Bean' Wright
- Kiss of Death1995IMDb rating 6.0Hall as Big Junior BrownDavis as Junior's Girlfriend
Morgan Freeman2 films together, 2002 to 2003
Morgan Freeman's page
- Bruce Almighty2003IMDb rating 6.8Hall as Jack BaylorFreeman as God
- The Sum of All Fears2002IMDb rating 6.5Hall as Defense Secretary BeckerFreeman as DCI William Cabot
Paul Thomas AndersonDirector, 2 films, 1996 to 1999
All films by Paul Thomas Anderson
- Magnolia1999IMDb rating 8.0Hall as Jimmy Gator
- Hard Eight1996IMDb rating 7.1Hall as Sydney
Also two films together29 more actors
- Ben KingsleyYou Kill Me (2007) and Rules of Engagement (2000)
- William H. MacyMagnolia (1999) and Psycho (1998)
- Julianne MooreMagnolia (1999) and Psycho (1998)
- Pierce BrosnanThe Matador (2005) and Live Wire (1992)
- Robert Downey Jr.Zodiac (2007) and The Shaggy Dog (2006)
- Luke WilsonPlaying It Cool (2014) and You Kill Me (2007)
- Jeffrey TamborMr. Popper's Penguins (2011) and Three O'Clock High (1987)
- Michael GambonPath to War (2002) and The Insider (1999)
- Liev SchreiberClear History (2013) and The Sum of All Fears (2002)
- James Le GrosZodiac (2007) and Psycho (1998)
- Clark GreggMr. Popper's Penguins (2011) and In Good Company (2004)
- Elias KoteasZodiac (2007) and Lost Souls (2000)
- Jim CarreyMr. Popper's Penguins (2011) and Bruce Almighty (2003)
- Carla GuginoMr. Popper's Penguins (2011) and Judas Kiss (1998)
- Anne HecheThe Last Word (2017) and Psycho (1998)
- Donal LogueThe Lodger (2009) and Eye for an Eye (1996)
- Gwyneth PaltrowThe Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) and Hard Eight (1996)
- Rex LinnThe Zodiac (2005) and Rush Hour (1998)
- Topher GracePlaying It Cool (2014) and In Good Company (2004)
- Dennis FarinaYou Kill Me (2007) and Midnight Run (1988)
- Anthony EdwardsZodiac (2007) and How I Got Into College (1989)
- Diane VenoraAll Good Things (2010) and The Insider (1999)
- Simon BakerThe Lodger (2009) and Judas Kiss (1998)
- John BeasleyThe Sum of All Fears (2002) and Lost Souls (2000)
- Lisa EichhornThe Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) and Judas Kiss (1998)
- Bob StephensonBad Words (2013) and Zodiac (2007)
- John AylwardPath to War (2002) and Buddy (1997)
- Robert RidgelyHard Eight (1996) and How I Got Into College (1989)
- Zena GreyThe Shaggy Dog (2006) and In Good Company (2004)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Philip Baker Hall's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

Top

Combined worldwide box office

$2.1 billion

38 of the 49 films have a worldwide figure.

38Worldwide figure
2US gross only
4Never in cinemas
5Figure not found

Top grosser

Bruce Almighty2003Jack Baylor$485 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 73% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Bruce Almighty2003as Jack Baylor
$485M23.4% of the total
2
Rush Hour1998as Captain Diel
$245M11.8% of the total
3
The Sum of All Fears2002as Defense Secretary Becker
$194M9.3% of the total
4
Mr. Popper's Penguins2011as Franklin
$187M9.0% of the total
5
The Talented Mr. Ripley1999as Alvin MacCarron
$129M6.2% of the total
6
The Amityville Horror2005as Father Callaway
$108M5.2% of the total
7
The Shaggy Dog2006as Lance Strictland
$87M4.2% of the total
8
Zodiac2007as Sherwood Morrill
$85M4.1% of the total