Philip Baker Hall Appreciation: Legendary Character Actor Brought Gravitas to Comedy and Drama Alike

From wild farces to the dramas of Robert Altman and Paul Thomas Anderson, Hall had an undeniable presence no matter the role

philip baker hall
Philip Baker Hall on set of " Lost Souls" circa 2000. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Philip Baker Hall didn’t make his first film appearance until he was pushing 40, which seems appropriate somehow: The growling gravitas he brought to dramas and comedies alike speaks to a full life lived, and experiences cultivated, before ever stepping onto a set.

In Hall’s case, that life involved being born in Ohio, spending time in Germany as a translator for the U.S. Army, and then pursuing the craft of acting onstage in New York and later Los Angeles. By the time he made the leap to film and TV, he had the kind of gruff mien that got him cast as cops and old soldiers.

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