Beloved character actor Philip Baker Hall has died at age 90. Hall was best known for his work in director Paul Thomas Anderson's films, starring in the filmmaker's debut Hard Eight and later in both Boogie Nights and Magnolia, which put the actor on Hollywood's go to list for character actors. The actor also appeared in a number of well-known features in supporting roles, such as Rush Hour, Dogville, Air Force One, and Zodiac, among many others.
Hall didn't begin acting until age 30, starting off predominantly in one-off TV roles, appearing in dozens of prominent shows throughout his career, including M*A*S*H, Good Times, T.J. Hooker, L.A. Law, Murder, She Wrote, Miami Vice and Seinfeld as Lt. Joe Bookman. He would later gain momentum as a character actor, often playing a police detective, gangster, or government official of some sort, appearing in movies like Three O'Clock High, Midnight Run, Say Anything, Kiss of Death, The Rock, andGhostbusters II, before gaining wider acclaim for his work in Anderson's first three films.
Related: Every Paul Thomas Anderson Movie Ranked
LA Times reporter Sam Farmer revealed that Hall had passed away at the age of 90, leaving behind a lasting Hollywood legacy in film and television credits. Farmer, a friend and neighbor to Hall, described the actor as «one of the wisest, most talented and kindest» people he'd ever met, noting that Hall was surrounded by loved ones when he died peacefully. Hall is survived by his wife, Holly Wolfle, and two daughters, Adella and Anna. A cause of death was not released, but the actor had suffered from emphysema in recent years.
My neighbor, friend, and one of the wisest, most talented and kindest people I’ve ever met, Philip Baker Hall, died peacefully
Read more on screenrant.com