The great Philip Baker Hall has sadly passed away recently at the age of 90. Hall had a lengthy career as a character actor and appeared in many classic sitcoms beginning in the 1970s. Hall gained a wider fanbase among cinephiles thanks to his collaborations with writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson. It’s rare for a character actor to reach such heights so late in their career, but Hall began appearing in some of the best films of the 80s and 90s.
That’s not to say that Anderson initiated Hall’s career. Hall was already a beloved “that guy.” He appeared in smaller roles in everything from Ghostbusters II to The Rock, which was released the same year as Anderson’s directorial debut Hard Eight. Even if he only popped up in a scene or two, Hall was a complete professional. Word of Hall’s death inspired a outcry of love from his many collaborators and fans, including Bradley Whitford, Patton Oswalt, Michael McKean, and Mark Duplass.
Hall leaves behind an astounding filmography, but these are his nine most memorable performances.
RELATED: 7 Best Performances In Paul Thomas Anderson's Movies
Sidney in Midnight Run (1988)
A full decade before his breakout role, Hall appeared as part of the ensemble of Martin Brest’s classic comedy, Midnight Run. He co-starred as Sidney, an underling of the Chicago mob boss Jimmy Serrano (Dennis Farina). Jimmy’s erratic behavior draws the ire of his associates; Sidney tries to convince Jimmy to calm down when the conversation about Robert De Niro’s Jack Walsh gets him worked up. The magic of Midnight Runis that in between the larger-than-life characters, the rest of the film is relatively grounded in reality. Hall’s straight-faced line delivery makes Farina’s exaggerated performance even funnier.
IRS Boss in Say Anything… (1989)
Say Anything… transcended the cliché high school movie version of Romeo & Juliet. Although Jim Court (John Mahoney) doesn’t approve of Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) dating his daughter, Diane (Ione Skye), he’s not painted as a complete villain. He seems to genuinely worry about Diane’s future, and his concerns about her feel genuine. It’s revealed that Jim has been under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service. Hall appears in a minor role as the IRS agent leading the investigation. He raises the stakes of the film’s third act; a serious IRS procedure could bankrupt Jim, and throw Diane’s future in flux.
Sydney in Hard Eight (1996)
Sydney is one of Paul Thomas Anderson’s greatest characters. Hall was perfect for the role of a career player who had his fair share of experience; without spelling out anything in stone, Hall makes it clear that Sydney has seen even more than he is letting on. Sydney recruits a young man, John Finnegan (John C. Reilly), to be his accomplice during a gambling trip to Las Vegas. It’s a mostly dialogue-driven film, but Hall and Reilly have such excellent chemistry that it’s never dull. Hall does a great job of hinting at Sydney’s inner darkness. His tragic connection to John isn’t revealed until the very end.
Floyd Gondolli in Boogie Nights (1997)
You’d be hard-pressed to find a film that’s filled with more great actors than Boogie Nights. Anderson finds a nimble balancing act; Boogie Nights has a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, but it’s never disrespectful to the people working in the adult film industry. Anderson takes the time to show the political behind-the-scenes battles that are fought during the production of pornographic films. Hall’s character, Floyd Gondolli, is a theater magnate who’s always looking to cut costs. Floyd is incredibly frank with his intentions; he wants to sell porn, not “reinvent the wheel.” The conversations he has with the expensive producer, Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), just feel like two professionals talking about their industry. The fact that they’re working in pornography doesn’t even feel odd.
Network Executive in The Truman Show (1998)
You can always count on Hall to play veterans of any particular profession. That comes in handy when a film is working off of a somewhat unbelievable premise that requires the viewer to take a few logical jumps. Although there are certain elements that feel exaggerated, Peter Weir’s prophetic satire, The Truman Show, nails the post-production process of creating television. Hall pops up as one of the executives overseeing creator Christof (Ed Harris). He shows a surprising amount of empathy for Truman (Jim Carrey); Hall’s character is shocked when Christof insists that he can let Truman die in front of a live audience. The compassion Hall shows only makes Christof’s intensity more terrifying.
Jimmy Gator in Magnolia (1999)
Magnolia is yet another Anderson film with one of the all-time great ensemble casts. Jimmy Gator (Hall) is quietly one of the most heartbreaking characters in the film. The host of the reality program "What Do Kids Know?," Jimmy recognizes that his life’s work has culminated with a program that’s taking advantage of the audience’s worst impulses. He spirals into depression as he suffers from cancer. What’s tragic about Jimmy is that he doesn’t have anyone to comfort him during his end-of-life crisis; his wife, Rose (Melinda Dillon), leaves him after Jimmy admits to cheating on her. He is obviously a malicious person, but it’s hard not to feel bad for him when he contemplates shooting himself. Hall makes the moment where Jimmy’s suicide is prevented by the sudden frog fall oddly heartwarming. It’s a rare moment of joy from a man who has denied himself happiness.
Alvin MacCarron in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
The Talented Mr. Ripley is among the most stress-inducing films ever made. It’s clear from the very beginning that Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) will eventually have to face the consequences of his actions. Ripley’s reality begins to shatter towards the third act, when Hall’s character, Alvin MacCarron, begins investigating the disappearance of Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law). Alvin is a private detective hired by Dickie’s father, Herbert (James Rebhorn). Alvin’s investigation raises the stakes for a gut-wrenching finale. The scenes of Alvin putting together the clues are intertwined with Meredith Logue’s (Cate Blanchett) realizations about Tom’s real identity. As always, Hall is completely believable as a hard-working veteran doing his job.
Sherwood Morrill in Zodiac (2007)
David Fincher is one of the most notoriously detailed filmmakers working today, so it only makes sense that he’d be interested in the Zodiac case. Every step of the investigation in Zodiac feels like it’s backed up by extensive research. Zodiac spends the time exploring the investigative process itself. During his research, Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) faces the scrutiny of the handwriting expert, Sherwood Morrill (Hall). Robert provides Graysmith with a key bit of evidence that leads him to the anxiety-inducing basement sequence. It’s a smaller role, but Hall adds to the building sense of paranoia that Robert feels.
Alan Lombardo in 50/50 (2011)
50/50 is a perfect title because the film perfectly blends comedy and drama. When he is diagnosed with cancer, Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) turns to his best friend, Kyle Hirons (Seth Rogen), during what could be the last few months of his life. Initially, Adam and Kyles’ misadventures are relatively comedic. However, 50/50 establishes the stakes as Adam meets some older cancer patients, including Alan Lombardo (Hall). Hall brings a gravity to his scenes that show the film’s respect for those that are suffering.
