Philip Baker Hall was born in Toledo, Ohio, to Berdene (McDonald) and William Alexander Hall, a factory worker who was originally from Montgomery, Alabama. He did not start acting until he was 30 years old, and shot to cult fame when he turned in an electrifying performance as Sydney, the veteran gambler, in Paul Thomas Anderson’s debut feature, Hard Eight (1996). However, it was his underrated work in the same director’s star-studded Magnolia (1999) that really caught the mass film public’s attention. His performance as the legendary quiz show presenter “Jimmy Gator”” was an incredible performance. He has since been in a few blockbuster movies, like The Sum of All Fears (2002), and stars in Dogville (2003), directed by Lars von Trier.”
Philip Baker Hall
Movies
Corporate
From Pat Bishop, Matt Ingebretson, and Jake Weisman comes a dark, edgy look at life as a Junior-Executive-in-Training at your average, soulless multi-national corporation. Matt and Jake (Ingebretson and Weisman) are at the mercy of a tyrannical CEO Christian DeVille (Lance Reddick) and his top lieutenants, sycophants John and Kate…
Fun Facts
Graduated from the University of Toledo.
Is frequently cast by Paul Thomas Anderson.
Did not start acting until he was 30 years old.
Starred alone in Robert Altman's Secret Honor (1984), a fictional account of Richard Nixon's life after the White House, making him one of the few actors to ever carry an entire film.
Appeared in The Zodiac (2005) and Zodiac (2007), both about the serial killer nicknamed the Zodiac Killer.
Worked as a radio announcer and high school teacher prior to embarking on an acting career.
Is the father of two daughters.
Co-starred with William H. Macy and Julianne Moore in Boogie Nights (1997), Psycho (1998) and Magnolia (1999).
Was drafted into the Army and served in Germany.