That Guy From That Movie: 10 Unsung Character Actors

4. Philip Baker Hall

Philip Baker Hall Philip Baker Hall made his movie debut all the way back in 1970, and with well over 150 film and television credits under his belt the actor is still going strong at the age of 82. It is a lengthy career that has seen him work with directors as diverse as Robert Altman, Michael Bay, David Fincher, Michael Mann and even Lars Von Trier. Hall took a rare lead role with a memorable turn in Paul Thomas Anderson's debut Hard Eight, and the two would work together twice more on Boogie Nights and Magnolia. Often cast as a figure of authority, the actor would portray such characters in the likes of Ghostbusters II, The Rock, Air Force One, the Rush Hour trilogy, Rules of Engagement, The Sum of All Fears and Argo. Television executives also seem to be his thing, as evidenced by his appearances in The Insider, The Truman Show and Bruce Almighty. As well as the movies mentioned above, the actor's eclectic career has also seen him crop up in Midnight Run, The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Amityville Horror remake, Zodiac, Mr. Popper's Penguins and 50/50 to name but a small few. However, despite the sheer number of high-profile cinema releases that Philip Baker Hall has on his resume, many remember him best as Seinfeld's library cop Joe Bookman.
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