Philip Baker Hall was a highly-regarded character actor for theatre, television and film. His career spanned five decades. He passed away last Sunday and the cause of death was complications of emphysema. The sad news was confirmed by his daughter Anna Ruth Hall with an official statement to the New York Times.
While the actor has an extensive list of credits, he is most known for his creative contributions to the following productions: Boogie Nights, Hard Eight, Magnolia, Midnight Run and his appearances on Seinfeld.
When the actor made his film debut in Cowards, he also was cast in shows at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. His first television roles were in episodes of Good Times, M*A*S*H and Man from Atlantis. He made over 200 guest appearances in television since the 1970s, and he found a balance between the mediums of performing arts which led to his development of his incredible career.
While family, friends and fans continue to mourn the loss of the actor, it is important to pinpoint his extraordinary career as a paradigm for upcoming performing artists to appreciate and mimic. He was an incredible performer who continued to follow his passion for the arts in a variety of mediums.