Philip Baker Hall, a Modern Family, and Seinfeld actor died on June 12 at the age of 90. Los Angeles Times sports writer Sam Farmer, who turned to Twitter to announce his death, broke the news. Holly Wolfle Hall, the late actor’s wife, later verified the story to the Associated Press as well. Farmer said in his tweet that the actor died on Sunday night in the company of his family at his home in Glendale, California. He stated:
“Philip Baker Hall, my neighbor, friend, and one of the brightest, most accomplished, and nicest persons I’ve ever encountered, died quietly last night.”
Meanwhile, Holly Wolfle Hall told the Associated Press that Hall’s sickness progressed over the previous several weeks and that he has been reflecting on his life with “warm spirits” in recent days.
What happened to Philip Baker Hall?
Hall experienced “complications of emphysema,” according to Hall’s daughter Anna’s statement to The New York Times. The illness is said to damage the air sacs of the lungs, weakening them to the point of causing shortness of breath. According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition is as follows:
“With time, the inner walls of the air sacs weaken and rupture, resulting in bigger air gaps rather than numerous tiny ones.” This decreases the surface area of the lungs and, as a result, the quantity of oxygen that enters the circulation.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, supplemental oxygen is typical for individuals with emphysema since they may have a low oxygen count in their circulation. Most emphysema patients who need oxygen would have to carry portable canisters with tubes leading to their nasal cavities.
Over the previous several years, Philip Baker Hall was known to have carried a portable oxygen cylinder with him. In Modern Family, his oxygen cylinder was also used as a prop by his character. In addition, Hall attended the opening of his film, The Last Word, in 2017 with his portable oxygen cylinder, which made news at the time.
What is Philip Baker Hall famous for?
The Toledo, Ohio native was noted for his vast appearances in Hollywood throughout a five-decade career that began in 1970. Baker formerly worked as a high school teacher and radio announcer before venturing into the world of professional acting. During his time in the US Army, he was also stationed in Germany.
Philip Baker Hall began his career in Broadway productions in New York at the age of 30 before moving on to television roles. Following multiple parts in TV movies and cameos in episodes as one-off characters, Hall had his breakthrough role as former US President Richard Nixon in 1984’s Secret Honor. Later, the nonagenarian actor participated in Paul Thomas Anderson’s first three feature films, including the smash Magnolia in 1999. Hall had a big part in David Fincher’s Zodiac in 2007.
Modern Family and Seinfeld
Hall was also well-known for his appearances in two episodes of the iconic US comedy Seinfeld as “library policeman” Joe Bookman. In 1998, the character made an appearance in the series conclusion. Later, in 2011, the actor featured in Modern Family as Walt Kleezak, the Dunphys’ former neighbor. Luke, the Dunphy family’s youngest sibling, was revealed to befriend the character. Hall has been on the program for three episodes.
Philip Baker Hall has almost 150 acknowledged parts in his career, the most recent being Zelman Katz in the TV series Messiah. His four children from two marriages, as well as several grandkids, survive the 2018 LA Shorts Fest winner.