Philip Baker Hall

Philip Baker Hall was an American actor.

In his five-decade career, Hall's most recognizable role came in the Seinfeld episode "The Library." A dogged detective with a trench coat, his Joe Bookman relentlessly pursued Jerry in search of a library book — Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer — that was more than 20 years overdue. Bookman made a return visit on the sitcom's finale that aired May 14, 1998.

In 1975, Hall moved to Los Angeles to build a television career, and he went on to perform in every genre — comedy (Good Times, M*A*S*H, Cheers, Empty Nest), drama (The Waltons, L.A. Law, Chicago Hope, The West Wing, Madam Secretary), mystery (Quincy M.E.; Matlock; Murder, She Wrote; Monk), action (Man From Atlantis, Emergency!, Miami Vice, T.J. Hooker, Cagney & Lacey, Dark Justice) and voiceover (Baby Blues, The Life and Times of Tim, BoJack Horseman).

Hall joined Falcon Crest for its ninth and final season in 1989 as Ed Meyers, the attorney for Michael Sharpe (Gregory Harrison), and had recurring roles as a doctor on Family Ties, Everwood and Curb Your Enthusiasm and as a judge on Civil Wars and The Practice.

In October 2017, Hall starred alongside Ellen Geer on an episode of HBO's Room 104.

One of his more endearing characters was Walt Kleezak, the cantankerous neighbor who befriends the young Luke Dunphy (Nolan Gould) on Modern Family.

Hall died June 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. He was 90.