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IMDbPro

Hal Linden

  • Actor
  • Director
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
"Barney Miller" Hal Linden
Jack Taylor of Beverly Hills examines the dying art of men’s custom tailoring through the eyes of one its most colorful characters on the eve of his retirement.
Play trailer3:32
Jack Taylor of Beverly Hills (2007)
10 Videos
55 Photos
A familiar name thanks to his handsome, brush-mustachioed titular cop on a popular 70's TV show, Bronx-born actor/singer/musician Hal Linden (né Harold Lipschitz, March 20, 1931) was the son of Lithuanian immigrant Charles Lipshitz and his wife Frances Rosen. He had one older brother, Bernard, who would become a future Professor of Music at Bowling Green State University, Ohio. Similarly musical, Hal took up classical clarinet in his late teens and went on to play regularly with symphony orchestras. After graduating from the High School of Music and Art in Manhattan, he studied music at Queens College, moving later to City College where he earned a degree in business. Hal supplemented his income playing in dance bands and was asked, at one point, to join Sammy Kaye on tour. Around this time he changed his marquee name to the more inviting "Hal Linden."

This mild invitation into professional show business sparked an interest in acting. Upon receiving his discharge, Hal enrolled at New York's American Theatre Wing where he trained in voice and drama. Eventually drafted into the Army in 1952, he utilized his talents by singing and providing entertainment for the troops. Discharged in 1954, he turned to summer stock and met Frances Martin, a dancer, the following year while both were in the chorus of "Mr. Wonderful" in Cape Cod. They married three years later and she willingly gave up her career to raise a family (four children).

During the early 1950s, he toured with Sammy Kaye and Bobby Sherwood and His Orchestra, among other bands. Hal's first Broadway show was with the 1956 musical "Bells Are Ringing" where he understudied lead Sydney Chaplin in the role of Jeff Moss. He later took over the role. He would make a bigger impression as Billy Crocker in the Broadway revival of Cole Porter in 1962. Hal accumulated more musical credits with leads in "Something More," "Illya, Darling" and "The Apple Tree" (as the Devil).

Although Hal also appeared in a couple of straight plays during this time ("Angel in the Pawnshop," "Three Men on a Horse"), he would win the 1971 Tony award for his earnest portrayal of Mayer Rothschild in the musical "The Rothschilds." This was quickly followed by the title role in the musical "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window," "The Enclave," "The Pajama Game," and other stage roles.

Hal's musical prominence finally led to legit television parts in the early 70's with guest appearances on "Circle of Fear," "Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside" and "The F.B.I." This, in turn, gave him the clout to be tested in a star role, that of the personable precinct boss on the highly popular Barney Miller (1975) sitcom. The long-running comedy program lasted eight seasons and Hal was subsequently Emmy-nominated each year, becoming a highly pleasant household name thanks to his warmly masculine looks, easy charm and dazzling smile.

Accommodating this TV triumph was several light and heavy TV-movie vehicles, including How to Break Up a Happy Divorce (1976), Father Figure (1980), The Other Woman (1983) and the two-person musical I Do! I Do! (1983) co-starring Lee Remick. Following that, Hal has appeared in other shorter-run TV series -- the title magician in Blacke's Magic (1986), title restaurateur in Jack's Place (1992) and as the beleaguered patriarch in the domestic sitcom The Boys Are Back (1994).

Although film stardom eluded Hal, he has supported a handful of films, including A New Life (1988), Just Friends (1996), Out to Sea (1997), Dumb Luck (2001), Time Changer (2002), Light Years Away (2008), Stevie D (2016), The Samuel Project (2018) and Grand-Daddy Day Care (2019). A much bigger presence on TV, Hal dominated with a number of guest appearances -- "The Golden Girls," "The Nanny," "Touched by an Angel," "Law & Order," "Will & Grace," "The King of Queens," "Hot in Cleveland," "2 Broke Girls" and "Grey's Anatomy." In 2006 and 2007, he enjoyed a recurring role on the daytime soap The Bold and the Beautiful (1987).

In between, he continued to impress on the stage with performances in such acclaimed plays and musicals as "Company," "Cabaret," "I'm Not Rappaport," "Tuesdays with Morrie," "The Sisters Rosenzweig" and "A Christmas Carol," while continuing musical tours as a clarinetist. The national chairman of the March of Dimes for many years, Hal's career length has now surpassed six decades. His wife Frances died in 2010.
BornMarch 20, 1931
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    • Agent info
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BornMarch 20, 1931
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Nominated for 7 Primetime Emmys
    • 4 wins & 15 nominations total

Photos55

Lee Majors, Lauren Hutton, and Hal Linden in Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land (1983)
Ron Glass, Milt Kogan, and Hal Linden in Barney Miller (1975)
Abe Vigoda, Max Gail, and Hal Linden in Barney Miller (1975)
Florence Henderson, Don Adams, Gabe Kaplan, Hal Linden, and Karen Valentine
Abe Vigoda, Max Gail, Ron Glass, Hal Linden, and Jack Soo in Barney Miller (1975)
Hal Linden
Hal Linden
Hal Linden
Hal Linden
Hal Linden
Hal Linden
Hal Linden and Harry Morgan

Known for:

Barney Miller (1975)
Barney Miller
8.3
TV Series
  • Capt. Barney Miller
  • Capt. Bernard J. 'Barney' Miller
CBS Schoolbreak Special (1984)
CBS Schoolbreak Special
6.9
TV Series
  • Rabbi Markovitz
Hal Linden and Ryan Ochoa in The Samuel Project (2018)
The Samuel Project
7.4
  • Samuel
  • 2018
David Duchovny, Nia Long, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Eddie Murphy, Jonah Hill, and Lauren London in You People (2023)
You People
5.5
  • Mr. Greenwald
  • 2023

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • Hal Linden, Renée Taylor, and Willie Orbison in Merv (2023)
    Merv
    • Merv
    • Short
    • 2023
  • David Duchovny, Nia Long, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Eddie Murphy, Jonah Hill, and Lauren London in You People (2023)
    You People
    • Mr. Greenwald
    • 2023
  • James Pickens Jr., Ellen Pompeo, and Chandra Wilson in Grey's Anatomy (2005)
    Grey's Anatomy
    • Bertram Hollister
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Barry Bostwick, Danny Trejo, George Wendt, Hal Linden, Reno Wilson, and Anthony Gonzalez in Grand-Daddy Day Care (2019)
    Grand-Daddy Day Care
    • Gabe
    • 2019
  • Hal Linden and Ryan Ochoa in The Samuel Project (2018)
    The Samuel Project
    • Samuel
    • 2018
  • Mariska Hargitay in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)
    Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
    • Leonard Maxwell
    • TV Series
    • 2018
  • Diedrich Bader, Katy Mixon, Daniel DiMaggio, Meg Donnelly, and Giselle Eisenberg in American Housewife (2016)
    American Housewife
    • Mr. Montez
    • TV Series
    • 2016
  • Mark Feuerstein in Royal Pains (2009)
    Royal Pains
    • Dr. Joseph Whitcomb
    • TV Series
    • 2016
  • Al Sapienza, John Aprea, Kevin Chapman, Robert Costanzo, Spencer Garrett, Hal Linden, Chris Cordone, Darren Capozzi, Torrey DeVitto, and Phil Idrissi in Stevie D (2016)
    Stevie D
    • Max Levine
    • 2016
  • Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs in 2 Broke Girls (2011)
    2 Broke Girls
    • Lester
    • TV Series
    • 2014
  • Supernatural (2005)
    Supernatural
    • Rabbi Isaac Bass
    • TV Series
    • 2013
  • Mindy Kaling in The Mindy Project (2012)
    The Mindy Project
    • Manny
    • TV Series
    • 2013
  • Outside the Box
    • Father Merrin
    • TV Series
    • 2012
  • NTSF:SD:SUV (2011)
    NTSF:SD:SUV
    • C.T. Dalton
    • TV Series
    • 2012
  • In Security
    • TV Movie
    • 2010

Director

  • Barney Miller (1975)
    Barney Miller
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 1977–1982

Additional Crew

  • Destroy All Monsters (1968)
    Destroy All Monsters
    • voice dubbing: Akira Kubo (English version, uncredited)
    • 1968
  • Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)
    Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
    • voice dubbing (English version, uncredited)
    • 1966

Videos10

Official Trailer
Trailer 2:41
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:43
Official Trailer
Barney Miller: The Complete Series
Trailer 1:33
Barney Miller: The Complete Series
Barney Miller: Season 3
Trailer 2:02
Barney Miller: Season 3
Barney Miller: The Election
Trailer 1:54
Barney Miller: The Election
Barney Miller: Quarantine Part 1
Trailer 1:49
Barney Miller: Quarantine Part 1
Barney Miller: Evacuation
Trailer 2:02
Barney Miller: Evacuation
Barney Miller: Quarantine Part 2
Trailer 1:51
Barney Miller: Quarantine Part 2
Barney Miller: Werewolf
Trailer 1:24
Barney Miller: Werewolf
Jack Taylor of Beverly Hills
Trailer 3:32
Jack Taylor of Beverly Hills

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative name
    • Hal & Fran
  • Height
    • 6′ (1.83 m)
  • Born
    • March 20, 1931
    • New York City, New York, USA
  • Spouse
    • Frances LindenApril 13, 1958 - July 9, 2010 (her death, 4 children)
  • Parents
      Charles Lipshitz
  • Other works
    Won the 1971 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical for his work in 'The Rothschilds'.
  • Publicity listings
    • 2 Articles
    • 1 Magazine Cover Photo

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    In 1984, he carried the Olympic Torch and ran a portion of the Los Angeles segment.
  • Quotes
    [About the [Barney Miller (1975)] role]: Joseph Wambaugh was once asked what was the most realistic cop show on TV, and he said it was Barney Miller. And this is a guy who had been a cop. Over the years I've talked to many policemen who've told me the same thing. I always ask them, 'How many times on the job have you had to pull your gun.' Nine times out of 10, the answer is, 'Never.' The job is more about paperwork. It's a grind.
  • Trademarks
      The role of Barney Miller.

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