Hal Linden

{{Short description|American actor (born 1931)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Hal Linden

| image = Hal Linden - ABC.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Publicity photo for FYI (1981)

| birth_name = Harold Lipshitz

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1931|03|20}}

| birth_place = The Bronx, New York City, U.S.

| education = High School of Music & Art

| alma_mater ={{ubl|Queens College|City College of New York (BA)}}

| occupation = {{csv|Actor|television director|musician}}

| years_active = 1956–present

| known_for =

| spouse = {{marriage|Frances Martin|1958|2010|end=died}}

| children = 4

| awards =

}}

Hal Linden (born Harold Lipshitz,{{cite news |title=Postal Card |last=Postal |first=Bernard |work=The New York Jewish Week |date=September 27, 1975 |page=19 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/371508345/ }} March 20, 1931) is an American stage and screen actor, television director and musician.

Linden began his career as a big band musician and singer in the 1950s. After a stint in the United States Army, he began an acting career, first working in summer stock and off-Broadway productions. Linden found success on Broadway when he replaced Sydney Chaplin in the musical Bells Are Ringing. In 1962, he starred as Billy Crocker in the off-Broadway revival of the Cole Porter musical Anything Goes. In 1971, he won a Best Actor Tony Award for his portrayal of Mayer Rothschild in the musical The Rothschilds.

In 1974, Linden landed his best-known role as the title character in the television comedy series Barney Miller. The role earned him seven Primetime Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe Award nominations. During the series' run, Linden also hosted two educational series, Animals, Animals, Animals and FYI. He won two special Daytime Emmy Awards for the latter series. Linden won a third Daytime Emmy Award for a guest-starring role on CBS Schoolbreak Special in 1995. Linden has since continued his career on the stage, in films and guest-starring roles on television. He released his first album of pop and jazz standards, It's Never Too Late, in 2011.

Early life

Hal Linden was born on March 20, 1931, in The Bronx, New York City, New York, the youngest son of Frances (née Rosen) and Charles Lipshitz, a Lithuanian Jew who immigrated to the United States in 1910 and owned a printing shop. Hal's older brother, Bernard, became a professor of music at Bowling Green State University.{{cite book| title=Current Biography Yearbook| year=1987| publisher=H. W. Wilson Company| page=364}} Linden attended Herman Ridder Junior High School and the High School of Music and Art, going on to study music at Queens College, City University of New York.{{cite web |last=Bradley |first=Betsy |date=December 11, 1990 |title=Herman Ridder Junior High School (Public School 98) |url=http://www.neighborhoodpreservationcenter.org/db/bb_files/90-HERMAN-RIDDER-J.H.S..pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204352/http://www.neighborhoodpreservationcenter.org/db/bb_files/90-HERMAN-RIDDER-J.H.S..pdf |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=August 15, 2016 |publisher=Landmarks Preservation Commission |page=10}}{{cite book| last1= Bordman| first1=Gerald| last2=Hischak| first2=Thomas S.| title= The Oxford Companion to American Theatre| url= https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont0000bord| url-access= registration| quote=linden.| edition= 3rd| year=2004| publisher=Oxford University Press| isbn=978-0195169867| page=[https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont0000bord/page/389 389]}} He later enrolled in Baruch College and then City College of New York, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in business.{{cite news |last=Schleier |first=Curt |date=August 14, 1998 |title=It's Easy Being Green: Hal Linden has played 'old' before, so taking over for Eli Wallach as the cranky octogenarian in 'Visiting Mr. Green' is a natural |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/362481784/ |work=The New York Jewish Week |page=30}}{{cite news| url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9DIwAAAAIBAJ&pg=1657,2524658&dq=an+evening+with+hal+linden&hl=en| title='Barney Miller's' Hal Linden is his own toughest critic| last=Zosky Proulx| first=Brenda| date=July 19, 1982| work=Montreal Gazette| access-date=February 8, 2013}}

During his youth, Linden wanted to be a big band singer and bandleader. Before embarking on a career in music, he decided to change his name, stating, "'Swing and Sway with Harold Lipshitz' just didn't parse." While riding on a bus from Philadelphia to New York through the town of Linden, New Jersey, he saw the name Linden on the water tower and changed his name to Hal Linden.{{cite news| url= http://jewishjournal.com/news/los_angeles/community/5268/| title=Barney Miller and Big Band| last=Pfefferman| first=Naomi| date=December 13, 2001| newspaper=The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles| access-date= February 8, 2013}} During the 1950s, he toured with Sammy Kaye, Bobby Sherwood, and other big bands of the era. Linden played the saxophone and clarinet and also sang.{{cite news| url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f1daAAAAIBAJ&pg=3249,3940049&dq=hal+linden+fran+martin+1958&hl=en| title=Hal Linden patrols a new precinct| last=Lovece| first=Frank| date=February 10, 1993| work= Waycross Journal-Herald| page=P–5| access-date=February 8, 2013}}

He enlisted in the United States Army in 1952 and was sent to Fort Belvoir and played in the United States Army Band. While he was in Fort Belvoir, a friend recommended that he see the touring production of Guys and Dolls playing in Washington, D.C. After seeing the show, Linden decided to become an actor.{{cite news| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-05-17-ca-5428-story.html| title=Hal Linden: Song and Dance (and Clarinet) Man| last=Stewart| first=Zan| date=May 17, 1996| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| access-date=February 8, 2013}}{{cite news| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h3FQAAAAIBAJ&pg=5261,3998409&dq=getting+to+the+top+wasn-t+in+hal+linden%27s+career+plan&hl=en| title=Getting to the top wasn't in Hal Linden's career plan| last=Sharbutt| first=Jay| date=March 29, 1978| work= St. Petersburg Times| page=3D| access-date=February 8, 2013}} He was discharged from the Army in 1954.

Career

Linden replaced Sydney Chaplin in the Broadway production of Bells Are Ringing in 1958. He made a further breakthrough on the New York City stage in 1962 when he was cast as Billy Crocker in the revival of Cole Porter's Anything Goes.Bordman, p.35

Linden's career slowed in the 1960s. During this time, he dubbed English dialogue for various foreign films, did voiceover work for commercials and sang jingles, and performed in industrial musicals such as [https://castalbums.org/people/Hal-Linden/1298 Diesel Dazzle] (1966). His career was revived in the 1970s when he was cast as Mayer Rothschild in the 1971 musical The Rothschilds. The role earned him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.{{cite book| last1=Everett| first1=William A.| last2= Laird| first2=Paul R.| title=The A to Z of the Broadway Musical| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=MyJ_wa8U_wgC&q=linden| edition= 94| date=September 17, 2009| publisher= Scarecrow Press| isbn=978-0810870444| page=300}} In 1973, he co-starred opposite Tony Lo Bianco in the NBC television film Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside. The film was intended to be the pilot for a proposed series but was not picked up by the network.{{cite book| last=Roberts| first=Jerry| title=Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=kW8j6sHvrewC&q=linden| volume= 1| date=June 5, 2009| publisher= Scarecrow Press| isbn=978-0810863781| page=207}}

=''Barney Miller''=

In 1974, Linden landed the starring role in the ABC television police sitcom Barney Miller. He portrayed the eponymous captain of the 12th Precinct in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City. He earned seven Emmy Award nominations for his work on the series. Linden is tied with Matt LeBlanc and John Goodman for the most Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy Award nominations without ever winning. He also earned four Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy. The series aired from 1975 to 1982. Linden later said that leaving Broadway to work on Barney Miller was his most irrational act and also one of his best decisions.{{cite news |title=Up Front: First Person |last=Lavin |first=Cheryl |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=April 26, 1987 |page=SM2 |url= https://www.proquest.com/docview/1124894598/}}

During the run of Barney Miller, Linden served as the narrator and host of the ABC children's shows Animals, Animals, Animals and FYI. He won two Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Individual Achievement for his host work on FYI. in 1984 and 1985.

=Later career=

After Barney Miller ended in 1982, Linden appeared in several television films, including I Do! I Do! (1982), the television adaptation of the musical of the same name, and Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land (1983). Also in 1982, he was the producers' first choice for the starring role of Dr. Donald Westphall in St. Elsewhere, but he turned down the opportunity without reading the script or meeting the producers because he wanted to take a break from television.{{cite web| url=http://www.popculturepassionistas.com/single-post/2015/08/17/Fun-Facts-About-St-Elsewhere| title=Fun Facts About St. Elsewhere| publisher= | website= PopCulturePassionistas.com| date=August 17, 2015| access-date= February 16, 2018}} (The role was then given to Ed Flanders.)

In 1984, he costarred in the television film Second Edition. The film was intended to be a series but was not picked up by CBS. The following year, Linden portrayed studio head Jack L. Warner in the television biopic My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn.

File:Hal Linden at Chiller Theatre, 2011.jpg

In 1986, Linden returned to episodic television in the NBC series Blacke's Magic. He played the lead character, Alexander Blacke, a magician who solves mysteries with the help of his father Leonard (Harry Morgan), a retired carnival magician and sometimes confidence man. The series was canceled after 13 episodes. In 1988, he co-starred in the romantic comedy A New Life, directed by Alan Alda. In 1991 he guest-starred in an episode of “The Golden Girls” in the part of John Neretti, Bea Arthur’s character’s love interest. In 1992, Linden tried his hand at television again with the leading role in the comedy-drama series Jack's Place. In the series, Linden portrayed Jack Evans, a retired jazz musician who ran a restaurant that was frequented by patrons who learned lessons about love. The show was often compared to The Love Boat by critics as it featured a different weekly guest star.{{cite news| url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WYJKAAAAIBAJ&pg=4690,3395644&dq=an+evening+with+hal+linden&hl=en| title=Welcome to 'Jack's Place'| last=McAlister| first=Nancy| date=May 22, 1992| work=The Vindicator| location=Youngstown, Ohio| access-date=February 8, 2013}} The series premiered as a mid-season replacement but did well enough in the ratings for ABC to order additional episodes. Viewership soon declined and ABC chose to cancel the series in 1993. The next year, Linden appeared in the CBS sitcom The Boys Are Back. That series was also low rated and canceled after 18 episodes. In 1995, Linden won his third Daytime Emmy Award for his 1994 guest-starring role as Rabbi Markovitz on CBS Schoolbreak Special.{{cite news| title= 'General Hospital' Leads the Field in Daytime Emmys Television: CBS takes most awards, and several long-running serials make strong showings| last= Margulies| first=Lee| date=May 22, 1995| work=Los Angeles Times| page= 5}}

In 1996, Linden had a supporting role in the television film The Colony, opposite John Ritter and June Lockhart. The role was a departure for Linden, as he played the villainous head of a home owner's association of a gated community.{{cite news| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UxkyAAAAIBAJ&pg=5265,41891&dq=the+colony+hal+linden+john+ritter&hl=en| title=Hal Linden will fill a rare villain role| date=May 1, 1995| work= Reading Eagle| page=A10| access-date= February 8, 2013}} In 1999, he had a guest role in the last The Rockford Files reunion TV film, The Rockford Files: If It Bleeds... It Leads. In 1997, he played Ebeneezer Scrooge in the yearly Madison Square Garden production of A Christmas Carol. He continued his career in the late 1990s and 2000s with guest roles on Touched by an Angel, The King of Queens, Gilmore Girls, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Hot in Cleveland. He also narrated episodes of Biography and The American Experience, and voiced Eli Selig, Zeta's creator, on the animated series The Zeta Project. In 2002, Linden received a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20121013165655/http://www.palmspringswalkofstars.com/web-storage/Stars/Stars%20dedicated%20by%20date.pdf Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated]}}

In 2008, he played Arvide Abernathy in Guys and Dolls at Hilbert Circle Theatre. Linden continued to have an active stage career. He appeared in the Toronto production of Tuesdays with Morrie in 2009.{{cite news| url= http://www.playbill.com/news/article/126159-Hal-Linden-to-Star-in-Toronto-Production-of-Tuesdays-with-Morrie| title=Hal Linden to Star in Toronto Production of Tuesdays with Morrie| last=Hetrick| first=Adam| date= February 10, 2009| magazine=Playbill| access-date=February 8, 2013| url-status=dead| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131105022957/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/126159-Hal-Linden-to-Star-in-Toronto-Production-of-Tuesdays-with-Morrie| archive-date=November 5, 2013}} In July 2011, he appeared opposite Christina Pickles in the Colony Theatre's production of On Golden Pond.{{cite web| url=http://www.lastagetimes.com/2011/07/hal-linden-and-christina-pickles-summer-on-golden-pond/| title=Hal Linden and Christina Pickles Summer On Golden Pond| last=Behrens| first=Deborah| date=July 27, 2011| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| access-date=February 8, 2013| archive-date=February 27, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227233428/http://lastagetimes.com/2011/07/hal-linden-and-christina-pickles-summer-on-golden-pond/| url-status=dead}} In 2011, Linden starred in a touring production of Shine featuring local professional talent.{{Cite web| title=The NOLA Premiere Cast of 'Shine' performs on ABC 26 'Good Morning New Orleans' 11/14/2011 | via= YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8uSJgBUHnI |archive-url= https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/d8uSJgBUHnI| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status= live|access-date=February 2, 2021|website= | date= November 14, 2011}}{{cbignore}} Linden also starred in Under My Skin, which premiered at the Pasadena Playhouse on September 19, 2012, and ran through October 2012.{{cite magazine| url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/169065-Hal-Linden-Megan-Sikora-Matt-Walton-Erin-Cardillo-Among-Stars-of-Under-My-Skin-Premiere-at-Pasadena-Playhouse| title=Hal Linden, Megan Sikora, Matt Walton, Erin Cardillo Among Stars of Under My Skin Premiere at Pasadena Playhouse| last=Jones| first=Kenneth| date=August 14, 2012| magazine=Playbill| access-date=February 8, 2013| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105021535/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/169065-Hal-Linden-Megan-Sikora-Matt-Walton-Erin-Cardillo-Among-Stars-of-Under-My-Skin-Premiere-at-Pasadena-Playhouse| archive-date=November 5, 2013}} In 2013, Linden guest-starred in a season eight episode of Supernatural as a rabbi. In 2014, Linden guest-starred in an episode of the comedy series 2 Broke Girls. In 2015, he appeared at the Old Globe Theatre in the West Coast premiere of The Twenty Seventh Man starring as Yevgeny Zunser.{{cite web| title=Latest News| url=http://theoldglobe.org/information/latestnews/index.aspx#TCCAward2015| date=February 25, 2015| publisher=Old Globe Theatre| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227190821/http://theoldglobe.org/information/latestnews/index.aspx |archive-date=February 27, 2015}}

=Music=

After the success of Barney Miller, Linden decided to revive his music career with a nightclub act. In his act, Linden played the clarinet, performed pop and Broadway standards backed by a big band, and discussed his life and career.{{cite news| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1loaAAAAIBAJ&pg=5464,5950759&dq=an+evening+with+hal+linden&hl=en| title=Hal Linden Never Says No| date=April 8, 1979| work=The Milwaukee Journal| access-date=February 8, 2013}}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In March 2011, he began touring with the cabaret show An Evening with Hal Linden: I'm Old Fashioned. The show, which ran through 2012, was later released on DVD. In April 2011, Linden released his first album, It's Never Too Late. The album features a collection of jazz, Broadway and pop standards that Linden began recording around the time he was touring in the early 1980s. Due to a lack of interest, he shelved the songs. Linden decided to finish the album on the advice of his tour booker.{{cite news| url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2011-may-20-la-et-hal-linden-20110520-story.html| title=Hal Linden can still hold a note| last=King| first=Susan| date=May 20, 2011| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| access-date=February 8, 2013}} In 2024, Linden guest-starred in the season three finale episode of Hacks as a retired TV executive who gives a main character some important advice.

Personal life

Linden is the spokesman for the Jewish National Fund, a position he has held since 1997.{{cite news| url=http://www.jewishchronicle.org/article.php?article_id=3672| title=Linden turned an 'interest into a passion' with JNF| last=Cohen| first=Erin| date=September 17, 2004| newspaper=Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle| access-date=February 8, 2013| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053559/http://www.jewishchronicle.org/article.php?article_id=3672| archive-date=September 21, 2013}}

Linden met dancer Fran Martin while doing summer stock in 1955. They married in 1958 and had four children. Martin died in 2010.

In 1984, Linden narrated a short film on former President Harry S. Truman, which was shown during that year's Democratic National Convention.{{cite book |last1=Kornacki |first1=Steve |title=The Red and the Blue: The 1990s and the Birth of Political Tribalism |date=2018 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0-06-243898-0 |page=15 |access-date=August 7, 2019 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=sO9EDwAAQBAJ&q=barney+miller}}

Broadway credits

class="wikitable sortable"
Date

! Production

! Role

November 29, 1956 – March 7, 1959

| Bells Are Ringing

| Jeff Moss (Replacement)

December 16, 1960 – June 3, 1961

| Wildcat

| Matt (Replacement)

May 8, 1962 - December 9, 1962

| Anything Goes (Off-Broadway revival)

|Billy Crocker

November 10 – 21, 1964

| Something More!

| Dick

October 17, 1965 – June 11, 1966

| On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

| Dr. Mark Bruckner, Edward Moncrief

April 11, 1967 – January 13, 1968

| Illya Darling

| No Face

April 4 – 27, 1968

| The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N

| Yissel Fishbein

October 16, 1969 – January 10, 1970

| Three Men on a Horse

| Charlie

October 19, 1970 – January 1, 1972

| The Rothschilds

| Mayer Rothschild

January 26 – 29, 1972

| The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window

| Sidney Brustein

December 9, 1973 – February 3, 1974

| The Pajama Game

| Sid Sorokin

November 19, 1985 – January 17, 1988

| I'm Not Rappaport

| Nat (Replacement)

March 18, 1993 – July 16, 1994

| The Sisters Rosensweig

| Mervyn Kant (Replacement)

April 29 – August 2002

| Cabaret

| Herr Schultz (Replacement)

April 24 – May 13, 2001

| The Gathering

| Gabe

Industrial musicals

class="wikitable sortable"
Year

! Production

! Company

1963

| Going Great!

| Rambler Motors

1966

| Diesel Dazzle

| Detroit Diesel Corporation

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Film

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1960

| Bells Are Ringing

| Singer of "The Midas Touch"

|

1964

| That Man from Rio

| Voice role

| English version
Alternative title: L'Homme de Rio

1967

| Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster

| Akira Takarada

| rowspan="2" | Voice, English version

1968

| Destroy All Monsters

| Akira Kubo

1979

| When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?

| Richard Ethridge

|

1980

| Deathquake

| Narrator

| English version

1988

| A New Life

| Mel Arons

|

1996

| Just Friends

| Mr. Barton

|

rowspan="2" | 1997

| The Others

| Principal Richard Meltzer

|

Out to Sea

| Mac Valor

|

1999

| Jump

| Shrink

|

2001

| Dumb Luck

| Blaine Mitchell

|

2002

| Time Changer

| The Dean

|

2005

| Freezerburn

| Roderick Carr the Cult Leader

|

2008

| Light Years Away

| Grandpa Sommers

|

2016

| Stevie D

| Max Levine

|{{Cite web |last=Linden |first=Sheri |date=2016-12-09 |title=Stevie D: Film Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/stevie-d-953705/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}

2018

| The Samuel Project

| Samuel

|{{Cite web |last=McNary |first=Dave |date=2018-07-19 |title=Hal Linden-Ryan Ochoa's The Samuel Project to Be Distributed by In8 Releasing (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/hal-linden-ryan-ochoa-samuel-project-getting-release-exclusive-1202877911/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

2019

|Grand-Daddy Day Care

|Gabe

|{{Cite news |date=2019-02-19 |title=What to watch with your kids: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and more |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/what-to-watch-with-your-kids-how-to-train-your-dragon-the-hidden-world-and-more/2019/02/19/3dd8ae74-2fd9-11e9-8ad3-9a5b113ecd3c_story.html |access-date=2025-03-21 |work=The Washington Post |language=en-US}}

2023

|You People

|Mr. Greenwald

|{{Cite web |last=Linden |first=Sheri |date=2023-01-20 |title=You People Review: Eddie Murphy and Julia Louis-Dreyfus Face Off as Potential In-Laws and Strike Comedy Gold |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/you-people-review-eddie-murphy-julia-louis-dreyfus-jonah-hill-1235301037/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Television

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1957

| Producers' Showcase

|

| Episode: "Ruggles of Red Gap"

1963

| Car 54, Where Are You?

| Assistant DA Clark

| Episode: "Joan Crawford Didn't Say No"

1969

| Search for Tomorrow

| Larry Carter

| Unknown episodes

1970

| Hastings Corner

| District Attorney Corey Honker/Morey Honker

| Television film

1972

| Circle of Fear

| David Wells

| Segment: "Elegy for a Vampire"

rowspan="2" | 1973

| Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside

| Det. Lou Isaacs

| Television film

The F.B.I

| Abel Norton

| "The Confession"

1975–1982

| Barney Miller

| Capt. Barney Miller

| 170 episodes

rowspan="2" | 1976

| The Love Boat

| Andrew Canaan

| rowspan="2" | Television film

How to Break Up a Happy Divorce

| Tony Bartlett

1978

| Dorothy Hamill Presents Winners

|

| Variety special

1980

| Father Figure

| Howard

| Television film

1981

| The Muppet Show

| Himself

| Season 5, Episode 17

1982

| I Do! I Do!

| He (Michael)

| rowspan="5" | Television film

rowspan="2" | 1983

| Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land

| Josh Gilliam

The Other Woman

| Lou Chadway

1984

| Second Edition

| Cliff Penrose

1985

| My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn

| Jack L. Warner

1986

| Blacke's Magic

| Alexander Blacke

| 13 episodes

1987

| The Grand Knockout Tournament

| Himself

| Television special; provided commentary for American telecast

1989

| Dream Breakers

| Harry Palliser

| Television film

1990

| The Ray Bradbury Theater

| Captain Black

| Episode: "Mars Is Heaven"

1991

| The Golden Girls

| John Neretti

| Episode: "What a Difference a Date Makes"

1992–1993

| Jack's Place

| Jack Evans

| 18 episodes

rowspan="2" | 1994

| American Experience

| Narrator

| Episode: "America and the Holocaust: Deceit and Indifference"

CBS Schoolbreak Special

| Rabbi Markovitz

| Episode: "The Writing On the Wall"

1994–1995

| The Boys Are Back

| Fred Hansen

| 18 episodes

1995

| The Colony

| Philip Denig

| Television film

1996

| Nowhere Man

| Senator Wallace

| Episode: "Gemini"

1996-2001

| Touched by an Angel

| Various roles

| Two episodes

rowspan="2" | 1998

| Biography

| Narrator

| Episode: "Confucius: Words of Wisdom"

Killers in the House

| Arthur Pendleton

| Television film

rowspan="3" | 1999

| The Nanny

| Maury Sherry

| Episode: "California, Here We Come"

The Rockford Files: If It Bleeds... It Leads

| Ernie Landale

| Television film

The Drew Carey Show

| Mr. Van Zandt

| Episode: "Brotherhood of Man"

2000

| Rude Awakening

| Judge Howard Barrett

| Episode: "Judging Billie"

2001

| Lloyd in Space

| Old Lloyd Nebulon (voice)

| Episode: "Halloween Scary Fun Action Plan"

rowspan="3" | 2002

| Gilmore Girls

| Chad

| Episode: "There's the Rub"

The Zeta Project

| Dr. Eli Selig (voice)

| Episode: "The Hologram Man"{{cite web |title=Hal Linden (visual voices guide) |url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Hal-Linden/ |access-date=March 21, 2025 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.

The Glow

| Arnold Janusz

| Television film

2003

| Law & Order: Criminal Intent

| Mr. Turner

| Episode: "Suite Sorrow"

2004

| Will & Grace

| Alan

| Episode: "A Gay/December Romance"

rowspan="2" | 2005

| Huff

| Judge Bork

| Episode: "The Sample Closet"

The King of Queens

| Bernard

| Episode: "Catching Hell"

2006

| Living with Fran

| Hal

| Episode: "The Whole Clan with Fran"

2006–2007

| The Bold and the Beautiful

| Jerry Kramer

| Six episodes

2008

| A Kiss at Midnight

| Arthur Wright

| rowspan="2" | Television film

rowspan="2" | 2010

| In Security

|

Hot in Cleveland

| Alex

| Episode: "Meet the Parents"

2011

| Outside the Box

| Father Merrin

| Unknown episodes

2012

| NTSF:SD:SUV::

| C.T. Dalton

| Episode: "Prairie Dog Companion"

rowspan="2" | 2013

| The Mindy Project

| Manny

| Episode: "Mindy's Brother"

Supernatural

| Rabbi Isaac Bass

| Episode: "Everybody Hates Hitler"

2014

| 2 Broke Girls

| Lester

| Episode: "And the New Lease on Life"

2016

| Royal Pains

| Dr. Joe Whitcomb

| Episode: "Saab Story"

2016

| American Housewife

| MR. Montez

| Episode: "Krampus Katie"

2018

|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

|Leonard Maxwell

|Episode: "Mama"

2019

|Grey's Anatomy

|Bird

|Episode: "Reunited"

2024

|Hacks

|Biff Cliff

|Episode: "Bulletproof"{{Cite web |last=Hailu |first=Selome |date=2024-05-30 |title=Hacks: Jean Smart on How Deborah May Handle Her Explosive Finale Fight With Ava in Season 4: 'I Don't Think She'll Apologize'' |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/hacks-jean-smart-finale-deborah-ava-fight-1236018127/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

Awards

class="wikitable sortable"
Year

! Award

! Category

! Title of work

1971

| Tony Award

| Best Actor in a Musical

| The Rothschilds

1983

| Daytime Emmy Award

| rowspan="2" | Special Classification of Outstanding Individual Achievement - Performers

| rowspan="2" | FYI

1984

| Daytime Emmy Award

1995

| Daytime Emmy Award

| Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special

| CBS Schoolbreak Special

References

{{Reflist|30em}}