Hal Linden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hal Linden
Publicity photo for FYI (1981)
Born	Harold Lipshitz (1931-03-20) March 20, 1931 (age 94) The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Education	High School of Music & Art
Alma mater	Queens College City College of New York (BA)
Occupation	Actor, television director, musician
Years active	1956–present
Spouse(s)	Frances Martin ​ ​ (m. 1958; died 2010)​
Children	4

Hal Linden (born Harold Lipshitz on March 20, 1931) is an American actor, TV director, and musician. He is well-known for his work on stage and screen.

Linden started his career in the 1950s as a musician and singer in big bands. After serving in the United States Army, he began acting. He performed in summer stock and off-Broadway plays. Hal Linden became famous on Broadway when he took over a role in the musical Bells Are Ringing. In 1962, he starred in the musical Anything Goes. He won a Tony Award in 1971 for his role in The Rothschilds.

In 1974, Linden got his most famous role as the main character in the TV show Barney Miller. This role earned him seven Emmy nominations. He also received three Golden Globe Award nominations. While working on Barney Miller, Linden hosted two educational shows: Animals, Animals, Animals and FYI. He won two special Daytime Emmy Awards for FYI. In 1995, he won a third Daytime Emmy for a guest role on CBS Schoolbreak Special. Since then, Linden has continued to act in plays, movies, and TV shows. In 2011, he released his first album of pop and jazz songs called It's Never Too Late.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Hal Linden was born on March 20, 1931, in The Bronx, New York City. His birth name was Harold Lipshitz. He was the youngest son of Frances and Charles Lipshitz. His father was a Lithuanian Jew who came to the United States in 1910. Charles owned a printing shop. Hal's older brother, Bernard, became a music professor. Linden went to Herman Ridder Junior High School and the High School of Music and Art. He then studied music at Queens College, City University of New York. Later, he studied business at City College of New York, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree.

When he was young, Linden dreamed of being a big band singer and leader. He decided to change his name because "Swing and Sway with Harold Lipshitz" didn't sound right. While on a bus, he saw the name Linden on a water tower in Linden, New Jersey. He decided to change his name to Hal Linden. In the 1950s, he toured with famous big bands like Sammy Kaye's. Linden played the saxophone and clarinet, and he also sang.

In 1952, he joined the United States Army. He played in the United States Army Band at Fort Belvoir. While there, a friend told him to see the musical Guys and Dolls. After watching the show, Linden decided he wanted to become an actor. He left the Army in 1954.

Acting Career Highlights

Linden started his Broadway career in 1958. He took over the role of Jeff Moss in Bells Are Ringing. In 1962, he had another big role in New York City. He played Billy Crocker in the musical Anything Goes by Cole Porter.

Linden's career was a bit slower in the 1960s. During this time, he did voice work for foreign films and commercials. He also sang jingles and performed in special shows for companies, like Diesel Dazzle (1966). His career picked up again in the 1970s. He was cast as Mayer Rothschild in the 1971 musical The Rothschilds. This role won him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. In 1973, he starred in the TV film Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside. This film was meant to be a new TV series, but it wasn't picked up.

Starring in Barney Miller

In 1974, Hal Linden got the main role in the ABC TV comedy Barney Miller. He played Captain Barney Miller, who was in charge of a police precinct in Greenwich Village, New York City. He was nominated for seven Emmy Awards for his work on the show. Linden is tied with other actors for the most Emmy nominations in this category without a win. He also received four Golden Globe Award nominations. The show aired from 1975 to 1982. Linden later said that leaving Broadway for Barney Miller was a risky but great choice.

While Barney Miller was on TV, Linden also hosted two children's shows on ABC. These were Animals, Animals, Animals and FYI. He won two Daytime Emmys for his hosting work on FYI in 1984 and 1985.

Later Roles and Stage Work

After Barney Miller ended in 1982, Linden appeared in several TV movies. These included I Do! I Do! (1982) and Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land (1983). In 1982, he was offered a main role in the show St. Elsewhere. However, he turned it down because he wanted a break from TV.

In 1986, Linden returned to regular TV in the NBC series Blacke's Magic. He played Alexander Blacke, a magician who solved mysteries with his father. The show was canceled after 13 episodes. In 1988, he starred in the movie A New Life. In 1991, he was a guest star on The Golden Girls. In 1992, he had another main TV role in Jack's Place. He played Jack Evans, a retired jazz musician who ran a restaurant. The show was popular at first but was canceled in 1993. The next year, Linden appeared in the CBS show The Boys Are Back, which also had a short run. In 1995, Linden won his third Daytime Emmy Award. This was for his guest role as Rabbi Markovitz on CBS Schoolbreak Special in 1994.

In 1996, Linden played a bad guy in the TV movie The Colony. This was a different kind of role for him. In 1999, he had a guest role in the last The Rockford Files TV movie. In 1997, he played Ebeneezer Scrooge in the yearly Madison Square Garden production of A Christmas Carol. In the late 1990s and 2000s, he had guest roles on shows like Touched by an Angel, The King of Queens, and Gilmore Girls. He also narrated episodes of Biography and The American Experience. In 2002, Linden received a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars.

Linden continued to be active on stage. In 2008, he played Arvide Abernathy in Guys and Dolls. In 2009, he appeared in Tuesdays with Morrie in Toronto. In 2011, he starred in On Golden Pond. He also starred in Under My Skin in 2012. In 2013, Linden guest-starred in an episode of Supernatural. In 2014, he was a guest star on 2 Broke Girls.

Music Career Revival

After the success of Barney Miller, Linden decided to restart his music career. He created a nightclub act where he played the clarinet, sang pop and Broadway songs, and shared stories from his life. In 2011, he began touring with his show An Evening with Hal Linden: I'm Old Fashioned. This show was later released on DVD. In April 2011, Linden released his first album, It's Never Too Late. The album features jazz, Broadway, and pop songs that he started recording in the 1980s. He decided to finish the album after his tour booker suggested it.

Personal Life

Hal Linden is the spokesman for the Jewish National Fund. He has held this position since 1997.

Linden met dancer Fran Martin in 1955 while doing summer theater. They got married in 1958 and had four children. Fran Martin passed away in 2010.

In 1984, Linden narrated a short film about former President Harry S. Truman. This film was shown at the Democratic National Convention that year.

Broadway Performances

Industrial Musicals

Film Roles

Television Roles

Awards and Recognition

Images for kids

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  Publicity photo for FYI (1981)

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  Linden at Chiller Theatre on April 30, 2011

See also

In Spanish: Hal Linden para niños