Actor
Basil Hoffman
January 18, 1938 · Houston, Texas, USA
Basil Harry Hoffman (January 18, 1938 — September 17, 2021) was an American actor with a film and television career spanning five decades, mostly in supporting roles. He starred in films with many award-winning directors, including Alan Pakula and Robert Redford. He has also authored two books about acting, including Acting and How to Be Good at It.
Hoffman was born in Houston, Texas in January 1938, the son of Beulah (née Novoselsky) and David Hoffman, an antique dealer. He graduated from Tulane University; and he spent two years at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, receiving a scholarship for the second, graduating year.
Notable work
7.4Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
as Longly (uncredited)
5.9Hail, Caesar! (2016)
as Stu Schwartz (Accounting)
7.4The Artist (2011)
as Auctioneer
8.3Seinfeld (1989)
as Wig Salesman
7.7All the President's Men (1976)
as Assistant Metro Editor
5.6The Box (2009)
as Don Poates
8.1Columbo (1971)
as Jason Danziger
6.1Down with Love (2003)
as C. W. (uncredited)
7.9M*A*S*H (1972)
as Major Pfiefer
7.4Ordinary People (1980)
as Sloan
8.3The West Wing (1999)
as Congressman
7.5Murder, She Wrote (1984)
as Milton Overguard
Often works with
Michael Ensign
3 titles together
Down with Love, All of Me, Sledge Hammer!
Roberts Blossom
2 titles together
Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Twilight Zone
Joel Murray
2 titles together
The Artist, The Last Word
Robert Redford
2 titles together
All the President's Men, The Electric Horseman
Martin Balsam
2 titles together
All the President's Men, The Twilight Zone
Nicolas Coster
2 titles together
All the President's Men, The Electric Horseman
Full filmography · 72
Discovering Ella
as Bob Stephens
2023
Lucky Louie
as Wilbert Moser
2023
Third Act
as Uncle Paul
2022
Mr. Roberts
as Mr. Roberts
2019
The Last Word
as Christopher Georrge
20176.6
Mommy I Didn't Do It
as Otis Pell
20175.7
The Pineville Heist
as Principal Parker
2016
Hail, Caesar!
as Stu Schwartz (Accounting)
20165.9
Throwdown
as Judge Eller
2014
Rio, I Love You
as James (segment "La Fortuna")
20144.8
3 Geezers!
as Victor
20133.9
The Artist
as Auctioneer
20117.4