Basil Hoffman

Basil Hoffman Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: January 18, 1938

Death Date: September 17, 2021

Birth Place: Houston, Texas

Basil Hoffman is a character actor who works in film and television. He's also an acting coach and has written textbooks on the subject, including "Acting and How to Be Good at It." Hoffman's first role beyond plays and commercials came as a juror on the TV drama "The Defenders" in 1964. He began appearing in films in the 1970s, most notably "All the President's Men," with Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, in 1976, and in the western "Comes a Horseman" in 1978. He appeared alongside Redford again in the 1979 western"The Electric Horseman," and in 1980 had a supporting role in the multiple-Oscar winning drama "Ordinary People" as Sloan. On television, meanwhile, Hoffman made repeat appearances on the medical drama "Marcus Welby, M.D.," the sitcom "Sanford and Son," and the war comedy "M*A*S*H," all in the mid- to late-'70s. In the early 1980s, Hoffman made several appearances as Principal Dingleman on the high school sitcom "Square Pegs"--Sarah Jessica Parker's first big TV role--and then in the mid-80s made several more recurring appearances on the soap "Santa Barbara" and the classic cop drama "Hill Street Blues." Hoffman continued to appear on a steady series of TV shows into the early 2000s, and he even returned to the principal's chair as Headmaster Ludwig in the 2010 comedy "One Wish." Basil Hoffman died on September 17, 2021 at the age of 83.

Credits

Lucky Louie

Actor
Movie
2024

Project: Puppies for Christmas

Actor
Fred
Movie
2019

The Last WordStream

Actor
Nervous Older Man
Movie
2017
40%

The Pineville Heist

Actor
Principal Parker
Movie
2016

Throwdown

Actor
Judge Eller
Movie
2014

Rio, Eu te Amo

Actor
James
Movie
2014

3 Geezers!

Actor
Victor
Movie
2013

Courage, New Hampshire

Actor
Show
2012

The ArtistStream

Actor
Auctioneer
Movie
2011
95%

When Life Gives You Lemons

Actor
Calvin Adams
Movie
2010

The BoxStream

Actor
Don Poates
Movie
2009
43%

Citizen Baines

Guest Star
Show
2001

Hefner: Unauthorized

Actor
Lawyer
Movie
1999

The PracticeStream

Guest Star
Series
1997

Escape en el Hielo

Actor
Movie
1993

The Ice Runner

Actor
J.C. Kruck
Movie
1993

The Double O Kid

Actor
Trout
Movie
1992

The Double 0 Kid

Actor
Trout
Movie
1992

Switch

Actor
Higgins
Movie
1991

Lambada

Actor
Supt. Leland
Movie
1990

SeinfeldStream

Guest Star
Salesman
Series
1989
89%

CommunionStream

Actor
Dr. Friedman
Movie
1989
43%

Beauty and the Beast

Guest Star
Trask
Series
1987

MatlockStream

Guest Star
Series
1986

The Hogan Family

Guest Star
Series
1986

The Twilight Zone

Actor
Series
1985

227Stream

Guest Star
Series
1985

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Actor
Show
1985

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Milton Overguard
Series
1984

Square PegsStream

Actor
Principal Dingleman
Series
1982

Night Shift

Actor
Drollhauser
Movie
1982

My Favorite YearStream

Actor
Herb Lee
Movie
1982
97%

Gimme a Break!

Guest Star
Series
1981

Hill Street BluesStream

Guest Star
Ed Greenglass
Series
1981
97%

DynastyStream

Guest Star
Judge Drew Mayfield
Series
1981

It's a LivingStream

Guest Star
Dr. Bickley
Series
1980

Scout's Honor

Actor
Alexander
Movie
1980

The Electric Horseman

Actor
Toland
Movie
1979
64%

Love at First Bite

Actor
Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Movie
1979

Le Vampire de ces dames

Actor
Movie
1979

Comes a HorsemanStream

Actor
George Bascomb
Movie
1978
67%

CHiPsStream

Guest Star
Series
1977

Colombo: Prova d'intelligenza

Actor
Jason Danziger
Movie
1977

Arthur Hailey's The Moneychangers

Actor
Stanley Inchbeck
Show
1976

The Moneychangers

Actor
Stanley Inchbeck
Movie
1976

Barney MillerStream

Guest Star
Allen Korbel
Series
1975

Too Many Suspects

Actor
Fingerprint Expert
Movie
1975

The Great Ice Rip-Off

Actor
Richards
Movie
1974

M*A*S*HStream

Guest Star
Major Bartruff
Series
1972

The WaltonsStream

Guest Star
Series
1972

Kung FuStream

Guest Star
Series
1972

Sanford & SonStream

Guest Star
Series
1972

ColumboStream

Guest Star
Jason Danziger
Series
1971

News aboutBasil Hoffman