Friday, June 17, 2022
ABC Fall 2022 Premiere Dates; Remembering Philip Baker Hall, Lt. Bookman on Seinfeld
ABC has set fall premiere dates for its new and returning series for the upcoming 2022-2023 season, including new female-led dramas Alaska Daily (formerly known as Alaska) and The Rookie: Feds as well as the newest primetime game show Celebrity Jeopardy! Return dates have also been set for critically acclaimed comedy breakout Abbott Elementary, and fan favorites Bachelor in Paradise and Grey's Anatomy. ABC's No. 1 comedy last season in Adults 18-49, Quinta Brunson-helmed Abbott Elementary, returns on its new night, Wednesday, Sept. 21 (9:00-9:31 p.m. EDT), joining network comedy staples The Conners (8:00-8:30 p.m. EDT), The Goldbergs (8:30-9:00 p.m. EDT) and Home Economics (9:31-10:00 p.m. EDT) for a laugh-filled evening. Then, Reba McEntire and Jensen Ackles step into the world of Big Sky on its new night, bringing with them a new mystery to unravel as the mercurial matriarch of an established local family and the new sheriff in town, respectively. The first-ever live episode of Shark Tank, featuring all six original Sharks, swims into the weekend Friday, Sept. 21. 23 (8:00-9:01 p.m. EDT). A new season of ABC News' 20/20 (9:01-11:00 p.m. EDT) follows.
Sundays on ABC are synonymous with family fun as Hollywood stars test their knowledge with the ultimate game of trivia on Celebrity Jeopardy! (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT), debuting Sept. 25, and followed by the return of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (9:00-10:00 p.m. EDT). The evening culminates with The Rookie (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), and AFV joins the Sunday lineup a week later on Oct. 2 (7:00-8:00 p.m. EDT). Summer may have ended, but romance awaits as Bachelor in Paradise turns up the heat on Tuesday, Sept. 27 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT), followed by the debut of The Rookie spinoff series, The Rookie: Feds, starring Niecy Nash-Betts (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT). The search for love continues as BIP begins its two-night weekly run on Monday, Oct. 3 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT), preceding the return of hit drama The Good Doctor, which hits 100 episodes this season. And finally, Alaska Daily (10:01-11:00 p.m. EDT), from Oscar®-winning writer Tom McCarthy (Spotlight) and starring two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank, joins Station 19 (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT) and TV's longest-running primetime medical drama, Grey's Anatomy (9:00-10:01 p.m. EDT), on Thursday, Oct. 6. Additional premiere dates for the 2022-2023 season will be announced at a later date.
Character actor Philip Baker Hall, who played Lt. Joe Bookman on Seinfeld, has died. He died of emphysema at his home in Glendale, California, on June 12. Mr. Hall was 90.
Hall's early sitcom guest appearances included Good Times, M*A*S*H, It's a Living, Benson and Bagdad Cafe. He appeared as Dr. Harrison in the 1988 three-part Family Ties episode "Heartstrings," in which Steven Keaton has a heart attack and has to undergo heart surgery.
He played Lt. Joe Bookman, a detective pursuing a long-overdue library book, in the Seinfeld episode "The Library." It aired in the third season on October 16, 1991. Jerry learns he has a library fine from 1971, for the then-controversial book Tropic of Cancer, and that the "case" has been turned over to the library investigations officer, Lt. Bookman. Hall reprised the role in "The Finale," which aired on May 14, 1998.
Hall starred as Russ McDonald on the 2006-2007 Fox sitcom The Loop. The show starred Bret Harrison as Sam Sullivan, a young professional trying to balance the needs of his social life with the pressures of working at the corporate headquarters of TransAlliance Airways, a major U.S. airline. Russ McDonald is head executive of TransAlliance Airways and one of Sam's bosses. The series also starred Joy Osmanski, Amanda Loncar, Mimi Rogers, Sarah Mason (Sarah Wright) and Eric Christian Olsen.
He appeared as crotchety neighbor Walt Kleezak in three episodes of Modern Family in 2011 and 2012. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included Nurses, Cheers, Bob, Empty Nest, The Good Life, Madman of the People, Life's Work, The John Larroquette Show, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Worst Week (2 episodes), Curb Your Enthusiam (2 episodes as Dr. Morrison), True Jackson, VP (2009), Childrens Hospital and Corporate.
Hall played Ed Meyers in 13 episodes of the ninth and final season (1989-1990) of the CBS prime time soap opera Falcon Crest. He starred as William Vaughn on the 1997-1998 CBS legal drama Michael Hayes. He played George Reese Greeley on the short-lived 2001 Fox prime time soap opera Pasadena. In 2016, he appeared as Old Jimmy Pritchad in five episodes of the Fox science fiction crime drama Second Chance. He had a recurring role as Zelman Katz on the 2020 Netflix thriller Messiah.
Some of his television drama guest appearances included Emergency!, The Waltons, McClain's Law, Quincy, M.E. (2 episodes), Cagney & Lacey, T.J. Hooker, Lottery, Hardcastle and McCormick, Miami Vice, Matlock, Murder, She Wrote (1991), L.A. Law, Equal Justice, Dark Justice, Civil Wars (3 episodes), Roswell, Chicago Hope, The Practice (4 episodes as Judge Joseph Vinocour), Millenium (2 episodes), L.A. Doctors, The Fugitive (2000), Without a Trace, Everwood, Monk, Boston Legal, The West Wing (2 episodes), Psych and Madam Secretary.
Hall starred in the Paul Thomas Anderson films Hard Eight (1996), Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999). Some of his other film credits included Secret Honor (1984), Nothing in Common (1986), Midnight Run (1988), Say Anything... (1989), Ghostbusters II (1989), The Rock (1996), The Truman Show (1998), Rush Hour (1998), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), The Insider (1999), The Contender (2000), Dogville (2003), Bruce Almighty (2003), Duck (2005), Zodiac (2007), 50/50 (2011) and Argo (2012).
Survivors include his wife Holly Wolfle, four children, four grandchildren and a brother.
Mr. Hall was a fantastic character actor. His guest appearance as Lt. Bookman on Seinfeld was one of the funniest and most memorable of the series. It led to many other jobs for him. He didn't start acting until he was 30 years old, but he had over 200 TV and film credits during his long career. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment he brought us. He will be greatly missed.
Share your memories on our Seinfeld message board. View photos in our galleries.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Thursday, April 25
Young Sheldon - "A Fancy Article and a Scholarship for a Baby" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Sheldon’s published paper leads to a frenzy of grad school recruiting, and Georgie tries to speak more properly in front of his daughter.
Ghosts - "The Traveling Agent" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Pete discovers a power that he never knew he had – one that brings him closer to his buddy Jay (and further apart).
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 22)
Thursday, April 25
- Rob McElhenney (Mythic Quest/It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) - Catch Rob on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Carol Burnett (Palm Royale/Mad About You/Mama's Family) - Carol appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Tim Robinson (Digman!/Detroiters) - Tim is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Wendell Pierce (The Odd Couple/The Michael J. Fox Show/The Weber/The Brian Benben Show/The Gregory Hines Show) - Wendell appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - Fred sits in with The 8G Band on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld) - E! News has an interview with Jerry at 11pm on E!. He also talks about Unfrosted on CBS Mornings some time between 7-9am.
- Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny guest co-hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Jason Ritter (The Class) - Jason is a guest on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/The Ellen Show/Welcome to New York) - Jim talks about Unfrosted on CBS Mornings some time between 7-9am. NBC's Today catches up with Jim in the 9am hour.
- Vivica A. Fox (Mr. Box Office/Getting Personal/Arsenio/Out All Night) - Vivica talks about Not Another Church Movie in the 10am hour.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie talks about her new book Indulge: Delicious and Decadent Dishes to Enjoy and Share on a repeat of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Pam Grier (Bless This Mess) - Pam talks about Prime Video's Them: The Scare on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Luenell (Lopez) - Luenell stops by before her performance at the famous Apollo Theater in New York City on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Tichina Arnold (The Neighborhood/Survivor's Remorse/Happily Divorced/Everybody Hates Chris/Martin) - Tichina guest co-hosts The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
New on DVD/Blu-ray
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/15 - Letterkenny - Season 11
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series
12/22 - Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection (includes The Ropers and Three's a Crowd)
01/09 - South Park - Seasons 11-15 (Blu-ray)
01/16 - Ghosts (UK) - Season Five
02/13 - Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/27 - The Really Loud House - Season One
03/12 - Ghosts (UK) - The Complete Series
03/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
03/12 - Rick and Morty - Season 7 (Blu-ray Steelbook) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
04/03 - Too Close for Comfort - The Complete Series (VEI)
04/08 - Check It Out! - The Complete Series (VEI)
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