Legendary screenwriter William Goldman once said of Hollywood: “Nobody knows anything.” Time only seems to vindicate him further, with a few exceptions.

Chief among those exceptions was Philip Baker Hall, who, in his screen persona, was something like the last dependable man in America. Hall, who died on June 12 at the age of 90, was widely admired by critics for his frequently fleeting but always unforgettable appearances in a series of classic films, including Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and The Talented Mr. Ripley.