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| Brad Hall | |
|---|---|
| Name | Brad Hall |
| Birth date | 1958 |
| Birth place | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor, comedian, writer, producer, director |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Spouse | Molly Ringwald (m. 1999) |
Brad Hall Brad Hall (born 1958) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director known for work in sketch comedy, sitcoms, film, and television writing. He emerged from the Second City and Saturday Night Live milieus in the late 1970s and 1980s, later creating and starring in sitcoms, directing feature films, and producing television dramas and comedies. Hall's collaborations span notable performers and writers associated with Saturday Night Live, SCTV, and Hollywood studios.
Hall was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and raised in a Midwestern setting that included exposure to regional theater and local television. He attended American Conservatory Theater-style programs and later matriculated at Northwestern University, where he joined the Mee-Ow Show and performed with student comedy troupes that connected him to future Saturday Night Live contributors and The Second City alumni. His early training included improvisation and sketch writing influenced by practitioners from Chicago-area institutions and summer programs affiliated with major performing arts centers.
Hall's early professional work involved stand-up and sketch performances at venues linked to the Second City circuit and clubs frequented by performers connected to Saturday Night Live, The Groundlings, and Upright Citizens Brigade. As part of an ensemble, he appeared alongside future SNL cast members and writers, contributing to sketches that toured regional festivals such as Just for Laughs and fringe festivals in Edinburgh. His comedy style blended character-driven sketches with satirical takes on media and popular culture prominent in the 1980s comedy boom, aligning him with contemporaries from Saturday Night Live and SCTV who transitioned into television and film.
Hall co-created and starred in television series distributed by major networks and production companies, working with executives and showrunners from NBC, ABC, and CBS. He made guest and recurring appearances on sitcoms and dramas featuring casts that included actors who had also emerged from Second City and SNL ensembles. In film, Hall wrote, directed, or acted in features backed by studios such as Universal Pictures and independent companies associated with summer festival circuits and arthouse distribution. His directorial efforts intersected with producers and creatives connected to American Zoetrope-influenced indie sensibilities and mainstream studio sitcom adaptations.
Hall's writing credits include episodic television scripts for series on networks affiliated with the National Association of Broadcasters distribution system and cable outlets connected to the Cable Television Laboratories. He developed pilots with production companies linked to Paramount Pictures and worked in writers' rooms with veterans from Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, and network comedy franchises. As a producer, he partnered with showrunners and executive producers who had histories at MTV Films, 20th Century Fox Television, and streaming platforms influenced by legacy studios. His producing work encompassed both multi-camera sitcom formats and single-camera comedies, engaging directors who had credits at festivals such as Sundance Film Festival.
Hall married actress Molly Ringwald in 1999 after meeting through industry circles connected to teen film and television projects produced in the 1980s and 1990s. Their marriage links families and professional networks overlapping with actors, directors, and writers associated with John Hughes films, Neil Simon-inspired stage adaptations, and contemporary television productions. They have two children and have resided in Los Angeles, maintaining connections with talent agencies and management firms operating in Hollywood and the Screen Actors Guild community.
Hall has received nominations and recognition from organizations such as the Writers Guild of America, festival juries at Sundance Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival, and comedy awards tied to institutions like Just for Laughs and regional critics' circles. His work has been acknowledged by peers from Saturday Night Live and Second City networks for contributions to sketch comedy and television writing, and industry bodies associated with Primetime Emmy Awards voting have listed him in guild member rosters for various seasons.
Category:American male comedians Category:American television writers Category:People from Milwaukee, Wisconsin