Hal’s first two film roles were in widely distributed, little seen features called The Last Class (playing the teenage gangster Trent) and Autopsy: A Love Story (as a morgue corpse in close proximity to Joe Estevez). His short film acting career has been far more acclaimed, appearing in three 1st prize winners in IFP-Phoenix’s Beat the Clock challenges as a black market spatula salesman (Appetite for Justice), a creepy voice on the phone (The Guilty), and a wannabe superhero’s slovenly roommate (Following Suit).
Even more successful has been his work as a theatre actor at Mesa Community College, where he appeared in such major productions as BUS STOP (Carl), LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Mr. Mushnik), LUCKY STIFF (ensemble), THE MISER (Jacques), OF MICE & MEN (Candy), PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE (Gaston), and WEST SIDE STORY (Snowboy). He also played Mortimer in THE FANTASTICKS for Scottsdale Stagebrush Theatre and the Cab Driver in Mesa Encore Theatre’s production of HARVEY.
Where are they now?Hal is now concentrating on writing, producing, and directing small comedies designed to punch you in the giggle gut and then run away quickly. His two minute sex spoof, XL SAUSAGE, won Best Comedy at the 2009 Phoenix ComicCon. The cautionary tale of Todd’s Women was a semi-finalist in IFP-Phoenix’s “Screen Wars” competition. Most recently, his 12 minute sci-fi comedy PROFESSOR HU HIRES A TEMP was screened for IFP-Phoenix’s January 2010 Cinema Lounge.
Hal would especially like to thank four of his best collaborators—Billy Bolander, Joel Cranson, Brenda Glenn Cranson, & Webb Pickersgill. “Without them, I’d just be a nutball muttering in a corner. But if you can get real people to listen to your mutterings, then you get to call yourself a filmmaker!”
e-mail: hal@spiritsoftheforce.com
