The actor who changed his name on a New Jersey water tower

Art · Published 20 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before becoming a television icon, Hal Linden was a big band musician who didn't think his real name worked for the stage. While riding a bus, he spotted a town name on a water tower and decided to adopt it, launching a career that would span nearly seven decades.

Born Harold Lipshitz in 1931, Linden's early ambitions were rooted in music rather than acting. He spent the 1950s touring with big bands like those of Sammy Kaye and Bobby Sherwood, playing the saxophone and clarinet. However, his trajectory shifted in 1952 when he joined the United States Army Band at Fort Belvoir. It was there that a friend recommended he see 'Guys and Dolls' in Washington, D.C., a viewing that sparked his transition into the performing arts. After his discharge in 1954, he began working in summer stock and off-Broadway productions.

Linden's path to stardom was not linear. He achieved Broadway success in the late 1950s and early 1960s, notably replacing Sydney Chaplin in 'Bells Are Ringing' and starring in 'Anything Goes.' Despite these milestones, his career experienced a significant lull in the 1960s, during which he worked in industrial musicals, sang jingles, and performed voiceover work. It wasn't until 1971 that he secured a major revival with 'The Rothschilds,' earning a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. This success paved the way for his most enduring role as the captain of the 12th Precinct in the sitcom 'Barney Miller' starting in 1974.

Linden's legacy is defined by a unique duality of prestige and popular appeal. Alongside John Goodman and Matt LeBlanc, he shares the record for the highest number of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy Award nods lacking a victory. Yet, he also secured three Daytime Emmy Awards for educational and children's programming. Even as he transitioned into his later years, he returned to his musical roots, releasing his first album of standards in 2011 and touring with a cabaret show that combined his life story with big band jazz.

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