# Brad Hall
**Brad Hall** (William Brad Hall) is an American writer, actor, and director best known as a cast member on *Saturday Night Live* from 1982 to 1984 and as its news anchor and as the creator of the sitcoms *The Single Guy* and *Watching Ellie*.[1](https://snl.fandom.com/wiki/Brad_Hall) He has been married to actress and comedian [Julia Louis-Dreyfus](https://www.edgepedia.org/julia-louis-dreyfus) since 1987.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1958, Santa Barbara, California (some sources cite 1959)[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) |
| Education | Drama study in London, 1978–79; Northwestern University, B.S. in theater, 1980[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) |
| *Saturday Night Live* | Cast member and *Saturday Night News* anchor, 1982–84; final anchor episode December 10, 1983[1](https://snl.fandom.com/wiki/Brad_Hall) |
| Sitcoms created | *The Single Guy* (NBC, 1995–97) and *Watching Ellie* (NBC, 2002–03), both as creator and executive producer[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) |
| *Brooklyn Bridge* | Collaborated on the pilot, wrote episodes, served as supervising producer, and directed one episode; the series drew a 1992 Emmy nomination for outstanding comedy series[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brad-hall/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) |
| Marriage | Married Julia Louis-Dreyfus on June 25, 1987; two sons, Henry and Charles[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) |
| Later directing | Directed three episodes of *Veep* (2016, 2017, and 2019)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/32115/brad-hall) |
## Early life and the Practical Theatre Company
Hall was born in [Santa Barbara, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/santa-barbara-california), and studied drama in London in 1978–79 before entering [Northwestern University](https://www.edgepedia.org/northwestern-university) in [Evanston, Illinois](https://www.edgepedia.org/evanston-illinois), from which he received a B.S. in theater in 1980.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) While based in Chicago he became a founding member of the Practical Theatre Company, working as a writer and performer; TV Guide dates the co-founding to 1979, while Encyclopedia.com places his work with the company beginning in 1980.[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brad-hall/bio/3030216865/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) He also appeared in the Goodman Theatre's productions of *Candide* and *Our Town*, and moved to New York to appear in David Mamet's *Prairie du Chien* at Lincoln Center before joining *Saturday Night Live*.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brad-hall/)
The Practical Theatre Company connection shaped his career twice over. At Northwestern, Julia Louis-Dreyfus joined the Chicago troupe, where she met Hall; the two later moved to New York together when *Saturday Night Live* hired them.[6](https://time.com/5540861/julia-louis-dreyfus-interview/) In 1982, Hall and three other members of the company's improv team, Louis-Dreyfus, Gary Kroeger, and Paul Barrosse, joined *Saturday Night Live* at the same time.[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brad-hall/bio/3030216865/)
## Saturday Night Live, 1982–84
Hall was a repertory cast member for seasons 8 and 9 and anchored the news segment, then titled *Saturday Night News*, from September 25, 1982, with his final episode as anchor on December 10, 1983.[1](https://snl.fandom.com/wiki/Brad_Hall) His original characters included Larry Rolans, Mike Phillips, and the Human Stapler, and his impressions included John Hinckley, Pete Best, Noel Stookey, and [Walter Mondale](https://www.edgepedia.org/walter-mondale).[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brad-hall/bio/3030216865/) The SNL Rankings retrospective describes him as a solid performer and capable news anchor, best remembered for his on-air relationship with his then-girlfriend Louis-Dreyfus, and grades his sketch work C, character work D−, impressions C, and news anchoring C+.[7](https://www.snlrankings.com/brad-hall/)
## Sitcom writing and producing
After leaving the show, Hall moved to Hollywood and turned to writing rather than the feature-film careers other cast members pursued.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brad-hall/) He was hired as writer and story editor on the [Robert Urich](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-urich) comedy *American Dreamer* (NBC, 1990–91), which was executive produced by Gary David Goldberg and directed by Sam Weisman.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brad-hall/) Through that collaboration he worked with Goldberg on the pilot of *Brooklyn Bridge* (CBS, 1991–93), wrote numerous episodes, served as supervising producer, and directed the episode "The Date" in 1993.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brad-hall/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) The series received a 1992 Primetime Emmy nomination for outstanding comedy series.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) He also wrote an episode of *Frasier*, "Here's Looking at You" (1993).[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brad-hall/) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/32115/brad-hall)
Hall then created and executive produced two network sitcoms. *The Single Guy*, starring [Jonathan Silverman](https://www.edgepedia.org/jonathan-silverman), ran on NBC from 1995 to 1997.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brad-hall/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) *Watching Ellie*, which starred his wife Louis-Dreyfus, ran on NBC from 2002 to 2003 and was produced under several working titles, including *23 Minutes and 12 Seconds in the Life of Eleanor Riggs*.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) • [7](https://www.snlrankings.com/brad-hall/) With Goldberg he co-wrote the screenplay for the 1995 feature film *Bye Bye Love*, about divorced men, directed by Weisman, in which Hall also had a small role.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brad-hall/)
## Acting and later directing
Hall's screen acting credits include small and supporting roles in *Troll* (1986) as [William Daniels](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-daniels), *Worth Winning* (1989) as Eric, *Limit Up* (1989) as Marty Callahan, Nancy Allen's love interest, *The Guardian* (1990) as Ned Runcie, and *Must Love Dogs* (2005) as Stanley.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) He guest starred in episodes of *9 to 5* and the pilot *Mad Avenue* (CBS, 1988), and appeared as himself in two episodes of *Curb Your Enthusiasm* in 2000 and 2001.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brad-hall/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/32115/brad-hall) In 2012 he guest starred as Wreston St. James in the *Parks and Recreation* episode "Pawnee Commons".[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/32115/brad-hall)
Behind the camera, his directing credits include the short *Picture Paris* (2011), which he also wrote and produced, and three episodes of the HBO comedy *Veep*: "C**tgate" (2016), "A Woman First" (2017), and "Oslo" (2019).[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/32115/brad-hall) • [8](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brad-hall/credits/3030270302/)
## Personal life
Hall married Julia Louis-Dreyfus, whom he met through the Practical Theatre Company during her years at Northwestern, on June 25, 1987; they have two sons, Henry and Charles.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958) • [6](https://time.com/5540861/julia-louis-dreyfus-interview/) Their son Charlie Hall has become an actor, with roles including *The Sex Lives of College Girls*.[9](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0355357/news/) Encyclopedia.com also records that Hall was a guitarist and vocalist with the music group the Rockme Foundation and entered a production deal with Big Ticket Television around 1996.[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958)
## References
1. [Brad Hall, Saturday Night Live Wiki (Fandom)](https://snl.fandom.com/wiki/Brad_Hall)
2. [Hall, Brad 1958(?)–, Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television via Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hall-brad-1958)
3. [Brad Hall – Writer, Producer, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brad-hall/)
4. [Brad Hall, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/32115/brad-hall)
5. [Brad Hall Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brad-hall/bio/3030216865/)
6. [Julia Louis-Dreyfus Knew She Was Good. She Fought to Make Sure the World Did Too, Time](https://time.com/5540861/julia-louis-dreyfus-interview/)
7. [Brad Hall, SNL Rankings](https://www.snlrankings.com/brad-hall/)
8. [Brad Hall List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brad-hall/credits/3030270302/)
9. [Brad Hall – News, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0355357/news/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames H to Ha*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license