Some of his other accomplishments include 44 weeks on Broadway as a cantankerous octogenarian in "I'm Not Rappaport," and then he earned critical kudos for his role as Alan Alda's sexy, shallow sidekick in the Paramount feature "A New Life." He completed a nine-city tour in the demanding musical "Man of La Mancha," and fulfilled dates ranging from a performance with the Dallas Symphony (he played Mozart on the clarinet) to the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago. He also starred in a CBS-TV film, "The O'Connors."

The native New Yorker began his show business career as a clarinet player and later toured as a singer with the Sammy Kaye, Bobby Sherwood and Boyd Raeburn bands. As a member of the U.S. Army band, he became involved in army revues. This piqued his acting career.
After his discharge, Hal Linden enrolled at New York's American Theatre Wing. He later studied with Paul Mann and Lloyd Richards. He worked steadily at his craft for six years before his first major break in 1958, when he was signed to understudy Sydney Chaplin in "Bells Are Ringing." Five days later he was signed to replace Chaplin. He starred opposite Judy Holliday on Broadway and on tour with the national company.

"Bells Are Ringing" was the first of 18 productions in which Hal Linden appeared. Among his most successful shows were "On A Clear Day," "Subways Are For Sleeping," "The Apple Tree," "Ilya Darling," "Wildcat," "The Education of  H*Y*M*A*N  K*A*P*L*A*N," as well as the revival of "Pajama Game" and "Three Men On A Horse."

His performance in the musical success "The Rothchilds" won him a Tony, national critical acclaim, and the attention of television producer Danny Arnold. The starring role in the "Barney Miller" series was the result. After "Barney Miller," Hal Linden starred in numerous television specials and movies for television before embarking on another popular series, "Blacke's Magic."

Among his other credits are "FYI," ABC's award-winning public service series, "The Hal Linden Special," "Hal Linden's Big Apple," and "Animals, Animals, Animals," a Peabody Award winner. His movies for television include "My Wicked, Wicked Ways," "Father Figure," "Starflight One," "The Other Woman," "I Do! I Do!" and "'The Best of Everything." He also appeared in "When You Coming Back, Red Ryder?," the theatrical motion picture of Tony-winning Mark Medoff's play.

"Barney Miller" is currently in syndication, proving once again its reputation as one of the best- written, best-acted shows in the history of television. Hal Linden turned over "Barney" memorabilia to the Smithsonian's American History Museum in Washington in 1982, where they are enshrined with other "parts of American culture."