Throughout his profession, the late Philip Baker Corridor was some of the underrated character actors in Hollywood. Corridor’s earliest on-screen function got here again in 1970, however he gained reward for a number of “breakout” roles later in life, together with an impressive late-’90s streak that included “Boogie Nights,” “Magnolia,” and “The Proficient Mr. Ripley.” By the point of his passing in 2022, everybody appeared to know Corridor’s nice work, even when he wasn’t a family title. However in keeping with Corridor himself, the world first bought to know him by one other title that caught with him for many years: Lieutenant Bookman from “Seinfeld.”
Lieutenant Bookman was certainly one of many idiosyncratic characters who stepped by the comedic revolving door that was “Seinfeld.” The character, performed by Corridor, appeared in simply two episodes of the hyper-popular sitcom — season 3’s “The Library” and the present’s polarizing collection finale – however he made a powerful impression. “It has been over 20 years since we shot that episode, and I nonetheless cannot exit in public for very lengthy earlier than somebody says ‘My god, it is Bookman!’ Or: ‘Are you Bookman? I returned that library e-book, I swear!'” Corridor informed Rolling Stone in 2014. In accordance with USA Immediately, 16.4 million individuals watched the episode reside, whereas numerous new viewers have discovered it in syndication and on streaming within the years since.
Corridor did not need to audition after taking part in a library cop on Seinfeld
Corridor’s Bookman is memorable partially for his nice efficiency, and partially for the novelty of the function. He performs a library investigator whose job — which he, in fact, takes very significantly — is to analyze the place long-overdue books find yourself. When Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) goes to the library, he results in Bookman’s crosshairs when the person discovers that he is had a duplicate of “Tropic of Most cancers” checked out since his highschool days.
“The Library” is basic “Seinfeld,” as ridiculous as it’s hilarious. Corridor informed Rolling Stone that he knew throughout the audition that he bought the half as a result of Seinfeld, who additionally co-created the present, could not cease himself from laughing throughout his studying. “Often, whenever you learn for issues, nobody lets on an excessive amount of, even when they such as you,” Corridor defined. “However individuals had been combating to regulate their laughter, so once I known as my spouse afterward, I informed her ‘There is no such factor as a positive factor … however I am fairly positive I bought this half.'” The function modified the actor’s life in an actual method by giving him title recognition because of the big “Seinfeld” viewers. “It is humorous, Lt. Bookman was one of many final roles I ever auditioned for, just because so many doorways opened up after I did the present,” Corridor as soon as stated.
The actor was removed from the one “Seinfeld” visitor star whose life was impacted by a quick look on Seinfeld and Larry David’s comedic masterpiece. In the identical Rolling Stone retrospective, Wayne Knight stated he will get loads of “Hiya, Newman” greetings on the road, Brenda Robust (who performed Elaine’s nemesis Sue Ann) described signing bras for firefighters’ wives, and Teri Hatcher joked that “They’re actual and so they’re spectacular,” the phrase her character indicators off with after a lot debate about her attainable breast implants, will likely be written on her tombstone. For Corridor, the impression of “Seinfeld” reached him wherever he went, and he appeared joyful about it. “It isn’t simply in New York or L.A.,” he informed Rolling Stone. “It is occurred in a mall within the Midwest and even different nations the place they air the present. The man made an impression.”
