Charlie Hall is an American journalist, editor, and photographer specializing in video games, tabletopgaming, and related public policy issues. With over twelve years at Polygon, a Vox Media publication, he advanced from freelance contributor to senior editor, becoming the site's first dedicated tabletopgaming editor in 2021 and contributing to its expansion to 60 million monthly users.[1][2][3] Hall was a founding member of the Vox Media Union and focused on in-depth features, such as embedding with game developers and covering industry challenges like digital distributionethics and indie tabletop trends.[4][5] In May 2025, following Polygon's acquisition by Valnet, Hall was among those laid off, marking the end of his tenure at the outlet.[3] His work earned award nominations for explanatory journalism, though it occasionally drew criticism for perceived overemphasis on niche cultural angles in gaming coverage.[2][6]
Entertainment and Performing Arts
Charlie Hall (actor, 1899–1959)
Charlie Hall was an English character actor born on August 19, 1899, in Birmingham, England, to a family of eight children.[7][8] He left school at age 15 to work as a messenger boy before joining the stage, eventually becoming a member of Fred Karno's vaudeville troupe, which also featured Charles Chaplin and Stan Laurel.[9][7] Standing at 5 feet 4½ inches (1.64 m), Hall emigrated to the United States in 1920 and began appearing in films during the silent era, debuting around 1921.[10][11]Hall specialized in comedic bit parts, often portraying irritable, diminutive antagonists who sparked altercations with larger characters, earning him the nickname "Little Nemesis."[12] He collaborated extensively with Laurel and Hardy, appearing in nearly 50 of their shorts and features—more than any other performer—starting with Leave 'Em Laughing (1928) and including titles like Laughing Gravy (1931), Them Thar Hills (1934), and Tit for Tat (1935).[10][12] These roles typically cast him as a hapless neighbor, bartender, or pedestrian drawn into the duo's chaos, contributing to their signature slapstick sequences through his expressive reactions and physical timing.[13] Beyond Laurel and Hardy, Hall worked in over 200 films through 1956, including uncredited appearances in productions by Hal Roach Studios and features with actors like Charley Chase and Our Gang, as well as occasional dramatic roles in films such as The Devil's Brother (1933).[10][11]His career spanned both silent and sound films, adapting from vaudeville roots to Hollywood's studio system, though he rarely received top billing and focused on supporting comedy.[13] Hall's final credited role came in the mid-1950s, after which he retired amid declining demand for short comedies.[11] He died on December 7, 1959, in North Hollywood, California, at age 60 from undisclosed causes, and was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, beside his wife.[9][10] His enduring legacy lies in preserving the frenetic energy of early sound comedy through his prolific output with Laurel and Hardy.[12]
Charlie Hall (actor, born 1997)
Charlie Hall is an American actor and writer born on May 30, 1997, in Los Angeles, California.[14] He is the younger son of actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus and actor Brad Hall, with an older brother, Henry Hall, born in 1992.[15] Hall stands at 6 feet 5 inches (195 cm) tall and played basketball at Northwestern University.[16]Hall began his acting career with an appearance in the HBO series Veep, followed by his film debut in Amy Poehler's 2021 Netflix film Moxie, where he played a supporting role.[14] In 2020, he co-created and starred in the web seriesSorry, Charlie alongside a high school friend.[17] His television credits include the role of Kieran in the Hulu series Love, Victor (2020–2022), Eddie Axler in Single Drunk Female (2022), and Tyler Laramy in Bel-Air (2022).[14] He also appeared in Disney+'s Big Shot (2021) and HBO Max's The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021).[14]In 2024, Hall portrayed Craig Cignarelli in Netflix's Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, part of Ryan Murphy's anthology series Monster.[16] Additional film work includes Sweethearts (2024).[17] Hall maintains an active presence on Instagram, sharing comedy sketches and personal content.[18]
Charlie Hall (worship musician, born 1973)
Charles Eugene Hall III (born May 30, 1973), known professionally as Charlie Hall, is an American contemporary Christian worship leader, songwriter, and pastor based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.[19] Born in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Hall began songwriting and traveling for worship ministry in 1991, initially sharing music across the United States.[20] His early work included collaborations such as the 1994 album Don't Pass Us By with Nathan Fought and the 1996 project Holy Roar as part of Sons & Daughters.[21]Hall rose to prominence in the late 1990s through his association with the Passion Conferences, where he first participated in 1997 and contributed to multiple Passion recordings as a worship leader and songwriter.[22][23] Notable songs he has written or co-written include "Give Us Clean Hands," which appeared on Passion's 1997 album God of Wonders, and "Marvelous Light," featured on his 2006 release Flying Into Daybreak.[23][24] These tracks have been widely adopted in evangelical worship settings, emphasizing themes of repentance, grace, and divine illumination. His involvement in the Passion movement, alongside figures like Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio, helped shape modern congregational worship music during the 1990s and 2000s.[25]In addition to recording, Hall has released several solo albums, including On the Road to Beautiful (2003), Flying Into Daybreak (2006), The Bright Sadness (2008), The Rising (2010), and The Death of Death (2013).[26] He has earned Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association for his songwriting contributions.[21] Since at least the early 2010s, Hall has served as Pastor of Worship Arts and Liturgy at Frontline Church in Oklahoma City, focusing on liturgical practices and spiritual formation in worship.[27] His career spans over three decades, with ongoing influence in worshipmusic through live events, recordings, and mentorship of emerging leaders.[28]
Sports
Charlie Hall (baseball infielder, 1863–1921)
Charles Walter Hall (August 24, 1863 – June 23, 1921), nicknamed "Doc," was an American professional baseballoutfielder.[29][30] Born in Toulon, Illinois, he stood 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 158 pounds, batting left-handed with an unknown throwing hand.[31][29]Hall appeared in three Major League Baseball games for the New York Metropolitans of the American Association in 1887, debuting on May 3 against the Brooklyn Grays at age 23 years and 252 days.[29][31] His final game came two days later on May 5, also versus Brooklyn, with all appearances in center field.[32] In 12 at-bats, he recorded 1 hit, 1 run scored, no home runs or RBI, 1 stolen base, and 2 walks, yielding a .083 batting average, .214 on-base percentage, and .297 OPS; he handled 9 fielding chances without error for a 1.000 percentage.[30][29]Beyond his major league stint, Hall played part of the 1887 season with the Lincoln club, though detailed minor league statistics remain limited.[32] He died in Steilacoom, Washington, at age 57 and was buried in Toulon Municipal Cemetery in his birthplace.[31][29]
Charley Hall (baseball pitcher, 1884–1943)
Charles Louis Hall, known as Charley Hall and nicknamed the "Sea Lion" for his vocal mound presence, was an American professional baseball pitcher born on July 27, 1884, in Ventura, California, to parents of Spanish-American descent; his birth name was Carlos Luis Hall.[33] He debuted in Major League Baseball on July 12, 1906, with the Cincinnati Reds, appearing in 10 games that year before posting a 5-4 record in 1907.[34] After time in the minors, Hall joined the Boston Red Sox from 1909 to 1913, where he established himself as a reliable starter and reliever, compiling a 42-31 record over those seasons.[33] He later pitched briefly for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1916 (2-3 record) and Detroit Tigers in 1918 (5-9 record), ending his MLB career with the Tigers.[34]Hall's overall MLB statistics reflect a solid, if not dominant, contributor across 188 games (80 starts), with 54 wins, 47 losses, a 3.09 earned run average, 909⅔ innings pitched, 427 strikeouts, and three shutouts.[35] His standout season came in 1910 with Boston, where he went 12-9 with a 1.91 ERA in 35 appearances, ranking 10th in the American League for ERA.[33] In 1912, Hall achieved career highs of 15 wins against 13 losses, contributing to the Red Sox's American League pennant and World Series victory over the New York Giants; he appeared in relief during Games 2 and 7 of the Series, allowing no runs in 2⅔ innings.[33] Earlier minor league stints, particularly with Seattle of the Pacific Coast League from 1904 to 1906, showcased his durability, including two no-hitters against Oakland (April 5, 1905, and May 13, 1906) and records like 29-19 in 425 innings in 1904.[33]Beyond MLB, Hall's 22-year professional career yielded 285 minor league wins, highlighted by a 24-10 mark and 16-game winning streak with St. Paul in the American Association in 1915.[33] Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing 187 pounds, he batted left-handed but threw right-handed, often serving in versatile roles.[34] After retiring, Hall returned to Ventura, working in local law enforcement as a policeman, jailer, and deputy sheriff until his death from Parkinson's disease on December 6, 1943.[33] He was married twice—first to Emma Larson in 1906 (who died in childbirth) and later to Marie Cullen in 1911—and had children, though family life included tragedies such as a 1920 incident where one son accidentally shot another.[33]
Charley Hall (baseball outfielder, born 1923)
Charles Emmit Hall (July 30, 1923 – May 24, 1996) was an American professional baseball outfielder who appeared in one game for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League in 1948.[36][37] Born in Webster Groves, Missouri, Hall stood 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighed 182 pounds during his playing days, batting both left- and right-handed while throwing right-handed.[36]Hall's documented professional career was extremely brief, limited to a single appearance as a right fielder on an unspecified date in 1948.[36] In that game, he recorded 2 at-bats with no hits, resulting in a .000 batting average, no home runs, and no runs batted in.[36][37] The Kansas City Monarchs, a prominent Negro league team, were in the midst of their final seasons before the major leagues began integrating talent, though Hall did not advance to MLB.[36]After retiring from baseball, Hall resided in the St. Louis area until his death on May 24, 1996, at age 72; he was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Lemay, Missouri.[37] Historical records of Negro league players like Hall remain incomplete due to inconsistent documentation during the era, with ongoing research efforts to compile more comprehensive statistics.[38]
Science and Technical Fields
Charles F. Hall (NASA mission manager, 1920–1999)
Charles F. Hall (April 7, 1920 – August 25, 1999) was an American aerospace engineer who directed NASA's Pioneer program as project manager at the Ames Research Center from 1962 to 1980.[39][40] Born in San Francisco, he earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering cum laude from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1942.[39][40] That May, he joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), NASA's predecessor, to conduct research on advanced aircraft design.[39][40] Following NACA's transition to NASA in 1958, Hall contributed to early space efforts before establishing the Pioneer Project Office at Ames in 1962, where he oversaw the development and operations of multiple unmanned probes.[39]Hall managed a series of 12 Pioneer spacecraft launches over 18 years, emphasizing efficient resource use, risk management, and leveraging existing technologies—a pragmatic approach later echoed in NASA's "faster, better, cheaper" initiative.[39][41] Key missions under his leadership included Pioneers 6 through 9, launched in the mid-1960s to study solar wind, magnetic fields, and cosmic rays.[40] He directed Pioneer 10, launched on March 2, 1972, which became the first spacecraft to traverse the asteroid belt, conduct a Jupiter flyby on December 3, 1973—yielding the first close-up images and data on the planet's atmosphere, magnetosphere, and moons—and continue into interstellar space at over 27,000 mph, transmitting data until the early 1990s.[39][40][42]Pioneer 11, launched in 1973, followed with flybys of Jupiter in 1974 and Saturn in 1979, providing foundational measurements of these gas giants' radiation belts, rings, and gravitational influences that enabled subsequent gravity-assist trajectories.[39][40] Hall also supervised the Pioneer Venus missions, including the 1978 Orbiter and Multiprobe, which mapped Venus's surface and atmosphere in unprecedented detail.[39][41]For his contributions to planetary exploration, Hall received two NASA Distinguished Service Medals, the American Astronautical Society's Space Flight Award in 1974, the National Space Club's Astronautical Engineering Award in 1979, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics' Space Systems Medal in 1980; he was inducted into the NASA Ames Hall of Fame posthumously.[39] He retired in 1980 following Pioneer 11's Saturn encounter and resided in Los Altos, California, until his death from cancer at age 79 in a Mountain View hospital.[39][40][42]