Consummate character player who first appeared on Broadway in the short-lived Ben Hecht drama "A Flag Is Born" (1946), opposite Paul Muni and Marlon Brando, and made his film debut in "A Lady Without Passport" (1950). A veteran of live TV drama (notably "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" 1958 and "The Sacco-Vanzetti Story" 1960), Hill has specialized in playing figures of moral authority. He played the father of Jill Clayburgh, in "It's My Turn" (1980); Meryl Streep, in "Heartburn" (1986); and Christine Lahti, in "Running on Empty" (1988). The actor excelled as Otto Berman, math wizard and mentor to the title character in "Billy Bathgate" (1991). Hill also spent ten years (1990-2000) as pragmatic D.A. Adam Schiff on the NBC TV series, "Law & Order".
Milestones
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1946 Broadway debut as Marlon Brando's understudy (opposite Paul Muni) in Ben Hecht's "A Flag is Born"
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1948 TV acting debut, "Actor's Studio"
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1950 Feature acting debut, "A Lady Without Passport"
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1965 Formed own production company
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1966 Starred as Daniel Briggs, the original lead in the first season of the TV series "Mission Impossible"
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1980 Returned to film in "It's My Turn"
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2002 Appeared in a series of TV and print commercials for TD Waterhouse Investor Services
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Appeared on Broadway in the original productions of "Mr Roberts", "The Country Girl" and as Sigmund Freud in "A Far Country"
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Gave up acting; sold real estate, tried to write and went to live in a community of religious Jews in Rockland County NY where he studied the Bible and the psalms of David (date approximate)
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Moved to New York to pursue acting career in the 1950s
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Starred as D.A. Adam Schiff on dramatic TV series, "Law & Order" (NBC)