Anthony Michael Hall
He was the quintessential 80s teen, defining a generation's angst as the brainy Brian Johnson in John Hughes' 'The Breakfast Club'.
Born 1968 (age 58)·American actor·Birthday: April 14·Generation X
Biography
Anthony Michael Hall became the awkward, intelligent face of 1980s teenagehood almost overnight. With his wiry frame and glasses, he was the perfect muse for writer-director John Hughes, starring in three consecutive classics: 'Sixteen Candles', 'The Breakfast Club', and 'Weird Science'. As Brian Johnson, the 'brain' with a secret, he delivered a performance that resonated with every outsider, making him a core member of the so-called Brat Pack. Eager to shed the teen idol image, Hall took a sharp turn, playing the sinister Bill Gates-esque villain in 'Johnny Dangerously' and, most notably, the chillingly polite serial killer in the TV adaptation of Stephen King's 'The Dead Zone'. This successful reinvention showcased his range, allowing him to build a durable career across film and television, forever remembered as the geek who grew up and got interesting.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Anthony was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anthony Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Anthony's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Starred in three seminal John Hughes films: 'Sixteen Candles', 'The Breakfast Club', and 'Weird Science'.
- Played the lead role of Johnny Smith in the USA Network series 'The Dead Zone', which ran for six seasons.
- Portrayed Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in the 1999 television film 'Pirates of Silicon Valley'.
- Had an early film role as Rusty Griswold in the comedy classic 'National Lampoon's Vacation'.
Did You Know?
He dropped his first name, Michael, professionally to avoid confusion with another actor named Michael Hall.
Hall was only 14 years old when he filmed 'Sixteen Candles'.
He is the youngest member of the original 'Saturday Night Live' cast, joining at age 17.
His mother is a jazz singer who once managed a nightclub.
“I was the nerd, but I was the nerd who got the girl.”
