About

Known credits:
75
Birthday:
1888-09-18
Place of birth:
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Website:
N/A

Porter Hall

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Clifford Porter Hall (September 19, 1888 – October 6, 1953) was an American character actor known for appearing in a number of films in the 1930s and 1940s. Hall played movie villains or comedic incompetent characters. Hall was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and began his career touring as a stage actor with roles in productions of The Great Gatsby and Naked in 1926. Hall made his film debut in the 1931 drama Secrets of a Secretary. He made his last onscreen appearance in the 1954 film Return to Treasure Island, which was released after his death.

He was probably best remembered for four roles: a senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, an atheist in Going My Way, the nervous, ill-tempered Granville Sawyer, who administers a psychological test to Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street, and a train passenger who encounters a man (Fred MacMurray) who has just committed a murder in Double Indemnity.

On October 6, 1953, Hall died of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California at the age of 65. His interment was at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery. Hall had two children, David and Sarah Jane.

Known for

Acting
1954 Return to Treasure Island Actor Maximillian 'Maxie' Harris 58
Average
1953 Vice Squad Actor Jack Hartrampf 59
Average
1953 Pony Express Actor Jim Bridger 58
Average
1952 Holiday for Sinners Actor Louie 59
Average
1952 The Half-Breed Actor Kraemer 59
Average
1952 Carbine Williams Actor Sam Markley 59
Average
1951 Ace in the Hole Actor Jacob Q. Boot 69
Fair
1949 Intruder in the Dust Actor Nub Gowrie 59
Average
1949 The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend Actor Judge O'Toole 58
Average
1949 Chicken Every Sunday Actor Sam Howell 59
Average
1948 That Wonderful Urge Actor Attorney Ketchell 58
Average
1948 You Gotta Stay Happy Actor Mr. Caslon 59
Average
1947 Unconquered Actor Leach 59
Average
1947 Singapore Actor Mr. Bellows 58
Average
1947 Miracle on 34th Street Actor Granville Sawyer 67
Fair
1945 Kiss and Tell Actor Bill Franklin 59
Average
1945 Week-End at the Waldorf Actor Stevens 58
Average
1945 Murder, He Says Actor Mr. Johnson 59
Average
1945 Blood on the Sun Actor Arthur Bickett 58
Average
1945 Bring on the Girls Actor Dr. Efrington 59
Average
1944 The Mark of the Whistler Actor Joe Sorsby 58
Average
1944 The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek Actor Jacob Woodson, Justice of the Peace 60
Fair
1944 The Great Moment Actor President Franklin Pierce 58
Average
1944 Double Indemnity Actor Mr. Jackson 76
Good
1944 Standing Room Only Actor Hugo Farenhall 59
Average
1944 Going My Way Actor Mr. Belknap 60
Fair
1943 The Woman of the Town Actor Mayor Dog Killey 59
Average
1943 The Desperadoes Actor Banker Clanton 58
Average
1943 A Stranger in Town Actor Judge Austin Harkley 59
Average
1942 Butch Minds the Baby Actor Brandy Smith N/A
N/A
1942 The Remarkable Andrew Actor Chief Clerk Art Slocumb 59
Average
1942 Mr. and Mrs. North Actor George Heyler 58
Average
1941 Sullivan's Travels Actor Mr. Hadrian 66
Fair
1941 The Parson of Panamint Actor Jonathan Randall 58
Average
1940 Arizona Actor Lazarus Ward 59
Average
1940 Trail of the Vigilantes Actor Sheriff Korley N/A
N/A
1940 Dark Command Actor Angus McCloud 59
Average
1940 His Girl Friday Actor Murphy 68
Fair
1939 Henry Goes Arizona Actor Banker Edward G. Walsh (uncredited) 59
Average
1939 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Actor Senator Monroe 72
Good
1939 They Shall Have Music Actor Mr. Flower 59
Average
1939 Grand Jury Secrets Actor Anthony Pelton N/A
N/A
1939 Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police Actor Man in Drummond's Dream 59
Average
1938 Tom Sawyer, Detective Actor Uncle Silas Phelps 58
Average
1938 The Arkansas Traveler Actor Mayor Daniels 59
Average
1938 King of Alcatraz Actor Matthew Talbot 59
Average
1938 Men with Wings Actor Hiram F. Jenkins 59
Average
1938 Prison Farm Actor Chiston R. Bradby 59
Average
1938 Stolen Heaven Actor 'Von' Offer N/A
N/A
1938 Bulldog Drummond's Peril Actor Dr. Botulian 58
Average
1938 Dangerous to Know Actor Mayor Bradley 59
Average
1938 Scandal Street Actor James Wilson N/A
N/A
1937 Wells Fargo Actor James Oliver 58
Average
1937 True Confession Actor Mr. Hartman 59
Average
1937 This Way Please Actor S.J. Crawford 59
Average
1937 Souls at Sea Actor Court Prosecutor 58
Average
1937 Wild Money Actor Bill Court N/A
N/A
1937 Make Way for Tomorrow Actor Harvey Chase 63
Fair
1937 King of Gamblers Actor George Kramer 59
Average
1937 Bulldog Drummond Escapes Actor Norman Merridew 59
Average
1936 The General Died at Dawn Actor Peter Perrie 58
Average
1936 The Plainsman Actor Jack McCall 59
Average
1936 Let's Make a Million Actor Spencer N/A
N/A
1936 Satan Met a Lady Actor Milton Ames 58
Average
1936 And Sudden Death Actor District Attorney N/A
N/A
1936 The Princess Comes Across Actor Darcy 58
Average
1936 Snowed Under Actor Arthur Layton 59
Average
1936 Too Many Parents Actor Mrs. Saunders 59
Average
1936 The Story of Louis Pasteur Actor Dr. Rossignol 59
Average
1936 The Petrified Forest Actor Jason Maple 61
Fair
1935 The Case of the Lucky Legs Actor Col. Bradbury 59
Average
1934 Murder in the Private Car Actor Alden Murray 58
Average
1934 The Thin Man Actor Herbert MacCaulay 66
Fair
1931 The Cheat Actor Leslie (uncredited) 58
Average
1931 Secrets of a Secretary Actor Drunk 59
Average