Porter Hall
- Acting
- September 18, 1888 · Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- October 6, 1953
Biography
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
Filmography
- Return to Treasure Island · Maximillian 'Maxie' Harris
- Vice Squad · Jack Hartrampf
- Pony Express · Jim Bridger
- Four Star Playhouse · J. R. Martin
- Holiday for Sinners · Louie
- The Half-Breed · Kraemer
- Carbine Williams · Sam Markley
- Ace in the Hole · Jacob Q. Boot
- Intruder in the Dust · Nub Gowrie
- The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend · Judge O'Toole
- Chicken Every Sunday · Sam Howell
- That Wonderful Urge · Attorney Ketchell
- You Gotta Stay Happy · Mr. Caslon
- Unconquered · Leach
- Singapore · Mr. Bellows
- Miracle on 34th Street · Granville Sawyer
- Week-End at the Waldorf · Stevens
- Kiss and Tell · Bill Franklin
- Murder, He Says · Mr. Johnson
- Blood on the Sun · Arthur Bickett
- Bring on the Girls · Dr. Efrington
- The Mark of the Whistler · Joe Sorsby
- The Miracle of Morgan's Creek · Jacob Woodson, Justice of the Peace
- The Great Moment · President Franklin Pierce
- Double Indemnity · Mr. Jackson
- Standing Room Only · Hugo Farenhall
- Going My Way · Mr. Belknap
- The Woman of the Town · Mayor Dog Killey
- The Desperadoes · Banker Clanton
- A Stranger in Town · Judge Austin Harkley
- Butch Minds the Baby · Brandy Smith
- The Remarkable Andrew · Chief Clerk Art Slocumb
- Mr. and Mrs. North · George Heyler
- Sullivan's Travels · Mr. Hadrian
- The Parson of Panamint · Jonathan Randall
- Arizona · Lazarus Ward
- Trail of the Vigilantes · Sheriff Korley
- Dark Command · Angus McCloud
- His Girl Friday · Murphy
- Henry Goes Arizona · Banker Edward G. Walsh (uncredited)
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington · Senator Monroe
- They Shall Have Music · Mr. Flower
- Grand Jury Secrets · Anthony Pelton
- Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police · Man in Drummond's Dream
- Tom Sawyer, Detective · Uncle Silas Phelps
- The Arkansas Traveler · Mayor Daniels
- King of Alcatraz · Matthew Talbot
- Men with Wings · Hiram F. Jenkins
- Prison Farm · Chiston R. Bradby
- Stolen Heaven · 'Von' Offer
- Bulldog Drummond's Peril · Dr. Botulian
- Dangerous to Know · Mayor Bradley
- Scandal Street · James Wilson
- Wells Fargo · James Oliver
- True Confession · Mr. Hartman
- This Way Please · S.J. Crawford
- Souls at Sea · Court Prosecutor
- Wild Money · Bill Court
- Make Way for Tomorrow · Harvey Chase
- King of Gamblers · George Kramer
- Bulldog Drummond Escapes · Norman Merridew
- The General Died at Dawn · Peter Perrie
- The Plainsman · Jack McCall
- Let's Make a Million · Spencer
- Satan Met a Lady · Milton Ames
- And Sudden Death · District Attorney
- The Princess Comes Across · Darcy
- Snowed Under · Arthur Layton
- Too Many Parents · Mrs. Saunders
- The Story of Louis Pasteur · Dr. Rossignol
- The Petrified Forest · Jason Maple
- The Case of the Lucky Legs · Col. Bradbury
- Murder in the Private Car · Alden Murray
- The Thin Man · Herbert MacCaulay
- The Cheat · Leslie (uncredited)
- Secrets of a Secretary · Drunk