Porter Hall

Porter Hall

Acting
Born 1888-09-18 - Died 1953-10-06Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

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.

Movies (75)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
7.8

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

1939Movie7.8
Miracle on 34th Street
7.4

Miracle on 34th Street

1947Movie7.4
Double Indemnity
8.1

Double Indemnity

1944Movie8.1
His Girl Friday
7.4

His Girl Friday

1940Movie7.4
The Thin Man
7.5

The Thin Man

1934Movie7.5
Unconquered
6.5

Unconquered

1947Movie6.5
Ace in the Hole
7.8

Ace in the Hole

1951Movie7.8
Dark Command
6.4

Dark Command

1940Movie6.4
Pony Express
5.8

Pony Express

1953Movie5.8
The Princess Comes Across
6.2

The Princess Comes Across

1936Movie6.2
Arizona
6.5

Arizona

1940Movie6.5
Murder, He Says
6.8

Murder, He Says

1945Movie6.8
Stolen Heaven
7.0

Stolen Heaven

1938Movie7.0
Kiss and Tell
6.3

Kiss and Tell

1945Movie6.3
The Petrified Forest
7.1

The Petrified Forest

1936Movie7.1
Sullivan's Travels
7.4

Sullivan's Travels

1941Movie7.4
Going My Way
6.7

Going My Way

1944Movie6.7
The Story of Louis Pasteur
6.9

The Story of Louis Pasteur

1936Movie6.9
Make Way for Tomorrow
7.5

Make Way for Tomorrow

1937Movie7.5
The Plainsman
6.5

The Plainsman

1936Movie6.5
Souls at Sea
6.5

Souls at Sea

1937Movie6.5
Wells Fargo
5.5

Wells Fargo

1937Movie5.5
Henry Goes Arizona
6.2

Henry Goes Arizona

1939Movie6.2
True Confession
6.1

True Confession

1937Movie6.1
The General Died at Dawn
6.5

The General Died at Dawn

1936Movie6.5
Chicken Every Sunday
6.2

Chicken Every Sunday

1949Movie6.2
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
6.8

The Miracle of Morgan's Creek

1944Movie6.8
Snowed Under
7.4

Snowed Under

1936Movie7.4
Standing Room Only
5.7

Standing Room Only

1944Movie5.7
Vice Squad
6.1

Vice Squad

1953Movie6.1
Dangerous to Know
6.6

Dangerous to Know

1938Movie6.6
Bring on the Girls
6.3

Bring on the Girls

1945Movie6.3
The Desperadoes
5.9

The Desperadoes

1943Movie5.9
Carbine Williams
6.6

Carbine Williams

1952Movie6.6
They Shall Have Music
6.5

They Shall Have Music

1939Movie6.5
Secrets of a Secretary
6.0

Secrets of a Secretary

1931Movie6.0
Tom Sawyer, Detective
5.6

Tom Sawyer, Detective

1938Movie5.6
Blood on the Sun
5.9

Blood on the Sun

1945Movie5.9
That Wonderful Urge
6.5

That Wonderful Urge

1948Movie6.5
Intruder in the Dust
7.3

Intruder in the Dust

1949Movie7.3
You Gotta Stay Happy
6.8

You Gotta Stay Happy

1948Movie6.8
The Woman of the Town
6.4

The Woman of the Town

1943Movie6.4
Week-End at the Waldorf
6.4

Week-End at the Waldorf

1945Movie6.4
Satan Met a Lady
5.8

Satan Met a Lady

1936Movie5.8
Singapore
6.1

Singapore

1947Movie6.1
The Arkansas Traveler
6.7

The Arkansas Traveler

1938Movie6.7
Grand Jury Secrets
7.0

Grand Jury Secrets

1939Movie7.0
The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend
5.9

The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend

1949Movie5.9
Men with Wings
5.4

Men with Wings

1938Movie5.4
Trail of the Vigilantes
10.0

Trail of the Vigilantes

1940Movie10.0
The Half-Breed
7.0

The Half-Breed

1952Movie7.0
Murder in the Private Car
5.6

Murder in the Private Car

1934Movie5.6
Scandal Street
8.0

Scandal Street

1938Movie8.0
And Sudden Death
8.0

And Sudden Death

1936Movie8.0
King of Alcatraz
6.0

King of Alcatraz

1938Movie6.0
Prison Farm
6.8

Prison Farm

1938Movie6.8
Butch Minds the Baby
8.0

Butch Minds the Baby

1942Movie8.0
Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police
6.2

Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police

1939Movie6.2
The Great Moment
5.9

The Great Moment

1944Movie5.9
The Case of the Lucky Legs
6.0

The Case of the Lucky Legs

1935Movie6.0
This Way Please
7.0

This Way Please

1937Movie7.0
Bulldog Drummond Escapes
6.1

Bulldog Drummond Escapes

1937Movie6.1
A Stranger in Town
6.3

A Stranger in Town

1943Movie6.3
Bulldog Drummond's Peril
5.9

Bulldog Drummond's Peril

1938Movie5.9
The Remarkable Andrew
7.4

The Remarkable Andrew

1942Movie7.4
The Cheat
6.3

The Cheat

1931Movie6.3
The Parson of Panamint
5.8

The Parson of Panamint

1941Movie5.8
King of Gamblers
7.5

King of Gamblers

1937Movie7.5
Return to Treasure Island
5.6

Return to Treasure Island

1954Movie5.6
Too Many Parents
5.2

Too Many Parents

1936Movie5.2
Let's Make a Million
7.5

Let's Make a Million

1936Movie7.5
Holiday for Sinners
6.3

Holiday for Sinners

1952Movie6.3
The Mark of the Whistler
6.2

The Mark of the Whistler

1944Movie6.2
Wild Money
8.0

Wild Money

1937Movie8.0
Mr. and Mrs. North
4.4

Mr. and Mrs. North

1942Movie4.4

TV Shows (1)

Four Star Playhouse
6.8

Four Star Playhouse

1952Series6.8