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