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Porter Hall

Acting Born Sep 18, 1888 Cincinnati, Ohio, USA 24 credits

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.

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Known for

Four Star Playhouse

as J. R. Martin
Film

Double Indemnity

as Mr. Jackson
Film

His Girl Friday

as Murphy
Film

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

as Senator Monroe
Film

Ace in the Hole

as Jacob Q. Boot
Film

The Thin Man

as Herbert MacCaulay
Film

Sullivan's Travels

as Mr. Hadrian

Full filmography

  • Four Star Playhouse (1952) as J. R. Martin
  • Double Indemnity (1944) as Mr. Jackson
  • His Girl Friday (1940) as Murphy
  • Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) as Senator Monroe
  • Miracle on 34th Street (1947) as Granville Sawyer
  • Unconquered (1947) as Leach
  • Ace in the Hole (1951) as Jacob Q. Boot
  • Going My Way (1944) as Mr. Belknap
  • The Thin Man (1934) as Herbert MacCaulay
  • Sullivan's Travels (1941) as Mr. Hadrian
  • Vice Squad (1953) as Jack Hartrampf
  • Make Way for Tomorrow (1937) as Harvey Chase
  • The Desperadoes (1943) as Banker Clanton
  • The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944) as Jacob Woodson, Justice of the Peace
  • Arizona (1940) as Lazarus Ward
  • The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936) as Dr. Rossignol
  • Dark Command (1940) as Angus McCloud
  • Pony Express (1953) as Jim Bridger
  • Carbine Williams (1952) as Sam Markley
  • The Plainsman (1936) as Jack McCall
  • Souls at Sea (1937) as Court Prosecutor
  • The General Died at Dawn (1936) as Peter Perrie
  • Singapore (1947) as Mr. Bellows
  • Wells Fargo (1937) as James Oliver