Porter Hall

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

Double Indemnity

as Mr. Jackson

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

as Senator Monroe

His Girl Friday

as Murphy

Miracle on 34th Street

as Granville Sawyer

Ace in the Hole

as Jacob Q. Boot

The Thin Man

as Herbert MacCaulay

Sullivan's Travels

as Mr. Hadrian

Make Way for Tomorrow

as Harvey Chase

The Petrified Forest

as Jason Maple

Going My Way

as Mr. Belknap