Porter Hall

Biography

Porter Hall was an American character actor who worked in many films of the 1930s and 1940s, usually as a villain or a comically incompetent man. He grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and acted and directed in little theater productions in Cleveland before his Broadway work, which included The Great Gatsby. His first film part came in a 1931 drama, Secrets of a Secretary. Hall is best remembered for five parts: a senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Granville Sawyer in Miracle on 34th Street (1947), a train passenger in Double Indemnity (1944), Herbert MacCaulay, the attorney in The Thin Man (1934), and his role in Going My Way (1944). Three of his films made the American Film Institute's 100 Years... 100 Movies list, and six drew Best Picture nominations, including Going My Way, which won. His last screen appearance came in Return to Treasure Island, released in 1954.

65years old at death

Born September 19, 1888Cincinnati
Died October 6, 1953Los Angeles
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
Clifford Porter Hall (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 32
Career span: 19 years1934 to 1953

Genres

Drama53%, 17 films
Comedy41%, 13 films
Romance38%, 12 films
Crime34%, 11 films
Mystery28%, 9 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A change of course
Hall graduated from the University of Cincinnati. He then worked for the Fleischmann Company, a yeast maker, and while there he directed and acted in little theater productions in Cleveland.
A first
Three titles on AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies, a ranking of the 100 greatest American films, featured Porter Hall: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Sullivan's Travels and Double Indemnity.

Porter Hall movies on Netflix

Pony Express1953IMDb rating 5.8as Jim Bridger
Vice Squad1953IMDb rating 6.8as Jack Hartrampf
Ace in the Hole1951IMDb rating 8.0as Jacob Q. Boot
Intruder in the Dust1949IMDb rating 7.6as Nub Gowrie
You Gotta Stay Happy1948IMDb rating 6.7as Mr. Caslon
Miracle on 34th Street1947IMDb rating 7.9as Granville Sawyer
Singapore1947IMDb rating 6.5as Mr. Bellows
Unconquered1947IMDb rating 6.9as Leach
Blood on the Sun1945IMDb rating 6.0as Arthur Bickett
Murder, He Says1945IMDb rating 6.9as Mr. Johnson
Double Indemnity1944IMDb rating 8.3as Mr. Jackson
Going My Way1944IMDb rating 7.0as Mr. Belknap
The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek1944IMDb rating 7.5as Jacob Woodson, Justice of the Peace
The Desperadoes1943IMDb rating 6.5as Banker Clanton
Sullivan's Travels1941IMDb rating 7.9as Mr. Hadrian
Arizona1940IMDb rating 6.8as Lazarus Ward
Dark Command1940IMDb rating 6.7as Angus McCloud
His Girl Friday1940IMDb rating 7.8as Murphy
Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police1939IMDb rating 6.1as Man in Drummond's Dream
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939IMDb rating 8.1as Senator Monroe
Bulldog Drummond's Peril1938IMDb rating 5.8as Dr. Max Botulian
Bulldog Drummond Escapes1937IMDb rating 6.0as Norman Merridew
Make Way for Tomorrow1937IMDb rating 8.1as Harvey Chase
True Confession1937IMDb rating 6.6as Mr. Hartman
Wells Fargo1937IMDb rating 6.4as James Oliver
Satan Met a Lady1936IMDb rating 5.8as Milton Ames
The General Died at Dawn1936IMDb rating 6.5as Peter Perrie
The Petrified Forest1936IMDb rating 7.5as Jason Maple
The Plainsman1936IMDb rating 6.8as Jack McCall
The Story of Louis Pasteur1936IMDb rating 7.2as Dr. Rossignol
The Case of the Lucky Legs1935IMDb rating 6.5as Col. Bradbury
The Thin Man1934IMDb rating 7.9as MacCaulay

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Double Indemnity1944 Crime, Drama, Film-Noir, Mystery, Thrilleras Mr. Jackson
IMDb rating 8.3183K votes
His Girl Friday1940 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Murphy
IMDb rating 7.869K votes
Ace in the Hole1951as Jacob Q. Boot
IMDb rating 8.043K votes
Miracle on 34th Street1947as Granville Sawyer
IMDb rating 7.960K votes
The Thin Man1934as MacCaulay
IMDb rating 7.936K votes
Sullivan's Travels1941as Mr. Hadrian
IMDb rating 7.931K votes
The Petrified Forest1936as Jason Maple
IMDb rating 7.516K votes
Make Way for Tomorrow1937as Harvey Chase
IMDb rating 8.111K votes

Most often with

James P. Hogan directed three of these films, Billy Wilder two and Preston Sturges two. Fred MacMurray appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Fred MacMurray

Irving Bacon

Gary Cooper

Henry O'Neill

Gene Lockhart

Akim TamiroffJames P. HoganDirector, 3 films

Billy WilderDirector, 2 films Preston SturgesDirector, 2 films

Films together

Fred MacMurray4 films together, 1937 to 1947
Fred MacMurray's page
- Singapore1947IMDb rating 6.5Hall as Mr. BellowsMacMurray as Matt Gordon
- Murder, He Says1945IMDb rating 6.9Hall as Mr. JohnsonMacMurray as Pete Marshall
- Double Indemnity1944IMDb rating 8.3Hall as Mr. JacksonMacMurray as Walter Neff
- True Confession1937IMDb rating 6.6Hall as Mr. HartmanMacMurray as Kenneth Bartlett
Irving Bacon3 films together, 1937 to 1943
Irving Bacon's page
- The Desperadoes1943IMDb rating 6.5Hall as Banker ClantonBacon as Dan Walters - Bartender
- His Girl Friday1940IMDb rating 7.8Hall as MurphyBacon as Gus
- True Confession1937IMDb rating 6.6Hall as Mr. HartmanBacon as Coroner
Gary Cooper3 films together, 1936 to 1947
Gary Cooper's page
- Unconquered1947IMDb rating 6.9Hall as LeachCooper as Captain Christopher Holden
- The General Died at Dawn1936IMDb rating 6.5Hall as Peter PerrieCooper as O'Hara
- The Plainsman1936IMDb rating 6.8Hall as Jack McCallCooper as Wild Bill Hickok
Henry O'Neill3 films together, 1935 to 1937
Henry O'Neill's page
- Wells Fargo1937IMDb rating 6.4Hall as James OliverO'Neill as Henry Wells
- The Story of Louis Pasteur1936IMDb rating 7.2Hall as Dr. RossignolO'Neill as Dr. Emile Roux
- The Case of the Lucky Legs1935IMDb rating 6.5Hall as Col. BradburyO'Neill as District Attorney Manchester
Gene Lockhart3 films together, 1940 to 1947
Gene Lockhart's page
- Miracle on 34th Street1947IMDb rating 7.9Hall as Granville SawyerLockhart as Judge Harper
- Going My Way1944IMDb rating 7.0Hall as Mr. BelknapLockhart as Ted Haines Sr.
- His Girl Friday1940IMDb rating 7.8Hall as MurphyLockhart as Sheriff Hartwell
Akim Tamiroff3 films together, 1936 to 1944
Akim Tamiroff's page
- The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek1944IMDb rating 7.5Hall as Jacob Woodson, Justice of the PeaceTamiroff as The Boss
- The General Died at Dawn1936IMDb rating 6.5Hall as Peter PerrieTamiroff as General Yang
- The Story of Louis Pasteur1936IMDb rating 7.2Hall as Dr. RossignolTamiroff as Dr. Zaranoff
James P. HoganDirector, 3 films, 1937 to 1939
All films by James P. Hogan
- Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police1939IMDb rating 6.1Hall as Man in Drummond's Dream
- Bulldog Drummond's Peril1938IMDb rating 5.8Hall as Dr. Max Botulian
- Bulldog Drummond Escapes1937IMDb rating 6.0Hall as Norman Merridew
Billy WilderDirector, 2 films, 1944 to 1951
All films by Billy Wilder
- Ace in the Hole1951IMDb rating 8.0Hall as Jacob Q. Boot
- Double Indemnity1944IMDb rating 8.3Hall as Mr. Jackson
Preston SturgesDirector, 2 films, 1941 to 1944
All films by Preston Sturges
- The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek1944IMDb rating 7.5Hall as Jacob Woodson, Justice of the Peace
- Sullivan's Travels1941IMDb rating 7.9Hall as Mr. Hadrian
Also three films together16 more actors
- William DemarestThe Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944), Sullivan's Travels (1941) and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
- Paul HarveyArizona (1940), The Petrified Forest (1936) and The Plainsman (1936)
- Reginald DennyBulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939), Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938) and Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937)
- E.E. CliveBulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939), Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938) and Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937)
- Elizabeth PattersonIntruder in the Dust (1949), Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939) and Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938)
- Halliwell HobbesYou Gotta Stay Happy (1948), Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938) and The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936)
- William FrawleyMiracle on 34th Street (1947), Going My Way (1944) and The General Died at Dawn (1936)
- Jean ArthurArizona (1940), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and The Plainsman (1936)
- Al BridgeThe Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944), Sullivan's Travels (1941) and Dark Command (1940)
- Clyde CookBulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939), Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938) and Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937)
- David ClydeBulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939), Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938) and Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937)
- Richard GainesAce in the Hole (1951), Unconquered (1947) and Double Indemnity (1944)
- Warren WilliamArizona (1940), Satan Met a Lady (1936) and The Case of the Lucky Legs (1935)
- Granville BatesMake Way for Tomorrow (1937), Wells Fargo (1937) and The Plainsman (1936)
- Lewis MartinPony Express (1953), Vice Squad (1953) and Ace in the Hole (1951)
- Jean HeatherMurder, He Says (1945), Double Indemnity (1944) and Going My Way (1944)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.