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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. Possessing a weak chin and shifty eyes, Hall played movie villains or comedic incompetent characters. Born Clifford Porter Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio, he 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... MORE

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. Possessing a weak chin and shifty eyes, Hall played movie villains or comedic incompetent characters. Born Clifford Porter Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio, he 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. Hall was probably best remembered for three roles: a senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, an atheist in Going My Way, and the nervous, ill-tempered Granville Sawyer, who administers psychological tests to Macy's employees (including Kris Kringle), in Miracle on 34th Street. On October 6, 1953, Hall died of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California at the age of 65. He is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood. He had two children, David and Sarah Jane. Director Russ Meyer named one of the characters in the 1970 cult film Beyond the Valley of the Dolls after Hall. LESS