Porter Hall (September 19, 1888 – October 6, 1953) was a prolific American character actor, a master at portraying weaselly, irritable, and untrustworthy characters whose memorable performances often stole the scene in some of the greatest films of the Golden Age.
A veteran of the Broadway stage, Hall brought a unique, high-strung energy to his film roles. He made a lasting impression in two classic mystery films, playing the treacherous, unfaithful husband who confronts William Powell in The Thin Man (1934) and the suspicious, blackmailing train passenger who witnesses Fred MacMurray’s crime in the film noir masterpiece Double Indemnity (1944).
He was also a favorite of director Frank Capra, playing a corrupt senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). However, he is perhaps most famously remembered for his hilarious and menacing performance as Granville Sawyer, the ill-tempered psychologist who questions Santa Claus’s sanity in the timeless holiday classic Miracle on 34th Street (1947), cementing his legacy as one of the era’s finest supporting players.
