Eric Porter
A highly respected Shakespearean for five decades until his death of colon cancer in 1995, classical actor Eric Porter's claim to international fame would, ironically, be outside of that realm, with one superb portrayal in one superb miniseries, The Forsyte Saga(1967), in which he won the BAFTA award. The son of Richard John Porter and Phoebe Elizabeth Spall, Porter first attended Wimbledon Technical College before stepping onto the stage as a walk-on in a production of William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" in February 1945 at the Arts Theatre in Cambridge. He continued in repertory until joining the National Service with the RAF during the war years. Early post-war credits would include touring with Sir Donald Wolfit and Sir Barry Jackson in their prestigious companies. Favorite roles in his repertoire would eventually include "Macbeth", "King Lear" and "Uncle Vanya". He won London's Evening Standard Award for "Rosmersholm" in 1959. Joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1960, he became a prime, esteemed resident for decades. Porter made his film debut in mid-career with The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) at age 36, but it was the BBC that made him an international favorite as the ever-proper but intensely emotional and unhinged "Soames Forsyte". Taboos were broken on that series with a violent rape scene that had people talking for months. Along with the newly acquired fame came leads in lesser films such as The Lost Continent(1968) and Hands of the Ripper (1971), adding class to both those atmospheric horrors. On the plus side, Porter engaged himself frequently in quality TV miniseries fare includingAnna Karenina (1977), The Jewel in the Crown (1984) and Oliver Twist (1985) (as Fagin), while transferring many classics to TV as well, with "Cyrano de Bergerac", "Man and Superman" and "Macbeth" being but a few.
The Day of the Jackal
as Colonel RodinAn international assassin known as ‘The Jackal’ is employed by disgruntled French generals to...
Movie page
Little Lord Fauntleroy
as Mr. HavishamYoung Cedric Errol and his widowed mother live in genteel poverty in 1880s Brooklyn after the...
Movie page
The Heroes of Telemark
as TerbovenSet in German-occupied Norway, resistance fighter Knut Straud enlists the reluctant physicist...
Movie page
The Fall of the Roman Empire
as JulianusIn the year 180 A.D. Germanic tribes are about to invade the Roman empire from the north. In the...
Movie page
Tsar Nicholas II, the inept last monarch of Russia, insensitive to the needs of his people, is...
Movie page
Hitler: The Last Ten Days
as Generalfeldmarschall Robert Ritter von GreimHitler: The Last Ten Days takes us into the depths of der Furher’s Berlin bunker during his...
Movie page
Hands of the Ripper
as Dr. John PritchardA series of murders occur that mirror those committed by the Whitechapel Ripper. Through his...
Movie page
The Wars of the Roses
as Henry VIIA 1965 BBC adaptation of William Shakespeare's first historical tetralogy (1 Henry VI, 2 Henry...
Movie page
The Thirty Nine Steps
as Chief Superintendent LomasThe year is 1914 and Richard Hannay, Mining Engineer who is visiting Britain for a short time...
Movie page
The Lost Continent
as LansenAn eclectic group of characters set sail on Captain Lansen’s leaky cargo ship in an attempt to...
Movie page
Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
as Dr. NicholsonThis intriguing story is set in the 1930s at a country house, where two amateur sleuths, Bobby...
Movie page
Antony and Cleopatra
as EnobarbusAdaptation of Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, a historical drama that attempts to bring an...
Movie page
Hennessy
as TobinFormer Irish Republican Army member Niall Hennessy lives in Belfast, Ireland, with his wife and...
Movie page
Hamlet
as PoloniusHamlet comes home from university to find his uncle married to his mother, and his father's...
Movie page
The Belstone Fox
as Asher SmithBased on the novel "The Ballad of the Belstone Fox", this heartwarming film chronicles the life...
Movie page
Kaleidoscope
as Harry DominionBarney Lincoln is a rambling gambling man who scores sensational wins at poker and chemin de fer...
Movie page
Message for Posterity
as James PlayerA version of Dennis Potter's play for television, remade shortly before his death as the...
Movie page
The Heroes of Telemark: Location report from Norway
as uncreditedOver one hour of black-and-white location footage and interviews with the stars and director,...
Movie page
The Sin Bin
as Stanley WilkinsonTV play set in an experimental self-rehabilitations unit at a British Prison, where six lifers...
Movie page
Callan
as HunterDavid Callan, secret agent, is called back to the service after his retirement, to handle the...
Movie page
Churchill and the Generals
as Gen. Sir Alan BrookeThe complicated relationship between Winston Churchill and the leaders of the British army...
Movie page
The Shetland Experience
as Narrator (voice)The environmental measures taken by the oil industry at the Sullom Voe terminal in the Shetlands.
Movie page
The Best of Morecambe and Wise
as Self (archive footage)Compilation of sketches featuring the much-loved funnymen Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise....
Movie page
Morecambe & Wise: Christmas Specials
as uncreditedRunning from 1969 until 1977, the BBC Christmas shows were usually on Christmas Day. These...
Movie page
The Winslow Boy
as Arthur WinslowThe term at Osborne Naval College is not yet over. Why, therefore, has cadet Ronnie Winslow...
Movie page
Separate Tables
as Major Pollock / John MalcolmA play by Terence Rattigan about the stories of several people staying at a seaside hotel in...
Movie page
A Shilling Life
as PetershamAn ex-West End playwright, interviewed by a hack-journalist for a railway station biography. How...
Movie page
Sherlock Holmes
as Professor MoriartySherlock Holmes uses his abilities to take on cases by private clients and those that the...
TV Show page
Play for Today
as Stanley WilkinsonPlay for Today is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and...
TV Show page
BBC Television Shakespeare
as uncreditedThe BBC Television Shakespeare is a series of British television adaptations of the plays of...
TV Show page
BBC Play of the Month
as Cyrano De BergeracPlay of the Month is a BBC television anthology series featuring productions of classic and...
TV Show page
BBC Play of the Month
as MacbethPlay of the Month is a BBC television anthology series featuring productions of classic and...
TV Show page
BBC Play of the Month
as Councillor Albert ParkerPlay of the Month is a BBC television anthology series featuring productions of classic and...
TV Show page
BBC Play of the Month
as Arthur WinslowPlay of the Month is a BBC television anthology series featuring productions of classic and...
TV Show page
Anna Karenina
as KareninAnna Karenina was a 1977 BBC television adaptation of Tolstoy's novel.
TV Show page
The Forsyte Saga
as Soames ForsyteThe Forsyte Saga is a 1967 BBC television adaptation of John Galsworthy's series of The Forsyte...
TV Show page
The Jewel in the Crown
as Dimitri BronowskyA sweeping drama about the ruling and ruled classes of World War II India, the story begins with...
TV Show page
Oliver Twist
as FaginOliver Twist is a 1985 BBC TV serial. It was directed by Gareth Davies, and adapted by Alexander...
TV Show page
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years
as uncreditedWinston Churchill: The Wilderness Years is an 8-part 1981 drama serial based on the life of...
TV Show page
Civilisation
as Macbeth (voice)Sir Kenneth Clarke guides us through the ages exploring the glorious rise of civilisation in...
TV Show page
Morecambe & Wise: Christmas Specials
as HimselfRunning from 1969 until 1977, the BBC Christmas shows were usually on Christmas Day. These...
TV Show page
The Perfect Morecambe & Wise
as HimselfA collection of the very best sketches, songs and comedy routines from the much-loved Eric...
TV Show page