Acting
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.
Filmography
Morecambe & Wise: Christmas Specials
Film · 2007
The Heroes of Telemark: Location report from Norway
Film · 2003
The Best of Morecambe and Wise
Film · 2001
Message for Posterity
Film · 1994
The World of Hammer
Series · 1994
Performance
Series · 1991
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
Series · 1986
Oliver Twist
Film · 1985
Oliver Twist
Series · 1985
Sherlock Holmes
Series · 1984
The Jewel in the Crown
Series · 1984
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Series · 1984
A Shilling Life
Film · 1982
The Crucible
Film · 1981
The Sin Bin
Film · 1981
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years
Series · 1981
Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
Film · 1980
Little Lord Fauntleroy
Film · 1980
Hamlet
Film · 1980
Churchill and the Generals
Film · 1979
The Thirty Nine Steps
Film · 1978
The Shetland Experience
Film · 1977
The Winslow Boy
Film · 1977
Anna Karenina
Series · 1977
Hitler’s Germany - A World at War Special Presentation
Film · 1976
Hennessy
Film · 1975
The Final Solution
Film · 1975
The Two Deaths of Adolf Hitler
Film · 1975
The Statue and the Rose
Film · 1975
Private Affairs
Series · 1975
The Final Solution
Series · 1975
Callan
Film · 1974
From War to Peace
Film · 1974
Warrior - World at War Special Presentation
Film · 1974
Playhouse
Series · 1974
The Day of the Jackal
Film · 1973
The Belstone Fox
Film · 1973
Hitler: The Last Ten Days
Film · 1973
Antony and Cleopatra
Film · 1972
Hands of the Ripper
Film · 1971
Nicholas and Alexandra
Film · 1971
Macbeth
Film · 1970
Separate Tables
Film · 1970
Play for Today
Series · 1970
Solo
Series · 1970
Civilisation
Series · 1969
Morecambe & Wise: Christmas Specials
Series · 1969
The Lost Continent
Film · 1968
The Forsyte Saga
Series · 1967
Kaleidoscope
Film · 1966
The Last Invasion
Film · 1966
The Heroes of Telemark
Film · 1965
The Wars of the Roses
Film · 1965
BBC Play of the Month
Series · 1965
BBC Play of the Month
Series · 1965
BBC Play of the Month
Series · 1965
BBC Play of the Month
Series · 1965
BBC Play of the Month
Series · 1965
BBC Play of the Month
Series · 1965
Knock on Any Door
Series · 1965
The Fall of the Roman Empire
Film · 1964
Theatre 625
Series · 1964
Theatre Night
Series · 1957
Emma
Film · 1948