Eric Portman
Encyclopedia
Eric Portman was a distinguished English
stage and film actor. He is probably best remembered for his roles in several films for Michael Powell
and Emeric Pressburger
during the 1940s.
in Leeds
and acted in the amateur Halifax Light Opera Society. He made his professional stage debut in 1924 with Henry Baynton
's company, before he was engaged by Lilian Baylis
for the Old Vic
Company. In 1928, he starred as Romeo in the rebuilt Old Vic and forged a reputation as a noted Shakespearian actor.
In the 1930s, he began appearing in films. In 1935, he appeared in four films, including Maria Marten or Murder in the Red Barn
. In 1967, he played Number Two
in the TV series The Prisoner
, appearing in the episode "Free For All".
Portman is quoted as saying, "Acting is like masturbation - one either does it or one doesn't, but one never talks about it."
Portman was homosexual
, although newspapers never reported this during the mid-1950s when homosexuality was illegal in the UK
. Newspapers refrained from identifying his sexual preference throughout the 1960s when it could have still damaged his career.
He died at the age of 68 at his home in St Veep
, Cornwall
.
's play Separate Tables
in 1957.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
stage and film actor. He is probably best remembered for his roles in several films for Michael Powell
Michael Powell (director)
Michael Latham Powell was a renowned English film director, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger...
and Emeric Pressburger
Emeric Pressburger
Emeric Pressburger was a Hungarian-British screenwriter, film director, and producer. He is best known for his series of film collaborations with Michael Powell, in a multiple-award-winning partnership known as The Archers and produced a series of classic British films, notably 49th Parallel , The...
during the 1940s.
Biography
He started work in 1922 as a salesman in the menswear department at Marshall and Snelgrove's department storeDepartment store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and acted in the amateur Halifax Light Opera Society. He made his professional stage debut in 1924 with Henry Baynton
Henry Baynton
Henry Baynton was a British Shakespearean actor and actor-manager of the early twentieth century....
's company, before he was engaged by Lilian Baylis
Lilian Baylis
Lilian Mary BaylisCH was an English theatrical producer and manager. She managed the Old Vic and Sadler's Wells theatres in London, and ran an opera company, which became the English National Opera , a theatre company, which evolved into the English National Theatre, and a ballet company, which...
for the Old Vic
Old Vic
The Old Vic is a theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, it was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 when it was known formally as the Royal Victoria Hall. In 1898, a niece of Cons, Lilian...
Company. In 1928, he starred as Romeo in the rebuilt Old Vic and forged a reputation as a noted Shakespearian actor.
In the 1930s, he began appearing in films. In 1935, he appeared in four films, including Maria Marten or Murder in the Red Barn
Maria Marten or Murder in the Red Barn
Maria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn is a 1935 British film melodrama film starring Tod Slaughter and Eric Portman. It was directed by Milton Rosmer, whose most famous film was the English-language version of Emil and the Detectives that same year. It is based on the true story of the 1827...
. In 1967, he played Number Two
Number Two (The Prisoner)
Number Two was the title of the chief administrator of The Village in the 1967-68 British television series The Prisoner. More than 17 different actors appeared as holders of the office during the 17-episode series .The first...
in the TV series The Prisoner
The Prisoner
The Prisoner is a 17-episode British television series first broadcast in the UK from 29 September 1967 to 1 February 1968. Starring and co-created by Patrick McGoohan, it combined spy fiction with elements of science fiction, allegory and psychological drama.The series follows a British former...
, appearing in the episode "Free For All".
Portman is quoted as saying, "Acting is like masturbation - one either does it or one doesn't, but one never talks about it."
Portman was homosexual
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, although newspapers never reported this during the mid-1950s when homosexuality was illegal in the UK
Sexual Offences Act 1967
The Sexual Offences Act 1967 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom . It decriminalised homosexual acts in private between two men, both of whom had to have attained the age of 21. The Act applied only to England and Wales and did not cover the Merchant Navy or the Armed Forces...
. Newspapers refrained from identifying his sexual preference throughout the 1960s when it could have still damaged his career.
He died at the age of 68 at his home in St Veep
St Veep
St. Veep is a civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom situated above the east bank of the Fowey Estuary about three miles southeast of Lostwithiel....
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
Filmography
- The Girl from Maxims (1933)
- Maria Marten or Murder in the Red BarnMaria Marten or Murder in the Red BarnMaria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn is a 1935 British film melodrama film starring Tod Slaughter and Eric Portman. It was directed by Milton Rosmer, whose most famous film was the English-language version of Emil and the Detectives that same year. It is based on the true story of the 1827...
(1935) - Hyde Park CornerHyde Park Corner (film)Hyde Park Corner is a 1935 British drama film directed by Sinclair Hill and starring Gordon Harker, Binnie Hale, Henry Tate and Robert Holmes. Harker portrays a policeman investigating a crime in 1930s London, which proves to have its origins in the 1780s. The film takes its name from Hyde Park...
(1935) - Old RosesOld RosesOld Roses is a 1935 British crime film directed by Bernard Mainwaring and starring Horace Hodges, Nancy Burne and Bruce Lester. An elderly man assists the police in solving a murder, but accidentally reveals his own criminal past in the process.-Cast:...
(1935) - Abdul the DamnedAbdul the DamnedAbdul the Damned is a 1935 British drama film directed by Karl Grune and starring Fritz Kortner, Nils Asther and John Stuart. It was made by British International Pictures. It set in the Ottoman Empire in the years before the First World War where the Sultan and the Young Turks battle for power...
(1935) - Hearts of Humanity (1936)
- The CardinalThe Cardinal (1936 film)The Cardinal is a 1936 British historical drama film directed by Sinclair Hill and starring Matheson Lang, Eric Portman and Robert Atkins. The film depicts a power battle in Rome in 1570 between Giuliano de Medici and one of his rivals.-Cast:...
(1936) - The Crimes of Stephen HawkeThe Crimes of Stephen HawkeThe Crimes of Stephen Hawke is a British period film melodrama directed by George King and starring Tod Slaughter as the nefarious Stephen Hawke - who masquerades as the 'Spine-Breaker'. It also features Marjorie Taylor, D. J. Williams and Eric Portman.This is the third of Tod Slaughter's film...
(1936) - Moonlight Sonata (1937)
- The Prince and the PauperThe Prince and the Pauper (1937 film)The Prince and the Pauper is a 1937 film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Mark Twain. It starred Errol Flynn, twins Billy and Bobby Mauch in the title roles, and Claude Rains....
(1937) - 49th Parallel49th Parallel (film)49th Parallel is the third film made by the British writer-director team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. It was released in the United States as The Invaders. Despite the title, no scene in the movie is set at the 49th parallel, which forms much of the U.S.-Canadian border...
(1941) stranded U-boatU-boatU-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
commander - One of Our Aircraft Is MissingOne of Our Aircraft is MissingOne of Our Aircraft is Missing is a 1942 British war film, the fourth collaboration between the British writer-director-producer team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger and the first film they made under the banner of The Archers...
(1942) stranded RAFRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
officer - UncensoredUncensored (film)Uncensored is a 1942 British World War II drama, directed by Anthony Asquith for Gainsborough Pictures and starring Eric Portman and Phyllis Calvert...
(1942) Belgian resistanceResistance during World War IIResistance movements during World War II occurred in every occupied country by a variety of means, ranging from non-cooperation, disinformation and propaganda to hiding crashed pilots and even to outright warfare and the recapturing of towns...
operative - Squadron Leader XSquadron Leader XSquadron Leader X is a 1943 British World War II spy drama, directed by Lance Comfort and starring Eric Portman and Ann Dvorak. The screenplay was adapted by Miles Malleson and Wolfgang Wilhelm from a short story by Emeric Pressburger.-Plot:...
(1943) stranded LuftwaffeLuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
pilot - We Dive at DawnWe Dive at DawnWe Dive at Dawn is a 1943 war film directed by Anthony Asquith, starring John Mills and Eric Portman as Royal Navy submariners in the Second World War. It was written by Val Valentine and J. B. Williams with uncredited assistance from Frank Launder...
(1943) stranded RNRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
submarineSubmarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
r - Millions Like UsMillions Like UsMillions Like Us is a 1943 British propaganda film, showing life in a wartime aircraft factory in documentary detail. It stars Patricia Roc, Eric Portman, Megs Jenkins, and Anne Crawford, was written by Sidney Gilliat, and directed by Gilliat and Frank Launder...
(1943) factory manager - Escape to DangerEscape to DangerEscape to Danger is a 1943 British thriller film directed by Lance Comfort and Victor Hanbury and starring Eric Portman, Ann Dvorak and Karel Stepanek. During the Second World War a British schoolteacher working in Denmark is caught up when the Germans invade.-Cast:* Eric Portman ... Arthur...
(1943) - A Canterbury TaleA Canterbury TaleA Canterbury Tale is a 1944 British film by the film-making team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. It stars Eric Portman, Sheila Sim, Dennis Price and Sgt. John Sweet; Esmond Knight provided narration and played several small roles. For the postwar American release, Raymond Massey narrated...
(1944) The Magistrate - Great DayGreat Day (1945 film)Great Day is a 1945 British drama film directed by Lance Comfort and starring Eric Portman, Flora Robson and Sheila Sim. The small English village of Denley is thrown into excitement by the impending visit of Eleanor Roosevelt...
(1945) - Men of Two WorldsMen of Two WorldsMen of Two Worlds is a 1946 British drama film directed by Thorold Dickinson and starring Robert Adams, Eric Portman and Phyllis Calvert. An African music student returns home to battle a witch doctor for control over his tribe.-Cast:...
(1946) - Wanted for MurderWanted for Murder (film)Wanted for Murder is a 1946 British crime film directed by Lawrence Huntington.-Plot:Anne Fielding is delayed on the London Underground making her late for a meeting with her friend, Victor James Colebrooke. There, she meets Jack Williams who is also delayed. The two take an immediate liking to...
(1946) son of a hangman - Dear MurdererDear MurdererDear Murderer is a 1947 British thriller, directed by Arthur Crabtree for Gainsborough Pictures, and starring Eric Portman and Greta Gynt. The film was well-received for its tautness and ingenuity, with one reviewer noting: "Dear Murderer is a shrewd, semi-psychological thriller with Eric Portman,...
(1947) - The Mark of Cain (1947)
- DaybreakDaybreak (1948 film)Daybreak is a 1948 British film noir drama film, directed by Compton Bennett and starring Eric Portman, Ann Todd and Maxwell Reed. A sombre, bleak film, Daybreak was filmed in 1946, but ran into trouble with the BBFC, resulting in a delay of almost two years before its release...
(1948) - Corridor of MirrorsCorridor of Mirrors (film)Corridor of Mirrors is a 1948 British drama film directed by Terence Young and starring Eric Portman, Edana Romney and Barbara Mullen. It was based on a novel by Christopher Massie.-Cast:* Eric Portman - Paul Mangin* Edana Romney - Mifanwy Conway...
(1948) - The Blind GoddessThe Blind Goddess (1948 film)The Blind Goddess is a 1948 British drama film directed by Harold French and starring Eric Portman, Anne Crawford and Hugh Williams. A secretary sets out to his expose his boss, Lord Brasted, for embezzlement...
(1948) - The Spider and the Fly (1949) Police Chief Fernand Maubert
- Cairo RoadCairo Road (film)Cairo Road is a 1950 British crime film directed by David MacDonald and starring Laurence Harvey, Eric Portman, Maria Mauban, Harold Lang and John Gregson. A team of Egyptian anti-narcotic agents try to prevent shipments of drugs crossing the southern Egyptian border...
(1950) - The Magic BoxThe Magic BoxThe Magic Box is a fictional magic shop in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, created by Joss Whedon. It is located in Sunnydale and was last owned and operated by Rupert Giles, and served as the primary headquarters of the Scooby Gang for seasons five and six.-Ownership history:The shop went...
(1951) - His ExcellencyHis Excellency (film)His Excellency is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Eric Portman, Cecil Parker, Helen Cherry. A blunt Yorkshireman is sent to take over as Governor of a British-ruled island in the Meditarranean.-Cast:...
(1952) - South of AlgiersSouth of AlgiersSouth of Algiers is a 1953 British adventure film, directed by Jack Lee and starring Van Heflin, Wanda Hendrix and Eric Portman...
(1953) - The Colditz StoryThe Colditz StoryThe Colditz Story is a 1955 prisoner of war film starring John Mills and Eric Portman and directed by Guy Hamilton.It is based on the book written by P.R...
(1955) Senior British officer - The Deep Blue Sea (1955)
- Child in the HouseChild in the HouseChild in the House is a 1956 British drama film directed by Cy Endfield and starring Phyllis Calvert, Eric Portman and Stanley Baker. A girl struggles to cope with her uncaring relatives...
(1956) - The Good CompanionsThe Good Companions (1957 film)The Good Companions is a 1957 British musical film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Eric Portman. It is based on the novel of the same name and is a remake of the 1933 film version.-Cast:* Eric Portman - Jess Oakroyd* Celia Johnson - Miss Trant...
(1957) - The Naked EdgeThe Naked EdgeThe Naked Edge is a 1961 thriller film starring Gary Cooper and Deborah Kerr. The movie was a British-American co-production distributed by United Artists, directed by Michael Anderson and produced by George Glass and Walter Seltzer with Marlon Brando Sr. as executive producer...
(1961) - Freud (1962)
- West 11West 11West 11 is a 1963 British crime film directed by Michael Winner and featuring Alfred Lynch, Kathleen Breck, Eric Portman, Diana Dors and Kathleen Harrison. It is set in west London, the title taken from the postcode W11...
(1963) - The Man Who Finally DiedThe Man Who Finally DiedThe Man Who Finally Died is a 1963 British thriller film directed by Quentin Lawrence and starring Stanley Baker, Peter Cushing, Mai Zetterling and Eric Portman. A German immigrant to Britain receives a mysterious phone call telling him his father is not really dead...
(1963) - The Bedford IncidentThe Bedford IncidentThe Bedford Incident is a 1965 British-American Cold War film starring Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier, and co-produced by Richard Widmark. The cast also features James MacArthur, Martin Balsam, Wally Cox and Eric Portman, as well as early appearances by Donald Sutherland and Ed Bishop...
(1965) former U-boat commander-cum-advisor - The Spy with a Cold NoseThe Spy with a Cold NoseThe Spy with a Cold Nose is a 1966 British comedy film directed by Daniel Petrie.-Cast:* Laurence Harvey as Dr. Francis Trevelyan* Daliah Lavi as Princess Natasha Romanova* Lionel Jeffries as Stanley Farquhar* Eric Sykes as Wrigley...
(1966) British Ambassador - The WhisperersThe WhisperersThe Whisperers is a 1967 British drama film directed by Bryan Forbes. It is based on the 1961 novel by Robert Nicolson.- Plot :The Whisperers tells the story of an impoverished old woman living alone in a seedy apartment who enjoys a rich fantasy life as an heiress...
(1967) - DeadfallDeadfall (1968 film)Deadfall is a 1968 film directed by Bryan Forbes and starring Michael Caine, Eric Portman, and Giovanna Ralli, with music by John Barry.It is based on the 1965 thriller from author Desmond Cory....
(1968) Richard Moreau - Assignment to KillAssignment to KillAssignment to Kill is a 1968 American drama film directed by Sheldon Reynolds and starring Patrick O'Neal, Joan Hackett, John Gielgud, Herbert Lom and Oskar Homolka. A private detective is hired by an insurance company to investigate a shipping tycoon who is suspected of deliberately sinking his...
(1968) notary
Honours
He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor (Dramatic) for his Broadway performance as the bogus Major, in Terence RattiganTerence Rattigan
Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan CBE was one of England's most popular 20th-century dramatists. His plays are generally set in an upper-middle-class background...
's play Separate Tables
Separate Tables
Separate Tables is the collective name of two one-act plays written by Sir Terence Rattigan, both taking place in the Beauregard Private Hotel, Bournemouth, a seaside town on the south coast of England. The first play, entitled "Table by the Window", focuses on the troubled relationship between a...
in 1957.