Eric Porter's illustrious career as a classical actor spanned five decades, earning him widespread recognition and acclaim until his untimely passing due to colon cancer in 1995. However, it was his remarkable portrayal of Soames Forsyte in the iconic miniseries The Forsyte Saga (1967) that catapulted him to international fame, earning him a BAFTA award.
Born to Richard John Porter and Phoebe Elizabeth Spall, Eric Porter's early life was marked by a fascination with the performing arts. He attended Wimbledon Technical College before making his stage debut in a production of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night at the Arts Theatre in Cambridge in February 1945.
Porter's early career saw him join repertory companies, including those led by esteemed directors Sir Donald Wolfit and Sir Barry Jackson. He went on to develop a repertoire of iconic roles, including Macbeth, King Lear, and Uncle Vanya, and won the London Evening Standard Award for his performance in Rosmersholm in 1959.
In 1960, Porter joined the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company, becoming a mainstay of the company for decades. His film debut came in 1964 with The Fall of the Roman Empire, but it was his role as the titular character in the BBC miniseries Soames Forsyte that cemented his status as a global phenomenon.
Porter's versatility as an actor saw him take on a wide range of roles, from atmospheric horrors like The Lost Continent (1968) and Hands of the Ripper (1971) to esteemed TV miniseries such as Anna Karenina (1977),The Jewel in the Crown (1984),and Oliver Twist (1985),in which he played the iconic role of Fagin.
Throughout his career, Porter was dedicated to bringing classic works to life on screen, adapting plays such as Cyrano de Bergerac, Man and Superman, and Macbeth for television. His remarkable body of work continues to be celebrated and admired to this day.
