Mr Portman, a bachelor, was born at Chester Road, Akroydon, on July 13, 1903, the third of four children of the late Mr and Mrs Matthew Portman.
After leaving Rishworth School, he went to work in his father's outfitters' shop, which was then in the Arcade Royale, but his love of acting was so strong that whenever he could he took part in amateur productions with Halifax YMCA and Halifax Light Opera Society.
His professional stage career began at the Victoria Theatre, Sunderland, in 1924, with Robert Courtneidge's Shakespearean Company. Shortly after, with the same company, he made his first appearance in London in "The Comedy of Errors." With the exception of a part in "White Cargo" in 1925 and a tour in repertory the following year, he appeared almost exclusively in Shakespearean plays, chiefly with the Old Vic Company at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith.
From 1929 to 1932 he headed the Henry Baynton repertory company at Halifax Theatre Royal, which at that time was making a gallant, but decreasingly successful attempt, under Mr Percy Leonard, to keep "live" drama alive.
In Shakespearean rôles, he made a name as Horatio, Bassanio, Dauphin and Romeo, and especially for his interpretation as Arcite in "The Two Nobel Kinsmen," a play built around Chaucer's "Knight's Tale."
At the Gate Theatre plays such as "The Master Builder" and "The Intruder" showed that a brilliant actor had arrived.
Parts in which he scored successes included Steven Undershaft in "Major Barbara," and Byron in "Bitter Harvest," "She Stoops to Conquer," "The Rivals," "Richard of Bordeaux," Congreve's "The Old Bachelor," Somerset Maugham's "Sheppey" and many others.
In 1936, Warner Brothers offered him a contract. He went to Hollywood, but little came from the contract and he returned to London and the stage.
He later starred in The Prince and the Pauper, One of Our Aircraft is Missing, Uncensored, Squadron Leader X, Escape to Danger, Wanted for Murder, Millions Like Us, Men of Two Worlds, Zero Hour, and Cairo Road.
He won the Helen Terry Award for the best actor of 1948.
He never forgot his home town, and when he came to Halifax in March, 1943, in "Uncle Harry" at the Grand Theatre he was given a civic reception, and presented to the then Mayor (Ald J. Oddy) a cheque for £100 for Halifax Infirmary. On many occasions he assisted local charities, including the special appeal for Holy Trinity Schools in 1951.
He said this summer that he was giving up the stage, filming and television after heart trouble.
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