PLAYHOUSE TO HONOR MILLIONAIRE PHILANTHROPIST'S HELP GAVE THEATER COMPANY A HOME.

Byline: BRAD A. GREENBERG Staff Writer

CANOGA PARK -- Clyde Porter never wanted attention for his philanthropic efforts in the San Fernando Valley.

The 1994 recipient of the Fernando Award, an annual honor recognizing public service, Porter was all walk and little talk.

But Saturday, the West Valley Playhouse -- which owes its location to a generous gift from the Clyde and Mary Lou Porter Foundation -- will be renamed after the modest millionaire, who died in April at 79.

``If Clyde knew that they were doing this, he would absolutely roll over in his grave,'' said Marilyn N. Hankins, former executive director of the Valley Cultural Center, who will attend the ceremony with Porter's surviving family and friends.

Porter was president of P.L. Porter Co., the multimillion-dollar Woodland Hills-based company -- now in Burbank -- that manufactures motion-control products for airline and automobile seats.

Outside work, the Hidden Hills resident dedicated much of his time to improving the Valley's arts and culture. He was active in Haven Hills, the Valley Cultural Center, the Warner Center Association, West Valley Boys & Girls Club and Woodland Hills Rotary.

``His baby,'' said Hankins, was the West Valley Playhouse, at 7242 Owensmouth Ave., in Canoga Park.

Porter's foundation purchased the playhouse in 2000 to give the Woodland Hills theater a home. The theater company had bounced around the West Valley since its founding in 1985, and its artistic producing director was again shopping for a lease when he approached his colleague on the Valley Cultural Center board.

``I went and asked Clyde if he could take a look at this property for me, this Nazarene church. I was trying to get a long-term lease,'' Jon Berry said. ``He said, `They are never going to give you a long-term lease.' My heart got a little sad and everything. He said, `What if my foundation bought it for you?'''

That property didn't work out, but a week later, Porter found an old Masonic lodge a block north of the Madrid Theatre.

He invited Berry to meet him there and bought it on the spot. His foundation has leased it to the Woodland Hills theater at a below-market rate ever since.

``He is one of my heroes. You just don't know people like this; they don't come along very often,'' Berry said. ``We want to immortalize his name here. If he was alive, he wouldn't have wanted it, but because he has passed, it is important to put something up for him. I'd put a statue in the park if I could.''

brad.greenberg(at)dailynews.com

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IF YOU GO

Clyde Porter's West Valley Playhouse, 7242 Owensmouth Ave., in Canoga Park, will be dedicated at 4 p.m. Saturday. The ceremony coincides with the inaugural Clyde Porter Arts Day and will include an arts fair, musical performances on the outdoor stage and in the theater and an unveiling ceremony. Tickets are $30. For more information, call [phone].

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CLYDE PORTER

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IF YOU GO (see text)