Porteous is best known the television drama series
A Country Practice as Dr. Elliot during its twelve-year run on the
Seven Network (1981–93), a role for which he won the
Silver Logie award in 1992. He has also won
AWGIE Awards for his various scriptwriting projects. In the series he had various romances including Matron Marta Kurtesz (
Helen Scott), Dr. Alex Fraser (Diane Smith) and Rosemary Prior (
Maureen Edwards) who he married in the final episode. Other TV credits include
What For Marianne?,
Catch Kandy,
Homicide,
Matlock Police,
Certain Women (1973-76),
The Box (1974),
Number 96 (1977),
Glenview High,
Cop Shop,
The Restless Years,
Neighbours,
Home and Away,
Blue Heelers and
Heartbreak High. Porteous has performed in many stage plays, among them
Hamlet,
Death of a Salesman (1970), the
Sydney Theatre Company's production of
King Lear and
Much Ado About Nothing. In June 2010 he completed a touring performance of
Codgers with
Ron Haddrick among others.{{cite web|url=http://codgers.com.au|title=Codgers He was a regular at the Q Theatre in
Penrith, New South Wales, and was also the ambassador for 'The Q', which was demolished in August 2005 and moved to the
Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre.{{cite web As a television screenwriter he has written scripts for series including
Neighbours and
Home and Away, sometimes under the pseudonym of John Hanlon.
Animation Porteous has also provided animation services to
Hanna-Barbera, and has created layouts for the film versions of
The Magic Pudding and
Blinky Bill. Shane was the voice of Sid the Seagull in the Cancer Council Victoria's Anti Skin Cancer advertising campaign "
Slip-Slop-Slap". ==Popular culture==