Don Porter

Don Porter

Acting
Born 1912-09-24 - Died 1997-02-11Miami, Oklahoma, USA

Biography

Donald "Don" Porter (September 24, 1912 –February 11, 1997) was an American actor who appeared in a number of films since the 1940s, including Top Sergeant and Eagle Squadron. On television, he portrayed the widowed father of 15-year-old Frances "Gidget" Lawrence (Sally Field) in the 1965 ABC sitcom Gidget. Besides his work in film and television, Porter was active on stage, as he acted in more than 200 plays, including The Front Page, Plaza Suite, and Any Wednesday. He appeared in various films in the 1940s before landing the role of Peter Sands, the boss of Susan Camille MacNamara (Ann Sothern), on the 1950s sitcom Private Secretary. A retooled version of the series appeared later, titled The Ann Sothern Show. It featured many of the same actors, including Porter as hotel manager James Devery in the venue of a fashionable New York City hotel. He later guest starred on episodes of Green Acres, Love, American Style, The Mod Squad, Barnaby Jones, The Six Million Dollar Man, Hawaii Five-O, Three's Company (on which he played Jack Tripper's uncle), and Switch.

Movies (49)

Our Miss Brooks
6.6

Our Miss Brooks

1956Movie6.6
The Racket
6.3

The Racket

1951Movie6.3
She-Wolf of London
5.6

She-Wolf of London

1946Movie5.6
Tropic of Desire
6.4

Tropic of Desire

1979Movie6.4
Live a Little, Love a Little
5.5

Live a Little, Love a Little

1968Movie5.5
Who Done It?
7.0

Who Done It?

1942Movie7.0
711 Ocean Drive
6.4

711 Ocean Drive

1950Movie6.4
Mame
5.8

Mame

1974Movie5.8
40 Carats
5.7

40 Carats

1973Movie5.7
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
7.0

Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone

1950Movie7.0
Reconnaissance Pilot
7.0

Reconnaissance Pilot

1943Movie7.0
Bachelor in Paradise
6.3

Bachelor in Paradise

1961Movie6.3
The Savage
6.3

The Savage

1952Movie6.3
Buck Privates Come Home
6.4

Buck Privates Come Home

1947Movie6.4
Desk Set
7.0

Desk Set

1957Movie7.0
The Candidate
6.5

The Candidate

1972Movie6.5
Resisting Enemy Interrogation
6.6

Resisting Enemy Interrogation

1944Movie6.6
White Line Fever
6.0

White Line Fever

1975Movie6.0
Murder or Mercy
10.0

Murder or Mercy

1974Movie10.0
Night Monster
6.2

Night Monster

1942Movie6.2
Youngblood Hawke
6.3

Youngblood Hawke

1964Movie6.3
The Legend of Lizzie Borden
6.9

The Legend of Lizzie Borden

1975Movie6.9
The Turning Point
6.3

The Turning Point

1952Movie6.3
Cripple Creek
6.0

Cripple Creek

1952Movie6.0
Danger Woman
8.0

Danger Woman

1946Movie8.0
My Friend Irma Goes West
6.2

My Friend Irma Goes West

1950Movie6.2
Because You're Mine
6.8

Because You're Mine

1952Movie6.8
The President's Mistress
6.8

The President's Mistress

1978Movie6.8
Last Hours Before Morning
4.5

Last Hours Before Morning

1975Movie4.5
Gidget Goes to Rome
5.0

Gidget Goes to Rome

1963Movie5.0
The Ghosts of Buxley Hall
6.3

The Ghosts of Buxley Hall

1980Movie6.3
Keep 'Em Slugging
5.8

Keep 'Em Slugging

1943Movie5.8
Eagle Squadron
7.0

Eagle Squadron

1942Movie7.0
Happy Anniversary and Goodbye
5.2

Happy Anniversary and Goodbye

1974Movie5.2
A Woman for All Men
4.9

A Woman for All Men

1975Movie4.9
The Last Song
8.0

The Last Song

1980Movie8.0
Eyes of the Underworld
5.6

Eyes of the Underworld

1942Movie5.6
The Norliss Tapes
6.2

The Norliss Tapes

1973Movie6.2
Mystery of the White Room
9.0

Mystery of the White Room

1939Movie9.0
Madame Spy
6.5

Madame Spy

1942Movie6.5
The Murder That Wouldn't Die
4.3

The Murder That Wouldn't Die

1980Movie4.3
The Fallbrook Story

The Fallbrook Story

1952Movie
Cuban Pete
6.0

Cuban Pete

1946Movie6.0
Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.
6.3

Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.

1977Movie6.3
Top Sergeant
6.5

Top Sergeant

1942Movie6.5
Wild Beauty
8.0

Wild Beauty

1946Movie8.0
The Morning After
6.7

The Morning After

1974Movie6.7
How to Fly the B-26 Airplane
9.0

How to Fly the B-26 Airplane

1944Movie9.0
Interview with Pontius Pilate

Interview with Pontius Pilate

1980Movie

TV Shows (25)

Dallas
6.9

Dallas

1978Series6.9
The Love Boat
6.3

The Love Boat

1977Series6.3
Hawaii Five-O
7.2

Hawaii Five-O

1968Series7.2
Love, American Style
6.2

Love, American Style

1969Series6.2
The Six Million Dollar Man
7.3

The Six Million Dollar Man

1974Series7.3
Matlock
7.1

Matlock

1986Series7.1
Green Acres
7.2

Green Acres

1965Series7.2
Hotel
6.8

Hotel

1982Series6.8
Barnaby Jones
7.1

Barnaby Jones

1973Series7.1
Three's Company
7.5

Three's Company

1977Series7.5
The Bionic Woman
7.0

The Bionic Woman

1976Series7.0
The F.B.I.
5.6

The F.B.I.

1965Series5.6
Here's Lucy
6.7

Here's Lucy

1968Series6.7
The Rookies
6.9

The Rookies

1972Series6.9
Switch
6.6

Switch

1975Series6.6
Vega$
6.9

Vega$

1978Series6.9
Ellery Queen
7.5

Ellery Queen

1975Series7.5
The Mod Squad
6.1

The Mod Squad

1968Series6.1
Judd, for the Defense
7.7

Judd, for the Defense

1967Series7.7
Vacation Playhouse
8.0

Vacation Playhouse

1963Series8.0
Gidget
6.8

Gidget

1965Series6.8
The Paper Chase
7.6

The Paper Chase

1978Series7.6
Private Secretary
6.0

Private Secretary

1953Series6.0
City of Angels
5.6

City of Angels

1976Series5.6
Archer
7.7

Archer

1975Series7.7