Don Porter

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

76

Gender

Male

Birthday

1912-09-24

Day of death

1997-02-11 (84 years old)

Place of Birth

Miami, Oklahoma, USA

Don Porter

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.

Known For

  • The Love Boat

    The Love Boat

  • Dallas

    Dallas

  • Hawaii Five-O

    Hawaii Five-O

  • Hawaii Five-O

    Hawaii Five-O

  • Matlock

    Matlock

  • The Six Million Dollar Man

    The Six Million Dollar Man

  • The F.B.I.

    The F.B.I.

  • Love, American Style

    Love, American Style

  • The Bionic Woman

    The Bionic Woman

  • Hotel

    Hotel

  • Three's Company

    Three's Company

  • Here's Lucy

    Here's Lucy

  • Barnaby Jones

    Barnaby Jones

  • Green Acres

    Green Acres

  • The Rookies

    The Rookies

  • Vega$

    Vega$

  • Eagle Squadron

    Eagle Squadron

  • Switch

    Switch

  • Switch

    Switch

  • Cuban Pete

    Cuban Pete

  • Ellery Queen

    Ellery Queen

  • Youngblood Hawke

    Youngblood Hawke

  • Mame

    Mame

  • Cripple Creek

    Cripple Creek

  • Judd for the Defense

    Judd for the Defense

  • The Mod Squad

    The Mod Squad

  • The Paper Chase

    The Paper Chase

  • Resisting Enemy Interrogation

    Resisting Enemy Interrogation

  • Reconnaissance Pilot

    Reconnaissance Pilot

  • Gidget

    Gidget

  • Because You're Mine

    Because You're Mine

  • Our Miss Brooks

    Our Miss Brooks

  • Vacation Playhouse

    Vacation Playhouse

  • Mystery of the White Room

    Mystery of the White Room

  • Madame Spy

    Madame Spy

  • My Friend Irma Goes West

    My Friend Irma Goes West

  • Eyes of the Underworld

    Eyes of the Underworld

  • City of Angels

    City of Angels

  • The Savage

    The Savage

  • Private Secretary

    Private Secretary

  • Tropic of Desire

    Tropic of Desire

  • The Norliss Tapes

    The Norliss Tapes

  • Danger Woman

    Danger Woman

  • The Racket

    The Racket

  • The Candidate

    The Candidate

  • Archer

    Archer

  • Desk Set

    Desk Set

  • Murder or Mercy

    Murder or Mercy

  • White Line Fever

    White Line Fever

  • Live a Little, Love a Little

    Live a Little, Love a Little

  • Bachelor in Paradise

    Bachelor in Paradise

  • The Turning Point

    The Turning Point

  • Who Done It?

    Who Done It?

  • She-Wolf of London

    She-Wolf of London

  • The Legend of Lizzie Borden

    The Legend of Lizzie Borden

  • Buck Privates Come Home

    Buck Privates Come Home

  • Happy Anniversary and Goodbye

    Happy Anniversary and Goodbye

  • Gidget Goes to Rome

    Gidget Goes to Rome

  • Night Monster

    Night Monster

  • 40 Carats

    40 Carats

  • Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.

    Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.

  • A Woman for All Men

    A Woman for All Men

  • Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone

    Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone

  • The Last Song

    The Last Song

  • 711 Ocean Drive

    711 Ocean Drive

  • The Ghosts of Buxley Hall

    The Ghosts of Buxley Hall

  • Keep 'Em Slugging

    Keep 'Em Slugging

  • The Morning After

    The Morning After

  • Top Sergeant

    Top Sergeant

  • Wild Beauty

    Wild Beauty

  • The President's Mistress

    The President's Mistress

  • The Murder That Wouldn't Die

    The Murder That Wouldn't Die

  • Last Hours Before Morning

    Last Hours Before Morning

  • The Fallbrook Story

    The Fallbrook Story

  • Interview with Pontius Pilate

    Interview with Pontius Pilate

  • How to Fly the B-26 Airplane

    How to Fly the B-26 Airplane