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

  • Dallas

    Dallas

  • The Love Boat

    The Love Boat

  • Hotel

    Hotel

  • Hawaii Five-O

    Hawaii Five-O

  • Hawaii Five-O

    Hawaii Five-O

  • Matlock

    Matlock

  • The Six Million Dollar Man

    The Six Million Dollar Man

  • Green Acres

    Green Acres

  • Love, American Style

    Love, American Style

  • Three's Company

    Three's Company

  • The Bionic Woman

    The Bionic Woman

  • Switch

    Switch

  • Switch

    Switch

  • Barnaby Jones

    Barnaby Jones

  • The F.B.I.

    The F.B.I.

  • Vega$

    Vega$

  • The Rookies

    The Rookies

  • Here's Lucy

    Here's Lucy

  • The Mod Squad

    The Mod Squad

  • Ellery Queen

    Ellery Queen

  • Judd for the Defense

    Judd for the Defense

  • Wild Beauty

    Wild Beauty

  • The Savage

    The Savage

  • Vacation Playhouse

    Vacation Playhouse

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

    Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.

  • Gidget

    Gidget

  • The Racket

    The Racket

  • The Paper Chase

    The Paper Chase

  • Cuban Pete

    Cuban Pete

  • Cripple Creek

    Cripple Creek

  • Mame

    Mame

  • The Candidate

    The Candidate

  • Eagle Squadron

    Eagle Squadron

  • Madame Spy

    Madame Spy

  • City of Angels

    City of Angels

  • Reconnaissance Pilot

    Reconnaissance Pilot

  • A Woman for All Men

    A Woman for All Men

  • Youngblood Hawke

    Youngblood Hawke

  • White Line Fever

    White Line Fever

  • The Murder That Wouldn't Die

    The Murder That Wouldn't Die

  • 40 Carats

    40 Carats

  • Who Done It?

    Who Done It?

  • She-Wolf of London

    She-Wolf of London

  • The Turning Point

    The Turning Point

  • 711 Ocean Drive

    711 Ocean Drive

  • Danger Woman

    Danger Woman

  • Private Secretary

    Private Secretary

  • The Morning After

    The Morning After

  • Resisting Enemy Interrogation

    Resisting Enemy Interrogation

  • Our Miss Brooks

    Our Miss Brooks

  • The Legend of Lizzie Borden

    The Legend of Lizzie Borden

  • Gidget Goes to Rome

    Gidget Goes to Rome

  • Bachelor in Paradise

    Bachelor in Paradise

  • Last Hours Before Morning

    Last Hours Before Morning

  • Happy Anniversary and Goodbye

    Happy Anniversary and Goodbye

  • The Last Song

    The Last Song

  • Because You're Mine

    Because You're Mine

  • The President's Mistress

    The President's Mistress

  • Keep 'Em Slugging

    Keep 'Em Slugging

  • Eyes of the Underworld

    Eyes of the Underworld

  • Tropic of Desire

    Tropic of Desire

  • Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone

    Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone

  • Mystery of the White Room

    Mystery of the White Room

  • Interview with Pontius Pilate

    Interview with Pontius Pilate

  • Buck Privates Come Home

    Buck Privates Come Home

  • My Friend Irma Goes West

    My Friend Irma Goes West

  • Live a Little, Love a Little

    Live a Little, Love a Little

  • How to Fly the B-26 Airplane

    How to Fly the B-26 Airplane

  • The Fallbrook Story

    The Fallbrook Story

  • The Norliss Tapes

    The Norliss Tapes

  • Archer

    Archer

  • Desk Set

    Desk Set

  • Night Monster

    Night Monster

  • Murder or Mercy

    Murder or Mercy

  • The Ghosts of Buxley Hall

    The Ghosts of Buxley Hall

  • Top Sergeant

    Top Sergeant