About

Known credits:
51
Birthday:
1912-09-24
Place of birth:
Miami, Oklahoma, USA
Website:
N/A

Don Porter

Overview

Donald "Don" Porter was an American actor who appeared in a number of films in 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

Acting
1980 The Ghosts of Buxley Hall Actor Judge Oliver Haynes 59
Average
1980 The Last Song Actor Philip Brockhurst 59
Average
1980 The Murder That Wouldn't Die Actor Gen. Rocky Jensen N/A
N/A
1980 Interview with Pontius Pilate Actor Theodore Michael N/A
N/A
1979 Tropic of Desire Actor Commodore Phillips 59
Average
1978 The President's Mistress Actor Craig 59
Average
1977 Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A. Actor Caufield 58
Average
1975 A Woman for All Men Actor Barney 58
Average
1975 White Line Fever Actor Cutler 59
Average
1975 Last Hours Before Morning Actor Mr. Pace 59
Average
1975 The Legend of Lizzie Borden Actor George Robinson 59
Average
1974 Happy Anniversary and Goodbye Actor Ed 'Mad Dog' Murphy 58
Average
1974 Murder or Mercy Actor Henry Balin N/A
N/A
1974 Mame Actor Mr. Upson 59
Average
1974 The Morning After Actor Rudy King 58
Average
1973 40 Carats Actor Mr. Latham 59
Average
1973 The Norliss Tapes Actor Sanford T. Evans 59
Average
1972 The Candidate Actor Senator Crocker Jarmon 60
Fair
1968 Live a Little, Love a Little Actor Mike Lansdown 58
Average
1965 Gidget Actor Professor Russell Lawrence 68
Fair
1964 Youngblood Hawke Actor Ferdie Lax 59
Average
1963 Gidget Goes to Rome Actor Russell Lawrence 58
Average
1961 Bachelor in Paradise Actor Thomas W. Jynson 59
Average
1957 Desk Set Actor Don the Elevator Operator (uncredited) 61
Fair
1956 Our Miss Brooks Actor Lawrence Nolan 59
Average
1953 Private Secretary Actor 69
Fair
1952 Because You're Mine Actor Captain Burton Nordell Loring 59
Average
1952 The Savage Actor Running Dog 59
Average
1952 The Turning Point Actor Joe Silbray 59
Average
1952 Cripple Creek Actor Denver Jones 59
Average
1952 The Fallbrook Story Actor Narrator N/A
N/A
1951 The Racket Actor R. G. Connolly 59
Average
1950 Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone Actor Myron Brynk 59
Average
1950 711 Ocean Drive Actor Larry Mason 59
Average
1950 My Friend Irma Goes West Actor Mr. Brent 59
Average
1947 Buck Privates Come Home Actor Capt. Christie 59
Average
1946 Wild Beauty Actor Dr. Dave Morrow N/A
N/A
1946 Danger Woman Actor Professor Claude Ruppert N/A
N/A
1946 Cuban Pete Actor Roberts 59
Average
1946 She-Wolf of London Actor Barry Lanfield 58
Average
1944 Resisting Enemy Interrogation Actor Lt. Frank L. Williams, Jr. - American Co-pilot 59
Average
1944 How to Fly the B-26 Airplane Actor Captain Dick N/A
N/A
1943 Keep 'Em Slugging Actor Jerry 58
Average
1943 Reconnaissance Pilot Actor Camera Instructor N/A
N/A
1942 Madame Spy Actor David Bannister 59
Average
1942 Who Done It? Actor 'Murder at Midnight' program manager 59
Average
1942 Night Monster Actor Dick Baldwin 59
Average
1942 Eyes of the Underworld Actor Edward Jason 58
Average
1942 Eagle Squadron Actor Ramsey N/A
N/A
1942 Top Sergeant Actor Al Bennett 59
Average
1939 Mystery of the White Room Actor Dr. Donald Fox N/A
N/A