Don Porter
Born
September 24, 1912 (age 84)
Died
February 11, 1997
Birthplace
Miami, Oklahoma, USA

Don Porter

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

The Ghosts of Buxley Hall
The Ghosts of Buxley Hall
1980 ★ 6.3
Judge Oliver Haynes
The Last Song
The Last Song
1980 ★ 7.0
Philip Brockhurst
The Murder That Wouldn't Die
The Murder That Wouldn't Die
1980 ★ 2.0
Gen. Rocky Jensen
Interview with Pontius Pilate
Interview with Pontius Pilate
1980
Theodore Michael
Tropic of Desire
Tropic of Desire
1979 ★ 6.4
Commodore Phillips
The President's Mistress
The President's Mistress
1978 ★ 6.7
Craig
Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.
Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.
1977 ★ 5.4
Caufield
A Woman for All Men
A Woman for All Men
1975 ★ 4.8
Barney
White Line Fever
White Line Fever
1975 ★ 6.0
Cutler
Last Hours Before Morning
Last Hours Before Morning
1975 ★ 2.0
Mr. Pace
The Legend of Lizzie Borden
The Legend of Lizzie Borden
1975 ★ 6.8
George Robinson
Happy Anniversary and Goodbye
Happy Anniversary and Goodbye
1974 ★ 4.8
Ed 'Mad Dog' Murphy
Murder or Mercy
Murder or Mercy
1974
Henry Balin
Mame
Mame
1974 ★ 6.0
Mr. Upson
The Morning After
The Morning After
1974 ★ 6.5
Rudy King
40 Carats
40 Carats
1973 ★ 5.7
Mr. Latham
The Norliss Tapes
The Norliss Tapes
1973 ★ 6.0
Sanford T. Evans
The Candidate
The Candidate
1972 ★ 6.5
Senator Crocker Jarmon
Live a Little, Love a Little
Live a Little, Love a Little
1968 ★ 5.5
Mike Lansdown
Youngblood Hawke
Youngblood Hawke
1964 ★ 6.1
Ferdie Lax
Gidget Goes to Rome
Gidget Goes to Rome
1963 ★ 4.8
Russell Lawrence
Bachelor in Paradise
Bachelor in Paradise
1961 ★ 6.3
Thomas W. Jynson
Desk Set
Desk Set
1957 ★ 7.0
Don the Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Our Miss Brooks
Our Miss Brooks
1956 ★ 6.2
Lawrence Nolan
Because You're Mine
Because You're Mine
1952 ★ 6.7
Captain Burton Nordell Loring
The Savage
The Savage
1952 ★ 6.1
Running Dog
The Turning Point
The Turning Point
1952 ★ 6.2
Joe Silbray
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek
1952 ★ 5.7
Denver Jones
The Fallbrook Story
The Fallbrook Story
1952
Narrator
The Racket
The Racket
1951 ★ 6.3
R. G. Connolly
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
1950 ★ 6.0
Myron Brynk
711 Ocean Drive
711 Ocean Drive
1950 ★ 6.3
Larry Mason
My Friend Irma Goes West
My Friend Irma Goes West
1950 ★ 6.1
Mr. Brent
Buck Privates Come Home
Buck Privates Come Home
1947 ★ 6.3
Capt. Christie
Wild Beauty
Wild Beauty
1946
Dr. Dave Morrow
Danger Woman
Danger Woman
1946
Professor Claude Ruppert
Cuban Pete
Cuban Pete
1946 ★ 5.0
Roberts
She-Wolf of London
She-Wolf of London
1946 ★ 5.6
Barry Lanfield
Resisting Enemy Interrogation
Resisting Enemy Interrogation
1944 ★ 6.6
Lt. Frank L. Williams, Jr. - American Co-pilot
How to Fly the B-26 Airplane
How to Fly the B-26 Airplane
1944
Captain Dick
Keep 'Em Slugging
Keep 'Em Slugging
1943 ★ 5.5
Jerry
Reconnaissance Pilot
Reconnaissance Pilot
1943
Camera Instructor
Madame Spy
Madame Spy
1942 ★ 6.0
David Bannister
Who Done It?
Who Done It?
1942 ★ 7.0
'Murder at Midnight' program manager
Night Monster
Night Monster
1942 ★ 6.2
Dick Baldwin
Eyes of the Underworld
Eyes of the Underworld
1942 ★ 4.8
Edward Jason
Eagle Squadron
Eagle Squadron
1942 ★ 5.5
Ramsey
Top Sergeant
Top Sergeant
1942 ★ 6.0
Al Bennett
Mystery of the White Room
Mystery of the White Room
1939
Dr. Donald Fox

TV Series