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.
Acted in 71
1980s
- 1986
- 1982
- 1980
The Last Song
Philip Brockhurst
The Murder That Wouldn't Die
Gen. Rocky Jensen
1970s
- 1979
- 1978
The President's Mistress
Craig
- 1977
Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.
Caufield
- 1976
- 1975
Last Hours Before Morning
Mr. Pace
Archer
TV
- 1974
Happy Anniversary and Goodbye
Ed Murphy
Murder or Mercy
Henry Balin
The Morning After
Rudy King
- 1973
The Norliss Tapes
Sanford T. Evans
- 1972
1960s
- 1969
- 1968
Live a Little, Love a Little
Mike Lansdown
- 1967
- 1965
- 1964
Youngblood Hawke
Ferdie Lax
- 1963
Gidget Goes to Rome
Russell Lawrence
- 1961
Bachelor in Paradise
Thomas W. Jynson
1950s
- 1957
- 1956
Our Miss Brooks
Lawrence Nolan
- 1953
- 1952
Because You're Mine
Captain Burton Nordell Loring
The Turning Point
Joe Silbray
Cripple Creek
Denver Jones
- 1951
- 1950
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
Myron Brynk
711 Ocean Drive
Larry Mason
My Friend Irma Goes West
Mr. Brent
1940s
- 1947
- 1946
Wild Beauty
Dr. Dave Morrow
Cuban Pete
Roberts
She-Wolf of London
Barry Lanfield
- 1944
Resisting Enemy Interrogation
Lt. Frank L. Williams, Jr. - American Co-pilot
How to Fly the B-26 Airplane
Captain Dick
- 1943
Keep 'Em Slugging
Jerry
Reconnaissance Pilot
Camera Instructor
- 1942
Madame Spy
David Bannister
Who Done It?
'Murder at Midnight' program manager
Night Monster
Dick Baldwin
Eyes of the Underworld
Edward Jason
Eagle Squadron
Ramsey
Top Sergeant
Al Bennett
1930s
- 1939
Mystery of the White Room
Dr. Donald Fox
Directed 1
1960s
- 1965
Appearances1
1950s
- 1952
The Fallbrook Story
Narrator