Don Porter

Don Porter

1912-09-24

Biography

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.

Also appears in

The Candidate

The Candidate

6.5

She-Wolf of London

She-Wolf of London

5.6

Mame

Mame

6.0

Desk Set

Desk Set

7.0

Live a Little, Love a Little

Live a Little, Love a Little

5.5

Night Monster

Night Monster

6.2

White Line Fever

White Line Fever

6.1

Cripple Creek

Cripple Creek

5.7

Gidget Goes to Rome

Gidget Goes to Rome

4.8

The Turning Point

The Turning Point

6.2

The Ghosts of Buxley Hall

The Ghosts of Buxley Hall

6.3

The Legend of Lizzie Borden

The Legend of Lizzie Borden

6.7

Bachelor in Paradise

Bachelor in Paradise

6.5

40 Carats

40 Carats

6.0

711 Ocean Drive

711 Ocean Drive

6.3

Tropic of Desire

Tropic of Desire

8.0

Who Done It?

Who Done It?

6.9

The Norliss Tapes

The Norliss Tapes

6.0

The Racket

The Racket

6.3

Mrs. O’Malley and Mr. Malone

Mrs. O’Malley and Mr. Malone

6.0