Acting
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.
Filmography
Matlock
Series · 1986
Hotel
Series · 1982
The Murder That Wouldn't Die
Film · 1980
The Ghosts of Buxley Hall
Film · 1980
Interview with Pontius Pilate
Film · 1980
The Last Song
Film · 1980
Tropic of Desire
Film · 1979
The President's Mistress
Film · 1978
Dallas
Series · 1978
Vega$
Series · 1978
The Paper Chase
Series · 1978
Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.
Film · 1977
The Love Boat
Series · 1977
Three's Company
Series · 1977
The Love Boat
Series · 1977
The Bionic Woman
Series · 1976
City of Angels
Series · 1976
White Line Fever
Film · 1975
Last Hours Before Morning
Film · 1975
The Legend of Lizzie Borden
Film · 1975
A Woman for All Men
Film · 1975
Switch
Series · 1975
Ellery Queen
Series · 1975
Archer
Series · 1975
Switch
Series · 1975
The Morning After
Film · 1974
Murder or Mercy
Film · 1974
Mame
Film · 1974
Happy Anniversary and Goodbye
Film · 1974
The Six Million Dollar Man
Series · 1974
The Norliss Tapes
Film · 1973
40 Carats
Film · 1973
Barnaby Jones
Series · 1973
The Candidate
Film · 1972
The Rookies
Series · 1972
Hawaii Five-O
Series · 1969
Love, American Style
Series · 1969
Hawaii Five-O
Series · 1969
Live a Little, Love a Little
Film · 1968
Here's Lucy
Series · 1968
The Mod Squad
Series · 1968
Judd, for the Defense
Series · 1967
Green Acres
Series · 1965
Gidget
Series · 1965
The F.B.I.
Series · 1965
Youngblood Hawke
Film · 1964
Gidget Goes to Rome
Film · 1963
Vacation Playhouse
Series · 1963
Bachelor in Paradise
Film · 1961
Desk Set
Film · 1957
Our Miss Brooks
Film · 1956
Private Secretary
Series · 1953
The Turning Point
Film · 1952
Cripple Creek
Film · 1952
The Savage
Film · 1952
Because You're Mine
Film · 1952
The Fallbrook Story
Film · 1952
The Racket
Film · 1951
711 Ocean Drive
Film · 1950
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
Film · 1950
My Friend Irma Goes West
Film · 1950
Buck Privates Come Home
Film · 1947
She-Wolf of London
Film · 1946
Danger Woman
Film · 1946
Cuban Pete
Film · 1946
Wild Beauty
Film · 1946
Resisting Enemy Interrogation
Film · 1944
How to Fly the B-26 Airplane
Film · 1944
Keep 'Em Slugging
Film · 1943
Reconnaissance Pilot
Film · 1943
Who Done It?
Film · 1942
Eyes of the Underworld
Film · 1942
Night Monster
Film · 1942
Eagle Squadron
Film · 1942
Top Sergeant
Film · 1942
Madame Spy
Film · 1942
Mystery of the White Room
Film · 1939