FLIXREC
Don Porter

Don Porter

Acting September 24, 1912 (84 years old) February 11, 1997 Miami, Oklahoma, USA

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.

Movies 49

Mame 5.9

Mame

as Mr. Upson

1974
My Friend Irma Goes West 6.3

My Friend Irma Goes West

as Mr. Brent

1950
The Racket 6.3

The Racket

as R. G. Connolly

1951
She-Wolf of London 5.6

She-Wolf of London

as Barry Lanfield

1946
The Legend of Lizzie Borden 6.9

The Legend of Lizzie Borden

as George Robinson

1975
Live a Little, Love a Little 5.5

Live a Little, Love a Little

as Mike Lansdown

1968
The Candidate 6.5

The Candidate

as Senator Crocker Jarmon

1972
Desk Set 7.0

Desk Set

as Don the Elevator Operator (uncredited)

1957
Buck Privates Come Home 6.4

Buck Privates Come Home

as Capt. Christie

1947
The Ghosts of Buxley Hall 6.2

The Ghosts of Buxley Hall

as Judge Oliver Haynes

1980
Bachelor in Paradise 6.3

Bachelor in Paradise

as Thomas W. Jynson

1961
White Line Fever 6.1

White Line Fever

as Cutler

1975
A Woman for All Men 4.9

A Woman for All Men

as Barney

1975
The Turning Point 6.2

The Turning Point

as Joe Silbray

1952
Youngblood Hawke 6.3

Youngblood Hawke

as Ferdie Lax

1964
The Savage 6.3

The Savage

as Running Dog

1952
Gidget Goes to Rome 5.1

Gidget Goes to Rome

as Russell Lawrence

1963
40 Carats 5.7

40 Carats

as Mr. Latham

1973
Because You're Mine 6.8

Because You're Mine

as Captain Burton Nordell Loring

1952
Who Done It? 6.9

Who Done It?

as 'Murder at Midnight' program manager

1942
The Norliss Tapes 6.2

The Norliss Tapes

as Sanford T. Evans

1973
Happy Anniversary and Goodbye 5.2

Happy Anniversary and Goodbye

as Ed Murphy

1974
Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A. 6.3

Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.

as Caufield

1977
Mystery of the White Room 9.0

Mystery of the White Room

as Dr. Donald Fox

1939
711 Ocean Drive 6.4

711 Ocean Drive

as Larry Mason

1950
Night Monster 6.2

Night Monster

as Dick Baldwin

1942
Madame Spy 6.5

Madame Spy

as David Bannister

1942
Our Miss Brooks 6.6

Our Miss Brooks

as Lawrence Nolan

1956
The Murder That Wouldn't Die 4.3

The Murder That Wouldn't Die

as Gen. Rocky Jensen

1980
Danger Woman 8.0

Danger Woman

as Professor Claude Ruppert

1946
Cripple Creek 6.0

Cripple Creek

as Denver Jones

1952
The President's Mistress 6.8

The President's Mistress

as Craig

1978
Resisting Enemy Interrogation 6.6

Resisting Enemy Interrogation

as Lt. Frank L. Williams, Jr. - American Co-pilot

1944
Eagle Squadron 7.0

Eagle Squadron

as Ramsey

1942
Eyes of the Underworld 5.6

Eyes of the Underworld

as Edward Jason

1942
Tropic of Desire 6.4

Tropic of Desire

as Commodore Phillips

1979
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone 7.0

Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone

as Myron Brynk

1950
Murder or Mercy 10.0

Murder or Mercy

as Henry Balin

1974
Cuban Pete 6.0

Cuban Pete

as Roberts

1946
Reconnaissance Pilot 7.0

Reconnaissance Pilot

as Camera Instructor

1943
How to Fly the B-26 Airplane 9.0

How to Fly the B-26 Airplane

as Captain Dick

1944
Interview with Pontius Pilate

Interview with Pontius Pilate

as Theodore Michael

1980
The Morning After 6.7

The Morning After

as Rudy King

1974
Last Hours Before Morning 4.5

Last Hours Before Morning

as Mr. Pace

1975
Top Sergeant 6.5

Top Sergeant

as Al Bennett

1942
The Last Song 8.0

The Last Song

as Philip Brockhurst

1980
Keep 'Em Slugging 5.8

Keep 'Em Slugging

as Jerry

1943
Wild Beauty 8.0

Wild Beauty

as Dr. Dave Morrow

1946
The Fallbrook Story

The Fallbrook Story

as Narrator

1952

TV Shows 28

Reviews

Loading reviews...