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
The Ghosts of Buxley Hall
as Judge Oliver Haynes
The Ghosts of Buxley Hall
as Judge Oliver Haynes
The Last Song
as Philip Brockhurst
The Last Song
as Philip Brockhurst
The Murder That Wouldn't Die
as Gen. Rocky Jensen
The Murder That Wouldn't Die
as Gen. Rocky Jensen
Interview with Pontius Pilate
as Theodore Michael
Interview with Pontius Pilate
as Theodore Michael
Tropic of Desire
as Commodore Phillips
Tropic of Desire
as Commodore Phillips
The President's Mistress
as Craig
The President's Mistress
as Craig
Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.
as Caufield
Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.
as Caufield
A Woman for All Men
as Barney
A Woman for All Men
as Barney
White Line Fever
as Cutler
White Line Fever
as Cutler
Last Hours Before Morning
as Mr. Pace
Last Hours Before Morning
as Mr. Pace
The Legend of Lizzie Borden
as George Robinson
The Legend of Lizzie Borden
as George Robinson
Happy Anniversary and Goodbye
as Ed Murphy
Happy Anniversary and Goodbye
as Ed Murphy
Murder or Mercy
as Henry Balin
Murder or Mercy
as Henry Balin
Mame
as Mr. Upson
Mame
as Mr. Upson
The Morning After
as Rudy King
The Morning After
as Rudy King
40 Carats
as Mr. Latham
40 Carats
as Mr. Latham
The Norliss Tapes
as Sanford T. Evans
The Norliss Tapes
as Sanford T. Evans
The Candidate
as Senator Crocker Jarmon
The Candidate
as Senator Crocker Jarmon
Live a Little, Love a Little
as Mike Lansdown
Live a Little, Love a Little
as Mike Lansdown
Youngblood Hawke
as Ferdie Lax
Youngblood Hawke
as Ferdie Lax
Gidget Goes to Rome
as Russell Lawrence
Gidget Goes to Rome
as Russell Lawrence
Bachelor in Paradise
as Thomas W. Jynson
Bachelor in Paradise
as Thomas W. Jynson
Desk Set
as Don the Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Desk Set
as Don the Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Because You're Mine
as Captain Burton Nordell Loring
Because You're Mine
as Captain Burton Nordell Loring
The Savage
as Running Dog
The Savage
as Running Dog
The Turning Point
as Joe Silbray
The Turning Point
as Joe Silbray
Cripple Creek
as Denver Jones
Cripple Creek
as Denver Jones
The Fallbrook Story
as Narrator
The Fallbrook Story
as Narrator
The Racket
as R. G. Connolly
The Racket
as R. G. Connolly
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
as Myron Brynk
Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone
as Myron Brynk
711 Ocean Drive
as Larry Mason
711 Ocean Drive
as Larry Mason
Buck Privates Come Home
as Capt. Christie
Buck Privates Come Home
as Capt. Christie
Wild Beauty
as Dr. Dave Morrow
Wild Beauty
as Dr. Dave Morrow
Danger Woman
as Professor Claude Ruppert
Danger Woman
as Professor Claude Ruppert
Cuban Pete
as Roberts
Cuban Pete
as Roberts
She-Wolf of London
as Barry Lanfield
She-Wolf of London
as Barry Lanfield
Resisting Enemy Interrogation
as Lt. Frank L. Williams, Jr. - American Co-pilot
Resisting Enemy Interrogation
as Lt. Frank L. Williams, Jr. - American Co-pilot
Keep 'Em Slugging
as Jerry
Keep 'Em Slugging
as Jerry
Reconnaissance Pilot
as Camera Instructor
Reconnaissance Pilot
as Camera Instructor
Madame Spy
as David Bannister
Madame Spy
as David Bannister
Who Done It?
as 'Murder at Midnight' program manager
Who Done It?
as 'Murder at Midnight' program manager
Night Monster
as Dick Baldwin
Night Monster
as Dick Baldwin
Eyes of the Underworld
as Edward Jason
Eyes of the Underworld
as Edward Jason
Eagle Squadron
as Ramsey
Eagle Squadron
as Ramsey
Top Sergeant
as Al Bennett
Top Sergeant
as Al Bennett