American actor (1912–1997)
Don Porter
Porter as Russell Lawrence on the 1965 sitcom
Gidget Born Donald Cecil Porter
(1912-09-24 ) September 24, 1912Died February 11, 1997(1997-02-11) (aged 84) Occupation Actor Years active 1929 – 1988 Spouse
Donald Cecil Porter (September 24, 1912 – February 11, 1997) was an American stage, film, and television actor.
On television, he played Peter Sands, the boss of Ann Sothern 's character on Private Secretary ,[1] : 857 and Russell Lawrence, the widowed father of 15-year-old Frances "Gidget" Lawrence (Sally Field ) in the 1965 ABC sitcom Gidget .[1]
Life and career
Porter was born in Miami, Oklahoma , and as a youth also lived in Nebraska and Oregon.[2] [3] [4] [5] He joined the Oklahoma National Guard at the age of 14, claiming to be 18, and was commissioned a lieutenant. He served as a combat photographer during World War II [5] and also appeared in training films.
Porter's first roles as an actor began when he was 17, playing dramatic parts on the radio. In 1936, he appeared on stage in Portland in Maxwell Anderson 's Elizabeth the Queen .[5] He went on to appear in more than 200 plays.[4] His Broadway credits include The Front Page (1968), Plaza Suite (1967), and Any Wednesday (1963).[6]
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.[3] 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 . Porter also had a lucrative stage career that included the long-running hit Any Wednesday (1964) opposite Sandy Dennis and Gene Hackman .
Porter also appeared in numerous films, including The Turning Point (1952), Our Miss Brooks (1956), Gidget Goes to Rome (playing Russell Lawrence two years prior to repeating the role in the series), and Live a Little, Love a Little (1968) starring with Elvis Presley .
In The Candidate (1972), he played Crocker Jarmon, a ruthless, corrupt United States Senator being challenged by a character played by Robert Redford . Commenting on a scene in which Jarmon gave a stirring speech with feigned sincerity, the New Statesman observed that Porter gave "a beautiful performance of Jarman giving a beautiful performance."[5]
Porter played Mr. Upson in the 1974 film adaptation of Mame with Lucille Ball and Bea Arthur . Porter made his last onscreen appearance in a 1988 episode of CBS Summer Playhouse .
Personal life and death
Porter was married to actress Peggy Converse with whom he had two children. He died at age 84 in his Beverly Hills, California home on February 11, 1997.[3]
Filmography
Film
Television
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1953–1957
Private Secretary
Peter Sands
103 episodes
1959–1961
The Ann Sothern Show
James Devery
45 episodes
1965–1966
Gidget
Professor Russell Lawrence
32 episodes
1969
Judd, for the Defense
Frank Vinton
Episode: "Epitaph on a Computer Card"
1971
Green Acres
Manager of Hotel Rexford, Carter
Episode: "Hawaiian Honeymoon" backdoor pilot for sitcom featuring Don Porter
1972
Cade's County
Martin Russell
Episode: "Blackout"
1972
Banacek
Arnold Leeland
Episode: "A Million the Hard Way"
1972
The Rookies
General Brooker
Episode: "A Deadly Velocity"
1973
Hawaii Five-O
Jonathan Cavel-IRS Investigator (The Star in the episode)
Episode: "Murder is a Taxing Affair"
1973
The New Adventures of Perry Mason
Otis Temple
Episode: "The Case of the Deadly Deeds"
1973
Tenafly
Miles
Episode: "The Cash and Carry Caper"
1974
Here's Lucy
Ken Richards
Episode: "Meanwhile, Back At the Office"
1974
The Six Million Dollar Man
Dr. Stanley Bacon
Episode: "Population: Zero"
1974
Chase
Miller
Episode: "Out of Gas"
1974
The F.B.I.
Mason Hammond
Episode: "The Lost Man"
1974
Barnaby Jones
Adam Montgomery
Episode: "Web of Deceit"
1975
Ellery Queen
Gregory Layton
Episode: "The Adventure of Veronica's Veils"
1975
McMillan & Wife
Adrian Danzinger
Episode: "Secrets for Sale"
1976–1977
The Bionic Woman
Dr. James Courtney
3 episodes
1977
Three's Company
Uncle Fremont
Episode: "Jack's Uncle"
1978
The Paper Chase
Franklin Ford II
Episode: "The Man Who Would Be King"
1978
Vega$
Senator William Mitchell
Episode: "The Games Girls Play"
1978
Sword of Justice
Judge Addams
Episode: "Judgement Day"
1978
The Love Boat
Slade Summerhill
Episode: “Gopher the Rebel”
1979
Turnabout
Ed
Episode: "Till Dad Do Us Part"
1980
Dallas
Matt Devlin
4 episodes
1981
Fantasy Island
Emmett Latham
Episode: "Also Rans/Portrait of Solange"
1983
The Love Boat
George Cowens
Episode: "He Ain't Heavy"
1983
Hotel
Jonathan Corry
Episode: "Faith, Hope & Charity"
1986
Matlock
Professor Erskine Tate
Episode: "The Professor"
Awards and honors
References
^ a b Terrace, Vincent (January 10, 2014). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 391. ISBN 978-0-7864-8641-0 . Retrieved February 27, 2022 .
^ Vosburgh, Dick (March 5, 1997). "Obituary: Don Porter" . The Independent . London . Retrieved September 11, 2009 .
^ a b c Oliver, Myrna (February 20, 1997). "Don Porter; Actor Played TV Bosses and Gidget's Father" . Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2017 .
^ a b "Actor Don Porter Dies at 84 in L.A." Deseret News . Salt Lake City. February 20, 1997. Archived from the original on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2017 .
^ a b c d "Don Porter (obituary)" . The Independent . London, England. 1997-03-05. p. 16. Retrieved 2022-08-21 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "("Don Porter" search results)" . Playbill Vault . Archived from the original on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2017 .
External links
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