Don Porter Explained

Don Porter
Birth Name:Donald Cecil Porter
Birth Date:September 24, 1912
Birth Place:Miami, Oklahoma, U.S.
Death Place:Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Occupation:Actor
Years Active:1929  - 1988

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, 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] 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[4] 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. He went on to appear in more than 200 plays.[3] His Broadway credits include The Front Page (1968), Plaza Suite (1967), and Any Wednesday (1963).[5]

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.[6] 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."

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.[6]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1939Mystery of the White RoomDr. Donald Fox
1941Sing for Your SupperTimUncredited
1942Top Sergeant Al Bennett
1942Eagle SquadronRamsey
1942Eyes of the UnderworldEdward Jason
1942 Night MonsterDick Baldwin
1942Who Done It?Art Fraser
1943Madame SpyDavid Bannister
1943Keep 'Em SluggingJerry
1944Resisting Enemy InterrogationLieutenant Frank L. Williams, Jr.Uncredited
1946She-Wolf of LondonBarry Lanfield Alternative title: The Curse of the Allenbys
1946Cuban PeteRoberts Alternative title: Down Cuba Way
1946Danger WomanProfessor Claude Ruppert
1946Wild BeautyDr. Dave Morrow
1947Buck Privates Come HomeCaptain ChristieAlternative title: Rookies Come Home
1950My Friend Irma Goes WestMr. Brent
1950711 Ocean DriveLarry Mason
1950Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. MaloneMyron Brynk
1951The RacketR.G. Connolly
1952Cripple CreekDenver Jones
1952Because You're MineCaptain Burton Nordell Loring
1952The SavageRunning DogCredited as Donald Porter
1952The Turning PointJoe Silbray
1956Our Miss BrooksLawrence Nolan
1957Desk SetElevator operator Don Uncredited
Alternative title: His Other Woman
1961Bachelor in ParadiseThomas W. Jynson
1963Gidget Goes to RomeRussell Lawrence
1964Youngblood HawkeFerdie Lax
1968Live a Little, Love a LittleMike Lansdown With Elvis Presley
1972The CandidateSenator Crocker Jarmon
197340 CaratsMr. Latham
1974The Morning AfterRudy King
1974MameClaude Upson
1975White Line FeverCutler
1975A Woman for All MenBarney
1979Butterflies in HeatCommodore Phillips
1980The Last SongPhilip BrokhurstTV movie
1985JoeyAlternative title: Making Contact

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1953–1957Private SecretaryPeter Sands103 episodes
1959–1961The Ann Sothern ShowJames Devery45 episodes
1965–1966GidgetProfessor Russell Lawrence32 episodes
1969Judd, for the DefenseFrank VintonEpisode: "Epitaph on a Computer Card"
1971Green AcresManager of Hotel Rexford, CarterEpisode: "Hawaiian Honeymoon" backdoor pilot for sitcom featuring Don Porter
1972Cade's CountyMartin Russell Episode: "Blackout"
1972BanacekArnold LeelandEpisode: "A Million the Hard Way"
1972The RookiesGeneral BrookerEpisode: "A Deadly Velocity"
1973Hawaii Five-OJonathan Cavel-IRS Investigator (The Star in the episode)Episode: "Murder is a Taxing Affair"
1973The New Adventures of Perry MasonOtis TempleEpisode: "The Case of the Deadly Deeds"
1973TenaflyMiles Episode: "The Cash and Carry Caper"
1974Here's LucyKen RichardsEpisode: "Meanwhile, Back At the Office"
1974The Six Million Dollar ManDr. Stanley BaconEpisode: "Population: Zero"
1974ChaseMillerEpisode: "Out of Gas"
1974The F.B.I.Mason HammondEpisode: "The Lost Man"
1974Barnaby JonesAdam Montgomery Episode: "Web of Deceit"
1975Ellery QueenGregory Layton Episode: "The Adventure of Veronica's Veils"
1975McMillan & WifeAdrian Danzinger Episode: "Secrets for Sale"
1976–1977The Bionic WomanDr. James Courtney 3 episodes
1977Three's CompanyUncle Fremont Episode: "Jack's Uncle"
1978The Paper ChaseFranklin Ford IIEpisode: "The Man Who Would Be King"
1978Vega$Senator William Mitchell Episode: "The Games Girls Play"
1978Sword of JusticeJudge Addams Episode: "Judgement Day"
1978The Love BoatSlade SummerhillEpisode: “Gopher the Rebel”
1979TurnaboutEd Episode: "Till Dad Do Us Part"
1980DallasMatt Devlin4 episodes
1981Fantasy IslandEmmett LathamEpisode: "Also Rans/Portrait of Solange"
1983The Love BoatGeorge CowensEpisode: "He Ain't Heavy"
1983HotelJonathan CorryEpisode: "Faith, Hope & Charity"
1986MatlockProfessor Erskine Tate Episode: "The Professor"

Notes and References

  1. Book: Terrace. Vincent. Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. January 10, 2014. McFarland. Jefferson, N.C.. 978-0-7864-8641-0. 391. 2nd. February 27, 2022.
  2. News: Obituary: Don Porter . Vosburgh. Dick. March 5, 1997. The Independent. London. September 11, 2009. registration.
  3. News: Actor Don Porter Dies at 84 in L.A.. Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 20 November 2017. February 20, 1997. https://web.archive.org/web/20171120032422/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/544390/ACTOR-DON-PORTER-DIES-AT-84-IN-LA.html. 20 November 2017.
  4. News: 1997-03-05 . Don Porter (obituary) . 16 . The Independent . London, England . 2022-08-21. Newspapers.com.
  5. Web site: ("Don Porter" search results). Playbill Vault. 20 November 2017. https://archive.today/20171120030317/http://www.playbill.com/searchpage/search?shows=on&people=on&theatres=on&q=Don+Porter&qasset=00000150-ac82-d16d-a550-ecbe082a0000. 20 November 2017. dead.
  6. News: Oliver. Myrna. Don Porter; Actor Played TV Bosses and Gidget's Father. 20 November 2017. Los Angeles Times. February 20, 1997. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171120031508/http://articles.latimes.com/1997-02-20/local/me-30488_1_don-porter. 20 November 2017.