Don DeFore (1913 - 1993)

Actor. Began working in films in 1937 doing mostly uncredited bit parts. His first billing was under his given name, Don DeForest, in the 1941 film “We Go Fast,” but his breakthrough role came in the 1942 Henry Fonda film, “The Male Animal.” He continued to work regularly through the 1940s usually playing the good […]

Don Diamond (1921 - 2011)

Although he often played a Spaniard, Mexican or Native American, Don Diamond’s father, Benjamin Diamond, emigrated to the United States from Russia in 1906 with his parents. Benjamin Diamond served in the United States Army in World War II and then became a prosperous clothing merchant. Benjamin and Ruth Diamond had another son, Neal, three […]

Don Drummond (1932 - 1969)

Don Drummond (12 March 1932 – 6 May 1969) was a Jamaican ska trombonist and composer. He was one of the original members of The Skatalites, and composed many of their tunes. Drummond was born at the Jubilee Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica, to Doris Monroe and Uriah Drummond. He was educated at Kingston’s Alpha Boys School, […]

Don Drysdale (1936 - 1993)

Don Drysdale During Drysdale’s 14-year baseball career, the fierce 6-foot-6 right-hander, nicknamed “Big D,” compiled a 209-166 record with a career earned-run average of 2.95. He pitched in five World Series and eight Major League All-Star games. Drysdale’s broadcasting partners, Vin Scully and Ross Porter, were told of Drysdale’s death shortly before Saturday night’s game […]

Don Durant (1932 - 2005)

Don Durant then began touring the American West as a singer/actor. He opened at many prestigious nightclubs, such as The Sands and The Sahara in Las Vegas. He garnered a small role in the 1955 Van Heflin film Battle Cry. To supplement his income, Durant taught actors how to ride horses and shoot guns, and […]

Don Francks (1932 - 2016)

Actor. A multi-talented performer, he made his mark as a jazz musician, vocalist and a versatile actor. Additionally, he became known for his voice work in several Canadian and American television series. Born Donald Harvey Francks, he played sports during his youth including lacrosse and enjoyed entertaining, as he gained experience in vaudeville, in addition […]

Don Galloway (1937 - 2009)

Galloway was born in Brooksville, Kentucky, the son of Malee (Poe) and Paul Smith Galloway, a contractor. Galloway began his television career in 1962 in the New York-based soap opera The Secret Storm as the first actor to play Kip Rysdale. His first nighttime video stint was on Tom, Dick and Mary, one-third of the […]

Don Gibson (1928 - 2003)

Don Gibson was born in Shelby, North Carolina, into a poor working-class family, and he dropped out of school in the second grade.  His first band was called Sons of the Soil, with whom he made his first recording in 1948.  In 1957, he journeyed to Nashville to work with producer Chet Atkins and record “Oh Lonesome Me” and “I Can’t Stop Loving […]

Don Grady (1944 - 2012)

Actor, Musician.  Born Don Louis Agrati, he is best remembered both as an original Mouseketeer, and as Robbie Douglas from ‘My Three Sons’. After his stint on The Mickey Mouse Club, he appeared on ‘The Restless Gun’, ‘Wagon Train’, ‘The Eleventh Hour’ and ‘The Rifleman’ before being cast the middle brother on ‘My Three Sons’. […]

Don Hanmer (1919 - 2003)

Actor. He appeared in the films, “Homer & Eddie” (1989), “Rhinestone” (1984), “The Hustler Of Muscle Beach” (1980), “St. Ives” (1976), “The Blue Knight” (1975), “Newman’s Law” (1974), “Papillon” (1973), “The Six Million Dollar Man, Wine, Women And War” (1973), “Drive, He Said” (1971), “The Counterfeit Killer” (1968), and “Special Delivery” (1955). Hanmer also made […]

Don Harron (1924 - 2015)

Don Harron’s parents owned and operated Harron’s Cleaners and Dyers in Toronto. Beginning at the age of 10, he earned extra money for the family during the Great Depression, doing “chalk talks” telling humorous stories while drawing caricatures in coloured chalk at company or club banquets, making $10 or $15 a talk. As a result […]

Don Knotts (1924 - 2006)

Don Knotts Born Jesse Donald Knotts in Morgantown, West Virginia, he is best known for his roles as ‘Deputy Barney Fife’ in the 1960s television series the “Andy Griffith Show,” and as landlord ‘Ralph Furley’ from the late 1970s television situation comedy series “Three’s Company.” He began his career as a ventriloquist and comedian in […]

Don Lapre (1964 - 2011)

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Don Lapre moved to Phoenix, Arizona with his family when he was a child. He married Sally Redondo in 1988. A high-school dropout, in 1990, Lapre and his wife started a credit repair business called Unknown Concepts. Lapre then began selling a 36-page booklet explaining how to recover a Federal […]

Don Megowan (1922 - 1981)

Don Megowan was born in Inglewood, California to Robert and Leila (nee Dale) Megowan. Leila was a negative cutter for Pathé, possibly what interested him in acting. At 6’7″ he was very active in sports, playing baseball, football, and throwing discus. He went to the University of California on a football scholarship, before serving in […]

Don Mitchell (1943 - 2013)

Don Michael Mitchell (March 17, 1943 – December 8, 2013) was an American actor, best known for appearing with Raymond Burr in the NBC television series Ironside (1967-1975). He played the role of Mark Sanger, and reprised the role in the made-for-TV “reunion” film in 1993 – his last TV appearance. Don Mitchell, who was a […]

Don Pardo (1918 - 2014)

Pardo was born in Westfield, Massachusetts to Dominick and Viola Pardo, immigrants from Poland, who owned a bakery. He spent his childhood in Norwich, Connecticut and Providence, Rhode Island. He graduated from Emerson College in 1942.  Pardo was hired for his first radio position at WJAR in Providence in 1938.  He joined NBC as an […]

Don Porter (1912 - 1997)

Donald Porter (September 24, 1912 – February 11, 1997) was an American actor who appeared in a number of films in the 1940s, including Top Sergeant and Eagle Squadron, but is perhaps best known for his role as Russell Lawrence, the widowed father of 15-year-old Frances “Gidget” Lawrence (Sally Field) in the 1965 ABC situation […]

Don Post (1902 - 1979)

Mask maker, prop fabricator. Celebrated as The Godfather Of Halloween, pioneer original creator of Over-The-Head Rubber masks, founder and namesake of Don Post Studios. His own curiosity prompted a backstage visit to examine Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily producing clown Paul Wenzel’s Popeye The Sailor Man full head mask, serving as Don Post’s inspiration […]

Don Rickles (1926 - 2017)

Don Rickles Don Rickles, the rapid-fire insult machine who for six decades earned quite a living making fun of people of all creeds and colors and everyone from poor slobs to Frank Sinatra, has died. He was 90. The legendary comic died Thursday at his home in Los Angeles of kidney failure, publicist Paul Shefrin […]

Don S. Davis (1942 - 2008)

Actor. He is best remembered for his television roles including that of ‘Major Garland Briggs’ on “Twin Peaks” from 1990 to 1991, and that of ‘Major General George S. Hammond’ on “Stargate SG-1” from 1997 to 2007. Born Donald Sinclair Davis in Aurora, Missouri, he was educated at the Southwest Missouri State College in theater […]

Don Siegel (1912 - 1991)

Born in Chicago, with Jewish origins, he attended schools in New York and later graduated from Jesus College, Cambridge in England. For a short time he studied at Beaux Arts in Paris, France, but left at age 20 and later made his way to Los Angeles.  Siegel found work in the Warner Bros. film library […]

Don Williams (1939 - 2017)

After the Pozo-Seco Singers disbanded, Don Williams briefly worked outside the music industry. Soon, however, Williams resumed his career in music. In December 1971, Williams signed on as a songwriter for Jack Clement with Jack Music Inc. In 1972, Williams inked a contract with JMI Records as a solo country artist. His 1974 song, “We […]

Don Wilson (1900 - 1982)

Don Wilson began his radio career as a singer over Denver radio station KFEL in 1923. By 1929, he was working at KFI, and shortly afterwards for Don Lee at KHJ, in Los Angeles. In a 1978 appearance on Tomorrow with Tom Snyder, Wilson claimed he was fired from KHJ because he had bought a […]

Don Zimmer (1931 - 2014)

Zimmer, nicknamed “Zim,” “Gerbil,” and sometimes “Popeye” because of his facial resemblance to the cartoon character, began his career in 1949 with the Cambridge Dodgers of the Class-D Eastern Shore League. He then played with the Hornell Dodgers of the Class-D PONY League in 1950, the Elmira Pioneers of the Single-A Eastern League in 1951, the Mobile Bears of the Double-A Southern League in 1952, and the St. Paul Saints of the Triple-A American Association in 1953 […]

Dona Drake (1914 - 1989)

Dona Drake was born Eunice Westmoreland in Miami, Florida, in 1914 to Joseph Andrew Westmoreland of Arkansas and his wife, Novella Smith of Alabama. She was one of their five children. Entering show business in the 1930s, she used the names Una Velon, Rita Rio and Rita Shaw. She settled on the stage name Dona Drake […]

Donal Donnelly (1931 - 2010)

He was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, but brought up in Dublin, Ireland. His father James was a doctor from County Tyrone, and his mother Nora O’Connor was a teacher from Kerry. Donal Donnelly attended school at Synge Street Christian Brothers School in Dublin where he acted in school plays with Milo O’Shea, Eamonn Andrews, Jack […]

Donald “Red” Barry (1912 - 1980)

Actor. Born in Houston, Texas, he was best known for his role as Red Ryder in the successful 1940s “Adventures of Red Ryder” film series. By the 1950s, he was in supporting roles in many westerns such as “Gunfire”(1950), “My Outlaw Brother’ (1951), “Seven Men from Now” (1956) and “The Last Mile” (1959). His many […]

Donald A. Glaser (1926 - 2013)

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Glaser completed his Bachelor of Science degree in physics and mathematics from Case School of Applied Science in 1946. He completed his Ph.D. in physics from the California Institute of Technology in 1949. Glaser accepted a position as an instructor at the University of Michigan in 1949, and was promoted to […]

Donald Beardslee (1943 - 2005)

Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1943, Beardslee was the oldest of three children whose father died when he was 11. He was sent to a military school at age 15 and joined the U.S. Air Force at 19, where he served for four years as an aircraft mechanic. He and another airman were caught […]

Donald Bevan (1920 - 2013)

Playwright, Screenwriter, Artist. He will be best remembered for co-penning “Stalag 17” which became a successful Broadway production and motion picture adaptation. Raised in Springfield, Massachusetts, his father was an engineer whom became a victim of “the Depression”, Donald has a fondness for drawing an upon high school graduation, he enrolled at the Grand Central […]