Don Gordon (born Donald Walter Guadagno; November 13, 1926 – April 24, 2017) was an American

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

and

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

. His most notable film roles were those in which he appeared alongside his friend

Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of counterculture of the 1960s, 1960s counterculture, made him a top box office draw for his films of the late ...

: ''

Bullitt ''Bullitt'' is a 1968 American action thriller film directed by Peter Yates from a screenplay by Alan Trustman, Alan R. Trustman and Harry Kleiner and based on the 1963 crime novel ''Mute Witness'' by Robert L. Fish. It stars Steve McQueen, Ro ...

'' (1968), '' Papillon'' (1973) and ''

The Towering Inferno ''The Towering Inferno'' is a 1974 American disaster film directed by John Guillermin and produced by Irwin Allen, featuring an ensemble cast led by Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. It was adapted by Stirling Silliphant from the novels '' The ...

'' (1974). Between the first and the last of those films he appeared in '' The Gamblers'' (1970), '' WUSA'' (1970), '' Cannon for Cordoba'' (1970), ''

The Last Movie ''The Last Movie'' is a 1971 metafictional drama film directed by Dennis Hopper, who also stars as a horse wrangler named after the state of Kansas. It is written by Stewart Stern, based on a story by Hopper and Stern, and stars an extensive su ...

'' (1971), '' Z.P.G.'' (1972), '' Fuzz'' (1972), '' Slaughter'' (1972), ''

The Mack ''The Mack'' is a 1973 American blaxploitation crime drama film directed by California native Michael Campus and starring Max Julien and Richard Pryor. The film also stars Oscar-nominee Juanita Moore and Tony-nominated actor Dick Anthony ...

'' (1973), ''

The Education of Sonny Carson ''The Education of Sonny Carson'' is a 1974 American blaxploitation drama film based on the best-selling autobiography of Sonny Carson. The film was directed by '' The Mack'' director Michael Campus, and starring Rony Clanton, Don Gordon, ...

'' (1974) and '' Omen III: The Final Conflict'' (1981) as the ill-fated assistant to protagonist Damien Thorn.

Early life

Gordon was born Donald Walter Guadagno in Los Angeles on November 13, 1926. He sold newspapers at the age of eight to help support his family during the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

. He enlisted in the

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

at the age of fifteen after the

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...

, convincing his mother to say he was eighteen. He won eleven

service star A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or service period. T ...

s. Gordon entered

drama school A drama school, stage school, or theatre school is an undergraduate and/or graduate school or Academic department, department at a college or university, or a free-standing institution (such as the drama section at the Juilliard School) that ...

after the war and changed his name. As recounted after his death in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

,'' Gordon was standing outside the drama school at

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, United States, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway (California), Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, Pacific Palisad ...

and Gordon Street, when "a classmate told him that he would never make it in show business with the surname Guadagno. The student then pointed to the street sign and said, 'Your name should be Don Gordon.'"

Career

Gordon's television successes began with a starring role in the 1960–1961 syndicated series '' The Blue Angels'', based on the elite precision flight demonstration pilots of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

Blue Angels The Blue Angels, formally named the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, are a Aerobatics, flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy.. Blue Angels official site. Formed in 1946, the unit is the second oldest formal aerobatics ...

. In 1962, Gordon was nominated for a Primetime

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award catego ...

Award for his role as Joey Tassili on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

legal drama Legal drama, also called courtroom drama, is a genre of film and television that generally focuses on narratives regarding legal practice and the justice system. The American Film Institute (AFI) defines "courtroom drama" as a genre of film in wh ...

, '' The Defenders'', starring E.G. Marshall. During 1977–1978, he co-starred in the television show ''

Lucan Marcus Annaeus Lucanus (3 November AD 39 – 30 April AD 65), better known in English as Lucan (), was a Roman poet, born in Corduba, Hispania Baetica (present-day Córdoba, Spain). He is regarded as one of the outstanding figures of the Imper ...

'', and he played Harry in the CBS drama ''The Contender'' (1980).

Later career

Gordon's last credited film work was the 2005 documentary, ''Steve McQueen – The Essence of Cool''. Gordon was interviewed along with several others who had worked with McQueen, with whom he was a close friend and colleague.

Personal life

On February 18, 1948, Gordon (aged 21) married actress

Helen Westcott Helen Westcott (born Myrthas Helen Hickman, January 1, 1928 – March 17, 1998) was an American stage and screen actress. A former child actress, she is best known for her work in '' The Gunfighter'' (1950). Early years Westcott was born on Ne ...

(aged 20) in Oxnard, California. They had a daughter named Jennifer Kaye (born 1950), and they divorced in 1953. Gordon was married to actress Nita Talbot from 1954 to 1958. He married actress

Bek Nelson Bek Nelson (born Doris Dee Stiner; May 8, 1927 – March 28, 2015) was an American model and showgirl who turned to acting at age 29, making seven films and two dozen television shows in her first three years. Early life She was born Doris Dee S ...

on December 31, 1959, in Los Angeles. They adopted a daughter, Gabrielle, in 1966, and they divorced on May 23, 1979. Gordon died at

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, Tertiary referral hospital, tertiary, 915-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre, academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars ...

in Los Angeles on April 24, 2017, aged 90, survived by his wife, Denise, and his daughters, Jennifer and Gabrielle. He was diagnosed with cancer shortly before his death.Don Gordon, Steve McQueen’s Sidekick Onscreen and in Life, Dies at 90
''

'', May 7, 2017. Retrieved May 14, 2017.

Selected filmography

* ''

Twelve O'Clock High ''Twelve O'Clock High'' is a 1949 American war film directed by Henry King and based on the novel of the same name by Sy Bartlett and Beirne Lay Jr. It stars Gregory Peck as Brig. General Frank Savage. Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill, Millard ...

'' (1949) - First Patient in Base Hospital (uncredited) * '' Halls of Montezuma'' (1951) - Marine (uncredited) * ''

Let's Go Navy! ''Let's Go Navy!'' is a 1951 comedy film starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on July 29, 1951, by Monogram Pictures and is the twenty-third film in the series. Plot A local charity has raised sixteen hundred dollars and entrusted the ...

'' (1951) - Sailor (uncredited) * ''

Force of Arms ''Force of Arms'' (reissued under the title ''A Girl for Joe'') is a 1951 romantic war drama film set in the Italian Campaign (World War II), Italian campaign of World War II, starring William Holden, Nancy Olson, and Frank Lovejoy. Directed ...

'' (1951) - Sergeant Webber (uncredited) * '' It's a Big Country: An American Anthology'' (1951) - Mervin (uncredited) * '' Girls in the Night'' (1953) - Irv Kellener * '' Law and Order'' (1953) - Bart Durling (uncredited) * ''

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms ''The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms'' is a 1953 American independent monster film directed by Eugène Lourié, with stop motion animation by Ray Harryhausen. It is partly based on Ray Bradbury's 1951 short story of the same name, which was later ...

'' (1953) - Soldier (uncredited) * ''

Revolt at Fort Laramie ''Revolt at Fort Laramie'' is a 1957 American Color by Deluxe Western (genre), Western film directed by Lesley Selander and starring John Dehner, Gregg Palmer, Frances Helm and Don Gordon (actor), Don Gordon. The film was shot in Kanab, Utah wit ...

'' (1956) - Jean Salignac * ''

The Benny Goodman Story ''The Benny Goodman Story'' is a 1956 American musical film, musical biographical film starring Steve Allen and Donna Reed, written and directed by Valentine Davies, and released by Universal-International. The film was intended as a follow-up t ...

'' (1956) - Tough Boy in Gang (uncredited) * ''

The Walter Winchell File ''The Walter Winchell File'' is a television crime drama series that initially aired from 1957 to 1958, dramatizing cases from the New York City Police Department that were covered in the ''New York Daily Mirror''. The series featured columnist ...

'' "The Bargain" (1958) - Deek * ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'' (1959) (Season 5 Episode 9: "Dead Weight") - Rudy Stickney, the Thug * '' Cry Tough'' (1959) - Incho * ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology series, anthology television series created by Rod Serling in which characters find themselves dealing with often disturbing or unusual events, an experience described ...

'' (1959) (Season 1 Episode 13: "The Four of Us Are Dying" - Andy Marshak * ''

'' (Season 5, Episode 16, The Self-Improvement of Salvadore Ross) (1964) - Salvadore Ross * '' The Outer Limits'' (Season 1, Episode 19, The Invisibles) (1964) - Agent Luis B. Spain * '' The Outer Limits'' (Season 1, Episode 23, Second Chance) (1964) - Dave Crowell * ''

Combat! ''Combat!'' is an American television drama that originally aired on ABC from 1962 until 1967. The exclamation point in ''Combat!'' was depicted on-screen as a stylized bayonet. The show covered the grim lives of a squad of American soldiers ...

'' (Season 4, Episode 8, Crossfire) (1965) - Private Stevens * ''The Lollipop Cover'' (1965) - Nick Bartaloni * '' 12 O'Clock High'' (Season 3, Episode 9, The Fighter Pilot) (1966) - Lieutenant Dominic DeJohn * '' The Invaders'' (Season 2, Episode 6, The Trial) (1967) - Charlie Gilman * ''

'' (1968) - Delgetti * '' The Gamblers'' (1970) - Rooney * '' WUSA'' (1970) - Bogdanovich * '' Cannon for Cordoba'' (1971) - Jackson Harkness * ''

'' (1971) - Neville Robey * '' Z.P.G.'' (1972) - George Borden * '' Fuzz'' (1972) - Anthony La Bresca * '' Slaughter'' (1972) - Harry * ''

'' (1973) - Hank * '' The Return of Charlie Chan'' (1973) - Lambert * '' Papillon'' (1973) - Julot * ''

'' (1974) - Pigliani *''

Columbo ''Columbo'' is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Columbo (character), Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originall ...

'' (Season 4, Episode 2, Negative Reaction) (1974) - Alvin Deschler * ''

'' (1974) - Kappy *''

Charlie's Angels ''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts for ABC. It originally aired from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, airing for five seasons consisting of 115 episodes. It was produ ...

(Season 1, Episode 2, Hellride) (1976) - Gene Wells * '' Out of the Blue'' (1980) - Charlie * '' Omen III: The Final Conflict'' (1981) - Harvey Dean, assistant of the

Antichrist In Christian eschatology, Antichrist (or in broader eschatology, Anti-Messiah) refers to a kind of entity prophesied by the Bible to oppose Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ and falsely substitute themselves as a savior in Christ's place before ...

Damien Thorn * '' The Beast Within'' (1982) - Judge Curwin * ''

Knight Rider ''Knight Rider'' is an American media franchise, entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three-television series: the original ''Knight Rider (1982 TV series), Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequ ...

'' (1982) - Police Lieutenant Dickerson * ''

The Dukes of Hazzard ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy television series created by Gy Waldron that aired on CBS from January 26, 1979, to February 8, 1985, with a total of seven seasons consisting of List of The Dukes of Hazzard episodes, 147 ...

'' (1983) - Frank Scanlon * ''

'' (1985) - Randy Cavanaugh * ''

Lethal Weapon ''Lethal Weapon'' is a 1987 American action film directed by Richard Donner and written by Shane Black. It stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover alongside Gary Busey, Tom Atkins, Darlene Love, and Mitchell Ryan. In ''Lethal Weapon'', a pai ...

'' (1987) - Cop #2 * ''Code Name Vengeance'' (1987) - Harry Applegate * '' Skin Deep'' (1989) - Curt * ''

The Exorcist III ''The Exorcist III'' is a 1990 American supernatural psychological horror film written for the screen and directed by William Peter Blatty, based on his 1983 novel '' Legion''. It is the third installment in ''The Exorcist'' film series and t ...

'' (1990) - Ryan * ''

The Borrower ''The Borrower'' is a 1991 American science fiction horror film directed by John McNaughton and starring Rae Dawn Chong, Tom Towles and Antonio Fargas. The story revolves around an alien serial killer, who is sent to Earth to live among humans ...

'' (1991) - Charles Krieger

References

External links

*
RIP Don Gordon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Don 1926 births 2017 deaths American male film actors American male television actors American people of Italian descent Male actors from Los Angeles Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery United States Navy personnel of World War II Deaths from cancer in California