A Date With Don DeFore

I think of him as more of a straight man, but Don DeFore (1913-1993) definitely had a foot in classic (and semi-classic) comedy, by appearing in such films as It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947), My Friend Irma (1949), A Girl in Every Port (1952), and The Facts of Life (1960), not to mention a 1944 Pete Smith short, as well as a gig as a regular cast member on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952-57), and one of the principals on Hazel (1961-65). His characters were generally not sourpusses. He seemed to represent All-American whitey-white normalcy. His parts were generally not worlds away from those played by Jack Carson.

DeFore was a native of Cedar Rapids. His mother was of Czech immigrant stock, and she organized and directed theatricals at the local Catholic church, which is how he got bitten by the bug in spite of equal interest and prowess in athletics. After a year at the University of Iowa he got involved with the Pasadena Playhouse. In 1938, a play he and some collaborators had developed there, entitled Where Do We Go From Here? moved to Broadway and he had his foot in the door. This was followed by Steel (1939), and the James Thurber–Elliott Nugent comedy The Male Animal (1940).

The 1942 screen version of The Male Animal is what made DeFore a viable Hollywood actor, although he had done some bit and extra work prior to that. In addition to the movies listed above, he was also in such things as Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), The Affairs of Susan (1945), The Stork Club (1945), Romance on the High Seas (1951), She’s Working Her Way Through College (1952), etc.

From 1957 to 1962 he owned and operated Don DeFore’s Silver Banjo Barbecue, the only authorized food concession in the Frontierland section of Disneyland.

After Hazel wrapped, DeFore was a frequent TV guest star on shows like My Three Sons, Marcus Welby MD,Mod Squad, The Virginian, Ellery Queen, The Love Boat,Fantasy Island, and Murder She Wrote. His very last credit was a 1987 episode of St. Elsewhere.

DeFore’s wife (they married in 1942) was big band singer Marion Holmes,Judy Garland was the maid of honor at their wedding. He was also dyed in the wool Republican, and an old pal of Dutch Reagan’s. For all things Don DeFore, I kid you not, see the dedicated fan website here. Seems like nowadays they got a website for everything!