Don DeFore facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Don DeFore
DeFore in 1962
Born	Donald John DeFore (1913-08-25)August 25, 1913 Cedar Rapids, Iowa, U.S.
Died	December 22, 1993(1993-12-22) (aged 80) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Resting place	Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary
Alma mater	University of Iowa
Years active	1936–1987
Spouse(s)	Marion Holmes ​ (m. 1942)​
Children	5

Donald John DeFore (born August 25, 1913 – died December 22, 1993) was an American actor. He was famous for his roles in two TV shows. He played "Thorny" in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet from 1952 to 1957. Later, he starred as George Baxter in Hazel from 1961 to 1965. His role in Ozzie and Harriet even earned him a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award.

Don DeFore's Early Life

Don DeFore was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He was one of seven children. His father, Joseph Ervin DeFore, worked for a railroad and was also a local politician. His mother, Albina Sylvia DeFore, sometimes directed plays at their church. Her family came from the Czech Republic.

After finishing high school, Don went to the University of Iowa. He first studied law and played sports like basketball and baseball. But he soon found he loved acting. Since acting wasn't a main subject there, he left. He then joined the Pasadena Community Playhouse. He earned a scholarship and studied acting there for three years.

Don DeFore's Acting Career

Starting on Stage

While at the Pasadena Playhouse, Don and four friends wrote a play. It was called Where Do We Go from Here? They performed it in a small theater in Hollywood. Don toured with acting groups for several years. In 1938, the famous writer Oscar Hammerstein II decided to take their play to Broadway. Don and five original cast members went along. The play ran for four weeks. Don then became known as a serious theater actor. He stayed in New York and got a big role in The Male Animal. This play ran for eight months on Broadway and then toured for another eight months.

Movies and TV Shows

Don DeFore first appeared in a movie in 1936. It was a small part in Reunion. By the early 1940s, he was in many films. Some of his movies include The Male Animal (1942) and Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944). He also appeared in It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947) and My Friend Irma (1949). In 1946, movie theater owners thought he was one of the most promising new stars.

Don also worked in radio shows like Suspense. But he became most famous for his TV work. In 1952, he started playing "Thorny" on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Thorny was the friendly neighbor of the Nelson family. Don was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1955 for this role.

From 1954 to 1955, Don was the president of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. He helped make sure the Emmy Awards were shown on national television for the first time in 1955. He also served on the board of the Screen Actors Guild.

From 1961 to 1965, Don co-starred in the TV series Hazel. He played George Baxter, who employed the lively housekeeper Hazel Burke. The show was based on a cartoon character. Don was not the first actor to play George Baxter. Another actor played the role in the pilot episode. Don took over when the show officially started. Hazel ran on NBC for four seasons. Don and his co-star Whitney Blake left the show when CBS took it over for its final season.

In 1970, Don appeared in a TV Western called The Men from Shiloh. He played a mayor who was a murderer. This was a very different role from the funny characters he played on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and Hazel.

Don DeFore has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It's located at 6804 Hollywood Boulevard. This star honors his contributions to television.

Writing Books

In 1965, Don DeFore and his daughter Penny wrote a book. It was called With All My Love. The book shared Penny's experiences working in an orphanage in Korea. Don also wrote his own memories in a book called "Hollywood DeFore 'n After." This book was never fully published. However, his youngest son, Ron, included parts of it in his own book, "Growing Up in Disneyland," published in 2019. Ron's book also talked about growing up in a famous family.

Don DeFore's Personal Life

Family Life

Appearing with daughter Penny in the play Generation in 1967 at Pheasant Run Playhouse

Don DeFore married singer Marion Holmes on February 14, 1942. The famous actress Judy Garland was Marion's maid of honor. Marion sang with different bands before she married Don. Don and Marion had five children: Penny, David, Dawn, Ron, and Autumn. They were married until Don's death in 1993.

Other Activities

Don DeFore and his family lived in Brentwood, California, for a long time. Don was the honorary mayor of Brentwood. He also helped advise the California Department of Rehabilitation.

From 1957 to 1962, Don and his family ran a restaurant. It was called Don DeFore's Silver Banjo Barbecue. It was located in Frontierland at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. Don was the only person to own a food place in Disneyland named after a real person. In 1969, Don was an American representative at the Moscow International Film Festival.

Don DeFore was a long-time supporter of the Republican Party. He was a delegate at the Republican National Conventions in 1976 and 1980. His friend, Ronald Reagan, who was a former actor and later became the 40th President of the United States, appointed Don to a special council for the Peace Corps. Don's youngest son, Ron, also worked in politics during the Reagan Administration. He wrote about this in his book, Growing Up in Disneyland.

Don DeFore's Death

Don DeFore passed away on December 22, 1993. He died from a heart attack in Santa Monica, California. His remains were cremated and are buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Don DeFore's Film and TV Roles

Awards and Nominations

Don DeFore was recognized for his acting.

See also

In Spanish: Don DeFore para niños