Don Franklin
Don Franklin (born December 14, 1960) is an American actor, best known for his work in seaQuest DSV as Commander Jonathan Ford, Seven Days as Captain Craig Donovan, and Alex Wheeler in the Dick Wolf TV pilot and series Nasty Boys. In 1989, Franklin became the first Black actor to co-star in a US television western, as Noah Dixon, one of The Young Riders.
Don Franklin

Filamentofzodd · CC0
- Name
- Don Franklin
- Born
- 14 December 1960
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actor
- Spouse
- Sheila Burke (m. married 19??; div. divorced 1997)
- Nationality
- United States
- Education
- Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
- Languages
- English
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Documentary connections
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q360807 · wikipedia · Don Franklin
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The documentary record
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Institutions cited
Bibliothèque nationale de France
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Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Don Franklin • Born — 14 December 1960 • Birthplace — Chicago, Illinois, U.S. • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1976–present • Spouse — Sheila Burke (m. married 19??; div. divorced 1997) • Children — 2
Documentary record
Don Franklin, born on 14 December 1960, is documented in the authority records of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The birth is recorded by the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Background
Background
Early on, Franklin worked extensively as a professional dancer and actor in the Chicago area, earning a Best Actor nomination through the Joseph Jefferson Awards. He also worked with the venerable Sidney Poitier, who directed Franklin in the 1985 film Fast Forward. While on the TV series Seven Days, Franklin gained the distinction of the actor most often killed on the show. He later played two different characters during his time on the NCIS franchise, both as FBI Agent Ron Sacks on the original NCIS, and Captain Alan Beck on the spinoff show NCIS: Los Angeles.
Personal life
Personal life
Franklin was born and raised in Chicago and graduated from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School. He has a daughter with his first wife Sheila, and a son with his second wife, Kristine, from whom he is now divorced.
Identity
Identity
Don Franklin is recorded as actor.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Don Franklin, revision 1373652582 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.TV Guide. Don Franklin.
- 2.South Florida Sun Sentinel. Chicago Tenderfoot Becomes First Black TV Western Star. 19 October 1991.
- 3.Chicago Tribune. Tinseltown Not All Glitter for Don Franklin. 1 September 1991.
- 4.Hollywood 360. Hollywood 360 Interview - Don Franklin, an Actor With a Purpose. 30 June 2016.
- 5.Chicago Tribune. Don Franklin Wants a Lot More Than Seven Days. 11 April 2001.
- 6.TV Insider. 16 Actors Who Played Different Characters Across NCIS Shows. 18 January 2022.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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