Ted Bessell (March 20, 1935—October 6, 1996) was a U.S. television actor. He is best remembered for sitcom roles such as Marlo Thomas's boyfriend Donald on That Girl, as one of the Marines (Lombardi) on the first season of Gomer Pyle, USMC and the star (along with a chimpanzee) of the 1972 "bomb" Me and the Chimp . He made two appearances as Mary Tyler Moore's boyfriend on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. He was also the star of Good Time Harry, another unsucessful sitcom, in 1980. He was the military officer husband of the first female President of the United States in another failed sitcom, 1985's Hail to the Chief. In addition, Bessell often directed episodes of these programs and several others. He also appeared in several movies.