Yes! I think that is part of his appeal. He is the tall, dark handsome old Hollywood type. I love it when he comes up with a statement that seems to come out of nowhere, and it somehow works.

I honestly do not see the appeal

but then if I saw him in an interview and he made me laugh then that would likely change my whole opinion of him

for me there is nothing sexier than a gorgeous man who can make fun of himself

Oh, yes. His silence is certainly part of his appeal. I think it's part of what makes him seem so confident and in control. Often if you maintain a certain demeanor and keep your mouth shut, people will think you know or represent more than you are. Once you open your mouth, you prove or disprove others' opinions of you. Don's silence sets the correct tone for all his conversations--it forces whomever he's communicating with to adjust to him, which makes it seem like whatever he says is of the utmost importance. Don uses silence to mask his opinions and emotions, which makes him seem more intriguing. Additionally, you can get people's attention with silence (pauses build suspense, so whatever comes afterward is revelatory), you can change the subject with it (again, keeping you in control of the conversation), plus it makes you seem more thoughtful and reflective--more intelligent. It's definitely part of his allure.

In my favorite Don scene he wasn't even facing the camera!

He was in his office at SC wearing a white dress shirt (no suit jacket)... Pete had come into his office and propositioned him under threat of revealing what he had found out about his identity...Pete left the office....Don turned around and faced the window leaning forward with his hands on the credenza....silence....his anger could only be seen by watching the folds in the back of his shirt expand and contract as he got his anger under control...

Powerful moment....It was the first time I really looked at his physique...(and remember thinking, "Not bad Mr. Hamm!)"..I marveled at his ability to be so sinister and threatening without saying a word. I appreciate the director allowing the actors the time to express their characters in multiple ways.

Don is fabulous, he's charismatic, sexy, handsome, masculine, smart and in charge. Jon Hamm is a natural.

If Jon Hamm doesn't win the Emmy for Best Actor, there's no justice in this world. He's absolutely perfect!

When Draper marched into Cooper's office (after Pete threatened to reveal his identity), he walked with dignified determination while Pete scampered after him like a confused puppy. Compare that to when Don walked back to the table in the restaurant after confronting and grabbing Bobbi. His gait had a hint of a thug's swagger.

Kudos also to the director who is able to capture this. John Ford, for example, was a master at pulling performances out of his actors without relying on over-processed scripts or conversation.

That swagger!

The utter confidence that Don Draper exudes when he's in control, baby, that kind of charisma cannot be taught! Plus, Jon Hamm's deep voice kills me--EVERY TIME!

Don's the definition of masculine sexiness! Hello!

With all due respect, greytone (and your posts are great), the emotion driving that heavy breathing was panic, not anger. That came a bit later.

And I agree - it was a brilliantly executed scene.... That moment hit me also as a great piece of filmmaking.

One of the greatest things about Don Draper is his (necessarily) honed instinct for thinking on his feet, flying high without a net. His cool comes from the fact that his "wheels" are turning all the time, constantly calculating in the background.

MOST people would have crumbled under the intensity of that moment, but Draper worked the panic, tapped back into the instinctual bravado that had no doubt carried him through many similar moments, and turned that moment around completely.

He stopped Pete in his tracks, and then some, and it was pretty amazing.

It was a brilliantly calculated gamble, but I think after that initial moment of panic, Draper was bolstered by the realization that Pete is a total amateur in way over his head.

"You haven't thought this through ...." .....something at which Don Draper excels.

I thought MichelleKay's comment about each actor's body language was very interesting..... these are some great actors doing some amazing internal work....

He is definately a "man of few words". But the words he uses definately leaves us speechless.

My favorite facial scene was when Betty made some petulant, nasty crack about Bobby at the card table. Don said nothing, but reacted with a quick raise of the eyebrows and a calculating gaze.......

He's too much! I hope (though doubt) that he reads every post!

I loved the way he responded to Peggy when she tried to tell him "sex sells". He said, "says who?". Well, he did!! He told the writers that being on an airplane was a thrill when you catch a glimps of a woman's leg when her dress is a little too short. He likes to keep the staff unsteady as they walk the tight rope for him.

As an actor, Jon Hamm's subtlety in his reactions are absolutely pitch perfect without going into slapstick. Only recently,

NEW GIRL: Don's look/reaction at seeing Rachel, afterward, the hauntedness in his eyes; facial expression of surprise when Peggy calls him "Don".

His facial expressions and reactions convey everything without dialogue. From the double-take when Roger says "hi doll" to Joan; his eagle stare at Roger after the failed attempt at firing Pete and his displeasure with Roger for bailing on him - it's a complete accusatory death stare. We have all seen them - the "Don Draper look".

Of all the actors (and ALL of them are brilliant) on the show, Jon Hamm is exceptionally talented at conveying the emotions of Don Draper (fear, repressed rage, despair, longing, displeasure, betrayal, happiness, amusement, self-loathing) without dialogue. He has never over-exaggerated the facial expression/emotion because it wouldn't fit the guardedness of Don Draper's personality. Hamm keeps it close to the chest, as the character would also, but gets it across beautifully.