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Steve Forrest | |
|---|---|
 Steve Forrest in publicity photo forS.W.A.T. (1975) | |
| Born | William Forrest Andrews (1925-09-29)September 29, 1925 Huntsville, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | May 18, 2013(2013-05-18) (aged 87) |
| Alma mater | UCLA |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1943–2003 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Dana Andrews (brother) |
Steve Forrest (bornWilliam Forrest Andrews; September 29, 1925 – May 18, 2013) was an American actor who was well known for his role as Lt. Hondo Harrelson in the hit television seriesS.W.A.T., which was broadcast onABC from 1975 to 1976.[1] He was also known for his performance inMommie Dearest (1981).
Forrest was born William Forrest Andrews inHuntsville, Texas, the 12th of 13 children of Annis (née Speed) and Charles Forrest Andrews, a Baptist minister. One of his older brothers was film starDana Andrews.[2]
Forrest enlisted in theUnited States Army at the age of 18 and fought in theBattle of the Bulge duringWorld War II. In 1950, he earned a bachelor's degree with honors fromUniversity of California, Los Angeles, majoring in theater with a minor in psychology.[3][4]
Forrest worked as a stagehand at theLa Jolla Playhouse outsideSan Diego. ThereGregory Peck discovered him, cast him in the Playhouse's production ofGoodbye Again, and then arranged for Forrest's first screen test withMGM, where he was signed to a contract.[1]
Among Forrest's notable films wereSo Big, for which he won theGolden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor,The Longest Day,North Dallas Forty, andMommie Dearest. He hadcameo appearances in the comediesSpies Like Us andAmazon Women on the Moon, and the 2003 film version ofS.W.A.T.[5]
Forrest was also a trained vocalist, and he made his debut onBroadway as boxer Bob Stanton in the 1958 production of the Harnick and Bock musicalThe Body Beautiful oppositeMindy Carson,Jack Warden andBrock Peters.[1]
Forrest played laterU.S. SenatorWilliam Borah in the 1963 episode "The Lion of Idaho" of thesyndicated televisionanthology seriesDeath Valley Days. In the storyline, Borah as a young attorney defends a woman inNampa, Idaho, on amurder charge.
In 1965, Forrest and his family moved to London, where he starred as John Mannering in the title role of theBritishcrime dramaThe Baron. His other television credits includedThe DuPont Show with June Allyson,Storefront Lawyers,S.W.A.T.,Hollywood Wives, andRod Serling's hour-longTwilight Zone episode "The Parallel", as well as Serling'sNight Gallery segment "The Waiting Room".
On a 1969 episode ofGunsmoke titled "Mannon", he portrayed Will Mannon — one of the very few men ever to outdrawMatt Dillon — then reprised the character 18 years later for the 1987 television filmGunsmoke: Return to Dodge withJames Arness.
Jock Ewing, the character played byJim Davis in the television seriesDallas from 1978 to 1981, was presumed to have been killed in a helicopter crash during the 1981–1982 season, although Jock's body was never found. This storyline was written into the series script on account of Davis' real-life death. In 1986Lorimar Television, now renamed Lorimar Tele-Pictures, extended Forrest's contract from the 1985–1986 season of "Dallas" (the "Dream Season"), during which he had played the character Ben Stivers. They brought him back as a similar character renamedWes Parmalee, who would be revealed to actually be Jock Ewing, in the1986-1987 season. While the season was still in production, the news leaked that Forrest would be playing the new Jock Ewing. Fans of the show believed the new storyline was disrespectful to the memory of Davis.[citation needed] Lorimar was forced to drop the Wes Parmalee character and change the story outcome.
In 1953, he earned the Most Promising Newcomer award from the Golden Globes for his performance in the Warner Bros. filmSo Big. In a career that spanned six decades, among films he appeared in werePrisoner of War (1954),The Living Idol (1957),Flaming Star (1960),The Longest Day (1962),Rascal (1969),The Wild Country (1970),North Dallas Forty (1979),Mommie Dearest (1981),Sahara (1983),Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) andS.W.A.T. (2003). Among television series in which he was featured werePlayhouse 90,Outlaws,Death Valley Days,The Virginian,Rawhide,Bonanza,Insight,Alias Smith and Jones,Ironside,Night Gallery,Medical Center,The Rookies,Dallas, and several different roles onMurder, She Wrote. However, his most memorable television role was that of Lt. Dan "Hondo" Harrelson onS.W.A.T. from 1975 through 1976.
For his role inMommie Dearest, Forrest won theRazzie for Worst Supporting Actor.
Forrest married Christine Carilas on December 23, 1948. They had three sons: Michael, Forrest, and Stephen.[6]
An avid and accomplished golfer, Forrest often played in charity tournaments. He competed in 1976, for example, on the U.S. team at theBing Crosby Great Britain vs. U.S.A. Tournament, which was held that year in Scotland atGleneagles.[1]
Forrest died of natural causes on May 18, 2013, inThousand Oaks, California, aged 87.[6]
| Year | Program | Episode/source |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Lux Radio Theatre | The Girl in White[7] |
