Steve Forrest

A ruggedly handsome action man of the 1960s and 70s Steve Forrest began his screen career as a small part contract player with MGM A brother of star Dana Andrews he was born William Forrest Andrews the youngest of thirteen children His father was a Baptist minister in Huntsville Texas In 1942 Steve enlisted in the US Army rose to the rank of sergeant and saw action at the Battle of the Bulge Following his demobilisation he visited his brother in Hollywood and came to the conclusion that acting wasnt a bad way to make a living having already done some work as a movie extra He went on to study in college at UCLA eventually graduating in 1950 with a BA Honours Degree in theatre arts He then served a brief apprenticeship as a carpenter prop boy and set builder at San Diegos La Jolla Playhouse where he was discovered by resident actor Gregory Peck and given a small part as a bellboy in the cast of the summer stock production of Goddbye Again A subsequent screen test led to a contract with MGM and resulting employment as second leads brothers of the titular star toughs and outlaws His first proper recognition was being awarded New Star of the Year by Golden Globe for his role in So Big 1953 a drama based on a Pulitzer prizewinning novel by Edna Ferber From the mid1950s the rangy 6foot3 actor became much indemand on TV beginning with classic early anthology and western series interspersed with occasional appearances on the big screen notably in The Longest Day 1962 and as Joan Crawfords loverattorney Greg Savitt in Mommie Dearest 1981 In addition to numerous guest roles he was regularly featured in series like Gunsmoke 1955 Dallas 1978 as Wes Parmalee who believes himself to be lost Ewing patriarch Jock and Murder She Wrote 1984 Already from the mid60s he decided to pick his assignments more carefully In order to shed his image as the perpetual bad guy he had relocated his family to England to star as antiquedealercumundercover intelligence agent John Mannering in BBCs The Baron 1966 He followed this by another starring role as the stoic tough Lieutenant Dan Hondo Harrelson in the shortlived ABC police drama series SWAT 1975 possibly his bestremembered role Steve later lampooned his screen personae in the satirical Amazon Women on the Moon 1987 In private life Steve Forrest was known as a skilled golfer lover of football and according to 1970s newspaper articles as a dedicated amateur beekeeper