Steve Forrest

About Steve Forrest

A ruggedly handsome action man of the
1960s and '70s, Steve Forrest was born William Forrest Andrews in Huntsville, Texas, the youngest of thirteen children of Annis (Speed) and Charles Forrest Andrews, a Baptist minister. His brother was actor Dana Andrews. Forrest began his screen career as a small part contract player with MGM. In 1942, Steve
enlisted in the U.S. Army, rose to the rank of sergeant and saw action
at the Battle of the Bulge. Following his demobilization, he visited
his brother in Hollywood and came to the conclusion that acting wasn't
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 B.A. Honours Degree in theatre arts. He then served a
brief apprenticeship as a carpenter, prop boy and set builder at San
Diego's 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
prize-winning novel by Edna Ferber.From the mid-1950's, the rangy, 6-foot-3 actor became much in-demand 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 Crawford's lover/attorney
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 mid-60's, 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
antique-dealer-cum-undercover intelligence agent John Mannering in
BBC's The Baron (1966). He followed
this by another starring role as the stoic, tough Lieutenant Dan
'Hondo' Harrelson in the short-lived ABC police drama series
S.W.A.T. (1975), possibly his
best-remembered 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 1970's newspaper articles) as a dedicated
amateur beekeeper....

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