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Forrest Tucker
Actor

Forrest Tucker

12 Feb 1919Born
25 Oct 1986Died
67Age at death
133Credits

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Forrest Meredith Tucker (February 12, 1919 – October 25, 1986) was an American actor in both movies and television who appeared in nearly a hundred films.

Tucker described himself as a farm boy. He was born in Plainfield, Indiana, on February 12, 1919, a son of Forrest A. Tucker and his wife, Doris Heringlake. His mother has been described as an alcoholic. Tucker began his performing career at age 14 at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair, pushing the big wicker tourist chairs by day and singing "Throw Money" at night.

Read the full biography

After his family moved to Washington, D.C., Tucker attracted the attention of Jimmy Lake, the owner of the Old Gaiety Burlesque Theater, by winning its Saturday night amateur contest on consecutive weeks. After his second win, Tucker was hired there at full time as Master of Ceremonies, but left when it was soon discovered that he was underage. He graduated from Washington-Lee High School, Arlington, Virginia, near Washington, D.C., in 1938, and, joining the United States Cavalry, was stationed at Fort Myer in Arlington County, Virginia, but discharged for, once again, being underage. He returned to work at the Old Gaiety after his 18th birthday.

When Lake's theatre closed for the summer in 1939, Tucker was helped by a wealthy mentor to travel to California and try to break into film acting. He made a successful screen test, and began auditioning for movie roles. In his own estimation, Tucker was in the mold of large "ugly guys" such as Wallace Beery, Ward Bond and Victor McLaglen, rather than a matinee idol. His debut was as a powerfully built farmer who clashes with the hero in The Westerner (1940), which starred Gary Cooper.

Like many other movie actors at the time, Tucker enlisted in the United States Army during World War II; he earned a commission as a second lieutenant.

Tucker married four times:

Sandra Jolley (1919–1986) in 1940, divorced in 1950, daughter of the character actor I. Stanford Jolley (who also died of emphysema) and the sister of the Academy Award-winning art director Stan Jolley. They had a daughter, Pamela "Brooke" Tucker.

Marilyn Johnson on March 28, 1950 (died on July 19, 1960).

Marilyn Fisk on October 23, 1961. They had a daughter, Cindy Tucker, and son, Forrest Sean Tucker.

Sheila Forbes on April 15, 1986.

Tucker, who had battled lung cancer for more than a year, as well as having a series of minor illnesses, collapsed and was hospitalized, for the second time in a week, on his way to the ceremony for his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 21, 1986. He died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital on October 25, 1986, a few months after the theatrical release of Thunder Run and Outtakes. He was interred in Forest Lawn–Hollywood Hills Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills. CLR

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 133 credits.

  1. 1993La Classe américaineFilm: The Fax Man (archive footage) (uncredited)
  2. 1987TimestalkersFilm: Texas John Cody
  3. 1985Thunder RunFilm: Charlie Morrison
  4. 1984A Rare BreedFilm
  5. 1984Murder, She WroteSeries: Tom Cassidy (1 episode)
  6. 1984RingstealerFilm: Narrator
  7. 1983Blood FeudFilm: Lyndon B. Johnson
  8. 1982Matt HoustonSeries: Buck Turley (1 episode)
  9. 1982Filthy RichSeries (2 episodes)
  10. 1981The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnFilm: Duke
  11. 1980FloSeries (1 episode)
  12. 1979The RebelsSeries: Angus Fletcher (2 episodes)
  13. 1978A Real American HeroFilm: Carl Pusser
  14. 1978Fantasy IslandSeries: Jake Gordon (1 episode)
  15. 1977The Incredible Rocky Mountain RaceFilm: Mike Fink
  16. 1977The Love BoatSeries: Sam Zachary, Tex, Tom Preston (1 episode)
  17. 1977Final Chapter: Walking TallFilm: Carl
  18. 1977Grizzly AdamsSeries: Ernie (1 episode)
  19. 1976Once an EagleSeries: Col. Avery (7 episodes)
  20. 1976AliceSeries (1 episode)
  21. 1976The Wackiest Wagon Train in the WestFilm: Wagonmaster Callahan
  22. 1976The Bionic WomanSeries (1 episode)
  23. 1975Ellery QueenSeries: Clint McGraw (1 episode)
  24. 1975The Ghost BustersSeries (15 episodes)
  25. 1975The Wild McCullochsFilm: J. J. McCulloch
  26. 1975S.W.A.T.Series (2 episodes)
  27. 1974Police WomanSeries: O'Malley (1 episode)
  28. 1974Little House on the PrairieSeries: Jim Tyler (1 episode)
  29. 1973KojakSeries: Det. Paul Zachary (1 episode)
  30. 1973Dusty's TrailSeries: Wagonmaster Callahan (26 episodes)
  31. 1973JarrettFilm: Rev. Vocal Simpson
  32. 1972FootstepsFilm: Bradford Emmons
  33. 1972Cancel My ReservationFilm: Reese
  34. 1972Welcome Home, Johnny BristolFilm: Harry McMartin
  35. 1971ColumboSeries: Bo Williamson (1 episode)
  36. 1971Cat BallouFilm: Kid Sheleen
  37. 1971Alias Smith and JonesSeries: Deputy Harker Wilkins (1 episode)
  38. 1970Night GallerySeries: Dr. Ernest Stringfellow (1 episode)
  39. 1970BarqueroFilm: Mountain Phil
  40. 1970ChisumFilm: Lawrence Murphy
  41. 1969Love, American StyleSeries: John, Horton (1 episode)
  42. 1969Medical CenterSeries: Ollie Wayne (1 episode)
  43. 1969DocFilm: Dr. Jason Fillmore
  44. 1968The Night They Raided Minsky'sFilm: Trim Houlihan
  45. 1967A Boy Called Nuthin’Film: Turkeyneck
  46. 1967HondoSeries (1 episode)
  47. 1967IronsideSeries (1 episode)
  48. 1966Don't Worry, We'll Think of a TitleFilm: Romantic Diner Customer (uncredited)
  49. 1965F TroopSeries: Sergeant. Morgan O'Rourke (65 episodes)
  50. 1964Daniel BooneSeries: Joe Snag (2 episodes)
  51. 1963Burke's LawSeries: Cyrus Smuts (1 episode)
  52. 1963ChanningSeries: Major Don Landon (1 episode)
  53. 1962The VirginianSeries: Martin Evers (1 episode)
  54. 1961Dr. KildareSeries: Max Beemis (1 episode)
  55. 1959CounterplotFilm: Brock Miller
  56. 1959BonanzaSeries: Frank Ryan (1 episode)
  57. 1959RawhideSeries: Dan Carlock (1 episode)
  58. 1958Gunsmoke in TucsonFilm: John Brazos
  59. 1958Auntie MameFilm: Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside
  60. 1958The Crawling EyeFilm: Alan Brooks
  61. 1958Girl in the WoodsFilm: Steve Cory
  62. 1958Fort MassacreFilm: McGurney
  63. 1958The Strange World of Planet XFilm: Gil Graham
  64. 1957Wagon TrainSeries: Rex Montana (1 episode)
  65. 1957The DeerslayerFilm: Harry March
  66. 1957The Abominable SnowmanFilm: Tom Friend
  67. 1957The Quiet GunFilm: Sheriff Carl Brandon
  68. 1956Stagecoach To FuryFilm: Frank Townsend
  69. 1956Three Violent PeopleFilm: Deputy Commissioner Cable
  70. 1955Paris Follies of 1956Film: Dan Bradley
  71. 1955The Vanishing AmericanFilm: Morgan
  72. 1955GunsmokeSeries: Brad McClain, Adam Benteen, John Charron, Sergeant Holly, Sgt. Emmett Holly, Will Donavan (1 episode)
  73. 1955Night FreightFilm: Mike Peters
  74. 1955Finger ManFilm: Dutch Becker
  75. 1955Rage at DawnFilm: Frank Reno
  76. 1955Break in the CircleFilm: Baron Keller
  77. 1954Climax!Series: Chips Murphy (1 episode)
  78. 1954Trouble in the GlenFilm: Maj. Jim 'Lance' Lansing
  79. 1954Jubilee TrailFilm: John Ives
  80. 1954The Big MomentFilm: Uri

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.