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Steve Forrest
Actor

Steve Forrest

29 Sep 1925Born
18 May 2013Died
87Age at death
107Credits

Biography

A ruggedly handsome action man of the 1960's and 70's, 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 U.S. 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 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.

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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.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 107 credits.

  1. 2008Miracle at St. AnnaFilm: Capt. Harding in The Longest Day (archive footage) (uncredited)
  2. 2003S.W.A.T.Film: S.W.A.T. Truck Driver
  3. 1996Killer: A Journal of MurderFilm: Warden Charles Casey
  4. 1992StoryvilleFilm: Judge Quentin Murdoch
  5. 1990Dream OnSeries: Eden Pilott (1 episode)
  6. 1987Gunsmoke: Return to DodgeFilm: Will Mannon
  7. 1987Amazon Women on the MoonFilm: Captain Nelson (segment "Amazon Women on the Moon")
  8. 1986L.A. LawSeries: Leonard Bey (1 episode)
  9. 1985Spies Like UsFilm: General Sline
  10. 1985Hollywood WivesSeries: Ross Conti (3 episodes)
  11. 1984Murder, She WroteSeries: Rev. Willie John Fargo, Sheriff Hank Masters, Lt. Paul Stratton, Captain Ned Larkin, Max Teller (1 episode)
  12. 1984Finder of Lost LovesSeries: James Osborne (1 episode)
  13. 1983SaharaFilm: Gordon
  14. 1983MalibuFilm: Rich Bradley
  15. 1982HotlineFilm: Tom Hunter
  16. 1982HotelSeries: Gil Strider (1 episode)
  17. 1981The Manions of AmericaSeries: James Kent (3 episodes)
  18. 1981Mommie DearestFilm: Greg Savitt
  19. 1980A Rumor of WarSeries: Col. Atherton (2 episodes)
  20. 1980RoughnecksFilm: Paul Marshall
  21. 1980CondominiumSeries: Gus Garver (2 episodes)
  22. 1979North Dallas FortyFilm: Conrad Hunter
  23. 1979Captain AmericaFilm: Lou Brackett
  24. 1978The DeerslayerFilm: Hawkeye
  25. 1978Maneaters Are Loose!Film: David Birk
  26. 1978DallasSeries: Ben Stivers, Wes Parmalee (3 episodes)
  27. 1978Fantasy IslandSeries: Jordan Montgomery (1 episode)
  28. 1977Last of the MohicansFilm: Hawkeye
  29. 1977Testimony of Two MenSeries: Martin Eaton (3 episodes)
  30. 1976Wanted: The Sundance WomanFilm: Charlie Siringo
  31. 1975S.W.A.T.Series: Lt. Dan "Hondo" Harrelson (37 episodes)
  32. 1975The Hatfields and the McCoysFilm: Randall McCoy
  33. 1974KodiakSeries: Samson Toey (1 episode)
  34. 1974The Hanged ManFilm: James Devlin
  35. 1974The Six Million Dollar ManSeries: Quail (1 episode)
  36. 1973A Chant of SilenceFilm: State Police Officer
  37. 1972The Magic of Walt Disney WorldFilm: Narrator
  38. 1972The Baron: The Man in a Looking GlassFilm: John Mannering 'The Baron'
  39. 1972The Baron: Mystery IslandFilm: John Mannering 'The Baron'
  40. 1972The Streets of San FranciscoSeries (1 episode)
  41. 1972Ghost StorySeries: Andrew Alcott (1 episode)
  42. 1972The RookiesSeries (2 episodes)
  43. 1972The Sixth SenseSeries (1 episode)
  44. 1971McMillan & WifeSeries: Mark Erickson (1 episode)
  45. 1971NicholsSeries: Sam Yeager (1 episode)
  46. 1971ColumboSeries: Big Fred McCain (1 episode)
  47. 1971CannonSeries (1 episode)
  48. 1971The Late LizFilm: Jim Hatch
  49. 1971Alias Smith and JonesSeries (1 episode)
  50. 1970The Wild CountryFilm: Jim Tanner
  51. 1970Night GallerySeries: Grant Wilson (segment "Hatred Unto Death") (as Stephen Forrest) (2 episodes)
  52. 1969Love, American StyleSeries: Don Finletter (1 episode)
  53. 1969Medical CenterSeries: Dr. Eric Canford (1 episode)
  54. 1969Wild Geese CallingFilm: Narrator
  55. 1969RascalFilm: Willard North
  56. 1968The Owl That Didn't Give a HootFilm: Jr. Narrator
  57. 1968The Name of the GameSeries: A.J. Ward, Walter Royce (1 episode)
  58. 1967The High ChaparralSeries: Johnny Rondo (1 episode)
  59. 1967Cimarron StripSeries (2 episodes)
  60. 1967IronsideSeries (2 episodes)
  61. 1966The BaronSeries: John Mannering (30 episodes)
  62. 1966Mission: ImpossibleSeries (1 episode)
  63. 1965The F.B.I.Series: Lee Barrington (1 episode)
  64. 1963Kraft Suspense TheatreSeries: David Buchanan, Mike Taggart (1 episode)
  65. 1963Burke's LawSeries: Jocko Creighton (1 episode)
  66. 1963The FugitiveSeries: Barry Craft (1 episode)
  67. 1963Arrest and TrialSeries (1 episode)
  68. 1963The Yellow CanaryFilm: Hubbard "Hub" Wiley
  69. 1962The Longest DayFilm: Capt. Harding
  70. 1962The VirginianSeries: Roger Layton, James Templeton (1 episode)
  71. 1961The Second Time AroundFilm: Dan Jones
  72. 1961Bus StopSeries (1 episode)
  73. 1961Target: The Corruptors!Series (1 episode)
  74. 1961Kraft Mystery TheatreSeries (1 episode)
  75. 1960Flaming StarFilm: Clint Burton
  76. 1960OutlawsSeries (1 episode)
  77. 1960Five Branded WomenFilm: Paul Keller
  78. 1960Heller in Pink TightsFilm: Clint Mabry
  79. 1959The Twilight ZoneSeries: Robert Gaines (1 episode)
  80. 1959The DuPont Show with June AllysonSeries: Major Anderson (1 episode)

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