Steve Forrest (1925-2013) - Find a Grave Memorial

Actor. Born William Forrest Andrews, he was one of 13 children. At 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II (WWII), attaining the rank of sergeant and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he moved to Los Angeles, California and attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where he graduated with honors in 1950 with a bachelor's degree in theater arts. While working as a stagehand at the La Jolla Playhouse outside San Diego, he was discovered by Hollywood legend Gregory Peck, who cast him in the summer stock production of "Goodbye Again" and arranged for his first screen test with MGM, where he was placed under contract. In 1953, he earned the Most Promising Newcomer award from the Golden Globes for his performance in the Warner Bros. film "So Big." In a career that spanned six decades, among films he appeared in were "Prisoner 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), and "S.W.A.T." (2003). Among television series he was featured in were "Playhouse 90," "Outlaws," "Death Valley Days," "The Virginian," "Rawhide," "Bonanza," "Insight," "Alias Smith and Jones," "Ironside," "Night Gallery," "Medical Center," "The Rookie," "Dallas," and "Murder, She Wrote." However, his most memorable TV role was that of Lt. Dan "Hondo" Harrelson on the ABC television series, "S.W.A.T." which ran from 1975 to 1976. Forrest, who was the brother of actor Dana Andrews, was also an avid and accomplished golfer and frequently played in charity tournaments around the world. He died of natural causes.

Bio by: Louis du Mort