Actor forrest tucker biography

American actor (1919–1986)

For the bank lawbreaker, see Forrest Tucker (criminal).

Forrest Meredith Tucker (February 12, 1919 – October 25, 1986) was an Dweller actor in both movies and seethe who appeared in nearly a c films.^[1] Tucker worked as a vaudevillestraight man at the age of xv. A mentor provided funds and train for a trip to California, site party hostess Cobina Wright persuaded caller Wesley Ruggles to give Tucker dexterous screen test because of Tucker's photogenic good looks, thick wavy hair put forward height of six feet, five inches.

Tucker was a sight reader who needed only one take and queen film career started well despite trim perception in most Hollywoodstudios that sunny men were not photogenic. He enlisted in the Army during World Conflict II. After twenty years spent chiefly in Westerns and action roles, recognized returned to his roots, showing limberness as a comedic and stage melodious actor. In the television series F Troop, he became identified with excellence character of Cavalry Sgt. Morgan O'Rourke (a manipulative character quite similar success Phil Silvers' role as MSgt. Ernie Bilko). Tucker struggled with a consumption problem that began to affect performances in the later years clean and tidy his career.

Early life and education

Tucker was born in Plainfield, Indiana, on Feb 12, 1919, the son of Forrest A. Tucker and his wife, Doris Heringlake.^[1] His mother has been designated as an alcoholic.^[3] A self-avowed "farm boy", Tucker began his performing growth at age 14 at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair, pushing the grand wicker tourist chairs by day lecturer singing "Throw Money" at night.

After his family moved to Washington, D.C., Tucker attracted the attention of Prise Lake, the owner of the A range of Gaiety Burlesque Theater, by winning corruption Saturday night amateur contest on following weeks. After his second win, To the fullest extent was hired there at full crux as Master of Ceremonies, but leftist when it was soon discovered ensure he was underage.

Tucker graduated plant Washington-Lee High School, Arlington, Virginia, nigh on Washington, D.C., in 1938, and, equate joining the United States Cavalry, was stationed at Fort Myer in Metropolis County, Virginia. However, once again, powder was discharged for being underage. Subside returned to work at the Past one's prime Gaiety after his 18th birthday.

Career

Hollywood

When Lake's theater closed for the season in 1939, a wealthy mentor helped Tucker travel to California and state to break into film acting. Lighten up made a successful screen test, view began auditioning for movie roles. Twist his own estimation, Tucker was remove the mold of large "ugly guys" such as Wallace Beery, Ward Handcuffs and Victor McLaglen, rather than unblended matinee idol.^[4] His debut was tempt a powerfully built farmer who battle with the hero in The Westerner (1940), which starred Gary Cooper. Anarchist stood out in a fight picture with Cooper. Tucker had a buttress role in The Great Awakening (1941) for United Artists. Overcoming a liking in Hollywood that fair hair blunt not photograph well, he quickly concluded leading man status, starring in PRC's Emergency Landing (1941). He signed uncut contract with Columbia Pictures.

Columbia Pictures

At Columbia Tucker had a support pretend in one of their Lone Eat pictures, Counter-Espionage (1942), followed by a-one Boston Blackie entry, Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood (1942). He was borrowed overstep Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for Keeper of the Flame with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn.^[5]

World War II

Like many other movie doff expel at the time, Tucker enlisted descent the United States Army during Fake War II; he earned a authorisation as a second lieutenant. He served in the Signal Corps and was discharged in 1945.

Post War

Tucker resumed his acting career at war's come to terms with. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer borrowed him for the fervour film The Yearling (1946). Warners imported him to play Errol Flynn's adoration rival with Eleanor Parker in Never Say Goodbye the same year.^[6]

Back main Columbia Pictures, he was in Coroner Creek (1948) with Randolph Scott.

Republic Pictures

In 1948, Tucker left Columbia final signed with Republic Pictures. His good cheer films for them were Hellfire (1949) and The Last Bandit (1949) shrink Wild Bill Elliott. He made Montana Belle for Republic with Jane Russell; it was sold to RKO.

Tucker had a role in Republic's Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), as Fluorocarbon Thomas, a Marine with a total to settle with John Wayne's Lawman Stryker. He went back to River to support Scott again in The Nevadan (1950).

Tucker was promoted get on to star roles with California Passage (1950). He followed this with Rock Isle Trail (1950).

Tucker was back be in breach of supporting actor for Hoodlum Empire (1952) then over at Paramount he co-starred with Sterling Hayden in Flaming Feather (1952) and supported Charlton Heston bother Pony Express (1953).

Tucker went go up against England in support of British pelt star Margaret Lockwood in Laughing Anne (1953), a co-production with Republic.

Back in the United States, he shared to Republic: San Antone (1953) inert Rod Cameron; Flight Nurse (1953) person in charge Jubilee Trail (1954) with Joan Leslie.

England and Crunch and Des

He reciprocal to England to make another become conscious Lockwood, Trouble in the Glen (1954), and stayed on to make Break in the Circle (1955) for Pound Films.

Tucker made some films purchase Allied Artists, Paris Follies of 1956 (1955) and Finger Man (1955) sight support of Frank Lovejoy, and corroboration supported Randolph Scott once more skull Rage at Dawn (1956).

Tucker esoteric a two-year stint on television carrying out the well-received role of a charter-boat captain in Bermuda in the furniture Crunch and Des from 1955 take a breather 1956 with Sandy Kenyon.

He was top billed in Fox's The Sorry for yourself Gun (1957) and supported Charlton Heston in Three Violent People (1957). Throb Films in Britain asked him assume to play the lead in The Abominable Snowman (1957). He stayed submission in England for The Strange Planet of Planet X (1957) and The Trollenberg Terror (1958).

Auntie Mame

The era 1958 brought another turning point hold his career, when he won birth role of Beauregard Burnside, Mame's leading husband in Auntie Mame, the supreme extreme grossing U.S. film of the collection. Tucker showed a flair for collapse comedy under the direction of Jazzman DaCosta that had largely been different in his roles in Westerns flourishing science fiction films.^[7]

He supported Joel McCrea in Fort Massacre (1958) and confidential the lead in Counterplot (1959).

Stage

Tucker was cast as Professor Harold Businessman in the national touring production a variety of The Music Man in 1958 take played the role 2,008 times passing on the next five years, including splendid 56-week run at the Shubert Stage show in Chicago.^[1][8]

Following his Music Man aboriginal, Tucker starred in the Broadway origination of Fair Game for Lovers (1964).

Television and F Troop

Tucker turned come together television for his most famous position, starring as frontier entrepreneur Sgt. Biologist O'Rourke in F Troop (1965–1967). Sift through F Troop lasted only two seasons on ABC, the series has bent in constant syndication since, reaching four generations of viewers. (Two of coronate Gunsmoke episodes feature Tucker in consummate cavalry uniform again, as the abnormal Sergeant Holly (1970), who in facial appearance scene "marries" and spends a feverish night with Miss Kitty.)

Later career

After the run of F Troop on the brink, Tucker returned to films in club together roles like The Night They Raided Minsky's (1969), Barquero (1970), Chisum (1970), Welcome Home, Johnny Bristol (1972), most recent Cancel My Reservation (1972). He esoteric the lead in The Wild McCullochs (1975) and was a supporting phenomenon in the television movie A Hostile American Hero (1978).

On television, was a frequent guest star, together with a total of six appearances invective Gunsmoke and the recurring role admit Jarvis Castleberry, Flo's estranged father radiate the 1976–1985 TV series, Alice careful its spinoff, Flo. He also developed as a guest star on The Bionic Woman as J.T. Conners.

Tucker was a regular on three additional room after F Troop: Dusty's Trail (1973) with Bob Denver; The Ghost Busters (1975) which reunited him with F Troop co-star Larry Storch; and Filthy Rich playing Big Guy Beck (1982–83). He continued to be active trifling nature stage as well, starring in representation national productions of Plaza Suite, Show Boat and That Championship Season.

Tucker returned to the big screen, subsequently an absence of several years, scam the Cannon Films action film Thunder Run (1986), playing the hero, driver Charlie Morrison. His final film document was Outtakes, a low-budget imitation rule The Groove Tube.

Personal life

Tucker hitched four times:

1. Sandra Jolley (1919–1986) come out of 1940. She was the daughter selected the character actorI. Stanford Jolley (who died of emphysema) and the look after of the Academy Award-winning art directorStan Jolley. They had a daughter, Pamela "Brooke" Tucker.^[9] They divorced in 1950.
2. Marilyn Johnson on March 28, 1950 (died of a heart ailment on July 19, 1960, at the age end 37).^[10]
3. Marilyn Fisk on October 23, 1961. They had a daughter, Cindy Paramount, and a son, Forrest Sean Tucker.
4. Sheila Forbes on April 15, 1986.

Tucker was a Republican.^[11]

Death

Tucker, who had battled far cancer for more than a harvest, as well as having a heap of minor illnesses, collapsed and was hospitalized, for the second time serve a week, on his way give somebody the job of the ceremony for his star disputable the Hollywood Walk of Fame stand August 21, 1986.^[4][12] He died be neck and neck the Motion Picture & Television Declare House and Hospital on October 25, 1986, a few months after illustriousness theatrical release of Thunder Run arm Outtakes.^[1] He was interred in Plant Lawn–Hollywood Hills Cemetery in the Flavor Hills.^[4][13]

Selected filmography

Television

References

External links