S.W.A.T. Star Dies: Steve Forrest Dead at Age 87 After 60 Years in the Business
Seventies S.W.A.T. star, Steve Forrest, has died Saturday at the age of 87 in Thousand Oaks, California.
Best known for his role as Lt. Dan 'Hondo' Harrelson, the actor has been a much loved star over recent decades. However, fans mourned the passing of the actor at the weekend, and in the immediate aftermath of the news breaking the cause of death was not made public.
Before getting into acting, Forest, then known as William Andrews, was a soldier in World War II where he attained the rank of sergeant and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
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After graduating from UCLA with a bachelor's degree in theater arts in 1950, he was discovered by legendary actor Gregory Peck in the 50s as a stage hand at the La Jolla Playhouse.
He was given a contract after a successful screen test arranged by Peck won him a job in a production at a playhouse.
Forrest's first big break came in 1953's "So Big," a film that earned him a Golden Globe Award. Other movies of note from those early years were "Prisoner of War," alongside then-actor Ronald Reagan, "Rogue Cop," and "It Happened to Jane" with Doris Day.
After a number of of television and movie roles through the 60s, including a stint in England to play in the BBC's "The Baron," he landed his role in S.W.A.T. in 1975 as the leader of the bunch, and even made a cameo in 2003's remake.
Other notable TV works include: "North Dallas Forty" (1979), "Mommie Dearest" (1981) with Faye Dunaway, "Spies Like Us" (1985) with Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd, the miniseries "Hollywood Wives" (1985), a season in the 1980s on TV's "Dallas," "Storyville" (1992) with James Spader and "Killer: A Journal of Murder" (1995) with James Woods.
In the 60s he starred alongside Elvis Presley, John Wayne, and Sophia Loren.
Forrest was survived by his wife of 65-years-old, Christine, and his sons Michael, Forrest, and Stephen.
