Oscar-Nominated Actor Frederic Forrest Dead At 86
In some tragic breaking news for long-time movie fans, veteran actor Frederic Forrest has been confirmed dead at the age of 86.
Forrest’s biggest role of his life came in the Francis Ford Coppola masterpiece Apocalypse Now, where he played the high-strung Chef Hicks. His greatest success came when he took on the role of Huston Dyer in the Bette Midler movie, The Rose. Here is a look at the life and death of this extraordinary actor.
Frederic Forrest dead at 86
The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the death of Frederic Forrest on Saturday, June 24. The site reported that he died on Friday at his home in Santa Monica after battling a long illness. His close friend Barry Primas reported the news to the site.
Forrest picked up an Oscar nomination for playing Huston Dyer in The Rose in 1979. In that movie, Bette Midler played Mary Rose Foster, a famous rock and roll diva known as “The Rose.” After being humiliated by a country music star, she sets off on a cross-country trip and begins a whirlwind romance with her limo driver, Huston Dyer, who also happens to be an AWOL sergeant from the Army.
Bette Midler responded to Forrest’s death on Twitter. She made it clear that he had been battling his illness for the last few months. Bette thanked fans and friends for all their support in his final days. “He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life.”
The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has died. Thank you to all of his fans and friends for all their support these last few months. He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.”
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) June 24, 2023
Forrest also saw early success in his career when he picked up a Golden Globes nomination for his role in When the Legends Die in 1972 as the “Most Promising Newcomer.” Other than his breakout in Apocalypse Now, he also starred in Francis Ford Coppola’s Oscar-nominated The Conversation. Other roles include a turn as iconic detective Dashiell Hammett in Wim Wenders’ Hammett and the Chinatown sequel, The Two Jakes.
Frederic Forrest never stopped fighting
Frederic Forrest was told he would become a major star after he earned his first Golden Globes nomination, but that never happened. He instead had a long and solid career as a character actor, although he does have that one Oscar nomination to his name. The one area that he did excel in was in the movies of Francis Ford Coppola, both the movies he directed and the ones he produced.
Forrest was born in 1936 in Texas. He became an actor after a high school career that saw him playing football and running track. Once he saw James Dean in East of Eden, he decided that is what he wanted to do. After a stint in the Army, he enrolled at TCU and after graduation traveled to New York to study with Lee Strasberg at The Actors Studio (the same teacher that instructed Marlon Brando, Alec Baldwin, Mickey Rourke, and Harvey Keitel).
After getting his start on Broadway, Forrest soon moved on to TV and movies and worked steadily for four decades. His last movie appearance was in 2006 in the Sean Penn and Jude Law movie, All the King’s Men.
Please help send out your well-wishes to the family and loved ones of Frederic Forrest.
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