Actor Frederic Forrest, who was nominated for an Oscar, passed yesterday at the age of 86. After a protracted illness, the actor passed away peacefully on June 23rd at his home in Santa Monica. Barry Primus, a friend of Forrest’s and an actor, corroborated the information.
Forrest has a four-decade career and played supporting roles in a number of films. His performances in The Rose (1979) and Apocalypse Now (1979) catapulted him to fame. Continue reading to learn more about his life and work.
The Rose co-star Bette Midler shared the terrible news on Twitter, writing, “The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has passed away. We appreciate all of his friends’ and fans’ support over the past few months. He was an amazing performer and a wonderful person, and I was fortunate to have him in my life. He was content.
The actor had long struggled with an unidentified disease. He had home care for the previous six months. In September, his family even started a GoFundMe campaign to pay for his medical bills.
Forrest began his acting career in 1966 with the off-Broadway production of Viet Rock after being born in Texas in December 1936. Before making his big screen debut in 1972’s When The Legends Die, he ultimately ventured into movies and had little uncredited roles. The actor was nominated for New Star of the Year at the Golden Globes for his work in the movie.
After playing supporting roles in a number of films and TV shows, Forrest finally broke through when two of his pictures did exceptionally well at the box office in 1979. In the film Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola, he portrayed Jay “Chef” Hicks. He received a National Society of Film Critics Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for the war movie.
He then co-starred with Bette Midler in The Rose as her love interest and was nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
It Lives Again (1978), Valley Girl (1983), The Stone Boy (1984), Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988), The Two Jakes (1990), Point Blank (1998), and The Quality of Light (2003) are just a few of the numerous films in which Forrest has appeared. In 2006’s All the King’s Men, starring Sean Penn, he made his final movie appearance.
Numerous fans have used social media to share their sorrow and pay respects to the late actor ever since the news of Forrest’s passing broke. “I’ll never forget his role as the spooky Blue Duck on the fantastic television programme Lonesome Dove. He controlled his settings. May he rest in peace, one admirer wished.
“Farewell sad eyed FREDERIC FORREST,” said another tweet. He was soulful, harsh, and tender, and will be most known for his roles as the tense Chef Hicks in APOCALYPSE NOW and the Oscar-nominated army sergeant who won Bette Midler’s heart in THE ROSE. #RIP.
The most underappreciated actor in Coppola’s cast and the only Texan to portray a convincing Louisianan. Capt. Jenko, the initial leader of Jump Street Chappell in its early episodes, was also well-known. Another admirer wrote, “Rest In Peace, Frederic Forrest.”