Forrest Lewis

Forrest Lewis
Forrest Lewis in the TV series Medic, episode Break Through the Bars (1955)
Born(1899-11-05)November 5, 1899
Knightstown, Indiana, U.S.
DiedJune 2, 1977(1977-06-02) (aged 77)
OccupationActor
Years active1943–1973
Spouse
Elsa Grace Cross
​
​
(m. 1917, divorced)​
Children1

Raymond Forrest Lewis (November 5, 1899 – June 2, 1977)[citation needed] was an American actor of the theater, radio, motion pictures and television.

Early years

Lewis was born in Knightstown, Indiana,[1] the son of Joseph Saint Lewis and Myla Leota Lewis and attended Indiana University for a year.[2] On August 23, 1917, he married Elsa Grace Cross in Knightstown. They had a son, Forrest Gallion Lewis, and eventually divorced.[citation needed]

Stage

Lewis acted in repertory theater and then on Broadway with Lenore Ulric in Lulu Belle. He also acted in touring productions, including Broken Dishes (1930).[1]

Radio

Lewis's roles on radio programs included those shown in the table below.

Program Role
The Great Gildersleeve Peavey[3]: 136–138 
I Love a Mystery Michael[4]
Meet the Meeks Mortimer Meek[3]: 224–225 
Mystery House Dan Glenn[3]: 250 
Scattergood Baines J. Wellington Keats[3]: 296 
The Woman in My House James Carter[3]

Also in radio (1948–1950) he had parts in the anthology Destination Freedom, a series written by Richard Durham, dedicated to the retelling the lives of notable Negros in the Americas.[5]

Lewis was in the supporting cast of Family Skeleton[3]: 114  and The Roy Rogers Show.[3]: 292 

Television

Lewis played Peavey in the syndicated television version of The Great Gildersleeve (1954–1955)[6] and Mr. Mack, the host on the ABC children's series Sandy Strong (1952).[6]: 927 

In the mid-1950s, he appeared as a deputy in the syndicated crime drama Sheriff of Cochise and its successor series, U.S. Marshal, both starring John Bromfield. He guest starred with Maudie Prickett in the episode "Brief Glory" of the syndicated Western series 26 Men, starring Tris Coffin. He appeared on a wide array of programs, ranging from the CBS Western series My Friend Flicka, set on a Wyoming ranch, to the NBC sitcom, The People's Choice, with Jackie Cooper, to the ABC's Western drama, The Man from Blackhawk, starring Robert Rockwell. He also appeared on the NBC Western series, Riverboat, starring Darren McGavin, and on the ABC sitcom, Harrigan and Son, starring Pat O'Brien, and the ABC drama series about the Roman Catholic priesthood, Going My Way.[citation needed] In 1957 Lewis appeared as Charlie Miller in the TV Western Cheyenne in the episode titled "Land Beyond the Law."[citation needed] He played Doc Blake in "Wanted Dead or Alive" S2 E13 "No Trail Back" which aired 11/26/1959.

Lewis was cast as the recurring character, Colby, in the 1961–1962 CBS sitcom Ichabod and Me with Robert Sterling, George Chandler, Reta Shaw, and Burt Mustin. Lewis also guest starred in the ABC/Warner Brothers Western series, Colt .45 with Wayde Preston, on the syndicated Western Mackenzie's Raiders, starring Richard Carlson, on the CBS hit comedy, The Andy Griffith Show,[7] and on the ABC sitcom, The Real McCoys, starring Walter Brennan.[8]

Partial filmography

References

  1. ^ a b Terry, Dickson (September 1, 1948). "Forrest Lewis – Man Of Thousand Voices". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Missouri, St. Louis. p. 31. Retrieved October 2, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ McHatton, Martha (January 23, 1948). "Indianapolis on the Air". The Indianapolis News. Indiana, Indianapolis. p. 22. Retrieved October 2, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 358. ISBN 978-0786445134.
  4. ^ Harmon, Jim (2003). Radio Mystery and Adventure and Its Appearances in Film, Television and Other Media. McFarland. p. 51. ISBN 978-0786485086. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  5. ^ Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 196–198 [196]. ISBN 978-0195076783. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  6. ^ a b Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 414. ISBN 978-0786464777.
  7. ^ Robinson, Dale; Fernandes, David (2012-08-24). The Definitive Andy Griffith Show Reference: Episode-by-Episode, with Cast and Production Biographies and a Guide to Collectibles. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-0187-8.
  8. ^ Daily Variety. Daily Variety Limited. 1961.
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