Carver Dana Andrews (January 1, 1909 – December 17, 1992) was an American film actor who became a major star in what is now known as

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

. A

leading man A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead (), plays the role of the protagonist of a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person who typica ...

during the 1940s, he continued acting in less prestigious roles and

character Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...

parts into the 1980s. He is best known for his portrayal of obsessed police detective Mark McPherson in the noir '' Laura'' (1944) and his critically acclaimed performance as

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

veteran Fred Derry in ''

The Best Years of Our Lives ''The Best Years of Our Lives'' (also known as ''Glory for Me'' and ''Home Again'') is a 1946 American epic drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo and Harold Rus ...

'' (1946).

Early life

Andrews was born on a farmstead near

Collins Collins may refer to: People Surname Given name * Collins O. Bright (1917–?), Sierra Leonean diplomat * Collins Chabane (1960–2015), South African Minister of Public Service and Administration * Collins Cheboi (born 1987), Kenyan middle- ...

in southern

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

, the third of 13 children of Charles Forrest Andrews, a

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

minister, and his wife Annis (''née'' Speed). The family subsequently relocated to

Huntsville, Texas Huntsville is a city in and the county seat of Walker County, Texas. The population was 45,941 as of the 2020 census. It is the center of the Huntsville micropolitan area. Huntsville is in the East Texas Piney Woods on Interstate 45 and home to ...

, the birthplace of his younger siblings, including fellow Hollywood actor Steve Forrest (born William Forrest Andrews). Andrews attended college at

Sam Houston State University Sam Houston State University (SHSU or Sam) is a public university in Huntsville, Texas. It was founded in 1879 and is the third-oldest public college or university in Texas. It is one of the first normal schools west of the Mississippi River and ...

in Huntsville and studied business administration in

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

. During 1931, he traveled to Los Angeles to pursue opportunities as a singer. He worked various jobs, such as at a gas station in the nearby community of

Van Nuys Van Nuys () is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley. History In 1909, t ...

. To help the struggling Andrews study music at night, "The station owners stepped in ... with a deal: $50 a week for full-time study, in exchange for a five-year share of possible later earnings", which he started repaying after signing with Goldwyn.

Career

Sam Goldwyn and 20th Century Fox

Virginia Gilmore-Dana Andrews in Swamp Water

In 1938, Andrews was spotted in the play ''Oh Evening Star'' and

Samuel Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn (born Szmuel Gelbfisz; yi, שמואל געלבפֿיש; August 27, 1882 (claimed) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer. He was best known for being the founding contributor a ...

signed the promising actor to a contract, but felt he needed time to develop experience. Andrews continued at the

Pasadena Playhouse The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California, United States. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engage ...

, working in over 20 productions and proposed to second wife Mary Todd. After twelve months, Goldwyn sold part of Andrews' contract to

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

, where he was put to work on the first of two

B pictures A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...

; his first role was in ''

Lucky Cisco Kid ''Lucky Cisco Kid'' is a 1940 Western film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and starring Cesar Romero, Mary Beth Hughes, and Dana Andrews, the latter in his film debut. Plot summary A gang of outlaws, led by Judge McQuade ( William Robertson ...

'' (1940). He then appeared in ''

Sailor's Lady ''Sailor's Lady'', also known as ''Sweetheart of Turret One'', is a 1940 film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Nancy Kelly and Jon Hall. The supporting cast includes Joan Davis, Dana Andrews, and Buster Crabbe. Football player Amby Schindle ...

'' (1940), developed by Goldwyn, but released by Fox. Andrews was loaned to

Edward Small Edward Small (born Edward Schmalheiser, February 1, 1891, Brooklyn, New York – January 25, 1977, Los Angeles) was a film producer from the late 1920s through 1970, who was enormously prolific over a 50-year career. He is best known for the movi ...

to appear in ''

Kit Carson Christopher Houston Carson (December 24, 1809 – May 23, 1868) was an American frontiersman. He was a fur trapper, wilderness guide, Indian agent, and U.S. Army officer. He became a frontier legend in his own lifetime by biographies and n ...

'' (1940), before Goldwyn used him for the first time in a Goldwyn production:

William Wyler William Wyler (; born Willi Wyler (); July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a Swiss-German-American film director and producer who won the Academy Award for Best Director three times, those being for ''Mrs. Miniver'' (1942), ''The Best Years of O ...

's '' The Westerner'' (1940), featuring

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...

. Andrews had supporting roles in Fox films '' Tobacco Road'' (1941), directed by John Ford; ''

Belle Starr Myra Maybelle Shirley Reed Starr (February 5, 1848 – February 3, 1889), better known as Belle Starr, was an American outlaw who gained national notoriety after her violent death. She associated with the James–Younger Gang and other outlaws ...

'' (1941), with

Randolph Scott George Randolph Scott (January 23, 1898 – March 2, 1987) was an American film actor whose career spanned the years from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in a variety of ...

and

Gene Tierney Gene Eliza Tierney (November 19, 1920 – November 6, 1991) was an American film and stage actress. Acclaimed for her great beauty, she became established as a leading lady. Tierney was best known for her portrayal of the title character in the ...

, billed third; and '' Swamp Water'' (1941), starring

Walter Brennan Walter Andrew Brennan (July 25, 1894 – September 21, 1974) was an American actor and singer. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in '' Come and Get It'' (1936), ''Kentucky'' (1938), and '' The Westerner ...

and

Walter Huston Walter Thomas Huston ( ;According to the Province of Ontario. ''Ontario, C ...

and directed by

Jean Renoir Jean Renoir (; 15 September 1894 – 12 February 1979) was a French film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and author. As a film director and actor, he made more than forty films from the silent film, silent era to the end of the 1960s. ...

. His next film for Goldwyn was the

Howard Hawks Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter of the classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American director who is not a household name." A v ...

comedy ''

Ball of Fire ''Ball of Fire'' is a 1941 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks and starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. This Samuel Goldwyn Productions film (originally distributed by RKO) concerns a group of professors laboring to ...

'' (1941), again teaming with Cooper, with Andrews playing the villain, a gangster.

Leading man

Dana Andrews Richard Loo Purple Heart 1944

Back at Fox, Andrews was given his first lead, in the

B-picture A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double featur ...

war movie ''

Berlin Correspondent ''Berlin Correspondent'' is a 1942 American film. Plot Dana Andrews portrays an American radio correspondent reporting from within Nazi Germany, whose principal source of information is an elderly philatelist. His reports prove so embarrassing ...

'' (1942). He was second lead to

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include '' Jesse James'', ...

in ''

Crash Dive A crash dive is a maneuver by a submarine in which the vessel submerges as quickly as possible to avoid attack. Crash diving from the surface to avoid attack has been largely rendered obsolete with the advent of nuclear-powered submarines, as they ...

'' (1943) and then appeared in the 1943 film adaptation of ''

The Ox-Bow Incident ''The Ox-Bow Incident'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by William A. Wellman, starring Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews and Mary Beth Hughes, with Anthony Quinn, William Eythe, Harry Morgan and Jane Darwell. Two cowboys arrive in a Western ...

'' with

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor. He had a career that spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. He cultivated an everyman screen image in several films considered to be classics. Born and rai ...

, in a role often cited as one of his best in which he played a

lynching Lynching is an extrajudicial killing by a group. It is most often used to characterize informal public executions by a mob in order to punish an alleged transgressor, punish a convicted transgressor, or intimidate people. It can also be an ex ...

victim. Andrews then went back to Goldwyn for '' The North Star'' (1943), directed by

Lewis Milestone Lewis Milestone (born Leib Milstein (Russian: Лейб Мильштейн); September 30, 1895 – September 25, 1980) was a Moldovan-American film director. He is known for directing ''Two Arabian Knights'' (1927) and '' All Quiet on the Weste ...

. He worked on a government propaganda film '' December 7th: The Movie'' (1943), then was used by Goldwyn again in ''

Up in Arms ''Up in Arms'' is a 1944 musical film directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Danny Kaye and Dinah Shore. It was nominated for two Academy Awards in 1945. Plot Danny Weems works as an elevator operator in a New York Medical building, so he can b ...

'' (1944), supporting

Danny Kaye Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; yi, דוד־דניאל קאַמינסקי; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, singer and dancer. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and ...

. Andrews was reunited with Milestone at Fox for ''

The Purple Heart ''The Purple Heart'' is a 1944 American black-and-white war film, produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, directed by Lewis Milestone, and starring Dana Andrews, Richard Conte, Don "Red" Barry, Sam Levene and Trudy Marshall. Eighteen-year-old Farley ...

'' (1944), then was in ''

Wing and a Prayer ''Wing and a Prayer, The Story of Carrier X'' (also known as ''Queen of the Flat Tops '' and ''Torpedo Squadron Eight'') is a black-and-white 1944 war film about the heroic crew of an American aircraft carrier in the desperate early days of Wor ...

'' (1944) for

Henry Hathaway Henry Hathaway (March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer. He is best known as a director of Westerns, especially starring Randolph Scott and John Wayne. He directed Gary Cooper in seven films. Backgro ...

Critical success and noir

One of his most famous roles was as a detective infatuated with a presumed murder victim, played by

, in '' Laura'' (1944), produced at Fox and directed by

Otto Preminger Otto Ludwig Preminger ( , ; 5 December 1905 – 23 April 1986) was an Austrian-American theatre and film director, film producer, and actor. He directed more than 35 feature films in a five-decade career after leaving the theatre. He first gai ...

. He co-starred with

Jeanne Crain Jeanne Elizabeth Crain (May 25, 1925 – December 14, 2003) was an American actress. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her title role in '' Pinky'' (1949). She also starred in the films ''In the Meantime, Darling'' (1944 ...

in the movie musical ''

State Fair A state fair is an annual competitive and recreational gathering of a U.S. state's population, usually held in late summer or early fall. It is a larger version of a county fair, often including only exhibits or competitors that have won in th ...

'' (1945), a huge hit, and was reunited with Preminger for the film noir ''

Fallen Angel In the Abrahamic religions, fallen angels are angels who were expelled from heaven. The literal term "fallen angel" never appears in any Abrahamic religious texts, but is used to describe angels cast out of heaven"Mehdi Azaiez, Gabriel Said R ...

'' (1945). Andrews made another war movie with Milestone, '' A Walk in the Sun'' (1945), then was loaned to

Walter Wanger Walter Wanger (born Walter Feuchtwanger; July 11, 1894 – November 18, 1968) was an American film producer active from the 1910s, his career concluding with the turbulent production of '' Cleopatra,'' his last film, in 1963. He began at Para ...

for a western, ''

Canyon Passage ''Canyon Passage'' is a 1946 American Western film directed by Jacques Tourneur and set in frontier Oregon. It stars Dana Andrews, Susan Hayward and Brian Donlevy. Featuring love triangles and an Indian uprising, the film was adapted from the ...

'' (1946), directed by

Jacques Tourneur Jacques Tourneur (; November 12, 1904 – December 19, 1977) was a French film director known for the classic film noir ''Out of the Past'' and a series of low-budget horror films he made for RKO Studios, including ''Cat People (1942 film), Cat ...

and co-featuring

Susan Hayward Susan Hayward (born Edythe Marrenner; June 30, 1917 – March 14, 1975) was an American film actress, best known for her film portrayals of women that were based on true stories. After working as a fashion model for the Walter Thornton Model A ...

. Andrews' second film with William Wyler, also for Goldwyn, became his best known: ''

'' (1946). It was both a popular and critical success. Upon release, the topical film about American society's problems in re-integrating military veterans after World War II outgrossed the longstanding box office success of ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind may also refer to: Music * ''Gone with the Wind'' ...

'' (1939) in the U.S. and Britain. In 2007, the film ranked number 37th on AFI's Top 100 Years...100 Movies. Andrews appeared in '' Boomerang!'' (1947), directed by

Elia Kazan Elia Kazan (; born Elias Kazantzoglou ( el, Ηλίας Καζαντζόγλου); September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was an American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by ''The New York Times'' as "one o ...

; '' Night Song'' (1947), at RKO; and ''

Daisy Kenyon ''Daisy Kenyon'' is a 1947 American romantic-drama film by 20th Century Fox starring Joan Crawford, Henry Fonda, and Dana Andrews in a story about a post-World War II romantic triangle. The screenplay by David Hertz was based upon a 1945 novel o ...

'' (1947) for Preminger. In 1947, he was voted the 23rd most popular actor in the U.S. Andrews starred in the anti-communist '' The Iron Curtain'' (1948), reuniting him with

, then '' Deep Waters'' (1948). He made a comedy for Lewis Milestone at Enterprise Pictures, ''

No Minor Vices ''No Minor Vices'' is a 1948 American black-and-white comedy film written by Arnold Manoff and directed by Lewis Milestone with Robert Aldrich as 1st assistant director. Created for David Loew's Enterprise Productions, it was the first of three ...

'' (1948), then traveled to England for '' Britannia Mews'' (1949). Andrews was in ''

Sword in the Desert ''Sword in the Desert'' is a 1949 American war film directed by George Sherman. It was the first American film to deal with the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine and marked the first significant feature film role for Jeff Chandler. Plo ...

'' (1949), then Goldwyn cast him in '' My Foolish Heart'' (1949) with

. He played a fast-fisted police officer in the film noir ''

Where the Sidewalk Ends ''Where the Sidewalk Ends'' is a 1974 children's poetry collection written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. It was published by Harper and Row Publishers. The book's poems address many common childhood concerns and also present purely fancif ...

'' (1950), also with Tierney and Preminger. Around this time,

alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol (drug), alcohol that results in significant Mental health, mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognize ...

began to damage Andrews's career, and on two occasions it nearly cost him his life behind the wheel. ''

Edge of Doom ''Edge of Doom'' is a 1950 black-and-white film noir directed by Mark Robson and starring Dana Andrews, Farley Granger, and Joan Evans. Plot The story concerns a young mentally disturbed man, Martin Lynn (Farley Granger), who goes on a rampage ...

'' (1950), another film noir for Goldwyn, was a flop. Andrews was then loaned to RKO to make '' Sealed Cargo'' (1951), in which his brother Steve Forrest has an uncredited role. (In
"Word of Mouth" commentary
for

Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie channel, movie-oriented pay television, pay-TV television network, network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasti ...

, Forrest stated, "I'd have given my eye teeth to have worked with him.") Back at Fox, Andrews was in ''

The Frogmen ''The Frogmen'' is a 1951 American black-and-white World War II drama film from Twentieth Century Fox, produced by Samuel G. Engel, directed by Lloyd Bacon, that stars Richard Widmark, Dana Andrews, and Gary Merrill. The film's storyline is bas ...

'' (1951), then Goldwyn cast him in '' I Want You'' (1951), an overwrought attempt to repeat the success of ''The Best Years of Our Lives'', during the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

era

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

''.'' From 1952 to 1954, Andrews was featured in the radio series '' I Was a Communist for the FBI'', about the experiences of Matt Cvetic, an

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...

informant who infiltrated the

Communist Party of the United States of America The Communist Party USA, officially the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA), is a communist party in the United States which was established in 1919 after a split in the Socialist Party of America following the Russian Revo ...

Career decline

Andrews' film career waned in the 1950s. '' Assignment: Paris'' (1952) was not widely seen. He made ''

Elephant Walk ''Elephant Walk'' is a 1954 American drama film produced by Paramount Pictures, directed by William Dieterle, and starring Elizabeth Taylor, Dana Andrews, Peter Finch and Abraham Sofaer.It is based upon the 1948 novel ''Elephant Walk'' by "Robe ...

'' (1954) in

Ceylon Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

, a film better known for

Vivien Leigh Vivien Leigh ( ; 5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967; born Vivian Mary Hartley), styled as Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice, for her definitive performances as Scarlett O'Hara in ''Gon ...

's nervous breakdown and replacement by Elizabeth Taylor. ''

Duel in the Jungle ''Duel in the Jungle'' is a 1954 British adventure film combining the detective film with the jungle adventure genres directed by George Marshall and starring Dana Andrews, Jeanne Crain and David Farrar. It was shot at the Elstree Studios near ...

'' (1954) was an adventure tale, ''

Three Hours to Kill ''Three Hours to Kill'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring Dana Andrews, Donna Reed and Dianne Foster.

'' (1954) and ''

Smoke Signal The smoke signal is one of the oldest forms of long-distance communication. It is a form of visual communication used over a long distance. In general smoke signals are used to transmit news, signal danger, or to gather people to a common area ...

'' (1955) were Westerns, '' Strange Lady in Town'' (1955) was a

Greer Garson Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson (29 September 1904 – 6 April 1996) was an English-American actress and singer. She was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer who became popular during the Second World War for her portrayal of strong women on the hom ...

vehicle, and ''

Comanche The Comanche or Nʉmʉnʉʉ ( com, Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "the people") are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in La ...

'' (1956) another Western. By the mid-1950s, Andrews was acting almost exclusively in B-movies. However, his acting in two late-cycle film noirs for

Fritz Lang Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), known as Fritz Lang, was an Austrian film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety'', August 4, 1976, p. 6 ...

during 1956, ''

While The City Sleeps While the City Sleeps may refer to: * ''While the City Sleeps'' (1928 film), an American silent film starring Lon Chaney * ''While the City Sleeps'' (1950 film), a Swedish drama scripted by Ingmar Bergman * ''While the City Sleeps'' (1956 film), ...

'', ''

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Beyond a reasonable doubt is a legal standard of proof required to validate a criminal conviction in most adversarial legal systems. It is a higher standard of proof than the balance of probabilities standard commonly used in civil cases, beca ...

'', and a

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...

, ''

Curse of the Demon ''Night of the Demon'' (in the United States, released as ''Curse of the Demon'') is a 1957 British horror film, produced by Hal E. Chester and Frank Bevis, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins and Niall Mac ...

'' (1957), and a noir, ''

The Fearmakers ''The Fearmakers'' is a 1958 American film noir crime film directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews. The screenplay is based on the 1945 novel of the same name by Darwin Teilhet. The film centers on seemingly nonpartisan political ...

'' (1958), for

, are well regarded. Around this time, he also appeared in ''

Spring Reunion ''Spring Reunion'' is a 1956 American drama film that centers on the fifteen-year reunion of the fictional Carson High School class of 1941. It was the second film produced by Kirk Douglas' film production company Bryna Productions. ''Spring Re ...

'' (1957), ''

Zero Hour! ''Zero Hour!'' is a 1957 drama film directed by Hall Bartlett from a screenplay by Bartlett, Arthur Hailey, and John Champion. It stars Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell, and Sterling Hayden and features Peggy King, Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch, Geof ...

'' (1957), and '' Enchanted Island'' (1958). In 1952, Andrews toured with his wife, Mary Todd, in ''

The Glass Menagerie ''The Glass Menagerie'' is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his Histrionic persona ...

'', and in 1958, he replaced

(his former co-star in ''

The Oxbow Incident ''The Ox-Bow Incident'' is a 1943 American Western (genre), Western film directed by William A. Wellman, starring Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews and Mary Beth Hughes, with Anthony Quinn, William Eythe, Harry Morgan and Jane Darwell. Two cowboys arr ...

'' and ''

'') on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

in ''

Two for the Seesaw ''Two for the Seesaw'' is a 1962 American romantic-drama film directed by Robert Wise and starring Robert Mitchum and Shirley MacLaine. It was adapted from the 1958 Broadway play written by William Gibson with Henry Fonda and Anne Bancroft (who ...

''.

Television

Andrews began appearing on television on such shows as ''

Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' was an American television anthology series, anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology dr ...

'' ("Right Hand Man", "Alas, Babylon"), ''

General Electric Theatre ''General Electric Theater'' was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

'', ''

The Barbara Stanwyck Show ''The Barbara Stanwyck Show'' is an American anthology drama television series which ran on NBC from September 1960 to September 1961. Barbara Stanwyck served as hostess, and starred in all but four of the half-hour productions. The four in which ...

'', ''Checkmate'', ''

The DuPont Show of the Week ''The DuPont Show of the Week'' is an American television anthology drama series which aired for three seasons on NBC from September 17, 1961 to August 30, 1964. It was nominated one time for an Edgar Allan Poe Award and eight times for Primet ...

'', ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, su ...

'' ("

No Time Like the Past "No Time Like the Past" is episode 112 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. In this episode a man tries to escape the troubles of the 20th century by taking up residence in an idyllic small town in the 19th century. ...

"), ''

The Dick Powell Theatre ''The Dick Powell Show'' is an American television anthology series that ran on NBC from September 26, 1961, until September 17, 1963, primarily sponsored by the Reynolds Metals Company. Overview The series was an anthology of various dramas ...

'', ''

Alcoa Premiere '' Alcoa Premiere'' (also known as ''Premiere, Presented by Fred Astaire'') is an American anthology drama series that aired from October 1961 to July 1963 on ABC. The series was hosted by Fred Astaire, who also starred in several of the episode ...

'', ''

Ben Casey ''Ben Casey'' is an American medical drama series that aired on ABC from 1961 to 1966. The show was known for its opening titles, which consisted of a hand drawing the symbols " ♂, ♀, ✳, †, ∞" on a chalkboard, as cast member Sam Jaff ...

'', and ''

Theatre of Stars ''Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre'' is an American anthology series, sponsored by Chrysler Corporation, which ran on NBC from 1963 through 1967. The show was hosted by Bob Hope, but it had a variety of formats, including musical, dramatic ...

''. Andrews continued to make films like ''

The Crowded Sky ''The Crowded Sky'' is a 1960 Technicolor drama film distributed by Warner Bros., produced by Michael Garrison (producer), Michael Garrison, directed by Joseph Pevney

'' (1960) and ''

Madison Avenue Madison Avenue is a north-south avenue in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States, that carries northbound one-way traffic. It runs from Madison Square (at 23rd Street) to meet the southbound Harlem River Drive at 142nd Stre ...

'' (1961). He then went to Broadway for ''The Captains and the Kings'', which had a short run in 1962. In 1963, he was elected president of the

Screen Actors Guild The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to m ...

. In 1965, Andrews resumed his film work with support roles in ''

The Satan Bug ''The Satan Bug'' is a 1965 American crime science fiction suspense film from United Artists, produced and directed by John Sturges, that stars George Maharis, Richard Basehart, Anne Francis, and Dana Andrews. The screenplay by James Clavell a ...

'' and ''

In Harm's Way ''In Harm's Way'' is a 1965 American epic war film produced and directed by Otto Preminger and starring John Wayne, Kirk Douglas and Patricia Neal, with a supporting cast featuring Henry Fonda in a lengthy cameo, Tom Tryon, Paula Prentiss, Stanle ...

''. Although he had the lead in films such as ''

Crack in the World ''Crack in the World '' is a 1965 American science-fiction doomsday disaster movie filmed in Spain. It is about scientists who launch a nuclear missile into the Earth's crust, to release the geothermal energy of the magma below; but accidentally ...

'' (1965), '' Brainstorm'' (1965), and '' Town Tamer'' (1965), he was increasingly cast in supporting roles: ''

Berlin, Appointment for the Spies ''Berlin, Appointment for the Spies'' (Italian: ''Berlino - Appuntamento per le spie'') is a 1965 Italian Eurospy film directed by Vittorio Sala and starring Dana Andrews. The film is also known as ''Bang You're Dead''. It was retitled ''Spy in ...

'' (1965), ''

The Loved One ''The Loved One: An Anglo-American Tragedy'' (1948) is a short satirical novel by British novelist Evelyn Waugh about the funeral business in Los Angeles, the British expatriate community in Hollywood, and the film industry. Conception ''The ...

'' (1965), ''

Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive (military), offensive military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted fr ...

'' (1965), and '' Johnny Reno'' (1966). He occasionally played leads in low-budget films like ''

The Frozen Dead ''The Frozen Dead'' is a 1966 British science fiction horror film written, produced and directed by Herbert J. Leder and starring Dana Andrews, Anna Palk and Philip Gilbert. In this film, Nazi scientist Dr. Norberg (Dana Andrews) attempts to ...

'' (1966), '' The Cobra'' (1967) and ''

Hot Rods to Hell ''Hot Rods to Hell'' is a 1967 American suspense film, the last by director John Brahm. The film was based on a 1956 '' Saturday Evening Post'' story by Alex Gaby, "52 Miles to Terror",p. 170 Goble, Alan ''The Complete Index to Literary Sources ...

'' (1967), however, by the late 1960s he had evolved into a

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

, as in ''The Ten Million Dollar Grab'' (1967), ''

No Diamonds for Ursula ''No Diamonds for Ursula'' (Italian: ''I diamanti che nessuno voleva rubare'') is a 1967 Italian crime film directed by Gino Mangini and starring Jeanne Valérie, Salvo Randone and Dana Andrews.McKay p.191 Cast * Jeanne Valérie as Ursula * ...

'' (1967), and '' The Devil's Brigade'' (1968). By the end of the decade, Andrews returned to television to play the leading role of college president Tom Boswell on the NBC daytime soap opera ''

Bright Promise ''Bright Promise'' is an American daytime soap opera that ran on NBC from September 29, 1969 to March 31, 1972. Synopsis The show revolved around students and faculty at the fictional Bancroft College, located in the community of Bancroft, somew ...

'' from its premiere on September 29, 1969, until March 1971.

Later career

Andrews spent the 1970s in supporting roles of Hollywood films such as ''

The Failing of Raymond ''The Failing of Raymond'' is a 1971 American made-for-television psychological thriller film starring Jane Wyman (in her television film debut), Dean Stockwell, Dana Andrews, Paul Henreid and Murray Hamilton. It aired as the ''ABC Movie of the ...

'' (1971), '' Innocent Bystanders'' (1972), ''

Airport 1975 ''Airport 1975'' (also known as ''Airport '75'') is a 1974 American air disaster film and the first sequel to the successful 1970 film ''Airport''. It was directed by Jack Smight, produced by William Frye, executive produced by Jennings Lang, a ...

'' (1974), ''A Shadow in the Streets'' (1975), ''The First 36 Hours of Dr. Durant'' (1975), ''

Take a Hard Ride ''Take a Hard Ride'' is a 1975 Italian-American Spaghetti Western film directed by Anthony Dawson and starring Jim Brown, Lee Van Cleef, Fred Williamson and Jim Kelly. This was the second of three films Brown, Williamson, and Kelly would star i ...

'' (1975), ''

The Last Tycoon ''The Last Tycoon'' is an unfinished novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In 1941, it was published posthumously under this title, as prepared by his friend Edmund Wilson, a critic and writer. According to ''Publishers Weekly,'' the novel is "generally ...

'' (1976), ''

The Last Hurrah ''The Last Hurrah'' is a 1956 novel written by Edwin O'Connor. It is considered the most popular of O’Connor's works, partly because of a 1958 movie adaptation starring Spencer Tracy. The novel was immediately a bestseller in the United Stat ...

'' (1977), and ''

Good Guys Wear Black ''Good Guys Wear Black'' is a 1978 American martial arts action film starring Chuck Norris and directed by Ted Post. This was the second film to feature Norris as the star, following ''Breaker! Breaker!'' (1977). However, this is the one that No ...

'' (1978) He also appeared regularly on TV in such shows as '' Ironside'', ''

Get Christie Love! ''Get Christie Love!'' is an American crime drama TV series starring Teresa Graves as an undercover African-American female detective which originally aired on ABC from January 22, 1974, until April 5, 1975. The starring television role made Gr ...

'', ''

Ellery Queen Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1929 by American crime fiction writers Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee and the name of their main fictional character, a mystery writer in New York City who helps his police inspector father solve ...

'', '' The American Girls'', ''

The Hardy Boys The Hardy Boys, brothers Frank and Joe Hardy, are fictional characters who appear in several mystery series for children and teens. The series revolves around teenagers who are amateur sleuths, solving cases that stumped their adult counterp ...

'', and ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pac ...

''. It was at this time, the 1970s, that Andrews became involved in the

real estate Real estate is property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this (also) an item of real property, (more general ...

business, telling one newspaper reporter, for example, that he owned "a hotel that brings in $200,000 a year." Andrews's final roles included ''

Born Again Born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is distinctly and sepa ...

'' (1978), '' Ike: The War Years'' (1979), ''

The Pilot A pilot is a person who flies or navigates an aircraft. Pilot or The Pilot may also refer to: * Maritime pilot, a person who guides ships through hazardous waters * Television pilot, a television episode used to sell a series to a television netw ...

'' (1980), ''

Falcon Crest ''Falcon Crest'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired for nine seasons on CBS from December 4, 1981, to May 17, 1990. The series revolves around the feuding factions of the wealthy Gioberti/Channing family in the California ...

'' (1982–83) and ''

Prince Jack ''Prince Jack'' is a 1985 film from Castle Hill Productions which dramatizes some of the inner workings of the Kennedy administration, including efforts by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy to address the issues arising from the Civil Rights Mo ...

'' (1985).

Personal life

Andrews marrie
Janet Murray
on December 31, 1932. Murray died in 1935 as a result of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...

. Their uname
baby
was also born and died in the same day, during her illness. Their son
David
was a musician and composer who died from a

cerebral hemorrhage Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), also known as cerebral bleed, intraparenchymal bleed, and hemorrhagic stroke, or haemorrhagic stroke, is a sudden bleeding into the tissues of the brain, into its ventricles, or into both. It is one kind of bleed ...

in 1964 at the age of 30. On November 17, 1939, Andrews married actres
Mary Todd
with whom he had three children: Katharine, Stephen, and Susan. For two decades, the family lived in

Toluca Lake, California Toluca Lake is an affluent neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, located in the San Fernando Valley northwest of downtown. The name is also given to a private natural lake fed by wells and maintained by neighboring property ow ...

. Andrews struggled with alcoholism but eventually won the battle and worked actively with the

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) is an American advocacy organization focused on alcoholism, drug addiction and the consequences of alcohol and other drug use. NCADD is built on a foundation of participation by members ...

. During 1972, he appeared in a television public service advertisement concerning the subject. During the last years of his life, Andrews suffered from

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...

. He spent his final years living at the John Douglas French Center for Alzheimer's Disease in Los Alamitos, California. On December 17, 1992, Andrews died of

congestive heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, a ...

and

. His wife died in 2003 at the age of 86.

Filmography

*''

'' (1940, movie debut) as Sergeant Dunn *''

'' (1940) as Scrappy Wilson *''

'' (1940) as Captain John C. Fremont *'' The Westerner'' (1940) as Sergeant Dunn *'' Tobacco Road'' (1941) as Captain Tim *''

'' (1941) as Maj. Thomas Crail *'' Swamp Water'' (1941) as Ben *''

'' (1941) as Joe Lilac *''

'' (1942) as Bill Roberts *''

'' (1943) as Lt. Cmdr. Dewey Connors *''

'' (1943) as Donald Martin *'' The North Star'' (1943) as Kolya Simonov *'' December 7th'' (1943) as Ghost of US Sailor Killed at Pearl Harbor *''

'' (1944) as Joe *''

'' (1944) as Capt. Harvey Ross *''

'' (1944) as Lt. Cmdr. Edward Moulton *'' Laura'' (1944) as Det. Lt. Mark McPherson *''

'' (1945) as Pat Gilbert *''

'' (1945) as Eric Stanton *'' A Walk in the Sun'' (1945) as Sgt. Bill Tyne *''

'' (1946) as Logan Stuart *''

'' (1946) as Fred Derry *''

Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning b ...

'' (1947) as State's Atty. Henry L. Harvey *'' Night Song'' (1947) as Dan *''

'' (1947) as Dan O'Mara *'' The Iron Curtain'' (1948) as

Igor Gouzenko Igor Sergeyevich Gouzenko (russian: Игорь Сергеевич Гузенко ; January 26, 1919 – June 25, 1982) was a cipher clerk for the Soviet embassy to Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, and a lieutenant of the GRU (Main Intelligence Direc ...

*'' Deep Waters'' (1948) as Hod Stillwell *''

'' (1948) as Perry Ashwell *''

The Forbidden Street ''The Forbidden Street'' is a 1949 British melodrama film directed by Jean Negulesco and starring Dana Andrews, Maureen O'Hara, Sybil Thorndike, Fay Compton and A. E. Matthews. Set in Victorian London, it tells the story of a wealthy young wo ...

'' (1949) as Henry Lambert / Gilbert Lauderdale *''

'' (1949) as Mike Dillon *'' My Foolish Heart'' (1949) as Walt Dreiser *''

'' (1950) as Det. Mark Dixon *''

'' (1950) as Father Thomas Roth *'' Sealed Cargo'' (1951) as Pat Bannon *''

'' (1951) as Jake Flannigan *'' I Want You'' (1951) as Martin Greer *''

Assignment – Paris! ''Assignment – Paris!'' is a 1952 American Cold War film noir directed by Robert Parrish and starring Dana Andrews, Märta Torén, George Sanders and Audrey Totter. Premise Paris-based ''New York Herald Tribune'' reporter Jimmy Race (Andrews) i ...

'' (1952) as Jimmy Race *''

'' (1954) as Dick Carver *''

'' (1954) as Scott Walters *''

Three Hours to Kill ''Three Hours to Kill'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring Dana Andrews, Donna Reed and Dianne Foster.

'' (1954) as Jim Guthrie *''

'' (1955) as Brett Halliday *'' Strange Lady in Town'' (1955) as Dr. Rourke O'Brien *''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Goes a Fishin'' (1956 short) as Himself *''

'' (1956) as Jim Read *''

While the City Sleeps While the City Sleeps may refer to: * ''While the City Sleeps'' (1928 film), an American silent film starring Lon Chaney * ''While the City Sleeps'' (1950 film), a Swedish drama scripted by Ingmar Bergman * ''While the City Sleeps'' (1956 film), ...

'' (1956) as Edward Mobley *''

'' (1956) as Tom Garrett *''

'' (1957) as Fred Davis *''

Night of the Demon ''Night of the Demon'' (in the United States, released as ''Curse of the Demon'') is a 1957 British horror film, produced by Hal E. Chester and Frank Bevis, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins and Niall MacG ...

'' (1957) as John Holden *''

'' (1957) as Lt. Ted Stryker *''

'' (1958) as Alan Eaton *'' Enchanted Island'' (1958) as Abner "Ab" Bedford *''

The Crowded Sky ''The Crowded Sky'' is a 1960 Technicolor drama film distributed by Warner Bros., produced by Michael Garrison (producer), Michael Garrison, directed by Joseph Pevney

'' (1960) as Dick Barnett. *''

'' (1961) as Clint Lorimer *''

'' (1965) as Gen. Williams *''

'' (1965) as Admiral Broderick *''

'' (1965) as Dr. Stephen Sorenson *'' Brainstorm'' (1965) as Cort Benson *'' Town Tamer'' (1965) as Tom Rosser *''

'' (1965) as Col. Lancaster *''

'' (1965) as Gen. Buck Brinkman *''

'' (1965) as Col. Pritchard *'' Johnny Reno'' (1966) as Johnny Reno *''

'' (1966) as Dr. Norberg *''

'' (1967) as Tom Phillips *''Supercolpo da 7 miliardi'' (''The Ten Million Dollar Grab'') (1967) as George Kimmins *'' The Cobra'' (1967) as Capt. Kelly * ''

'' (1967) as Il gioielliere *'' The Devil's Brigade'' (1968) as Brig. Gen. Walter Naylor *''

'' (1971, TV Movie) as Allan McDonald *'' Innocent Bystanders'' (1972) as Blake *''

'' (1974) as Scott Freeman *''A Shadow in the Streets'' (1975, TV Movie) as Len Raeburn *''The First 36 Hours of Dr. Durant'' (1975 TV movie) as Dr. Hutchins *''

'' (1975) as Morgan *''

'' (1976) as Red Ridingwood *''

'' (1977 TV movie) as Roger Shanley *''

'' (1978) as Edgar Harolds *''

'' (1978) as Tom Phillips *''A Tree, a Rock, a Cloud'' (1978 short) *''

'' (1980) as Randolph Evers *'' Ike: The War Years'' (1980 TV movie) as General George C. Marshall *''

'' (1985) as The Cardinal (final film role)

Partial television credits

Radio credits

References

External links

Dana Andrews on ''I Was a Communist for the FBI'' radio program
* * * *

at

Photographs and literature

David Murray Andrews, son of Carver Dana and Janet Andrews died of brain hemorrhage
a
Wikitree
{{DEFAULTSORT:Andrews, Dana 1909 births 1992 deaths Male actors from Mississippi Male actors from Texas American male film actors American male television actors Presidents of the Screen Actors Guild People from Covington County, Mississippi People from Los Alamitos, California 20th-century American male actors Sam Houston State University alumni 20th Century Studios contract players Deaths from pneumonia in California People from Huntsville, Texas