William Emmett Forrest, Jr. (September 3, 1927 – January 12, 2013) was an American

pop culture Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * Pop (Gas al ...

collector, museum founder, and longtime friend of actor

Andy Griffith Andy Samuel Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012) was an American actor, comedian, television producer, southern gospel singer and writer whose career spanned seven decades in music and television. Known for his Southern drawl, his characte ...

. Forrest was an extensive collector of

memorabilia A souvenir (), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collected or purchased and transported home by the traveler as a m ...

spanning Griffith's career. He persuaded Andy Griffith to donate set pieces and other items from the ''

Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American situation comedy television series that aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color. Th ...

''. Forrest used his collection to found the

Andy Griffith Museum The Andy Griffith Museum is a museum dedicated to the life and career of American actor, television producer, and singer Andy Griffith. The museum, which houses the world's largest collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia, is located in Griffith' ...

Mount Airy, North Carolina Mount Airy is a city in Surry County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 10,611. History Mount Airy was settled in the 1750s as a stagecoach stop on the road between Winston-Salem, North Carolina an ...

, which opened to the public on September 26, 2009. Forrest was born in

Gaston County, North Carolina Gaston County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 227,943. The county seat is Gastonia. Dallas served as the original county seat from 1846 until 1911. Gaston County is included in the C ...

, on September 3, 1927, William Emmett Forrest, Sr. and Margaret Haynes Forrest. He served in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

during

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 ...

. He worked for the Pike Electric Company during his professional career. Forrest became involved with the Surry Arts Council following his retirement, which would lead to the Andy Griffith Museum years later. Forrest and Andy Griffith were longtime friends and he devoted much of his life preserving items from Griffith's career, with Griffith's approval. Forrest partnered with the Surry Arts Council to plan a museum dedicated to Griffith career, one of

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

's best known actors, singer, and television producers. A potential museum was in the planning stages for more than twenty-five years. Forrest's vast array of

formed the basis for the Andy Griffith Museum permanent collection, which he opened in Mount Airy,

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

, in 2009. The 2,500-square-foot museum, located less than a mile from Griffith's childhood home, cost approximately $500,000 to construct. According to Griffith's widow, Cindi Griffith, Forrest made no financial gain from donating his collection to the museum. Emmett Forrest died from a long illness on the morning of January 12, 2013, at the Joan and Howard Woltz Hospice Home in

Dobson, North Carolina Dobson is a town in Dobson Township, Surry County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 1,396. It is the county seat of Surry County. Dobson is the home of the Shelton Vineyards, the largest winery in No ...

, at the age of 85. He was predeceased by his wife, Barbara King Forrest, and survived by two

daughter A daughter is a female offspring; a girl or a woman in relation to her parents. Daughterhood is the state of being someone's daughter. The male counterpart is a son. Analogously the name is used in several areas to show relations between groups ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forrest, Emmett 1927 births 2013 deaths Museum founders American collectors United States Navy personnel of World War II People from Mount Airy, North Carolina People from Gaston County, North Carolina 20th-century philanthropists