Edward Andrews

Edward Bryan Andrews Jr. (October 9, 1914 – March 8, 1985) was an American stage, film and television actor. Andrews was one of the most recognizable character actors on television and films from the 1950s into the 1980s. His stark white hair, imposing build and horn-rimmed glasses added to the type of roles he received, as he was often cast as an ornery boss, a cagey businessman, or other officious types.

Life and career

Andrews was born in Griffin, Georgia, the son of an Episcopal priest, and grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Cleveland, Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia. As a child, he attended Pittsburgh's Nixon Theatre and would nab a balcony seat so as to catch a good view of the 'headliners'. At the age of twelve, he did a walk-on in a stock theatre production which featured James Gleason and he was 'hooked' on an acting career.

He attended the University of Virginia, and at age 21, made his stage debut in 1935, progressing to Broadway the same year. During this period, Andrews starred in the short-lived but very well-received military drama ''So Proudly We Hail'' in the lead role opposite Richard Cromwell. In 1936, Andrews debuted in the film ''Rushin' Art''. In 1949 he made a brief, uncredited appearance as a neighbor to David Wayne's character in ''Adam's Rib''. However, it was not until 1955 that he appeared in his third film. He was cast as the subversive and corrupt character of Rhett Tanner, head of a knock-them-off political machine, in ''The Phenix City Story''. This was soon followed by roles in other 1950s films, such as ''The Harder They Fall'' (1956), ''These Wilder Years'' (1956), '' Tea and Sympathy'' (1956), ''Tension at Table Rock'' (1956), '' The Unguarded Moment'' (1956), '' Hot Summer Night'' (1957), ''The Tattered Dress'' (1957), ''The Fiend Who Walked the West'' (1958) and ''Night of the Quarter Moon'' (1959).

Films

While Andrews' film acting career began in earnest in his forties, he appeared much older than he actually was and he was consistently typecast as a grandfatherly type, and thus he is most strongly associated with these roles in later films. Though he often played amiable characters, Andrews was equally adept at portraying sleazy businessman types or uptight bureaucrats and officials.

Andrews appeared in several popular films including ''Elmer Gantry'' (1960) in which he was memorable as George F. Babbitt, ''The Absent-Minded Professor'' (1961) and '' Son of Flubber'' (1963) in both of which he played the Defense Secretary, '' The Thrill of It All'' (1963) with Doris Day and James Garner, ''Send Me No Flowers'' (1964) with Doris Day and Rock Hudson, and ''Avanti!'' (1972) in which he was a very convincing agent of the State Department. Among his other film credits are ''The Young Savages'' (1961), ''The Young Doctors'' (1961), ''Advise & Consent'' (1962), '' The Thrill of It All'' (1963), ''Good Neighbor Sam'' (1964), ''Youngblood Hawke'' (1964), ''Kisses for My President'' (1964), ''The Glass Bottom Boat'' (1966); '' The Trouble with Girls'' (1969) with Elvis Presley, ''Tora! Tora! Tora!'' (1970) as Admiral Harold R. Stark, ''How to Frame a Figg'' (1971), ''The Million Dollar Duck'' (1971), ''Now You See Him, Now You Don't'' (1972), ''Charley and the Angel'' (1973), and ''The Seniors'' (1978). He played the character of "Grandpa" Howard Baker in John Hughes' film ''Sixteen Candles'' (1984). His final appearance in a feature film was in ''Gremlins'' (1984).

Television

Andrews guested on many television series including: ''Mama'', '' Thriller'', ''Goodyear Television Playhouse'', '' Hands of Mystery'', ''The United States Steel Hour'', ''Justice'' (1954 series), ''Cheyenne'', ''The Twilight Zone'' (in the episodes "Third From the Sun", and " You Drive"), ''The Real McCoys'', '' The Eleventh Hour'', '' Route 66'', '' Naked City'', ''Gunsmoke'', '' Rawhide'', ''The Untouchables'', ''Bonanza'', ''Alias Smith and Jones'', ''The Wild Wild West'', '' Ironside'', ''The F.B.I.'', ''The Beverly Hillbillies'', ''Mr. Novak'', '' Sanford and Son'', '' One Day at a Time'', ''Love American Style'', ''Ellery Queen'', ''The Invaders'', ''Bewitched'', ''Hawaii Five-O'', ''Charlie's Angels'', ''The Rookies'', ''The Alfred Hitchcock Hour'', ''Storefront Lawyers'', ''Sergeant Bilko'', ''The Love Boat'', ''The Andy Griffith Show'', ''Fantasy Island'', ''Three's Company'', ''The Bob Newhart Show'' and ''Quincy, M.E.''.

Andrews was a regular on the ABC series, ''Broadside'' (1964–1965) as Commander Roger Adrian. He had previously filmed the pilot for the popular series ''Hazel'' in the role of George Baxter. His was the only role re-cast when the show went to series; he was replaced by actor Don DeFore. The other cast members (star Shirley Booth, Whitney Blake, and Bobby Buntrock) stayed with the show.

Andrews played the character of Charley in the 1966 dramatization of ''Death of a Salesman'', and constantly acted throughout the 1970s as Elton Dykstra on '' The Intruders'', Ernest W. Stanley on ''The Man Who Came to Dinner'', Mayor Chrisholm alongside Don Knotts in the film ''How to Frame a Figg'' (1971), and Mayor Massey on The Whiz Kid and the Mystery at Riverton. In 1968, he played a safecracker in a 4-part episode of ''I Dream of Jeannie'' and later, in early 1969, he was a drug-dealing mortician on ''Mod Squad''. He also had the lead role as Harry Flood in the NBC short-lived series '' Supertrain'' (1979). In 1982, he guest starred as Jack Tripper's (John Ritter) grandfather in an episode of ABC's ''Three's Company''.

In the late 1970s and early 80s, Andrews appeared in a series of popular commercials for Bell Telephone as an overbearing executive who went around the office extolling the increased productivity from then cutting-edge communication technologies like telemarketing, WATS lines, faxes and conference calls.

Personal life

Andrews' Broadway career was interrupted by military service during World War II. He served as Captain and commanding officer of "Battery C" within the 751st Field Artillery Battalion of the United States Army and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal in September 1945.

Andrews married Emily Barnes in 1955. They had two daughters, Abigail and Tabitha, and a son, Edward III. Andrews was an avid yachtsman.

Elizabeth Montgomery chose the name for her TV daughter "Tabitha" on Bewitched after Andrews' daughter: "The name was my idea,
she explained
"I loved it, because it was so old-fashioned. I got it from one of the daughters of Edward Andrews, the actor. The two Andrews girls are named Tabitha and Abigail."

Death

On March 8, 1985, Andrews suffered a heart attack at his home in Pacific Palisades. He was transported to Santa Monica Hospital where he died later that day. A memorial service for Andrews was held at the St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Pacific Palisades on March 11.

Andrews was later cremated.

Filmography

*''The Phenix City Story'' (1955) – Rhett Tanner
*''The Harder They Fall'' (1956) – Jim Weyerhause
*''These Wilder Years'' (1956) – Leland G. Spottsford
*'' Tea and Sympathy'' (1956) – Herb Lee
*''Tension at Table Rock'' (1956) – Kirk
*'' Friendly Persuasion'' (1956) – Soldier (uncredited)
*'' The Unguarded Moment'' (1956) – Mr. Bennett
*''Three Brave Men'' (1956) – Mayor Henry L. Jensen
*'' Hot Summer Night'' (1957) – Deputy Lou Follett
*''The Tattered Dress'' (1957) – Lester Rawlings
*''Trooper Hook'' (1957) – Charlie Travers
*''The Fiend Who Walked the West'' (1958) – Judge Parker
*''Night of the Quarter Moon'' (1959) – Clinton Page
*''Elmer Gantry'' (1960) – George F. Babbitt
*''The Absent Minded Professor'' (1961) – Defense Secretary
*''The Young Savages'' (1961) – R. Daniel Cole
*''Love in a Goldfish Bowl'' (1961) – Sen. Clyde Holloway
*''The Young Doctors'' (1961) – Jim Bannister
*''Advise & Consent'' (1962) – Senator Orrin Knox
*'' 40 Pounds of Trouble'' (1962) – Herman
*'' Son of Flubber'' (1963) – Defense Secretary
*'' The Thrill of It All'' (1963) – Gardiner Fraleigh
*''The Man from Galveston'' (1963) – Alonzo Hyde
*'' A Tiger Walks'' (1964) – Governor Robbins
*'' The Brass Bottle'' (1964) – Prof. Kenton
*''Good Neighbor Sam'' (1964) – Mr. Burke
*''Kisses for My President'' (1964) – Sen. Walsh
*''Send Me No Flowers'' (1964) – Dr. Ralph Morrissey
*''Youngblood Hawke'' (1964) – Quentin Judd
*'' Fluffy'' (1965) – Griswald
*''The Glass Bottom Boat'' (1966) – Gen. Wallace Bleecker
*'' Birds Do It'' (1966) – Gen. Smithburn
*''The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk'' (1967) – Dr. Montrose
*'' The Trouble with Girls'' (1969) – Johnny
*''Tora! Tora! Tora!'' (1970) – Admiral Harold R. Stark
*''How to Frame a Figg'' (1971) – Mayor Robert Chisholm
*''The Million Dollar Duck'' (1971) – Morgan
*''Now You See Him, Now You Don't'' (1972) – Mr. Sampson
*''Avanti!'' (1972) – J.J. Blodgett
*''Charley and the Angel'' (1973) – Ernie, Banker
*''Wilbur and Orville: The First to Fly'' (1973)
*''The Photographer'' (1974) – Sgt. Sid Collins
*''The Seniors'' (1978) – The Banker
*''Sixteen Candles'' (1984) – Howard Baker
*''Gremlins'' (1984) – Mr. Roland Corben (final film role)

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Andrews, Edward
1914 births
1985 deaths
20th-century American male actors
American male film actors
American male stage actors
American male television actors
Male actors from Georgia (U.S. state)
People from Griffin, Georgia
University of Virginia alumni
American Episcopalians