John Forsythe American actor Date of Birth: 29.01.1918 Country: USA

Biography of John Forsythe

John Forsythe, born Jacob Lincoln Freund in 1918 in Penns Grove, New Jersey, was an American actor. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where his father worked on Wall Street during the Great Depression. At the age of 16, John graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School and went on to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At 18, he began working as a sports commentator at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, commenting on baseball matches involving the Brooklyn Dodgers.

In 1939, John married actress Parker McCormick and they had a son named Dall in 1943. However, they divorced later that year. In the same year, John followed his father's advice and pursued acting, despite never having dreamt of becoming an actor. He made his film debut as a sailor in the war film "Destination Tokyo" and appeared in a small role in "Northern Pursuit". With the onset of World War II, John joined the U.S. Army Air Forces.

In the 1950s, John's second wife became actress Julie Warren, and they had two daughters, Page and Brooke. In 1947, John attended acting classes alongside future stars Marlon Brando and Julie Harris. He also performed on Broadway in productions such as "Mister Roberts" and "The Teahouse of the August Moon". In 1955, John landed the lead role in Alfred Hitchcock's comedy film "The Trouble with Harry", followed by the lead role in the melodrama "The Ambassador's Daughter" in 1956.

Despite his success in film, John became most popular for his television roles. His breakthrough came in the late 1950s with the role of Bentley Gregg in the series "Bachelor Father". The show's popularity was overwhelming, remaining a top-rated program until the early 1960s.

In 1976, John Forsythe achieved another major success on television, portraying the character of Charles Townsend, a mysterious and invisible millionaire private detective, in the immensely popular series "Charlie's Angels". The show aired in numerous countries, making John one of the highest-paid actors on TV. During this time, he also pursued his longtime passion for horse racing, becoming a member of the board of directors for Hollywood Park Racetrack for over 25 years.

In the late 1970s, John faced heart issues and underwent several successful surgeries. He returned to the "Charlie's Angels" series after a short hiatus. Then, while still working on "Charlie's Angels", John was cast in another immensely successful project, the series "Dynasty", where he portrayed the cunning head of the Carrington family, Blake Carrington. This role is considered the pinnacle of his acting career and established him as one of the most successful men in Hollywood. He set a record by appearing in every episode of the show. In 1989, the series came to an end, and John received numerous awards for his performance, including a Golden Globe.

In 1994, John's first wife, Julie Warren, passed away, and he faced the difficult decision of disconnecting her from life support. They had been together for over 50 years. Afterward, John remarried to Nicole Carter.

John's final works were the television films "Charlie's Angels" in 2000 and its sequel "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" in 2003. In total, he appeared in nearly a hundred roles throughout his career. His star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a testament to his contributions to the entertainment industry.

John Forsythe passed away on April 1, 2010, from pneumonia in Santa Ynez, California. His wife Nicole survived him by only six weeks. He left behind a son and two daughters.