Dana Andrews facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dana Andrews
Andrews in 1945
Born	Carver Dana Andrews (1909-01-01)January 1, 1909 Near Collins, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	December 17, 1992(1992-12-17) (aged 83) Los Alamitos, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1938–1985
Spouse(s)	Janet Murray ​ ​ (m. 1932; died 1935)​ Mary Todd ​ (m. 1939)​
Children	4
Relatives	Steve Forrest (brother)
15th President of the Screen Actors Guild
In office August 8, 1963 – June 3, 1965
Preceded by	George Chandler
Succeeded by	Charlton Heston

Carver Dana Andrews (born January 1, 1909 – died December 17, 1992) was a famous American actor. He became a big movie star in the 1940s. He was especially known for his roles in "film noir" movies. These are often dark and mysterious crime films.

Dana Andrews played main characters during the 1940s. Later, he took on different kinds of roles until the 1980s. He is best known for playing a detective named Mark McPherson in the movie Laura (1944). He also gave a great performance as a World War II soldier named Fred Derry in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Dana Andrews was born on a farm near Collins, Mississippi. He was the third of 13 children. His father, Charles Forrest Andrews, was a Baptist minister. His family later moved to Huntsville, Texas. His younger brother, Steve Forrest, also became a Hollywood actor.

Andrews went to college at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. He studied business. In 1931, he moved to Los Angeles to try to become a singer. He worked many different jobs, like at a gas station. This helped him pay for music lessons at night.

Becoming a Movie Star

Starting with Goldwyn and Fox

Virginia Gilmore and Dana Andrews in Swamp Water (1941)

In 1938, Dana Andrews was noticed in a play. A famous movie producer named Samuel Goldwyn signed him to a contract. Goldwyn thought Andrews needed more experience. So, Andrews continued acting in many plays at the Pasadena Playhouse.

After a year, Goldwyn shared Andrews' contract with 20th Century Fox. Andrews started by acting in two smaller movies. His first movie role was in Lucky Cisco Kid (1940). He then appeared in Sailor's Lady (1940).

Andrews also worked on films for other studios. He was in Kit Carson (1940). Then, Goldwyn used him for the first time in a big movie. This was The Westerner (1940), which starred Gary Cooper.

Andrews had supporting roles in several Fox films. These included Tobacco Road (1941) and Belle Starr (1941). He also appeared in Swamp Water (1941). His next film for Goldwyn was the comedy Ball of Fire (1941). In this movie, he played a villain.

Becoming a Main Actor

Dana Andrews and Richard Loo in The Purple Heart (1944)

At Fox, Andrews got his first main role in a war movie called Berlin Correspondent (1942). He was the second lead in Crash Dive (1943). Then he appeared in The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) with Henry Fonda. Many people say this was one of his best roles.

Andrews then worked on a government film called December 7th: The Movie (1943). He also supported Danny Kaye in Up in Arms (1944). He was in The Purple Heart (1944) and Wing and a Prayer (1944).

Big Success and Film Noir

Dana Andrews in the trailer for Laura (1944)

Hoagy Carmichael, Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, and Theresa Wright in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

One of his most famous roles was in Laura (1944). He played a detective who falls for a woman he thinks is a murder victim. He also starred with Jeanne Crain in the musical State Fair (1945), which was a huge hit. He reunited with the director of Laura for another film noir, Fallen Angel (1945).

Andrews made another war movie, A Walk in the Sun (1945). He also appeared in a western called Canyon Passage (1946).

His second film with director William Wyler became his most famous: The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). This movie was very popular and praised by critics. It was about soldiers returning home after World War II. The film showed the challenges they faced. It even earned more money than Gone with the Wind (1939) for a while. In 2007, it was ranked as one of the top 100 American movies ever made.

Andrews starred in Boomerang! (1947) and Daisy Kenyon (1947). In 1947, he was voted the 23rd most popular actor in the U.S.

He also starred in The Iron Curtain (1948) and Deep Waters (1948). He made a comedy called No Minor Vices (1948). He then traveled to England for Britannia Mews (1949). Goldwyn cast him in My Foolish Heart (1949). He played a tough police officer in the film noir Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950).

His next film, Edge of Doom (1950), was not as successful. He was then in Sealed Cargo (1951), where his brother Steve Forrest had a small role. Andrews also appeared in The Frogmen (1951). Goldwyn then cast him in I Want You (1951), which tried to be like The Best Years of Our Lives but during the Korean War.

From 1952 to 1954, Andrews was on a radio show called I Was a Communist for the FBI. This show was about an FBI agent who went undercover.

Later Career and Television

In the 1950s, Andrews' movie career slowed down. He appeared in films like Assignment: Paris (1952) and Elephant Walk (1954). He also made Westerns like Three Hours to Kill (1954) and Comanche (1956).

By the mid-1950s, Andrews was mostly in smaller movies. However, his acting in two film noirs, While The City Sleeps and Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, both from 1956, are still well-liked. He also starred in the horror film Curse of the Demon (1957).

In 1952, Andrews toured with his wife, Mary Todd, in a play called The Glass Menagerie. In 1958, he took over a role on Broadway in Two for the Seesaw.

Andrews also started appearing on television. He was in shows like Playhouse 90, General Electric Theatre, and The Twilight Zone.

He continued to make films like The Crowded Sky (1960) and Madison Avenue (1961). In 1963, he was chosen as the president of the Screen Actors Guild. This is a group that represents actors.

In 1965, Andrews returned to more film work. He had supporting roles in The Satan Bug and In Harm's Way. He also played main roles in films like Crack in the World (1965). By the late 1960s, he mostly played "character actor" roles. These are important but not always the main parts.

By the end of the 1960s, Andrews returned to television. He played the main role of a college president on the soap opera Bright Promise from 1969 to 1971.

Final Roles

In the 1970s, Andrews continued to appear in supporting roles in Hollywood films. These included Airport 1975 (1974) and The Last Tycoon (1976).

He also appeared regularly on TV shows. Some of these were Ironside, Ellery Queen, and The Love Boat.

During the 1970s, Andrews also got involved in the real estate business. He owned a hotel, for example.

Andrews' last acting roles included Born Again (1978) and The Pilot (1980). He also appeared in the TV show Falcon Crest (1982–83) and his final film, Prince Jack (1985).

Personal Life

Dana Andrews married Janet Murray on December 31, 1932. Sadly, Janet passed away in 1935.

He married actress Mary Todd on November 17, 1939. They had three children together: Katharine, Stephen, and Susan. Their son, David, from his first marriage, passed away in 1964. For 20 years, the family lived in Toluca Lake, California.

In his later years, Dana Andrews suffered from Alzheimer's disease. He spent his final years at a special center in Los Alamitos, California.

Dana Andrews passed away on December 17, 1992. He was 83 years old. His wife, Mary Todd, passed away in 2003.

Filmography

Partial Television Credits

Radio Credits

See also

In Spanish: Dana Andrews para niños