Forrest Meredith Tucker

 Forrest Meredith Tucker (February 12, 1919 – October 25, 1986)

Tucker was an actor in both movies and television who appeared in nearly a hundred films. Tucker worked as a vaudeville straight man, aged fifteen years old. A mentor provided funds and contacts for a trip to California, where party hostess Cobina Wright persuaded guest Wesley Ruggles to give Tucker a screen test, based on his photogenic good looks, thick wavy hair and height of six feet, five inches - putting him into the same league as John Wayne, Chuck Connors, Fess Parker, James Arness, and Peter Graves, Arness's younger brother. Tucker was a sight reader who needed only one take. His film career started well despite a perception in most Hollywood studios that blond men were not photogenic. After twenty years spent mainly in Westerns and action roles, he returned to his roots, showing versatility as a comedic and stage musical actor. In the TV show F Troop, he became identified with the character of Cavalry Sgt. Morgan O'Rourke (a manipulative character quite similar to Phil Silvers' role as MSgt Ernie Bilko). Tucker struggled with a drinking problem that began to affect his performances in the later years of his career.

Tucker was a regular on three series after F Troop: Dusty's Trail (1973) with Bob Denver; The Ghost Busters (1975) which reunited him with F Troop co-star Larry Storch; guest star on The Bionic Woman as J.T. Conners and Filthy Rich playing the second Big Guy Beck. (1982–83). He continued to be active on stage as well, starring in the national productions of Plaza Suite, Show Boat, and That Championship Season. Tucker, who had battled lung cancer for more than a year, as well as having a series of minor illnesses, collapsed and was hospitalized, for the second time in a week, on his way to the ceremony for his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 21, 1986. He died four days later at age 66, and is interred at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills.