Dana Andrews

Dana Andrews (January 1, 1909 - December 17, 1992) was an American actor. He was born in Covington County, Mississippi, one of 13 children. His father was a Baptist minister. Soon his family moved to Kentucky, and later to Texas, where they settled in Huntsville. Andrews attended college there and also studied business administration in Houston.

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January 1 - 1909 - December 17 - 1992 - American - Covington County, Mississippi - Baptist - Kentucky - Texas - Huntsville - Houston

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In 1931 Andrews went to Los Angeles, California seeking opportunities as a singer. He worked at various jobs to earn his living, including pumping gas at a filling station in Van Nuys. One of his employers believed in him and paid for his studies in opera and also at the Pasadena Playhouse, a prestigious theater and acting school. Andrews later signed a contract with Samuel Goldwyn and nine years after arriving in Los Angeles was offered his first movie role in William Wyler's The Westerner (1940) which starred Gary Cooper.

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1931 - Los Angeles - California - Van Nuys - Pasadena Playhouse - Samuel Goldwyn - William Wyler - The Westerner - Gary Cooper

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Andrews' role in the 1943 movie adaptation of The Ox-Bow Incident with Henry Fonda is often cited as his most memorable. His appearances in the 1944 film Laura with Gene Tierney and the 1946 film The Best Years Of Our Lives, co-starring Fredric March and Myrna Loy made him a star but his popularity was fleeting. Save for a few exceptions like Elephant Walk (with Elizabeth Taylor and Peter Finch) he was unable to build on his early successes. Most of his later films were not commercial or critical successes and he drifted into supporting roles and character parts in B-movies. He suffered from alcoholism, reportedly beginning from the 1940s. He eventually overcame his addiction and was one of the first celebrities to do a public service announcement for AA.

Related Topics:
1943 - The Ox-Bow Incident - Henry Fonda - 1944 - Laura - Gene Tierney - 1946 - The Best Years Of Our Lives - Fredric March - Myrna Loy - Elephant Walk - Elizabeth Taylor - Peter Finch - AA

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In 1963 Andrews was briefly elected president of the Screen Actors Guild.

Related Topics:
1963 - Screen Actors Guild

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Andrews married Janet Murray in 1932 but she died three years later (their son died in 1964). He married actress Mary Todd in 1939 (they had a son and two daughters). Andrews suffered from Alzheimer's disease in later life and in 1992 died from heart failure in Los Alamitos, California.

Related Topics:
1932 - 1939 - Alzheimer's disease - 1992 - Heart failure - Los Alamitos, California

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