Carver Dana Andrews (January 1, 1909 - December 17, 1992) was an American film actor who became a major star in what is now known as film noir. A leading man during the 1940s, he continued acting in less prestigious roles and character parts into the 1980s. He is best known for his portrayal of obsessed police detective Mark McPherson in the noir Laura (1944) and his critically acclaimed performance as World War II veteran Fred Derry in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).
Early life[edit]
Andrews was born on a farmstead near Collins in southern Mississippi, the third of 13 children of Charles Forrest Andrews, a Baptist minister, and his wife Annis (née Speed).[1] The family subsequently relocated to Huntsville, Texas, the birthplace of his younger siblings, including fellow Hollywood actor Steve Forrest (born William Forrest Andrews).
Andrews attended college at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville[2] and studied business administration in Houston. During 1931, he traveled to Los Angeles to pursue opportunities as a singer. He worked various jobs, such as at a gas station in the nearby community of Van Nuys. To help the struggling Andrews study music at night, "The station owners stepped in ... with a deal: $50 a week for full-time study, in exchange for a five-year share of possible later earnings", which he started repaying after signing with Goldwyn.[3]
Career[edit]
Sam Goldwyn and 20th Century Fox[edit]
Virginia Gilmore and Andrews in Jean Renoir's Swamp Water (1941)
In 1938, Andrews was spotted in the play Oh Evening Star and Samuel Goldwyn signed the promising actor to a contract, but felt he needed time to develop experience. Andrews continued at the Pasadena Playhouse, working in over 20 productions and proposed to second wife Mary Todd.[4] After twelve months, Goldwyn sold part of Andrews' contract to 20th Century Fox, where he was put to work on the first of two B pictures; his first role was in Lucky Cisco Kid (1940).[4] He then appeared in Sailor's Lady (1940), developed by Goldwyn, but released by Fox.[5]
Andrews was loaned to Edward Small to appear in Kit Carson (1940), before Goldwyn used him for the first time in a Goldwyn production: William Wyler's The Westerner (1940), featuring Gary Cooper.[6]
Andrews had supporting roles in Fox films Tobacco Road (1941), directed by John Ford; Belle Starr (1941), with Randolph Scott and Gene Tierney, billed third; and Swamp Water (1941), starring Walter Brennan and Walter Huston and directed by Jean Renoir.
His next film for Goldwyn was the Howard Hawks comedy Ball of Fire (1941), again teaming with Cooper, with Andrews playing the villain, a gangster.
Leading man[edit]
Andrews and Richard Loo in The Purple Heart (1944)
Back at Fox, Andrews was given his first lead, in the B-picture war movie Berlin Correspondent (1942). He was second lead to Tyrone Power in Crash Dive (1943) and then appeared in the 1943 film adaptation of The Ox-Bow Incident with Henry Fonda, in a role often cited as one of his best in which he played a lynching victim.
Andrews then went back to Goldwyn for The North Star (1943), directed by Lewis Milestone. He worked on a government propaganda film December 7th: The Movie (1943), then was used by Goldwyn again in Up in Arms (1944), supporting Danny Kaye.
Andrews was reunited with Milestone at Fox for The Purple Heart (1944), then was in Wing and a Prayer (1944) for Henry Hathaway.
Critical success and noir[edit]
Andrews in the trailer for Laura (1944)
Hoagy Carmichael, Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Andrews and Theresa Wright in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
One of his most famous roles was as a detective infatuated with a presumed murder victim, played by Gene Tierney, in Laura (1944), produced at Fox and directed by Otto Preminger. He co-starred with Jeanne Crain in the movie musical State Fair (1945), a huge hit, and was reunited with Preminger for the film noir Fallen Angel (1945). Andrews made another war movie with Milestone, A Walk in the Sun (1945), then was loaned to Walter Wanger for a western, Canyon Passage (1946), directed by Jacques Tourneur and co-featuring Susan Hayward.
Andrews' second film with William Wyler, also for Goldwyn, became his best known: The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). It was both a popular and critical success. Upon release, the topical film about American society's problems in re-integrating military veterans after World War II outgrossed the longstanding box office success of Gone with the Wind (1939) in the U.S. and Britain.[7] In 2007, the film ranked number 37th on AFI's Top 100 Years...100 Movies.
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