John Forsythe Is An American Television and Film Actor

John Forsythe (born John Lincoln Freund; January 29, 1918) is an American stage, television and film actor. Forsythe starred in three television series, spanning three decades, as single playboy father Bentley Gregg in the 1950s sitcom Bachelor Father (1957–1962); as the unseen millionaire Charles Townsend on the popular 1970s crime drama Charlie's Angels (1976–1981), and as ruthless and beloved patriarch Blake Carrington on the popular 1980s soap opera Dynasty (1981–1989). He's also well-known for hosting World of Survival during the 1970s. Forsythe currently appears each year to read children's fiction during the annual Christmas program near his retirement home at the rural resort community of Solvang, California, north of Los Angeles.

Despite showing initial reluctance, Forsythe began an acting career at the suggestion of his father. While there he met actress Parker MacCormick and the two were married in 1939. The couple had a son, Dall (born in 1941), but divorced the following year.As a bit player for Warner Brothers, Forsythe appeared promising in several small roles. As a result he was given a small role in Destination Tokyo (1943). Leaving his movie career for service in World War II, he appeared in the U.S. Army Air Forces play and film Winged Victory, then worked with injured soldiers who had developed speech problems.

Also in 1943, Forsythe met Julie Warren, initially a theatre companion but later a successful actress in her own right, landing a role on Broadway in Around the World in 80 Days. Warren became Forsythe's second wife and in the early 1950s the marriage produced two daughters - Page and Brooke.In 1947, Forsythe joined the initial class of the soon-to-be prestigious Actors Studio, where he met other promising young actors such as Marlon Brando and Julie Harris. During this time he appeared successfully on Broadway in Mister Roberts and The Teahouse of the August Moon.

In 1955, Alfred Hitchcock hired Forsythe to star in the movie The Trouble with Harry, alongside a young Shirley MacLaine. However, this movie didn't fare well at the box office, and Forsythe found high profile movie work increasingly hard to find.