Frederic Forrest, a character actor who had a memorable role in 1979s Apocalypse Now and earned an Oscar nomination for The Rose in the same year, died Friday in Santa Monica. He was 86.
Forrests death was confirmed by his sister, Ginger Jackson. It was first reported by his Rose co-star Bette Midler, who paid tribute to the actor on Twitter.
The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has died, Midler wrote. Thank you to all of his fans and friends for all their support these last few months. He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.
Frederic Forrest in Apocalypse Now United Artists/Courtesy Everet As Jay Chef Hicks in Francis Ford Coppolas Apocalypse Now, Forrestt played the tightly-wound former New Orleans chef on the river patrol boat who raves I didnt come here for this, I dont fucking need this, all I wanted to do is fucking cook before later getting beheaded.
Coppola also cast him in One From the Heart, The Conversation, Hammett and Tucker: The Man and His Dream. Forrests titular conversation with Cindy Williams in The Conversation is recorded by Gene Hackman, and his voice is heard throughout the film.
Freddie Forrest was a sweet, much beloved person, a wonderful actor and a good friend, Coppola wrote in a statement regarding Forrests death. His loss is heartbreaking to me.
In Falling Down, Forrest played the white supremacist Army surplus store owner who gets killed by Michael Douglas Foster. He also appeared in The Missouri Breaks, The Two Jakes, Point Blank and Valley Girl, as well as in Dario Argentos first American film, Trauma.
In television, he appeared in miniseries Lonesome Dove and Quo Vadis and in the 21 Jump Street series.
Born Dec. 23, 1936 in Waxahachie, Texas, Forrest studied at Texas Christian University and later received the distinguished alumni award. He then worked under Sanford Meisner and started out acting onstage, with a role in the off-Broadway show Viet Rock. He moved to Hollywood and his first screen role, in When the Legends Die, earned him a 1973 Golden Globe nomination for most promising newcomer.
Forrest is survived by his sister, Ginger Forrest Jackson, and her husband, David; nephew and niece, Forrest Allen Jackson and Sally Jackson Brezic, as well as Jackson Galbraith, Leah Jackson and Helen Sanders of Los Angeles. He is predeceased by nephew, David Lee Jackson.
He was married twice, the second time to Marilu Henner. They divorced in 1983.