---
name: "Frederic Forrest"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/frederic-forrest"
fi1m_id: "frederic-forrest"
imdb_id: "nm0002078"
tmdb_id: 8351
wikidata_id: "Q719266"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "23 December 1936"
died: "23 June 2023"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 83
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-07T10:44:39.833232+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Frederic Forrest

## Identity

Frederic Forrest

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/frederic-forrest
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** frederic-forrest
- **IMDb ID:** nm0002078
- **TMDB ID:** 8351
- **Wikidata ID:** Q719266
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Forrest, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q719266, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002078/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8351

Actor. Born 23 December 1936 in Waxahachie, Texas, USA. Died 23 June 2023.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 23 December 1936, Waxahachie, Texas, USA
- **Died:** 23 June 2023
- **Active:** 1974–1993
- **Also known as:** Frederic Fenimore Forrest Jr.
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 5: 4 acting, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Francis Ford Coppola](https://film.one/person/francis-ford-coppola.md), [John Milius](https://film.one/person/john-milius.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination
- **Average Fi1m score:** 83, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 92 (2), 1980s 77 (1), 1990s 78 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 85 to 76 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Crime 2, Comedy 1, Mystery 1, Thriller 1, War 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $196m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Forrest, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q719266, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002078/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8351

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Apocalypse Now*](https://film.one/film/apocalypse-now.md) (92), [*The Conversation*](https://film.one/film/the-conversation.md) (92)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse*](https://film.one/film/hearts-of-darkness-a-filmmakers-apocalypse.md) (84)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Frederic Forrest

> Frederic Forrest makes tense, unsettled men worth caring about. We value him most in an ensemble, where he gives us someone to worry about without demanding that everyone else get out of the way.

Frederic Forrest’s Chef gives us someone to worry about amid the warfare in *Apocalypse Now* (1979). He is an aspiring cook, a small but important detail in a film that can grow solemn about what men represent. Forrest’s anxious presence keeps our attention on the man as Francis Ford Coppola makes the world around him increasingly strange. We found the warfare upsetting, and Forrest’s ordinary, vulnerable Chef was part of the reason. His performance makes the film’s talk about damaged humanity feel earned.

His film breakthrough was *When the Legends Die* (1972), in which he played Tom Black Bull. *The Conversation* (1974), with Forrest as Mark, began his collaboration with Coppola, which later included *Tucker: The Man and His Dream* (1988). There was another important part alongside Chef: Huston Dyer opposite Bette Midler in *The Rose* (1979). His chemistry with Midler offers a useful alternative to the high-strung characters, and a reason to look beyond the war film. He continued in supporting and character parts into the 2000s.

In *Apocalypse Now*, he works alongside Albert Hall, Laurence Fishburne and Sam Bottoms to give the soldiers lives beyond the officers’ concerns. Dean Tavoularis’s production design supplies the disorder around them; their performances stop the men looking like figures arranged against an impressive backdrop. Forrest belongs in that company, and our admiration for him does not require us to pretend he carries the film alone. Coppola gets something valuable from an actor who can draw attention without making the other people in the scene seem less important.

We would not claim that his presence excuses everything around him. Even *Apocalypse Now*, which we recommend without hesitation, sometimes spends too long explaining thoughts that the fighting has already made clear. Forrest is one of the reasons its people remain worth attending to when the film becomes more ponderous. For a second look, choose *The Rose* and watch how he works with Midler.

## Biography

Frederic Forrest (born Frederic Fenimore Forrest Jr.) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 80 films and television productions from the late 1960s onwards.

Forrest trained in New York and began on stage in off-Broadway productions including *Viet Rock* (1966). His film debut came in *When the Legends Die* (1972). He gained attention for his work with director Francis Ford Coppola in *The Conversation* (1974) and *Apocalypse Now* (1979), in which he played Jay 'Chef' Hicks. He received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actor for his role in *The Rose* (1979), and shared the National Society of Film Critics award for best supporting actor for that film and *Apocalypse Now*.

Other notable film credits include *The Missouri Breaks* (1976), *One from the Heart* (1982), *Valley Girl* (1983), *Tucker: The Man and His Dream* (1988), *The Two Jakes* (1990) and *Falling Down* (1993). He also appeared in the television miniseries *Lonesome Dove* (1989).

*Sources: nytimes.com, washingtonpost.com, theguardian.com, imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (5)

### Performed in (4) — the average rests on these

- *Falling Down* (1993), Fi1m 71, as Surplus Store Owner — [page](https://film.one/film/falling-down.md)
- *Murphy Brown* (1988), Fi1m 77, Actor — [page](https://film.one/tv/murphy-brown.md)
- *Apocalypse Now* (1979), Fi1m 92, as Jay 'Chef' Hicks — [page](https://film.one/film/apocalypse-now.md)
- *The Conversation* (1974), Fi1m 92, as Mark — [page](https://film.one/film/the-conversation.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse* (1991), Fi1m 84, as Self — [page](https://film.one/film/hearts-of-darkness-a-filmmakers-apocalypse.md)

## Complete filmography (84)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Films to Die For* (2025), as (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *All the King's Men* (2006), as Willie's Father
- *Path to War* (2003), as Earle G. Wheeler
- *The House Next Door* (2002), as Vernon Crank
- *Militia* (2000), as William Fain
- *A Piece of Eden* (2000), as Paulo Tredici
- *Shadow Hours* (2000), as Sean
- *Spreading Ground* (2000), as Michael McGivern
- *Implicated* (1999), as Det. Luddy
- *Shadow Lake* (1999), as Lt. Roy Harman
- *The First 9½ Weeks* (1998), as David Millman
- *Black Thunder* (1998), as The Admiral
- *One of Our Own* (1998), as Maj. Ron Bridges
- *Whatever* (1998), as Mr. Chaminski
- *Point Blank* (1998), as Mac Bradford
- *Boogie Boy* (1998), as Edsel Dundee
- *Alone* (1997), as Carl
- *The End of Violence* (1997), as MacDermot
- *The Brave* (1997), as Lou Sr.
- *Crash Dive* (1997), as Admiral Pendleton
- *Andersonville* (1996), as Sgt. McSpadden
- *Andersonville* (1996), series, as Sgt. McSpadden
- *Double Jeopardy* (1996), as Jack
- *One Night Stand* (1995), as Michael Joslyn
- *Lassie* (1994), as Sam Garland
- *Chasers* (1994), as Duane, Mechanic
- *Against the Wall* (1994), as Weisbad
- *Hidden Fears* (1993), as Mike
- *Precious Victims* (1993), as Sheriff Frank
- *Trauma* (1993), as Dr. Judd
- *Falling Down* (1993), as Surplus Store Owner — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/falling-down.md)
- *Rain Without Thunder* (1993), as Walker Point Warden
- *The Habitation of Dragons* (1992), as Leonard Tolliver
- *Citizen Cohn* (1992), as Dashiell Hammett
- *Twin Sisters* (1992), as Delvaux
- *Double Obsession* (1992), as Paul Harkness
- *Die Kinder* (1990), series, as Lomax
- *The Two Jakes* (1990), as Chuck Newty
- *Music Box* (1989), as Jack Burke
- *Cat Chaser* (1989), as Nolen Tyner
- *Valentino Returns* (1989), as Sonny Gibbs
- *Margaret Bourke-White* (1989), as Erskine Caldwell
- *Lonesome Dove* (1989), series, as Blue Duck
- *Murphy Brown* (1988), series, Actor — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/murphy-brown.md)
- *Gotham* (1988), as Father George
- *Tucker: The Man and His Dream* (1988), as Eddie
- *Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun* (1988), as Raoul Schumacher
- *Little Girl Lost* (1988), as Tim Brady
- *21 Jump Street* (1987), series, as Richard Jenko
- *Stacking* (1987), as Buster McGuire
- *Where are the Children?* (1986), as Courtney Parrish
- *The Deliberate Stranger* (1986), as Det. Bob Keppel
- *The Deliberate Stranger* (1986), series, as Det. Bob Keppel
- *The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn* (1986), as Pap Finn
- *Return* (1985), as Brian Stoving
- *Right to Kill?* (1985), as Richard Jahnke, Sr.
- *Quo Vadis?* (1985), series, as Petronius
- *The Stone Boy* (1984), as Andy Jansen
- *Best Kept Secrets* (1984), as Blaise Dietz
- *Calamity Jane* (1984), as Wild Bill Hickok
- *The Parade* (1984), as Matt Kirby
- *Saigon: Year of the Cat* (1983), as Bob Chesneau
- *Valley Girl* (1983), as Steve Richman
- *Who Will Love My Children?* (1983), as Ivan Fray
- *Hammett* (1982), as Hammett
- *One from the Heart* (1982), as Hank
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Pap Finn, Buster McGuire
- *The Rose* (1979), as Huston Dyer
- *The Survival of Dana* (1979), as Mr. Davis
- *Apocalypse Now* (1979), as Jay 'Chef' Hicks — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/apocalypse-now.md)
- *Mrs. Columbo* (1979), series, Actor
- *$weepstake$* (1979), series, Actor
- *It Lives Again* (1978), as Eugene Scott
- *Ruby and Oswald* (1978), as Lee Harvey Oswald
- *The Missouri Breaks* (1976), as Cary
- *Permission to Kill* (1975), as Scott Allison
- *Promise Him Anything* (1975), as Paul Hunter
- *The Dion Brothers* (1974), as Russell (Rut) Dion
- *Larry* (1974), as Larry Herman
- *The Conversation* (1974), as Mark — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/the-conversation.md)
- *The Don Is Dead* (1973), as Tony Fargo
- *When the Legends Die* (1972), as Tom Black Bull
- *Futz* (1969), as Sugford
- *The Filthy Five* (1968), as Johnny Longo

## Gallery

- ![Frederic Forrest](https://film.one/media/person/59516/gallery-d13c53bbed7c.jpg) Frederic Forrest — Eduardo Montes-Bradley, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Frederic_Forrest_1993.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Frederic Forrest stars in Fox Broadcasting Company's new prime time drama, "21 Jump Street". Forrest portrays the captain of a police undercover unit, overseein (1987)](https://film.one/media/person/59516/gallery-4958a7a1a5a1.jpg) Frederic Forrest stars in Fox Broadcasting Company's new prime time drama, "21 Jump Street". Forrest portrays the captain of a police undercover unit, overseein (1987) — Fox Broadcasting Company, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Frederic_Forrest_21_Jump_Street_%281987_Fox_Press_Photo%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Frederic Forrest](https://film.one/media/person/59516/gallery-1ee11b0781d1.jpg) Frederic Forrest — Image via TMDB
- ![Frederic Forrest](https://film.one/media/person/59516/gallery-0addbb1491dd.jpg) Frederic Forrest — Image via TMDB
- ![Frederic Forrest](https://film.one/media/person/59516/gallery-0cc135a481bb.jpg) Frederic Forrest — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1980: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *The Rose*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/frederic-forrest