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Forrest Compton
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{{Short description|American actor (1925β2020)}} {{more citations needed|date=June 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Forrest Compton | image = Publicity_Photo_of_Forrest_Compton.jpg | caption = Publicity Photo of Forrest Compton | birth_date = {{Birth date|1925|9|15}} | birth_place = [[Reading, Pennsylvania]], U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|4|4|1925|9|15}} | death_place = [[Shelter Island, New York]], U.S. | education = [[Swarthmore College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Yale University]] ([[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]]) | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1957β2002 | awards = | spouse = {{marriage|Jeanne Sementini|1975}} | children = | homepage = }} '''Forrest Compton''' (September 15, 1925 β April 4, 2020) was an American actor, primarily known for playing [[Mike Karr]] on the daytime soap opera ''[[The Edge of Night]],'' as well as Colonel Gray on ''[[Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.]]'' == Early life and education == Compton was born in 1925 in [[Reading, Pennsylvania]]. His father sold aluminum pots and pans and worked at a local steel mill. After high school, Compton fought in the [[103rd Infantry Division (United States)|103rd Infantry Division]] during [[World War II]]. When the war ended, Compton attended [[Swarthmore College]], where he initially studied pre-law and political science but later switched to English.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Galigan|first=Carol|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a9WCDwAAQBAJ&q=Forrest+Compton+swarthmore&pg=PT43|title=Island Voices, Shelter Island 1655-2010|date=2010-10-14|publisher=ibooks|isbn=978-1-883283-85-8|language=en}}</ref> Compton also began acting school theatre productions. After graduating from Swarthmore, Compton earned a [[Master of Fine Arts]] degree from the [[Yale School of Drama]], where he befriended [[Paul Newman]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shelterislandreporter.timesreview.com/2019/02/22/island-profile-forrest-compton-soldier-actor-islander/|title=Island Profile : Forrest Compton {{!}} Soldier, actor, Islander|date=2019-02-22|website=Shelter Island Reporter|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref> == Career == Compton was best known for portraying attorney [[Mike Karr]], the central character on the long-running soap opera ''[[The Edge of Night]]'', on which he appeared from 1970 to 1984.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schemering |first1=Christopher |title=[[The Soap Opera Encyclopedia (Schemering book)|The Soap Opera Encyclopedia]] |date=1987 |publisher=Ballantine Books |isbn=0-345-35344-7 |edition=2nd |pages=90β97}}</ref><ref name="SSK">{{Cite web|url=https://soaps.sheknows.com/soaps/news/562847/obituary-forrest-compton-dead-94/|title=''The Edge of Night'' Actor Forrest Compton Dead at 94|first=Amy|last=Mistretta|website=[[Soaps She Knows]]|date=April 6, 2020|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> He also played stern but fair [[battalion]] commander Lieutenant Colonel Edward Gray on the 1960s [[sitcom]] ''[[Gomer Pyle, USMC]]''.<ref name="SSK"/><ref name="DLH">{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/04/forrest-compton-dies-of-covid-19-the-edge-of-night-gomer-pyle-actor-was-94-1202901116/|title=Forrest Compton Dies of COVID-19: ''The Edge of Night'', ''Gomer Pyle'' Actor Was 94|first=Dino-Ray|last=Ramos|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=April 6, 2020|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref><ref name="SC">{{cite web|url=https://www.soapcentral.com/soapcentral/news/2020/0406-forrest_compton_eon_obit.php|title=RIP: ''The Edge of Night'' actor Forrest Compton has died|website=[[SoapCentral]]|first=Kambra|last=Clifford|date=April 6, 2020|access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> He had a recurring role in 1959β1960 in the [[NBC]] series ''The Troubleshooters'' with [[Keenan Wynn]], [[Bob Mathias]], and [[Chet Allen (actor)|Chet Allen]]. His other television credits include ''[[The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]'', ''[[77 Sunset Strip]]'', ''[[My Three Sons]]'', ''[[Mayberry RFD]]'', ''[[Mannix]]'', ''[[Hogan's Heroes]]'', ''[[That Girl]]'', ''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]'', ''[[Loving (TV series)|Loving]]'', ''[[One Life to Live]]'', ''[[As the World Turns]]'' and ''[[Ed (TV series)|Ed]]''. He also portrayed President Flynn in the 1991 [[Christopher Walken]] film ''[[McBain (film)|McBain]]''.<ref name="SSK"/><ref name="DLH"/><ref name="SC"/> == Personal life == Compton married Jeanne Sementini on September 28, 1975. His last acting role was in 2002. He retired to [[Shelter Island, New York]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shelterislandreporter.timesreview.com/2019/02/22/island-profile-forrest-compton-soldier-actor-islander/|title=Island Profile : Forrest Compton | Soldier, actor, Islander}}</ref> where he died on April 4, 2020, at the age of 94, from [[COVID-19]].<ref name="DLH"/><ref name="SC"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shelterislandreporter.timesreview.com/2020/04/04/town-announces-the-first-deaths-from-coronavirus/|title=Update: Town announces the first deaths from coronavirus|date=April 4, 2020|website=Shelter Island Reporter}}</ref> ==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |1961|| ''[[The Outsider (1961 film)|The Outsider]]'' ||[[John Bradley (United States Navy)|John Bradley]]|| |- |1991|| ''[[McBain (film)|McBain]]'' || President Flynn || |} ==See also== *[[List of deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=0174030|name=Forrest Compton}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Compton, Forrest}} [[Category:1925 births]] [[Category:2020 deaths]] [[Category:Actors from Reading, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Military personnel from Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Swarthmore College alumni]] [[Category:David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University alumni]] [[Category:American male film actors]] [[Category:American male soap opera actors]] [[Category:American male television actors]] [[Category:Male actors from Pennsylvania]] [[Category:20th-century American male actors]] [[Category:21st-century American male actors]] [[Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state)]] [[Category:United States Army soldiers]] [[Category:United States Army personnel of World War II]]
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