Dana Andrews, Always Recognised, Never Known

Dana Andrews has the sort of face that audiences find familiar but cannot put a name to. He started his career always in secondary roles but in high quality movies such as 'The Westerner' in 1940 and 'The Ox-Bow Incident' in 1943. then in 1944 he was given his first starring role, with Gene Tierney in the hit movie 'Laura', followed by his best known role as the returning soldier, Fred Derry, in 'The Best Years of Our Lives' in 1946.

These movies made him a major star but continuing success eluded him and he develpoed a severe alcohol problem which became well known in Hollywood and which lost him the confidence of many producers. His career was irredeemably harmed by this and resulted in his being a 'B' movie actor for the rest of his career.

However Dana Andrews had the strength of character to overcome his alcohol demons and ehe even became an extremely vocal member of the National Council on Alcoholism and he was later elected president of the Screen Actors Guild in 1963.

Andrews died from heart failure in 1992 after suffering for many years from Alzheimer's Disease. He had reached for the stars and almost made it. But he had tried.
Click here for a biography and filmography of Dana Andrews
For an appreciation of 'The Best Years of Our Lives' click here

Dana Andrews
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