Forrest Meredith Tucker (February 12, 1919 – October 25, 1986) was an American actor in both movies and television who appeared in nearly a hundred films. Tucker worked as a vaudeville straight man, aged fifteen years old. A mentor provided funds and contacts for a trip to California, where party hostess Cobina Wright persuaded guest Wesley Ruggles to give Tucker a screen test, based on his photogenic good looks, thick wavy hair and height of six feet, five inches - putting him into the same league as John Wayne, Chuck Connors, Fess Parker, James Arness, and Peter Graves, Arness's younger brother. Tucker was a sight reader who needed only one take. His film career started well despite a perception in most Hollywood studios that blond men were not photogenic. After twenty years spent mainly in Westerns and action roles, he returned to his roots, showing versatility as a comedic and stage musical actor. In the TV show F Troop, he became identified with the character of Cavalry Sgt. Morgan O'Rourke (a manipulative character quite similar to Phil Silvers' role as MSgt Ernie Bilko). Tucker struggled with a drinking problem that began to affect his performances in the later years of his career.