Stars pay tribute to John Forsythe

Co-stars of actor John Forsythe, who’s death was announced yesterday, have paid tribute to the actor who will be forever remembered as the ruthless oil tycoon Blake Carrington in Dynasty and the voice of the reclusive private investigator Charlie in the 1970s series Charlie’s Angels.

 

Co-stars of actor John Forsythe, who’s death was announced yesterday, have paid tribute to the actor who will be forever remembered as the ruthless oil tycoon Blake Carrington in Dynasty and the voice of the reclusive private investigator Charlie in the 1970s series Charlie’s Angels.

Amongst those to pay tribute to the actor were co-stars on the two Aaron Spelling drama’s he will forever be associated with; Dynasty and Charlie’s Angels. British actress Joan Collins who played Alexis Colby on Dynasty, the vengeful and scheming ex-wife of Blake Carrington, released a statement in which she described Forsythe as One of the last of the true gentlemen of the acting profession.” The actress went on to say I enjoyed our nine years of feuding, fussing, and fighting as the Carringtons. And I was so glad to have had the chance to reunite with him a few years ago in the Dynasty reunion. He will be greatly missed.”

 

 

Pamela Sue Martin who played Fallon Carrington-Colby in the first four seasons of Dynasty, before leaving and being replaced by British actress Emma Samms, also paid tribute to the actor. The actress told Entertainment Weekly “John had a great wit. He was very funny. He was a very warm, loving person. I really thought of him like my own father. We had this irreverent humor together. I thought of him so much like a father that I asked him to walk me down the aisle in my real wedding. He was a very special man. I’m glad he lived a long, full, wonderful life.” Fallon Carrington-Colby was Blake’s daughter with Alexis and early in the show’s first season entered into a marriage with Jeff Colby [John James] as a business arramgement to save Blake’s oil empire.

 

Another Dynasty actress to pay tribute to John Forsythe was Heather Locklear who also released a statement. Locklear played the scheming Sammy Jo Carrington on-off in Dynasty for its third season onwards and desribed the actor as “A gentleman in every sense of the word. He was a gifted actor who knew the true meaning of being gracious and kind.” In the 1990’s Locklear joined another Aaron Spelling drama, Melrose Place, is a bid to boost the series ratings. The teen-drama has since been revived by The CW and Locklear has reprised her role of Amanda for the updated series.

 

Charlie’s Angels actresses Kate Jackson and Cheryl Ladd have also paid tribute to the actor. In Charlie’s Angels the actor was the voice of the reclusive Charlie Townsend who would phone the ‘angels’ up to give them a new assignment but would never actually be seen on-screen. Kate Jackson, said in a statement, “John was a consummate professional.  He was elegant and kind to everyone.  He was the voice of Charlie, and when he called, the angels were always happy to answer.  I miss him, and I miss knowing that he is here.  If there is a heaven, I know that’s where he is now.” Cheryl Ladd, who joined Charlie’s Angels at the start of its second season following the departure of Farrah Fawcett, said “I’m mourning with the rest of the world for the talented, gorgeous, funny, intelligent John Forsythe.”

 

Charlie’s Angels was revived in the early 2000’s in the form of two big-screen movies which starred Drew Barrymore, Lucy Lui and Cameron Diaz and for the movies Forsythe once again provided the voice of Charlie. The actor died on Thursday at the age of 92 following a battle with cancer; he truly was an icon of television.