Scott Forbes was a British actor and screenwriter who rose to fame in the 1950s for his portrayal of Jim Bowie in the popular TV series The Adventures of Jim Bowie. He also appeared in several films and stage plays, and later became a successful screenwriter for TV and movies. He died in 1997 at the age of 76, but his cause of death was not widely reported. In this article, we will explore his life, career, and the mystery surrounding his death.
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Early Years and Education
Scott Forbes was born as Conrad Scott-Forbes on 11 September 1920 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. He attended Repton, a prestigious boarding school, and then studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Balliol College, Oxford. He worked for the Ministry of Defence during World War II before pursuing a career in acting. According to Wikipedia, he used the name Julian Dallas in his early stage and film appearances in Britain.
Acting Career in America
In the late 1940s, Forbes moved to the United States and changed his name to Scott Forbes. He quickly found work in Hollywood, appearing in action films such as Rocky Mountain (1950) and Operation Pacific (1951). He also starred in several TV shows, such as Robert Montgomery Presents, Frontier, and Zane Grey Theater. One of his most notable roles was as Maxim de Winter in a live adaptation of Rebecca for the Broadway Television Theatre in 1952.
However, Forbes is best remembered for his role as Jim Bowie, the legendary frontiersman and hero of the Alamo, in the ABC series The Adventures of Jim Bowie. The show ran from 1956 to 1958 and was a hit with young viewers, despite some criticism for its violence. Forbes trained with a former Miss Alabama, Jeanne Moody, to perfect a convincing Southern accent. He married Moody in 1954.
Screenwriting Career and Later Years
After The Adventures of Jim Bowie ended, Forbes found it hard to get other acting roles. He decided to focus on screenwriting instead, using the name C. Scott Forbes. He wrote scripts for TV shows such as The Saint, The Baron, The Champions, The Persuaders!, and The Adventurer. He also wrote several movies, such as The Secret Partner (1961), The Satan Bug (1965), and The Killer Elite (1975).
Forbes remained active as a screenwriter and TV actor until the late 1970s. He then retired from public life and pursued his interests in writing and classical music. He lived in Wiltshire, England, with his wife Jeanne until his death in 1997.
Cause of Death
Scott Forbes died on 25 February 1997 in Swindon, Wiltshire, at the age of 76. However, his death was not widely announced or reported by the media. His family held a small private funeral with no press coverage. He is buried in a country churchyard near his last home2.
The cause of his death is not known publicly. According to an obituary by The Independent, he had suffered from ill health for some time before his death. However, the exact nature of his illness or condition is not specified. It is possible that he died of natural causes or complications from a chronic disease.
Conclusion
Scott Forbes was a talented and versatile actor and screenwriter who had a successful career in both Britain and America. He is best known for his role as Jim Bowie in the TV series The Adventures of Jim Bowie, which made him a star in the 1950s. He later became a prolific screenwriter for TV and movies, working on genres ranging from spy thrillers to action dramas. He died in 1997 at the age of 76, but his cause of death remains a mystery to this day.
