David Ford
Dark Shadows Characters:
Sam Evans, Andre du Prés

Appeared in: 109 episodes

First episode: # 35, August 12, 1966

Last episode: # 530, July 8, 1968

Born: October 30, 1929; LaJolla, California

Died: August 7, 1983

Biography
In 1963, David Ford filled out a questionnaire for the press office of one of his plays (Abe Lincoln in Illinois), listing his jobs in "fields other than entertainment." Among others he listed: "picked lemons, truck driving, dishwashing, soda jerk, sales man for Bloomingdale's, and Macys elevator operator, bellboy, sold souvenir programs in theatre, worked in aircraft plant, as a waiter."

But it was as an actor that David found the most success -- and met one of his wives.

It's not uncommon for costars to fall in love, but David’s DS cast mates were a bit surprised when the gruff, heavyset actor married the much younger, petite Nancy Barrett in 1968. The couple divorced two years later."I thought he was a very talented actor, and I was drawn to that," Nancy told me in 2001.

Before joining the cast of Dark Shadows, David had honed his talents on the stage in his native California as well as the east coast: "I spent six seasons of summer stock on the eastern seaboard as young leading man and character juvenile," he said in 1963. "[Then I did] an English production of Peer Gynt in Mexico City, then up to several off-Broadway and Broadway shows."

One of his most popular roles, John Hancock in the B'way musical 1776, was immortalized on film in the movie adaptation the play. (His DS costar Virginia Vestoff is in that movie as well.)

The actor died of a heart attack in New York City in 1983.

Career Highlights

DAYTIME TV: Edge of Night, Love of Life, Search for Tomorrow (Karl Devlin, 1972-73).

PRIMETIME TV: Adam's Rib (Judge, 1973).

TV COMMERCIALS: Frito Lay (voice-over), Dash (voice-over), Hai Karate (voice-over), Arid (voice-over), Subaro (voice-over), Time-Life (voice-over).

FILM: 1776 (John Hancock, 1972), Loving.

THEATER: The Durango Flash (Film Crew Member, 1976-77), That Championship Season (1973-74, Buffalo), The Tea Party (Sisson, 1968, NY), A Chekov Sketchbook: The Witch (Postman, 1967),Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1965-66, Hartford), The White Rose and the Red (1964), Abe Lincoln in Illinois (Jack Armstrong, 1962-63), A Chekhov Sketchbook: The Vagrant (Nikander, 1961-62), The Sign of Jonah (1960), Marcus in the High Grass (1960), A Journey with Strangers (1958), Mary Stuart (O'Kelly, 1957-58), Billy Budd (1955), Twelfth Night, Hedda Gabler, Major Barbara, Tartuffe, The Physicists (1969).

BROADWAY: 1776 (John Hancock & John Dickinson, 1969-71), A Man for All Seasons (Duke of Norfolk), The Physicists (Oscar Rose), In the Middle of the Night (Husband), A Majority of One (Jerry).

 

 

 

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