William Emmett Forrest, Jr. (September 3, 1927 – January 12, 2013) was an American

pop culture Popular culture (also called pop culture or mass culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as popular art pop_art.html" ;"title="f. pop art">f. pop artor mass art, some ...

collector, museum founder, and longtime friend of actor

Andy Griffith Andy Samuel Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012) was an American actor, comedian, television producer, singer, and writer whose career spanned seven decades in music and television. Known for his Southern drawl, his characters with a folksy ...

. Forrest was an extensive collector of

memorabilia A souvenir (French language, French for 'a remembrance or memory'), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memory, memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collecte ...

spanning Griffith's career. He persuaded Andy Griffith to donate set pieces and other items from the '' Andy Griffith Show''. Forrest used his collection to found the

Andy Griffith Museum The Andy Griffith Museum is a museum dedicated to the life and career of American actor, television producer, and singer Andy Griffith. The museum, which houses the world's largest collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia, is located in Griffith' ...

Mount Airy, North Carolina Mount Airy is a city in Surry County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 10,676. As of 2020, the city is the most populous municipality in Surry County. Mount Airy is located within t ...

, which opened to the public on September 26, 2009. Forrest was born in

Gaston County, North Carolina Gaston County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 227,943. The county seat is Gastonia. Dallas served as the original county seat from 1846 until 1911. Gaston County is included in the ...

, on September 3, 1927, William Emmett Forrest, Sr. and Margaret Haynes Forrest. He served in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He worked for the Pike Electric Company during his professional career. Forrest became involved with the Surry Arts Council following his retirement, which would lead to the Andy Griffith Museum years later. Forrest and Andy Griffith were longtime friends and he devoted much of his life preserving items from Griffith's career, with Griffith's approval. Forrest partnered with the Surry Arts Council to plan a museum dedicated to Griffith career, one of

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

's best known actors, singer, and television producers. A potential museum was in the planning stages for more than twenty-five years. Forrest's vast array of

formed the basis for the Andy Griffith Museum permanent collection, which he opened in Mount Airy,

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

, in 2009. The 2,500-square-foot museum, located less than a mile from Griffith's childhood home, cost approximately $500,000 to construct. According to Griffith's widow, Cindi Griffith, Forrest made no financial gain from donating his collection to the museum. Emmett Forrest died from a long illness on the morning of January 12, 2013, at the Joan and Howard Woltz Hospice Home in

Dobson, North Carolina Dobson is a town in Dobson Township, Surry County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 1,396. It is the county seat of Surry County. Dobson is the home of the Shelton Vineyards, the largest winery in No ...

, at the age of 85. He was predeceased by his wife, Barbara King Forrest, and survived by two daughters and a son.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forrest, Emmett 1927 births 2013 deaths Museum founders American collectors United States Navy personnel of World War II People from Mount Airy, North Carolina People from Gaston County, North Carolina 20th-century American philanthropists