Steven Meigs Ford (born May 19, 1956) is an American actor, and the youngest son of former U.S. President

Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. (born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was the 38th president of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, Ford assumed the p ...

and former First Lady Betty Ford. He is perhaps best known for playing Andy Richards in the soap opera ''

The Young and the Restless ''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in the fictional Genoa City (named after the real-life Genoa City, Wiscon ...

''.

Early life

First Lady Betty Ford and her son Steve - NARA - 7027906

Ford is the third child and youngest son of former President

and former First Lady Betty Ford. Ford graduated from T. C. Williams High School in

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in Northern Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Washington, D.C., D.C. The city's population of 159,467 at the 2020 ...

, on June 13, 1974, at which his father, then Vice President, gave the commencement address. Ford attended

Utah State University Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public university, public land grant colleges, land-grant research university with its main campus in Logan, Utah, United States. Founded in 1888 under the Morrill Land-Grant Acts as Utah's federal ...

, studying range management; while his older brother John Gardner (Jack) Ford studied

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests and woodlands for associated resources for human and Natural environment, environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and ...

. Ford also attended

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona California State Polytechnic University Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) is a Public university, public Institute of Technology (United States)#Polytechnic universities, polytechnic research university in Pomona, California, United States. It is the l ...

and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he studied equine studies.

Career

Ford was cast in the film '' Grease'' (1978) as Tom Chisum, but dropped out before filming began and was replaced by

Lorenzo Lamas Lorenzo Fernando Lamas (born January 20, 1958) is an American actor and producer. He is widely known for his role of Lance Cumson, the irresponsible grandson of Angela Channing—played by Jane Wyman—in the soap opera ''Falcon Crest'' (1981� ...

, citing

stage fright Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, fear, or persistent phobia that may be aroused in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience, real or imagined, whether actually or potentially (for example, when perf ...

. Ford joined the cast of ''

'' in 1981, creating the role of

Private Investigator A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI; also known as a private detective, an inquiry agent or informally a wikt:private eye, private eye) is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. ...

Andy Richards. He was a regular member of the cast from 1981 to 1987 and briefly from 2002 to 2003. Ford has since appeared in minor roles in a number of films and television series, including ''

Escape from New York ''Escape from New York'' is a 1981 American Independent film, independent science fiction film, science fiction action film co-written, co-scored and directed by John Carpenter, and starring Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald ...

'', '' Babylon 5: In the Beginning'', '' Armageddon'', '' Black Hawk Down'', '' Starship Troopers'', '' When Harry Met Sally...'', ''

Heat In thermodynamics, heat is energy in transfer between a thermodynamic system and its surroundings by such mechanisms as thermal conduction, electromagnetic radiation, and friction, which are microscopic in nature, involving sub-atomic, ato ...

'', '' Contact'', and ''

Transformers ''Transformers'' is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Tomy, Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the heroic Autobots and the villainous Decepticons, two Extraterrestrials in fiction, alien robot fac ...

''. From 1992 to 1993, he hosted the short-lived series ''

Secret Service A secret service is a government agency, intelligence agency, or the activities of a government agency, concerned with the gathering of intelligence data. The tasks and powers of a secret service can vary greatly from one country to another. For i ...

''.

Personal life

Ford serves on the board of trustees for the Gerald R. Ford Foundation in

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

. He describes himself as a "moderate Republican" and a "fiscal conservative". He also acknowledged that he suffered from

alcoholism Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...

in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Although he still takes on occasional acting assignments, he spends most of his time raising money for charitable organizations and giving speeches and motivational talks to student groups on alcoholism. In 1991, he announced his engagement to Laura Carlos. Later he said that the marriage plans did not go forward as he was working on his

sobriety Sobriety is the condition of not having any effects from alcohol (drug), alcohol and other psychoactive drug, drugs. Sobriety is also considered to be the natural state of a human being at Childbirth, birth. A person in a state of sobriety is ...

. January 9, 2025, Steven Ford made reference to his "wife" at the funeral of President Carter, though she has not been named publicly. On February 14, 1980, he filed a lawsuit in California to determine if he was the legal father of a boy named Lawrence, born on December 16, 1979, to Joy Malken. He also filed for custody and/or visitation rights. There was "a complete and amicable settlement" very shortly afterward, details being kept private. Ford read a eulogy written by his father on the occasion of the 2025 state funeral of former President

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ford, Steven 1956 births American male soap opera actors American male television actors California Polytechnic State University alumni Children of presidents of the United States Children of vice presidents of the United States Family of Gerald Ford Living people Male actors from Grand Rapids, Michigan Utah State University alumni 20th-century American male actors American male film actors 21st-century American male actors Michigan Republicans People from East Grand Rapids, Michigan T. C. Williams High School alumni