Tige Andrews

Tige Andrews looked like a tough cop and his real name— Tiger- was even tougher. Because he was sickly at birth, he was given the name to strengthen him. It is an Old World Lebanese superstition that the name of a wild beast adds strength to a weak child and being one of ten children he surely needed the extra strength to survive. He was active in dramatics in high school but his family wouldn't hear of him pursuing it as a career. He went to Lebanon to study and returned home to serve in the Army during World War II. Back to civilian life he decided to pursue what he wanted and graduated from New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Success came when be played in the original production of "Mr. Roberts" and was called to Hollywood with Henry Fonda to appear in the movie version. He appeared in movies and live television. On the stage be created the role of the street singer in "The Threepenny Opera" and introduced the song "Mack the Knife." His wife was a professional ballerina when they met but she gave up her career to raise their five children. They live in Encino. Calif., where Tige collects "anything made by hand" along with early Americana, theatrical and film memorabilia.