1896 - 1951

He did not follow the wish of his parents to take a profession in law or for the navy but dedicated to the acting like his mother, the well-known actress Mary Forbes. 
He made first acting experiences at different theaters in England before he went to the USA in 1917 where he was able to take part in his first movie. But for the time being he did not manage the breakthrough in this medium. 

He returned to England in 1921 and concentrated to his film career, among others with movies like "The Fifth Form at St. Dominic's" (21), "A Lowland Cinderella" (22) and "Charles tant" (26).

Finally he went back to the USA where he became a demanded actor on the second try. With movies like "Beau Geste" (26), "Mr. Wu" (27), "The Latest from Paris" (28), "The Masks of the Devil" (28) and "Restless Youth" (28) he consolidated his position as a movie actor.

The 30s created new demands to the actors when the sound became the standard in movies. But Ralph Forbes did not evince any problems with this restructuring and he was able to continue his career sucessfully. 

To his well-known movies of those years belong "Lilies of the Field" (30), "Beau Ideal" (31), "The Avenger" (33), "The Mystery of Mr. X" (34), "Shock" (34), "Outcast Lady" (34), "Age of Indiscretion" (35), "The Three Musketeers" (35), "Mary of Scotland" (36), "Romeo and Juliet" (36), "The Last of Mrs. Cheyney" (37), "Stage Door" (37), "Kidnapped" (38), "If I Were King" (38), "The Hound of the Baskervilles" (29) and "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" (39).

Afterwards his film career drew to an end, appearances in front of the camera were only sporadically.
To his last movies belong "Curtain Call (40), "Frenchman's Creek" (44) and an episode of the serial "Masterpiece Playhouse: The Rivals" (50).
Besided it he acted more often again on stage, among others in the play "You Never Can Tell" (48).

Ralph Forbes was married three times with the actresses Ruth Chatterton, Heather Angel and Dora Sayers.
His sister Brenda Forbes became also an actress. 
There are different data to the year of birth of Ralph Forbes. Besides 1896 (his mother was only 16 years old at this time) they mention the year 1904 as well.
 

Other movies with Ralph Forbes:
The Glorious Adventure (22) Comin' Thro the Rye (23) Réveille (24) Owd Bob (24) The Enemy (27) The Trail of '98 (28) Under the Black Eagle (28) The Actress (28) The Whip (28) The Green Goddess (30) Mamba (30) The Lady of Scandal (30) Inside the Lines (30) Her Wedding Night (30) The Bachelor Father (31) Thunder Below (32) Smilin' Through (32) Christopher Strong (33) The Phantom Broadcast (33) Pleasure Cruise (33) The Solitaire Man (33) Bombay Mail (34) Riptide (34) Twentieth Century (34) The Fountain (34) The Barretts of Wimpole Street (34) Strange Wives (34) Enchanted April (35) Rescue Squad (35) Streamline Express (35) The Goose and the Gander (35) I'll name the Murderer (36) Piccadilly Jim (36) Daniel Boone (36) Love Letters of a Star (36) Rich Relations (37) The Thirteenth Chair (37) The Legion of Missing Men (37) Make a Wish (37) Woman Against the World (37) Women Are Like That (38) Annabel Takes a Tour (38) Convicts at Large (38) The Magnificent Fraud (39) Tower of London (39) Calling Philo Vance (40) Adventure in Diamonds (40) Neighbor to the North (48) Serie "The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre: The Twelve Pound Look" (49) Serie "Pulitzer Prize Playhouse: The Raven" (50)