Western Heartthrob Glenn Ford's Only Child Peter: What Happened To Him?

Glenn Ford made his mark on Hollywood as a Western star, and for a while, his son and only child, Peter Ford, seemed keen to follow in his footsteps. However, he ultimately shifted away from the limelight and ended up working in an entirely different industry. Well, industries — plural. 

Glenn is remembered for his award-winning performances in films like "Pocket Full of Miracles" and "Gilda," and was inducted into the Hall of Great Western performers. His wife, Eleanor Powell, had been a star for far longer (and was even known as the "Queen of Tap Dancing" at MGM). With all that in mind, Peter's own career as a performer beginning before he'd even finished high school likely led many to believe he would continue the family's legacy in Hollywood. After all, in addition to acting credits, he was signed to Capitol Records and assigned Nat "King" Cole as a mentor, neither of which being a small deal. Sure enough, though, he opted to work a number of more "normal" jobs from the '70s and onwards, explaining on "From Beneath the Hollywood Sign" that especially after getting married, he realized the roles he was getting just weren't paying enough to raise a family. 

Per Peter's website, in 1973, he joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He served as a reserve deputy in the department's photo unit, and remained there until the mid-90s. However, that still wasn't it. He also became a house flipper, a contractor, a radio host, and Los Angeles County's Republican Party 2nd vice chair in 2010. You'd certainly never be able to say leaving Hollywood made for a less busy life, because talk about doing it all!

In 2011, Peter Ford shifted his career again, this time penning a book about his father, who died in 2006. "Glenn Ford: A Life" promised readers a comprehensive look at the career and personal life of the actor, and in an interview with Connie Martinson, Peter shared that it had been a lengthy process. "It took me seven years to write this book, because I wanted to pay homage to him as an actor and I didn't want to do a 'Daddy Dearest,'" he shared. Not trashing his famous father was particularly important to Peter, as he hasn't hidden the fact that he and Glenn had a strained relationship. In fact, he told Martinson Glenn never told him he loved him. Still, he reiterated in the interview, "I wanted to tell an honest story, but I also ... I praise him because he is an exceptional, exceptional actor."

As for his future as an author, Peter told Martinson he'd love to continue writing, and even seemed interested in penning a book about his mother. Doing so certainly would certainly help bolster Eleanor Powell's legacy, which was something he expressed during an appearance on "From Beneath the Hollywood Sign Podcast." Peter explained, "I wish my mom's legacy were more embraced by people. I wish they knew more about her."

While the Hollywood bug does sometimes skip a generation — hello, grandchildren following in their grandparents' legendary footsteps — that doesn't seem to be the case with Peter's children. As he told "From Beneath the Hollywood Sign," his sons went into finance, while his daughter works for the Salvation Army. Well, there's always a chance Glenn and Powell's great-grandkids will go back into the biz.