Preston Foster (1900-1970) was an American film and television actor. Active from the 1930s to the 1960s, he was noted for his authoritative presence and rugged face.

While never a top-tier star, he was a prolific and reliable performer, often in supporting roles but sometimes also in leading roles in smaller films. He excelled in roles as men of action, policemen, soldiers, detectives, doctors, or legal figures, often with an aura of integrity or, conversely, of moral ambiguity.

Among his most notable films are the historical drama *The Last Days of Pompeii* (1935), John Ford's classic *The Informer* (1935), *I Am the Law* (1938), in which he starred, the family western *My Friend Flicka* (1943), and the famous noir *The Naked City* (1948). Foster left a lasting mark as a solid character actor of Hollywood's Golden Age.