  The thermodynamic quantities (spin-spin correlation functions <{\bf S}_0{\bf
S}_n>, correlation length {\xi}, spin susceptibility {\chi}, and specific heat
C_V) of the frustrated one-dimensional J1-J2 Heisenberg ferromagnet with
arbitrary spin quantum number S below the quantum critical point, i.e. for J2<
|J1|/4, are calculated using a rotation-invariant Green-function formalism and
full diagonalization as well as a finite-temperature Lanczos technique for
finite chains of up to N=18 sites. The low-temperature behavior of the
susceptibility {\chi} and the correlation length {\xi} is well described by
\chi = (2/3)S^4 (|J1|-4J2) T^{-2} + A S^{5/2} (|J1|-4J2)^{1/2} T^{-3/2} and \xi
= S^2 (|J1|-4J2) T^{-1} + B S^{1/2} (|J1|-4J2)^{1/2} T^{-1/2} with A \approx
1.1 ... 1.2 and B \approx 0.84 ... 0.89. The vanishing of the factors in front
of the temperature at J2=|J1|/4 indicates a change of the critical behavior of
{\chi} and {\xi} at T \to 0. The specific heat may exhibit an additional
frustration-induced low-temperature maximum when approaching the quantum
critical point. This maximum appears for S=1/2 and S=1, but was not found for
S>1.
