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Actors and the military
- Thread starter jknaus
- Start date
jknaus
Administrator
First up and especially if someone wants a subject for the African campaign.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/02/09/christopher-lee/
WWII veteran Christopher Lee corrected “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson on what people do when they’re stabbed based on his witnessing such deaths up close
Christopher Lee was arguably one of the most memorable actors of the late 20th century and early 21st-century cinema. His career, which began in 1947 and ended with his death in 2015, included 259 film and TV credits. He was most often cast by directors who needed an actor who could flawlessly portray a cunning and mysterious villain: he portrayed Dracula many times, he appeared as the ruthless Francisco Scaramanga in the Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun and the eerie Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man. Also, fans of the Star Wars franchise remember him as the Sith Lord Count Dooku, and Tolkien lovers praise his portrayal of the evil wizard Saruman in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
At one point during the filming of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, the second installment of the acclaimed trilogy, the crew filmed the scene in which Saruman gets stabbed in the back by Grima Wormtongue. Although the scene didn’t end up in the theatrical release, it can be seen in the extended edition of the trilogy. During the filming of the scene, Jackson wanted Lee to scream after being stabbed in the back. However, Lee refused to scream; he told the director that he witnessed many men getting stabbed in the back and none of them ever screamed. According to the late actor, they merely sighed as air escaped their lungs. Peter Jackson listened to his feedback, and the scene was filmed without any screaming.
Many might ask where an esteemed actor such as Christopher Lee could have witnessed the horrors of stabbing and killing. Well, the answer is: World War II. Before he became a celebrated actor, Lee had an extensive military career and fought for the British on several fronts. When the war broke out, he joined the Royal Air Force in hope of becoming a fighter pilot. Unfortunately for him, a medical examination uncovered that his optical nerve was damaged and his superiors concluded that he would never be able to fly.
Lee’s dream of fighting for the Allies in the sky was shattered, but he didn’t give up: He joined the RAF intelligence and became a field agent. He conducted combat missions and was involved in high-risk covert operations in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Rhodesia before becoming a member of the Long Range Desert Patrol, an organization that eventually became the SAS, the special forces unit of the British army.
As a member of the Patrol, he fought against the Axis forces on the North African Front and was involved in the Allied liberation of Sicily. Therefore, he must have witnessed a fair share of fighting and killing.
After proving to his superiors that he was an extremely capable soldier and an adaptive field agent, he was transferred to Winston Churchill’s elite unit named Special Operations Executive. The unit, which was nicknamed “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” by the public of the time, was infamous for conducting espionage and sabotage and organizing assassinations of enemy officials in the Nazi-occupied countries of Europe. Even though World War II has been over for more than 70 years, almost all details on the operations carried out by the SOE remain classified.
After the war, Lee’s bravery during the war was recognized and commended by the governments of England and Poland and then existing Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia.
When the war ended, Lee was actually persuaded into going into acting by his cousin Nicolo Carandini, the then Italian ambassador to Britain. In 1946, several weeks after he decided to leave the RAF for good, Lee met his cousin for lunch. During lunch, he told several long stories about his war wounds and the horrors he witnessed: Carandini was so impressed by Lee’s emotional “performance” that he urged him to try and find work as an actor.
From that point on, more and more directors noticed Lee’s incredibly menacing voice and the passion with which he portrayed all kinds of characters. Peter Jackson was quite lucky to get schooled about the grim art of on-screen dying by a man who spent a lot of time surrounded by actual death.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/02/09/christopher-lee/
WWII veteran Christopher Lee corrected “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson on what people do when they’re stabbed based on his witnessing such deaths up close
Christopher Lee was arguably one of the most memorable actors of the late 20th century and early 21st-century cinema. His career, which began in 1947 and ended with his death in 2015, included 259 film and TV credits. He was most often cast by directors who needed an actor who could flawlessly portray a cunning and mysterious villain: he portrayed Dracula many times, he appeared as the ruthless Francisco Scaramanga in the Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun and the eerie Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man. Also, fans of the Star Wars franchise remember him as the Sith Lord Count Dooku, and Tolkien lovers praise his portrayal of the evil wizard Saruman in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
At one point during the filming of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, the second installment of the acclaimed trilogy, the crew filmed the scene in which Saruman gets stabbed in the back by Grima Wormtongue. Although the scene didn’t end up in the theatrical release, it can be seen in the extended edition of the trilogy. During the filming of the scene, Jackson wanted Lee to scream after being stabbed in the back. However, Lee refused to scream; he told the director that he witnessed many men getting stabbed in the back and none of them ever screamed. According to the late actor, they merely sighed as air escaped their lungs. Peter Jackson listened to his feedback, and the scene was filmed without any screaming.
Many might ask where an esteemed actor such as Christopher Lee could have witnessed the horrors of stabbing and killing. Well, the answer is: World War II. Before he became a celebrated actor, Lee had an extensive military career and fought for the British on several fronts. When the war broke out, he joined the Royal Air Force in hope of becoming a fighter pilot. Unfortunately for him, a medical examination uncovered that his optical nerve was damaged and his superiors concluded that he would never be able to fly.
Lee’s dream of fighting for the Allies in the sky was shattered, but he didn’t give up: He joined the RAF intelligence and became a field agent. He conducted combat missions and was involved in high-risk covert operations in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Rhodesia before becoming a member of the Long Range Desert Patrol, an organization that eventually became the SAS, the special forces unit of the British army.
As a member of the Patrol, he fought against the Axis forces on the North African Front and was involved in the Allied liberation of Sicily. Therefore, he must have witnessed a fair share of fighting and killing.
After proving to his superiors that he was an extremely capable soldier and an adaptive field agent, he was transferred to Winston Churchill’s elite unit named Special Operations Executive. The unit, which was nicknamed “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” by the public of the time, was infamous for conducting espionage and sabotage and organizing assassinations of enemy officials in the Nazi-occupied countries of Europe. Even though World War II has been over for more than 70 years, almost all details on the operations carried out by the SOE remain classified.
After the war, Lee’s bravery during the war was recognized and commended by the governments of England and Poland and then existing Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia.
When the war ended, Lee was actually persuaded into going into acting by his cousin Nicolo Carandini, the then Italian ambassador to Britain. In 1946, several weeks after he decided to leave the RAF for good, Lee met his cousin for lunch. During lunch, he told several long stories about his war wounds and the horrors he witnessed: Carandini was so impressed by Lee’s emotional “performance” that he urged him to try and find work as an actor.
From that point on, more and more directors noticed Lee’s incredibly menacing voice and the passion with which he portrayed all kinds of characters. Peter Jackson was quite lucky to get schooled about the grim art of on-screen dying by a man who spent a lot of time surrounded by actual death.
jknaus
Administrator
Paul Newman almost died in action and other iconic Hollywood stars who served during WW2
Immediately after the Japanese attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, killing nearly 2,500 people and destroying a considerable number of battleships and planes, the entire nation joined the war effort in some way. Actors were no different.
Among the millions of Americans who answered the call to join the armed services were some of the biggest names in film, leaving the comfort of Hollywood to serve their nation. Many of them had been cast in war movies, but this time the screenplay was not in their hands and no stuntmen were available to take on the most dangerous scenes.
Serving their country during the darkest of times was to be their most significant role and many of them deserve to be honored, not simply because they joined the armed forces, but because they inspired many others to do the same. Here are some of the bravest Hollywood actors who risked their lives to serve their nation.
Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson made a name for himself by playing tough guy and antihero roles. But he had proved that he was a real-life tough guy years before he appeared as one on the big screen. The legendary actor, who starred as Henry Fonda’s nemesis in Sergio Leone’s classic Once Upon a Time in the West and as the anti-hero in Death Wish, enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces in 1943 and served as a tail gunner.
He was only five foot nine inches tall. which made him perfect for arguably the most dangerous combat position: tail gunner. Stuck in the rear end of the aircraft, tail gunners had slim chance of survival and it is no wonder that this assignment in World War II had the highest casualty rates.
However, Bronson managed to survive the “airman’s coffin,” taking part in 25 missions and receiving a Purple Heart when World War II came to an end.
Charlton Heston
The man who earned the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Judah Ben-Hur in William Wyler’s epic Ben-Hur and starred as Moses in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments reached the rank of staff sergeant during World War II.
Charlton Heston joined the military in 1944 at the age of 21 and served two years as a radio operator and aerial gunner on a B-25 Mitchell.
Although Heston never saw combat because he was stationed in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands, after becoming a Hollywood star he was asked by the military to narrate some highly classified military films about nuclear weapons. This task required him to hold the nation’s highest security clearance level, known as “Q clearance,” for six years.
Paul Newman
We’re all aware of Newman’s achievements in acting, auto racing, and philanthropy, but what most people don’t know is that in the years before he rose to stardom in Hollywood, Paul Newman was part of the United States Navy and served during World War II.
His initial plan was to join the Navy’s V-12 program at Yale University and become a pilot, but it was soon discovered that he was color blind and was instead sent to boot camp where he eventually qualified himself as a radioman and gunner.
The iconic actor, who won an Academy Award for his performance in Scorsese’s The Color of Money, nearly lost his life during World War II. His squadron was in Saipan when the pilot of his crew was forced to ground the airplane due to an ear infection. The rest of Newman’s squadron was transferred to the USS Bunker Hill and only two days later they were killed by kamikaze aircraft. He was lucky enough not to be aboard when the incident occurred and managed to survive the war.
Rock Hudson
In 1982, Rock Hudson appeared as Thomas McKenna, the president of the United States in the miniseries titled World War III. However, in real-life he served in the Philippines as an aircraft mechanic during World War II.
Years before he became known as the leading man of the 1950s and 1960s and a feature of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Rock Hudson enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
Upon receiving his training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Hudson was assigned to the SS Lew Wallace, which sailed to an island in the Philippines, where he started his military career. He served as an aircraft mechanic until 1945, when he was transferred to the laundry as there were no more planes to be unloaded from carriers.
Jimmy Stewart
Unlike Hudson, Newman, Heston, and Bronson, Jimmy Stewart had already appeared in a number of movies, including You Can’t Take It With You, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and Destry Rides Again, before he enlisted in the military.
Coming from a family with a tradition of service in the Army, Stewart was destined to have a fascinating military. He was a flying enthusiast and had already gained his private pilot certificate in 1935, but was turned down for service because he was underweight.
However, he was determined to join the Army and spent the following period eating pasta and steaks, hoping to reach the weight needed to enlist. In March 1941, he successfully enlisted with the Air Corps and spent the next nine months at Moffett Field, California, where he received his basic training.
In January 1942, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and served as a four-engine instructor at Moffett Field before he was eventually sent overseas. Stewart took part in 20 important combat missions and by the end of the war, he had risen to the rank of colonel. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm.
Henry Fonda
Henry Fonda said that he didn’t like being in a fake war in film studios and decided that it would be best for him to join the military and help his country. Fonda was 37 years old when he joined the Navy in 1942 and began his service as a quartermaster 3rd Class aboard the destroyer USS Satterlee.
Working in operations and air-combat intelligence in the Central Pacific, Fonda was awarded a Bronze Star and Navy Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism during World War II. He had risen to the rank of lieutenant by 1945, when he was discharged.
Jackie Coogan
Widely known as Uncle Fester from the 1960s sitcom The Addams Family, Jackie Coogan is also considered the first major child star in American movie history. But what is less well known about him is that he took part in the war effort, enlisting in the Army before the United States had officially entered the war.
Following the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941, Coogan requested a transfer to the Army Air Force as he was an experienced civilian pilot. Upon graduation from glider school, he was made a flight officer and soon participated in a very dangerous mission.
In March 1944, Coogan was among the glider pilots who took part in a mission in Burma known as Operation Broadway. On March 5, 1944, he flew some of Orde Wingate’s Chindits into Burma and helped the Allies establish a foothold behind Japanese lines in the country.
Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis, the star of The Sweet Smell of Success, Some Like it Hot, Operation Petticoat, and over 100 other movies, was also a U.S. Navy veteran.
He was among the many Americans who enlisted after the attack on Pearl Harbor, joining the Pacific submarine force. From 1943 until 1945, Curtis served in the Pacific Theatre as part of the submarine force as a Signalman 3rd class.
On September 2, 1945, Curtis was onboard the USS Proteus and watched the ceremony in Tokyo Bay in which the Japanese surrendered. He was awarded the WWII Victory Medal, the Asia-Pacific Medal, and the American Area Medal.
Clark Gable
Perhaps the biggest of the Hollywood stars who joined the Armed Forces was “the King of Hollywood”: Clark Gable.
Emotionally and physically devastated after his beloved wife, Carol Lombard, died in a plane crash, joining the Army seemed to be the only thing that could rally his spirit, so he wrote a telegram to President Franklin D. Roosevelt asking for a role in the war effort.
Gable enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on August 12, 1942, as a gunner, and after completing the 13-week training he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Although Gable was 40 years old when he enlisted as a private in the Army Air Force he participated in many high-profile combat missions during the war.
The Germans considered the famous actor enemy number one and made several unsuccessful attempts to capture him alive. Reportedly, Adolf Hitler, who was one of Gable’s greatest fans, offered a $5,000 reward to anyone who could capture Clark Gable and bring him to Germany.
Related story from us: During WWII, famous Hollywood director Frank Capra filmed motivational documentaries for American soldiers
Hitler’s plan to capture Gable proved to be unsuccessful and the actor returned to the United States safe and sound. For his heroic service, he was awarded the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal.
Immediately after the Japanese attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, killing nearly 2,500 people and destroying a considerable number of battleships and planes, the entire nation joined the war effort in some way. Actors were no different.
Among the millions of Americans who answered the call to join the armed services were some of the biggest names in film, leaving the comfort of Hollywood to serve their nation. Many of them had been cast in war movies, but this time the screenplay was not in their hands and no stuntmen were available to take on the most dangerous scenes.
Serving their country during the darkest of times was to be their most significant role and many of them deserve to be honored, not simply because they joined the armed forces, but because they inspired many others to do the same. Here are some of the bravest Hollywood actors who risked their lives to serve their nation.
Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson made a name for himself by playing tough guy and antihero roles. But he had proved that he was a real-life tough guy years before he appeared as one on the big screen. The legendary actor, who starred as Henry Fonda’s nemesis in Sergio Leone’s classic Once Upon a Time in the West and as the anti-hero in Death Wish, enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces in 1943 and served as a tail gunner.
He was only five foot nine inches tall. which made him perfect for arguably the most dangerous combat position: tail gunner. Stuck in the rear end of the aircraft, tail gunners had slim chance of survival and it is no wonder that this assignment in World War II had the highest casualty rates.
However, Bronson managed to survive the “airman’s coffin,” taking part in 25 missions and receiving a Purple Heart when World War II came to an end.
Charlton Heston
The man who earned the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Judah Ben-Hur in William Wyler’s epic Ben-Hur and starred as Moses in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments reached the rank of staff sergeant during World War II.
Charlton Heston joined the military in 1944 at the age of 21 and served two years as a radio operator and aerial gunner on a B-25 Mitchell.
Although Heston never saw combat because he was stationed in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands, after becoming a Hollywood star he was asked by the military to narrate some highly classified military films about nuclear weapons. This task required him to hold the nation’s highest security clearance level, known as “Q clearance,” for six years.
Paul Newman
We’re all aware of Newman’s achievements in acting, auto racing, and philanthropy, but what most people don’t know is that in the years before he rose to stardom in Hollywood, Paul Newman was part of the United States Navy and served during World War II.
His initial plan was to join the Navy’s V-12 program at Yale University and become a pilot, but it was soon discovered that he was color blind and was instead sent to boot camp where he eventually qualified himself as a radioman and gunner.
The iconic actor, who won an Academy Award for his performance in Scorsese’s The Color of Money, nearly lost his life during World War II. His squadron was in Saipan when the pilot of his crew was forced to ground the airplane due to an ear infection. The rest of Newman’s squadron was transferred to the USS Bunker Hill and only two days later they were killed by kamikaze aircraft. He was lucky enough not to be aboard when the incident occurred and managed to survive the war.
Rock Hudson
In 1982, Rock Hudson appeared as Thomas McKenna, the president of the United States in the miniseries titled World War III. However, in real-life he served in the Philippines as an aircraft mechanic during World War II.
Years before he became known as the leading man of the 1950s and 1960s and a feature of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Rock Hudson enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
Upon receiving his training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Hudson was assigned to the SS Lew Wallace, which sailed to an island in the Philippines, where he started his military career. He served as an aircraft mechanic until 1945, when he was transferred to the laundry as there were no more planes to be unloaded from carriers.
Jimmy Stewart
Unlike Hudson, Newman, Heston, and Bronson, Jimmy Stewart had already appeared in a number of movies, including You Can’t Take It With You, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and Destry Rides Again, before he enlisted in the military.
Coming from a family with a tradition of service in the Army, Stewart was destined to have a fascinating military. He was a flying enthusiast and had already gained his private pilot certificate in 1935, but was turned down for service because he was underweight.
However, he was determined to join the Army and spent the following period eating pasta and steaks, hoping to reach the weight needed to enlist. In March 1941, he successfully enlisted with the Air Corps and spent the next nine months at Moffett Field, California, where he received his basic training.
In January 1942, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and served as a four-engine instructor at Moffett Field before he was eventually sent overseas. Stewart took part in 20 important combat missions and by the end of the war, he had risen to the rank of colonel. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm.
Henry Fonda
Henry Fonda said that he didn’t like being in a fake war in film studios and decided that it would be best for him to join the military and help his country. Fonda was 37 years old when he joined the Navy in 1942 and began his service as a quartermaster 3rd Class aboard the destroyer USS Satterlee.
Working in operations and air-combat intelligence in the Central Pacific, Fonda was awarded a Bronze Star and Navy Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism during World War II. He had risen to the rank of lieutenant by 1945, when he was discharged.
Jackie Coogan
Widely known as Uncle Fester from the 1960s sitcom The Addams Family, Jackie Coogan is also considered the first major child star in American movie history. But what is less well known about him is that he took part in the war effort, enlisting in the Army before the United States had officially entered the war.
Following the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941, Coogan requested a transfer to the Army Air Force as he was an experienced civilian pilot. Upon graduation from glider school, he was made a flight officer and soon participated in a very dangerous mission.
In March 1944, Coogan was among the glider pilots who took part in a mission in Burma known as Operation Broadway. On March 5, 1944, he flew some of Orde Wingate’s Chindits into Burma and helped the Allies establish a foothold behind Japanese lines in the country.
Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis, the star of The Sweet Smell of Success, Some Like it Hot, Operation Petticoat, and over 100 other movies, was also a U.S. Navy veteran.
He was among the many Americans who enlisted after the attack on Pearl Harbor, joining the Pacific submarine force. From 1943 until 1945, Curtis served in the Pacific Theatre as part of the submarine force as a Signalman 3rd class.
On September 2, 1945, Curtis was onboard the USS Proteus and watched the ceremony in Tokyo Bay in which the Japanese surrendered. He was awarded the WWII Victory Medal, the Asia-Pacific Medal, and the American Area Medal.
Clark Gable
Perhaps the biggest of the Hollywood stars who joined the Armed Forces was “the King of Hollywood”: Clark Gable.
Emotionally and physically devastated after his beloved wife, Carol Lombard, died in a plane crash, joining the Army seemed to be the only thing that could rally his spirit, so he wrote a telegram to President Franklin D. Roosevelt asking for a role in the war effort.
Gable enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on August 12, 1942, as a gunner, and after completing the 13-week training he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Although Gable was 40 years old when he enlisted as a private in the Army Air Force he participated in many high-profile combat missions during the war.
The Germans considered the famous actor enemy number one and made several unsuccessful attempts to capture him alive. Reportedly, Adolf Hitler, who was one of Gable’s greatest fans, offered a $5,000 reward to anyone who could capture Clark Gable and bring him to Germany.
Related story from us: During WWII, famous Hollywood director Frank Capra filmed motivational documentaries for American soldiers
Hitler’s plan to capture Gable proved to be unsuccessful and the actor returned to the United States safe and sound. For his heroic service, he was awarded the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal.
RichB
Well-known member
James Doohan, best known as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott of Star Trek fame.
At the beginning of the Second World War, Doohan joined the Royal Canadian Artillery and was a member of the 14th (Midland) Field Battery, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. He was commissioned a lieutenant in the 14th Field Artillery Regiment of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. He was sent to England in 1940 for training. He first saw combat landing at Juno Beach on D-Day. Shooting two snipers, Doohan led his men to higher ground through a field of anti-tank mines, where they took defensive positions for the night. Crossing between command posts at 11:30 that night, Doohan was hit by six rounds fired from a Bren Gun by a nervous Canadian sentry: four in his leg, one in the chest, and one through his right middle finger. The bullet to his chest was stopped by a silver cigarette case given to him by his brother. His right middle finger had to be amputated, something he would conceal on-screen during most of his career as an actor.
Doohan graduated from Air Observation Pilot Course 40 with eleven other Canadian artillery officers and flew Taylorcraft Auster Mark V aircraft for 666 (AOP) Squadron, RCAF as a Royal Canadian Artillery officer in support of 1st Army Group Royal Artillery. All three Canadian (AOP) RCAF squadrons were manned by artillery officer-pilots and accompanied by non-commissioned RCA and RCAF personnel serving as observers.
Although he was never actually a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Doohan was once labeled the "craziest pilot in the Canadian Air Force". In the late spring of 1945, on Salisbury Plain north of RAF Andover, he slalomed a plane between telegraph poles "to prove it could be done"—earning himself a serious reprimand. (Various accounts cite the plane as a Hurricane or a jet trainer; however, it was a Mark IV Auster.)
At the beginning of the Second World War, Doohan joined the Royal Canadian Artillery and was a member of the 14th (Midland) Field Battery, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. He was commissioned a lieutenant in the 14th Field Artillery Regiment of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. He was sent to England in 1940 for training. He first saw combat landing at Juno Beach on D-Day. Shooting two snipers, Doohan led his men to higher ground through a field of anti-tank mines, where they took defensive positions for the night. Crossing between command posts at 11:30 that night, Doohan was hit by six rounds fired from a Bren Gun by a nervous Canadian sentry: four in his leg, one in the chest, and one through his right middle finger. The bullet to his chest was stopped by a silver cigarette case given to him by his brother. His right middle finger had to be amputated, something he would conceal on-screen during most of his career as an actor.
Doohan graduated from Air Observation Pilot Course 40 with eleven other Canadian artillery officers and flew Taylorcraft Auster Mark V aircraft for 666 (AOP) Squadron, RCAF as a Royal Canadian Artillery officer in support of 1st Army Group Royal Artillery. All three Canadian (AOP) RCAF squadrons were manned by artillery officer-pilots and accompanied by non-commissioned RCA and RCAF personnel serving as observers.
Although he was never actually a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Doohan was once labeled the "craziest pilot in the Canadian Air Force". In the late spring of 1945, on Salisbury Plain north of RAF Andover, he slalomed a plane between telegraph poles "to prove it could be done"—earning himself a serious reprimand. (Various accounts cite the plane as a Hurricane or a jet trainer; however, it was a Mark IV Auster.)
RichB
Well-known member
Robert Allan Clothier, best known as Relic from CBC's series "The Beachcombers".
Like many of his contemporaries, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at an early age. He learned to fly at #1 Elementary Flying School and #4 Service Flying Training School, and flew operationally with 408 Squadron RCAF. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on December 5, 1944, the citation reading,
"This officer has completed numerous sorties in the role of pilot, involving attacks on most of the enemy's heavily defended targets. On all occasions he has pressed home his attacks with great determination and by his personal example of courage, coolness and confidence has set an example which has inspired all with whom he has flown."
On December 23, 1944, while serving as an instructor with No. 5 Operational Training Unit in Boundary Bay, British Columbia, F/L Clothier was the pilot of a Mitchell bomber that crashed on takeoff. Three on board were killed and Clothier was the only survivor, but he was severely injured with a broken back. He was paralyzed from the waist down for two years. His brother, F/L John George Clothier, was also a pilot in Bomber Command and was killed March 5–6, 1945.
After the war, Clothier studied Architecture at the University of British Columbia followed by a stay in England studying theatre. Clothier returned to British Columbia, eventually settling in the Capilano Highlands area of North Vancouver and became well known in the Vancouver area as a stage actor as well as an accomplished sculptor and painter
Like many of his contemporaries, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at an early age. He learned to fly at #1 Elementary Flying School and #4 Service Flying Training School, and flew operationally with 408 Squadron RCAF. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on December 5, 1944, the citation reading,
"This officer has completed numerous sorties in the role of pilot, involving attacks on most of the enemy's heavily defended targets. On all occasions he has pressed home his attacks with great determination and by his personal example of courage, coolness and confidence has set an example which has inspired all with whom he has flown."
On December 23, 1944, while serving as an instructor with No. 5 Operational Training Unit in Boundary Bay, British Columbia, F/L Clothier was the pilot of a Mitchell bomber that crashed on takeoff. Three on board were killed and Clothier was the only survivor, but he was severely injured with a broken back. He was paralyzed from the waist down for two years. His brother, F/L John George Clothier, was also a pilot in Bomber Command and was killed March 5–6, 1945.
After the war, Clothier studied Architecture at the University of British Columbia followed by a stay in England studying theatre. Clothier returned to British Columbia, eventually settling in the Capilano Highlands area of North Vancouver and became well known in the Vancouver area as a stage actor as well as an accomplished sculptor and painter
iambrb
Well-known member
Charles Durning, well known character actor:
Durning was drafted into the U.S. Army just in time to fight in World War II. He was part of the landing forces at Normandy during the initial invasion of France by Allied forces. Although he survived the initial assault relatively unscathed, he was wounded by a German mine a few days later and earned a Purple Heart. After recovering for six months, he was put back on the front lines to combat the German Ardennes offensive.
During the German attack, Durning reported that a particularly young soldier charged him, but Durning couldn’t bring himself to fire. The two fought with their bayonets, and Durning suffered further injury during the fight. Durning killed the German infantryman which became a particularly painful memory. After the offensive, Durning received his second Purple Heart.
Before the war was over, Durning received a third Purple Heart and the Silver and Bronze Stars for valor. The chest wound which earned him the Purple Heart prompted his evacuation to the United States for recovery where he spent the remainder of his time with the Army. He was discharged in 1946 as a private first class.
It took Durning 5 years after leaving the military to eventually make his way into acting. While working as an usher at a burlesque theater, he was hired to replace a comedian who was too drunk to perform. From there he worked in a variety of plays. He debuted in film in 1965's "Harvey Middleman, Fireman." Although he gained traction in cinema, Durning still performed in plays including "Drat! The Cat!" and "Inherit the Wind."
Durning was drafted into the U.S. Army just in time to fight in World War II. He was part of the landing forces at Normandy during the initial invasion of France by Allied forces. Although he survived the initial assault relatively unscathed, he was wounded by a German mine a few days later and earned a Purple Heart. After recovering for six months, he was put back on the front lines to combat the German Ardennes offensive.
During the German attack, Durning reported that a particularly young soldier charged him, but Durning couldn’t bring himself to fire. The two fought with their bayonets, and Durning suffered further injury during the fight. Durning killed the German infantryman which became a particularly painful memory. After the offensive, Durning received his second Purple Heart.
Before the war was over, Durning received a third Purple Heart and the Silver and Bronze Stars for valor. The chest wound which earned him the Purple Heart prompted his evacuation to the United States for recovery where he spent the remainder of his time with the Army. He was discharged in 1946 as a private first class.
It took Durning 5 years after leaving the military to eventually make his way into acting. While working as an usher at a burlesque theater, he was hired to replace a comedian who was too drunk to perform. From there he worked in a variety of plays. He debuted in film in 1965's "Harvey Middleman, Fireman." Although he gained traction in cinema, Durning still performed in plays including "Drat! The Cat!" and "Inherit the Wind."
iambrb
Well-known member
Lee Marvin, well-known tough-guy:
Marvin left school at 18 to enlist in the United States Marine Corps Reserve on August 12, 1942. He served with the 4th Marine Division in the Pacific Theater during World War II.[6] While serving as a member of "I" Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division, he was wounded in action on June 18, 1944, during the assault on Mount Tapochau in the Battle of Saipan, during which most of his company were casualties.[7] He was hit by machine gun fire, which severed his sciatic nerve,[8] and then was hit again in the foot by a sniper.[9] After over a year of medical treatment in naval hospitals, Marvin was given a medical discharge with the rank of private first class (he had been a corporal years earlier but had been demoted after causing trouble)[9] in 1945 at Philadelphia.[10]
Marvin's military awards include: the Purple Heart Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal, Combat Action Ribbon.
Marvin left school at 18 to enlist in the United States Marine Corps Reserve on August 12, 1942. He served with the 4th Marine Division in the Pacific Theater during World War II.[6] While serving as a member of "I" Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division, he was wounded in action on June 18, 1944, during the assault on Mount Tapochau in the Battle of Saipan, during which most of his company were casualties.[7] He was hit by machine gun fire, which severed his sciatic nerve,[8] and then was hit again in the foot by a sniper.[9] After over a year of medical treatment in naval hospitals, Marvin was given a medical discharge with the rank of private first class (he had been a corporal years earlier but had been demoted after causing trouble)[9] in 1945 at Philadelphia.[10]
Marvin's military awards include: the Purple Heart Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal, Combat Action Ribbon.
Burgess Meredith, not sure what he did, not a lot said about it. He did some recruitment movies and was a captain when he was discharged to make "The Story of G.I. Joe" (If you've never seen that movie, stop, do it now). Anyone know any more?
Was Leslie Howard actually in the military? I know there's speculation that his flight was targetted by the Germans but was it just because he worked against them or something bigger?
Donald Pleasence,
He was in the RAF, shot down and was POW in Germany. When filming the Great Escape he made suggestions to the Director about prison life, at first the suggestions were ignored until someone told the Director of Pleasence's history.
Was Leslie Howard actually in the military? I know there's speculation that his flight was targetted by the Germans but was it just because he worked against them or something bigger?
Donald Pleasence,
He was in the RAF, shot down and was POW in Germany. When filming the Great Escape he made suggestions to the Director about prison life, at first the suggestions were ignored until someone told the Director of Pleasence's history.
Don't forget Bogart, he was in the Navy during WW1.
Dennis Franz from Hill Street Blues was Airborne in Vietnam.
Gene Hackman, George C. Scott were Marines.
Johnny Cash, the man in black was in the USAF and he was the one who intercepted the message reporting Stalin was dead.
Dennis Franz from Hill Street Blues was Airborne in Vietnam.
Gene Hackman, George C. Scott were Marines.
Johnny Cash, the man in black was in the USAF and he was the one who intercepted the message reporting Stalin was dead.
Paulw
Well-known member
Look up Bob Keeshan aka Captain Kangaroo. I can't remember what he did during the war but he was decorated for it.
Glen Miller, James Stewart, Clark Gable, just to name a few but I doubt that you would see the likes of Brad Pitt or any of the other actors busy in today's films accredited with being veterans.
Ernest Borgnine was a Chief Gunner's Mate in WWII. It's difficult to believe that so many famous actors and actresses had so much to do in our countries past. Martha Ray, while not an actual member of the military was given an honorary commission of Major in the medical corps to which she used from Korea to Nam. No one would buck her need to attend to her "boys" where the wounded were concerned.
Glen Miller, James Stewart, Clark Gable, just to name a few but I doubt that you would see the likes of Brad Pitt or any of the other actors busy in today's films accredited with being veterans.
Ernest Borgnine was a Chief Gunner's Mate in WWII. It's difficult to believe that so many famous actors and actresses had so much to do in our countries past. Martha Ray, while not an actual member of the military was given an honorary commission of Major in the medical corps to which she used from Korea to Nam. No one would buck her need to attend to her "boys" where the wounded were concerned.
phantom II
Master at Arms
And now days it seems that the majority of Hollywood fame appear to dislike everything associated with our country .
What a change in attitude
Cheers, Christian B)
What a change in attitude
Cheers, Christian B)
Heavens Eagle
Well-known member
Don't forget that Elvis went in the army during the mid to late 50's and was stationed in Germany.
Old Dog
Well-known member
Johnny Carson's long time sidekick Ed McMahon...
McMahon hoped to become a United States Marine Corps fighter pilot. Prior to the US entry into World War II, however, both the Army and Navy required two years of college for their pilots program. McMahon enrolled into classes at Boston College and studied there from 1940–41. On The Howard Stern Show in 2001, McMahon stated that after Pearl Harbor was attacked, the college requirement was not lifted and he still had to finish his two years of college before applying for Marine Corps flight training. After completing the college requirement, McMahon was able to enlist as he previously wished. His primary flight training was in Dallas, followed by fighter training in Pensacola, where he also earned his carrier landing qualifications. He was a Marine Corps flight instructor in F4U Corsairs for two years, finally being ordered to the Pacific fleet in 1945. However, his orders were canceled after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing Japan's surrender unconditionally.
As an officer in the reserves, McMahon was recalled to active duty during the Korean War. This time, he flew the OE-1 (the original Marine designation for the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog), an unarmed single-engine spotter plane. He functioned as an artillery spotter for the Marine batteries on the ground and as a forward controller for the Navy and Marine fighter bombers. He flew a total of 85 combat missions, earning six Air Medals. After the war, he stayed with the Marines as a reserve officer, retiring in 1966 as a colonel. In 1982, McMahon received a state commission as a brigadier general in the California Air National Guard, an honorary award to recognize his support for the National Guard and Reserves.
McMahon hoped to become a United States Marine Corps fighter pilot. Prior to the US entry into World War II, however, both the Army and Navy required two years of college for their pilots program. McMahon enrolled into classes at Boston College and studied there from 1940–41. On The Howard Stern Show in 2001, McMahon stated that after Pearl Harbor was attacked, the college requirement was not lifted and he still had to finish his two years of college before applying for Marine Corps flight training. After completing the college requirement, McMahon was able to enlist as he previously wished. His primary flight training was in Dallas, followed by fighter training in Pensacola, where he also earned his carrier landing qualifications. He was a Marine Corps flight instructor in F4U Corsairs for two years, finally being ordered to the Pacific fleet in 1945. However, his orders were canceled after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing Japan's surrender unconditionally.
As an officer in the reserves, McMahon was recalled to active duty during the Korean War. This time, he flew the OE-1 (the original Marine designation for the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog), an unarmed single-engine spotter plane. He functioned as an artillery spotter for the Marine batteries on the ground and as a forward controller for the Navy and Marine fighter bombers. He flew a total of 85 combat missions, earning six Air Medals. After the war, he stayed with the Marines as a reserve officer, retiring in 1966 as a colonel. In 1982, McMahon received a state commission as a brigadier general in the California Air National Guard, an honorary award to recognize his support for the National Guard and Reserves.
Carson was in the Navy, think he was an ensign in communications.
iambrb
Well-known member
FOCUSING ON VIETNAM/LATER CELEBS HERE:
Si Robertson:
"Duck Dynasty's" Uncle Si once served in the Vietnam War. It was during his service that his mother sent him his now-famous green plastic cup which the reality star is never seen without. He retired in 1993 with the rank of Sergeant First Class (E-7) and joined the family business of making duck calls
Jesse Ventura:
Pro wrestler and Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura served in the UDT, the unit that would eventually merge with the Navy SEALs, from 1969-1975
Chuck Norris:
Chuck Norris was an MP in the Air Force (Insert joke here)
James Avery:
"Although best known as the uncle/patriarch and judge "Philip Banks" on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), James Avery is a classically trained actor and scholar. A native of Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA, he joined the US Navy after graduating high school and served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. Upon leaving the military, he moved to San Diego, California and began writing TV scripts and poetry for PBS."
Pat Sajak
"[Sajak] wrote a letter to one of his old radio employers who had been elected to Congress. A few calls to the right people later, and Sajak became an Army disc jockey, a job he held for 18 months.
Roger Staubach (admittedly, not an actor):
"Navy Ensign Roger Staubach, a Heisman Trophy winner while playing at the U.S. Naval Academy, was officer-in-charge of both the Personal Effects Division of the Naval Support Activity and a petroleum-oil-lubricant site on the outskirts of Da Nang. After leaving the Navy, Staubach enjoyed a Hall of Fame career with the Dallas Cowboys."
Dale Dye (actor and advisor for many films, including Platoon):
Joined the marines in 1964.His unit was among the first to deploy to Vietnam in 1965. He was a combat correspondent. He became one of a very few Marine combat correspondents. he stayed in VN, was wounded during the Tet offensive in 1968, and served as an ad hoc machine gunner ib fighting, again being wounded as rescued wounded Marines. As a result of his actions, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" for heroism.
Dennis Franz (already mentioned):
Franz graduated from Southern Illinois University and was immediately drafted into the military. He served 11 month in Vietnam in an LRRP/Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol unit, and after his service he suffered depression for some time afterwards.
Jim Beaver:
Enlisting in the Marines as a microwave radio relay technician, Jim Beaver served in South Vietnam as a radio operator and then as a supply chief. Discharged as a corporal, he served in the Reserves for five more years. Beaver is known for his role as a prospector in Deadwood but is also a playwright, screenwriter, director, and film historian.
Steve McQueen (this one was surprising!!!)
Handsome Hollywood loner Steve McQueen joined the Marines in 1947 and, much like most of the characters he played on film, had troubles with insubordination. He was demoted 7 times and spent 41 days in confinement after going AWOL. His most popular movies, The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, and The Towering Inferno cemented his devil-may-care attitude and helped to influence generations of male actors.
And of course:
R.Lee Ermey:
The quintessential frowning, screaming drill instructor of modern American cinema, R. Lee Ermey is best known for his role in Full Metal Jacket as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, for which he was given a Golden Globe nomination. Ermey earned his demeanor well as he served in the Marines for 11 years including a 14-month stint in Vietnam and two tours in Okinawa. Ermey was cast in Filipino films before his American break as a helicopter pilot in Apocalypse Now. The director, Francis Ford Coppola, also used him as a technical adviser for the film. He has appeared in many other films, including comedies, and is visible on The History Channel’s TV show, Mail Call.
Si Robertson:
"Duck Dynasty's" Uncle Si once served in the Vietnam War. It was during his service that his mother sent him his now-famous green plastic cup which the reality star is never seen without. He retired in 1993 with the rank of Sergeant First Class (E-7) and joined the family business of making duck calls
Jesse Ventura:
Pro wrestler and Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura served in the UDT, the unit that would eventually merge with the Navy SEALs, from 1969-1975
Chuck Norris:
Chuck Norris was an MP in the Air Force (Insert joke here)
James Avery:
"Although best known as the uncle/patriarch and judge "Philip Banks" on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), James Avery is a classically trained actor and scholar. A native of Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA, he joined the US Navy after graduating high school and served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. Upon leaving the military, he moved to San Diego, California and began writing TV scripts and poetry for PBS."
Pat Sajak
"[Sajak] wrote a letter to one of his old radio employers who had been elected to Congress. A few calls to the right people later, and Sajak became an Army disc jockey, a job he held for 18 months.
Roger Staubach (admittedly, not an actor):
"Navy Ensign Roger Staubach, a Heisman Trophy winner while playing at the U.S. Naval Academy, was officer-in-charge of both the Personal Effects Division of the Naval Support Activity and a petroleum-oil-lubricant site on the outskirts of Da Nang. After leaving the Navy, Staubach enjoyed a Hall of Fame career with the Dallas Cowboys."
Dale Dye (actor and advisor for many films, including Platoon):
Joined the marines in 1964.His unit was among the first to deploy to Vietnam in 1965. He was a combat correspondent. He became one of a very few Marine combat correspondents. he stayed in VN, was wounded during the Tet offensive in 1968, and served as an ad hoc machine gunner ib fighting, again being wounded as rescued wounded Marines. As a result of his actions, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" for heroism.
Dennis Franz (already mentioned):
Franz graduated from Southern Illinois University and was immediately drafted into the military. He served 11 month in Vietnam in an LRRP/Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol unit, and after his service he suffered depression for some time afterwards.
Jim Beaver:
Enlisting in the Marines as a microwave radio relay technician, Jim Beaver served in South Vietnam as a radio operator and then as a supply chief. Discharged as a corporal, he served in the Reserves for five more years. Beaver is known for his role as a prospector in Deadwood but is also a playwright, screenwriter, director, and film historian.
Steve McQueen (this one was surprising!!!)
Handsome Hollywood loner Steve McQueen joined the Marines in 1947 and, much like most of the characters he played on film, had troubles with insubordination. He was demoted 7 times and spent 41 days in confinement after going AWOL. His most popular movies, The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, and The Towering Inferno cemented his devil-may-care attitude and helped to influence generations of male actors.
And of course:
R.Lee Ermey:
The quintessential frowning, screaming drill instructor of modern American cinema, R. Lee Ermey is best known for his role in Full Metal Jacket as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, for which he was given a Golden Globe nomination. Ermey earned his demeanor well as he served in the Marines for 11 years including a 14-month stint in Vietnam and two tours in Okinawa. Ermey was cast in Filipino films before his American break as a helicopter pilot in Apocalypse Now. The director, Francis Ford Coppola, also used him as a technical adviser for the film. He has appeared in many other films, including comedies, and is visible on The History Channel’s TV show, Mail Call.
R. Lee was military then actor. That would be a much longer list which would have of course Audie Murphy and Nevelle Brand leading the list.
One guy I had never heard of before but always wondered who he was. In the John Ford movie, Rio Grande, one of the three movies in Fords Cavalry trilogy. There's a striking officer with an eye patch that I always was courious about.
Capt. St. Jacques is the character, just a supporting officer played by a man named Peter Ortiz. This is where it gets good.
Peter Ortiz born in New York, is mother was Swiss and father was french born Spaniard. He joined the French Foreign legion for 5 years in North Africa being awarded the Croix de Guerre...twice. He resigned, went to hollywood as a technical adviser but rejoined the Foreign Legion. He was captured in France when the Germans invaded but escaped.
He enlisted in the marines, went to boot camp wearing his French medals and awardsrotf). Got in the OSS and worked behind the lines with the resistance.
He had a outstanding record, you can read about it here.
http://www.militarymuseum.org/Ortiz.html
https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/the-incredible-saga-of-col-peter-j-ortiz/
But the thing that really got me, as we say around here, "he's got a set"
That's him, in Marine uniform, in occupied France.
:salute
One guy I had never heard of before but always wondered who he was. In the John Ford movie, Rio Grande, one of the three movies in Fords Cavalry trilogy. There's a striking officer with an eye patch that I always was courious about.
Capt. St. Jacques is the character, just a supporting officer played by a man named Peter Ortiz. This is where it gets good.
Peter Ortiz born in New York, is mother was Swiss and father was french born Spaniard. He joined the French Foreign legion for 5 years in North Africa being awarded the Croix de Guerre...twice. He resigned, went to hollywood as a technical adviser but rejoined the Foreign Legion. He was captured in France when the Germans invaded but escaped.
He enlisted in the marines, went to boot camp wearing his French medals and awards
rotf). Got in the OSS and worked behind the lines with the resistance. He had a outstanding record, you can read about it here.
http://www.militarymuseum.org/Ortiz.html
https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/the-incredible-saga-of-col-peter-j-ortiz/
But the thing that really got me, as we say around here, "he's got a set"
Even Audie Murphy didn't put that off!
That's him, in Marine uniform, in occupied France.
:salute
Duke Maddog
Well-known member
While not a member of the US military, Julia Child served in the French underground. After Overlord happened, she served as Patton's translator.