Actors In Military

[Scrounger]

This thread has come up a couple of times and today would be appropriate for it to give honorable mention to an actor who is deserving of it. I imagine a lot of you are devotees of the old war movies of the 40s and 50s just as I am. Some of the cable networks run a festival of them on holidays like this. On one of them I was watching, the TCM Host mentioned that one of the actors, Wayne Morris, had been a pilot in the Navy in WWII. I looked it up on the INTERNET and found this: He had played a pilot in a film in the late thirties and decided to learn to fly. He got his license and joined the Naval Reserve. He was called up in 1942 and served a year in the states, as an instructor and taking advanced training. Shipped out to the Essex in a new F6F Hellcat, he flew 57 missions, was credited with 7 Jap planes shot down, and sank 2 destroyers and a smaller vessel. He had came back on 3 occasions with planes so shot up they were beyond repair. He received 4 DSCs and 2 Air Metals. Sounds like he well deserved them. He died of a heart attack in 1959 while visiting a friend on the Bon Homme Richard. The next time you watch one of these old movies, look for the name 'Wayne Morris', and give him a silent 'Thank You'. All actors aren't *******s.

[scrapcan]

Lee Marvin. One of the great actors.

corrected per KCSO. Thanks for the correction. No need to spreed the myths any further.

[KCSO]

No not true, see SNOPES Lee Marvin got a purple heart and Captain Kangaroo was just a grunt and Mr. Rogers wasn't a SEAL, BUT they served and did their jobs and are just as much a hero as the guys that got all the medals. Unlike the modern generation of hollywood whiners they went and served!

[Jumptrap]

No not true, see SNOPES Lee Marvin got a purple heart and Captain Kangaroo was just a grunt and Mr. Rogers wasn't a SEAL, BUT they served and did their jobs and are just as much a hero as the guys that got all the medals. Unlike the modern generation of hollywood whiners they went and served!

Don't you just love SNOPES?! Ran one on a Bill Clinton...come to find out it was his wife Hillary who was President. Bill was just the pool boy that shagged the help.

[flhroy]

Jimmy Stewart is another one. I believe as a B-17 pilot he survived 25 missions over Germany. Retired as a General from the Air National Gaurd.

Roy

ps hope snope doesnt say otherwise

[Mk42gunner]

Ernest Borgnine was a Gunner's Mate in WWII.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Clark Gable gunner in Army Air Corps in Europe.

[PatMarlin]

I used to uh.. date Lee Marvin's grand daughter. Does that count?.. :mrgreen:

[DanWalker]

A modern day soldier turned actor is my buddy,Freddy Jo Farnsworth.
He was a grunt in the USMC for 11 years, then got medically discharged for wrecking his back. He works as a stunt man, often doubling for Colin Farrel. He's had speaking parts in "Band of Brothers" "The Rough Riders" and a bunch of other stuff. He got his start in acting, working on the Movie "Starship Troopers" Which was filmed here.

[versifier]

Don't forget Gunny!

[Bret4207]

Charles Bronson was an Air Corps tail gunner I think, Julia Child was a secret courier, Tyrone Power, Ted Williams, Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, Audie Murphy, Glenn Ford, Eddie Albert, Glen Miller- they all served along with a host of other folks. That war was different for sure.

[scrapcan]

KCSO,

thanks for keeping the post honest. I changed my post above.

Jeremy

Would also like to add a few politicians to this list. We also tend to bash some of the politicians also.

One of the most interesting biographies I have read was about McGovern. Very interesting and he too served his time flying the "Dakota Queen".

I think each and every person who serves should be commended. They all have the opportunity to be called up and sent to do America's work.

[scrapcan]

DanWalker,

Interesting that Starship Troopers came up. I was just at Hell's Half Acre a couple weeks ago on my way to Cody. Every time I go by (since Iwas about 5 years old) I have stopped to take a look at the geologic processes going on at the site.

Jeremy

[Buckshot]

..................Eddie Albert. LTjg USN riding herd on landing craft at Tarawa. There are another couple not mentioned and danged if I can recall their names. I can picture them though. Not big time headliners but character actors in quite a few flicks.

.................Buckshot