[Panzermacher]

Folks, I have decided to do a Celebrity Roll of Honor. This Roll will contain Famous People who served in World War Two, from Actors to Politicians and all others in between. I will Post a new one at least once a Month, or as I find one who served in a Topic being Discussed on the forum. Or...if you got one you want to add, feel free to add. Many people don't realize how many Famous People from our era served in the "Big One"

[Panzermacher]

THIS MONTH'S FAMOUS PERSON AND VETERAN IS:
Daniel K.Inouye
US Senator Hawaii
US ARMY -Medal of Honor







Inouye served with the 442nd "Go For Broke" Regimental Combat Team, consisting largely of Soldiers with Japanese ancestry, during World War II. The unit earned the distinction of being the most highly decorated unit of its size and length of active service in U.S. military history.
Inouye lost his right hand in an April 21, 1945 battle near San Terenzo, Italy, during which he led his platoon to capture a key ridge. Originally awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions that day, it was upgraded to the Medal of Honor and presented to him by the president in 2000. His award citation describes Inouye crawling up a dangerous slope to lob two grenades at an enemy machine gun, destroying it, and then taking out a second gun nest. He was shot, but continued to fight until an exploding grenade shattered his right arm. Inouye refused to be evacuated until his platoon was in control of the area, the citation said.

After the war, Inouye graduated from the University of Hawaii and the George Washington University Law School, working as a deputy public prosecutor in Honolulu before getting into politics in 1954. He was the first congressman elected from Hawaii after it became a state and has served in the Senate for seven consecutive terms.

[cyberia]

Very good idea PM. Looking forward to more!

[Jim O]

Great idea! And great lead. I remember Senator Inouye from the Watergate hearings in the 1970's, and my father telling me about his war injury.

I'll add one myself. Boston Red Sox star Ted Williams served in the Marines during World War II and Korea. He lost about five years from his career in so doing. His service in World War II was mostly as a flight instructor (F4U Corsair) at NAS Pensacola, but in Korea he flew 38 missions on the F9F Panther and was awarded the Air Medal.

 Ted_Williams_swearing_into_the_Navy_on_May_22%2C_1942..jpg (78.83K)
Number of downloads: 307
Ted Williams being sworn into the military on May 22, 1942.

[cyberia]

Col. Jimmy Stewart being awarded the Croix de guerre with palm by Lt. Gen. Henri Valin, Chief of Staff of the French Air Force, for his role in the liberation of France. USAF photo.


Jimmy Stewart enlisted in the Army in March 1941. He became the first major American movie star to wear a military uniform in World War II.

Since the United States had not entered the conflict and due to the Army's unwillingness to put celebrities on the front, Stewart was initially held back from combat duty, although he enlisted as a private, he earned a commission as a Second Lieutenant and completed pilot training. He was subsequently stationed in Albuquerque, NM, becoming an instructor pilot for the B-17 Flying Fortress.

"Still, the war was moving on. For the thirty-six-year-old Stewart, combat duty seemed far away and unreachable and he had no clear plans for the future. But then a rumor that Stewart would be taken off flying status and assigned to making training films or selling bonds called for his immediate and decisive action, because what he dreaded most was the hope-shattering spector of a dead end." So he appealed to his commander, a pre-war aviator, who understood the situation and reassigned him to a unit going overseas.

In August 1943 he was finally assigned to the 445th Bombardment Group in Sioux City, Iowa, first as Operations Officer of the 703rd Bombardment Squadron and then its commander. In December, the 445th Bombardment Group flew its B-24 Liberator bombers to RAF Tibenham, England and immediately began combat operations. While flying missions over Germany, Stewart was promoted to Major. In March 1944, he was transferred as group operations officer to the 453rd Bombardment Group, a new B-24 unit that had been experiencing difficulties. As a means to inspire his new group, Stewart flew as command pilot in the lead B-24 on numerous missions deep into Nazi-occupied Europe. These missions went uncounted at Stewart's orders. His "official" total is listed as 20 and are limited to those with the 445th. In 1944, he twice received the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions in combat and was awarded the Croix de Guerre. He also received the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters. In July 1944, after flying 20 combat missions, Stewart was made chief of staff of the 2nd Combat Bombardment Wing of the Eighth Air Force. Before the war ended, he was promoted to colonel, one of only a few Americans to rise from private to colonel in four years.

Stewart continued to play an active role in the United States Air Force Reserve after the war, achieving the rank of Brigadier General on 23 July 1959. Stewart retired from the Air Force on 31 May 1968.

[Panzermacher]

Nice Finds guys!

Here's my Celeb for this month....You may Know him as McHale...from the Movies and the TV series.....


He was born Ermes Effron Borgnine on January 24, 1917 in Hamden, Connecticut. His parents were Charles and Anna Borgnine, who immigrated from Carpi, a small town in Northern Italy at the turn of the century. As a child, Borgnine enjoyed watching sports, especially boxing, but acting did not interest him.

In 1935, following his graduation from high school, Borgnine was uncertain about his future and he entered the Navy. He stayed in the Navy for ten years and returned home in 1945 still undecided about a career. After toiling at a few jobs at local factories, his mother suggested that he try acting since he had such a forceful personality. He took her advice seriously and promptly enrolled at the Randall School of Drama in Hartford.


Here is a Excert from a US Navy publication...
Ernest Borgnine Hails Navy Sailors

3/10/2004

By Journalist 2nd Class Kimberly Rodgers, Navy News Service

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Academy award-winning actor Ernest Borgnine spent time with Sailors March 9 at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. During the visit, Borgnine shared with Sailors the influence the Navy has had on his life.



After 10 years of naval service during World War II, Borgnine, 87, said he became more responsible.



"Being here brought back so many memories," he reminisced, often overcome with emotion. "The idea of being a part of something so enormous taught me how to be a man. It gave me something to prove to myself--and to my country. I'd like to be able to do it all over again."



Borgnine, who joined the Navy in 1935, served on the now-decommisioned USS Lamberton (DD 119), reaching the rank of Chief Gunner's Mate, and went on to land the lead role in the popular television series "McHale's Navy." With more than 150 films to his credit, Borgnine received the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the hit movie "Marty" in 1955.



"Being in his company was amazing," said Seaman Jordan Logan of U.S. Ceremonial Guard Command, Washington. "Just coming into the Navy, you get lots of advice. It always makes a difference when the advice comes from someone who's actually worn the uniform--and went on to do great things."



"I've seen so many of his movies," said Personnelman 2nd Class Jocelyn Smith of Naval Air Facility, Washington. "This is like a dream come true. He's a real class act. You get the feeling he really cares about our service."



A teary-eyed Borgnine concluded the session by saying to Sailors, "You're serving a great country. Always, always do your best."



For more news from around the fleet, visit the Navy NewsStand at The U.S. Navy.

[Panzermacher]

April's Celebrity is the Man who's music was the sound of the War. A man's whose orchestra was heard from the Aleutians, to Tunisia, to the South Atlantic, and everywhere in between. His Music Epitomized the "Greatest Generation" and is still popular today. Glenn Miller, Major, USA.
| Home | Membership | Festival | Scholarships | Birthplace Home | Miller History | Calendar |
Alton Glenn Miller

Young Glenn Miller Shortly after the beginning of the 20th century, in a small rural Southwestern Iowa town, a boy was born to Elmer and Mattie Lou Miller. The date was March 1, 1904 and the town was Clarinda. The boy that was born that night was named Alton Glen Miller (later changed to Glenn) and when he uttered his first cry, Clarinda heard Glenn Miller’s first "moonlight serenade." Glenn’s first serenade was not particularly unique as it had been sung by children for centuries and was barely heard across South 16th Street. However, his second Moonlight Serenade was a composition he wrote while studying music under Dr. Schillinger in New York City. Glenn’s second Moonlight Serenade was unique, becoming the theme song of his number one Big Band and heard literally all around the world.

Glenn’s grandparents were a part of the westward movement of people during the 1800's and moved to the Clarinda area around 1870. During their stay in Southwest Iowa, their son Elmer married Mattie Lou Cavender and before this young couple left Clarinda, their first son, Dean, was born; followed by a second son, Alton Glenn Miller, on March 1, 1904.

In hopes of a brighter future, the young couple decided to homestead and moved on west in 1907 to Tryon, Nebraska where they lived in a sod house. In the evenings, Glenn’s mother, Mattie Lou, would play a simple pump organ which helped ease the lonesome existence on the flatlands of Nebraska. If you think it is a long lonely drive across Nebraska today, you can imagine what it was like to be there in 1907. Mattie Lou started a school called Happy Hollow and her children would sing songs as they rode in a wagon on their way to school. The soothing music of his mother in their sod house and the uplifting songs on the way to school must have given Glenn a greater meaning and appreciation for music. Before leaving the sod house, Mattie Lou gave birth to a third son, Herb, in 1913.

In 1915, Glenn’s family moved to Grant City, Missouri where he went to grade school, worked for the town bandsman John Mosbarger, was given his first trombone and then played in the town band.

In 1918, Glenn’s family, including an infant daughter, Irene, moved again to Fort Morgan, Colorado where Glenn went to high school. During his senior year, Glenn decided to try the game of football, and by the end of the season, he was chosen by the Colorado High School Sports Association as "the best left end in Colorado." Football wasn’t Glenn’s only interest, however, as he had become very interested in a new sound called dance band music. Glenn enjoyed this music so much that he and some classmates decided to start their own band. In fact, Glenn was so excited about this new music that when it came time for his graduation in 1921, he decided to skip his graduation ceremonies and instead traveled to Laramie, Wyoming to play in a band. Meanwhile, back home, Glenn’s mother had to accept his diploma and the principal commented, "Maybe you’re the one who should get it anyway; you probably worked harder on it than he did!"

Bandleader Glenn Miller By now, Glenn had made the decision that he was going to be a professional musician. His first professional contract was signed with a Dixieland group called Senter’s Sentapeeds. To most people it sounds like something you would step on rather than listen to. Then another opportunity opened up where Glenn could play in the Holly Moyer Orchestra in Boulder and earn enough money to attend the University of Colorado. This lasted for two years, but in 1924, Glenn’s musical ambition, and a new job with the Tommy Watkins Orchestra, caused him to discontinue his college education so that he could spend full time playing and arranging music. Glenn eventually headed for Los Angeles, where he had heard there were numerous band opportunities. He soon got the chance to join the Ben Pollack Orchestra, a band noted for finding talented musicians. While playing with Pollack’s band, Glenn roomed with another rising star, a clarinetist from Chicago named Benny Goodman.

In 1928, after working in Los Angeles and Chicago, Glenn moved on to New York City where he worked with bands of Ben Pollack, Red Nichols and Paul Ash as a trombonist and arranger. In 1932, Glenn organized the Smith Ballew Band, and worked two years as manager, arranger and trombonist. In 1934, he helped the Dorsey brothers to organize their first full-time Big Band and in 1935, he organized Ray Noble’s American band.

Finally, in 1937, Glenn decided to fulfill his dream and organize his own band. This first band soon ran into financial difficulties and had to disband, but Glenn was not one to give up and he tried again in 1938. This time was different, and in March of 1939, his band was chosen to play the summer season at the prestigious Glen Island Casino, in New Rochelle, New York. This big break led to another important engagement at Meadowbrook, New Jersey in the spring of the same year. Both places offered frequent radio broadcasts, and by mid-summer, the Miller Orchestra had developed a nationwide following. In the fall of 1939, it began a series of radio broadcasts for Chesterfield cigarettes which increased its already great popularity. Thereafter, the band was in constant demand for recording sessions and appeared in two films; Sun Valley Serenade in 1941 and Orchestra Wives in 1942.

Major Glenn Miller In 1942, at the peak of his civilian career, Glenn decided he could better serve those in uniform by putting one on himself. By doing this, the band gave up a $20,000 weekly income. Too old to be drafted at age 38, Glenn first volunteered for the Navy but was told that they didn’t need his services. Not giving up, Glenn wrote to the Army’s Brigadier General Charles Young on August 12, 1942. Miller persuaded the Army to accept him so he could in his own words, "put a little more spring into the feet of our marching men and a little more joy into their hearts and to be placed in charge of a modernized army band." After being accepted in the Army, Glenn’s civilian band played their last concert in Passaic, New Jersey on September 27th, 1942. It was such a sad event that the band couldn’t finish playing the closing theme song, Moonlight Serenade.

Glenn soon became part of the Army Specialists Corps with the rank of captain. For the next year and a half, besides arranging music, Glenn created and directed his own 50-member band. Captain Miller’s mission was morale building, bringing a touch of home to the troops and modernizing military music. Glenn was also a talented fund raiser, and raised millions of dollars in war bond drives. He also attracted Air Corps recruits through his I Sustain the Wings weekly radio broadcasts.

Still wanting to do more, Glenn arranged for overseas duty for the band. Arriving in London, the band was quartered at 25 Sloane Street, an area in constant barrage by German V-1 buzz bombs. Glenn was immediately concerned for the band and made arrangements for the unit to move to new quarters in Bedford, England. The band moved on July 2, 1944, and the very next day a buzz bomb landed in front of their old quarters, destroying the building and killing 100 people. The Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band was extremely busy and Glenn wrote home that in one month they played at 35 different bases, while performing 40 radio broadcasts in their spare time.

Finally, on December 15, 1944, Glenn boarded a single engine C-64 Norseman aircraft to travel to Paris, France where he was to make arrangements for a Christmas broadcast. Tragically, the plane never reached France and was never found. The band, without Miller, performed the scheduled Christmas concert under the direction of Jerry Gray and continued to perform, playing their last concert on November 13, 1945 at the National Press Club dinner for President Truman in Washington, D.C. At that time, General Dwight Eisenhower and General Hap Arnold thanked the band for a job well done.

Glenn Miller will be remembered for many things; his musical style, showmanship, hard work, perseverance, and much more. But his patriotism in giving up his number one civilian band to enlist in the United States Army Air Corps, his pioneering efforts to modernize military bands and his supreme sacrifice for his country have caused him to be remembered as Clarinda’s and America’s favorite musical patriot.

Glenn Miller’s life cannot easily be summed up in a few words. He put more in his short life of 40 years than most people do in a longer lifetime.











Here is a Article from the Arlinton National Cemetary Website on Major Miller's death
Glenn Miller killed by friendly fire, paper says
Big-band leader disappeared in 1944

It has been one of the most enduring ysteries of entertainment history.

On the night of December 15, 1944, U.S. big-band leader Glenn Miller, the hottest pop star of the wartime era, left an airbase in southeast England to entertain U.S. soldiers in Paris.

Within minutes, his plane had disappeared in fog and Mr. Miller was never seen again.

Wild theories about his demise sprang up -- from his torture and death at the hands of the Nazis to the less respectful rumour that he had died in the arms of a Paris prostitute and it had all been hushed up.

But a documentary to be shown on British television claims to have unravelled the mystery: Mr. Miller was a victim of friendly fire, a hail of British bombs blowing his tiny single-engined Noorduyn Norseman plane out of the sky, the Guardian newspaper reports today. Documentary-makers believe that a fleet of 139 Lancaster bombers returning on the fateful night from an abortive mission over Nazi Germany dumped their payload into the English Channel -- and right on to Mr. Miller's plane.

In a recently uncovered amateur film interview, Fred Shaw, a navigator on one of the
Lancasters, said he saw the bombs hit a small plane beneath him, the paper said.

"I had never seen a bombing before so I crawled from my navigator seat and put my head in the observation blister. I saw a small high-wing monoplane, a Noorduyn Norseman, underneath," Mr. Shaw reportedly said in the interview recorded before his death several years ago.

"'There's a kite down there,' I told the rear-gunner. 'There's a kite gone in.' He said 'Yes, I saw it.' "

Mr. Shaw did not make the connection with Mr. Miller until 1956 when he saw the film The Glenn Miller Story.

But with several unanswered questions remaining, his claims were dismissed at the time as publicity seeking.

However, the paper said new research into Mr. Miller's flight path and time had left little room for doubt.

Mr. Miller and his band became famous for such tunes as Tuxedo Junction, In the Mood, Moonlight Serenade and the million-selling Chattanooga Choo Choo.

[Pylon1357]

In regards to the Glenn Miller Story, I have to wonder.... who will be looking for the aircraft now? Like with many other mysteries, Some group or rich individual will certainly be looking for the plane armed with this information.

I for one would be very happy to know what happened to Major Miller. But then again, I have always held a soft spot for those missing during the war.

[Jim O]

 Clark_Gable_8th-AF-Britain1943.jpg (109.54K)
Number of downloads: 280

Clark Gable enlisted in the USAAF at the age of 41 (at the time old enough to be exempt from the draft), leaving behind a $30,000/month movie contract (that was some real money in 1942!). He went to OCS. After being commissioned he flew in Europe earning the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross. Much of his time in service was spent photographing other airmen in action for a movie to recruit airmen for the war effort. He was discharged with the rank of Major.

[Geek44]

A resident of my home town recently wrote a book entitled 'Flak' which was basically the products of dozens of interviews with surviving RAAF personnel who served in WW2. It should be noted too that the authour is a TV and radio personality here. Anyway's, one of the interviewees was a crew member on a RAF Lancaster. His group was called back from a mission after it was cancelled due to bad weather. The load-out for the mission was 'Cookie' bombs...big, bad and loud. The fuses on these bombs were a little unreliable and landing the aircraft while still carrying the ordnance was out of the question. They were ordered to jettison their load over the channel, which they did. The interviewee recalls watching the bombs falling into the sea and some exploded...he also recalls seeing a smaller aircraft below in the bad weather. The next day, they heard that Miller had gone missing.
I guess we'll never know.
Pennsylvania sixty-five thousand.

[Geek44]

This is Charles 'Bud' Tingwell who is a much loved actor in Australia. Born in New South Wales in 1923, Bud flew photo reconnaisance Spitfires and Mosquitos during WW2. With around 60 operational missions to his credit, the book I mentioned above also cites his most memorable.
He'd been asked to go and photograph Salonika which everybody thought was crawling with Germans at the time. It was considered a suicide mission. Dutifully, Bud got into his Spitfire and flew to the target. On arrival, it became clear that the Germans had left. On one photography pass, Bud noticed a single man on the ground...and he appeared to be waving to him. During his return flight, Bud's fuel gauge began to show low fuel. He arrived back at base on fumes. On closer inspection of the aircraft, it became apparent that the man waving had in fact been shooting at Bud's plane with his pistol and had hit the plane once...severing a fuel line.
Bud lived in the UK after the war and returned home to Oz in 1970. Bud appeared as a voice in 'The Thunderbirds' (yay!) series and as the kindly QC (Queen's Councel...a kind of 'Überlawyer') in 'The Castle.'

 tingwell_1.jpg (6.1K)
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This is Bud now.

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And during the war.

[Panzermacher]

Nice one Nick,and thanks for adding!

This Months Celeb hails from England and is known as SIR Alec Guiness.

Alec Guinness
operated a British Royal Navy landing craft on D-Day.

Guinness, Sir Alec (1914-2000), considered one of the best of the 20th century.
In his roles in motion pictures and on the stage Guinness won acclaim for his ability
to portray a wide range of characters.
He was born in London and studied acting at the Fay Compton Studio of Dramatic Art.
Guinness made his stage debut in 1933, and beginning in 1936 he played Shakespearean roles
at the Old Vic Theatre in London, notably the title role in Hamlet (1938).
After service in the Royal Navy, he returned to the Old Vic for the 1945 and 1946 seasons.
Guinness's On stage roles in England, Canada,
and the United States in The Cocktail Party (1950),
Ross (1960), and Dylan (1964).

Guinness achieved international success for his masterly character portrayals
in such films as Oliver Twist (1948)
and the comedies Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949),
in which he played eight roles; The Man in the White Suit (1951);
The Lavender Hill Mob (1951),
for which he received an Academy Award nomination for best actor;
and The Captain's Paradise (1953).
For his performance in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957),
he received an Academy Award for best actor.
His later projects include the films Star Wars (1977)
and Little Dorrit (1988),
both of which earned him Oscar nominations for best supporting actor,
and the television series Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1979)
and Smiley's People (1982).
He wrote an autobiography, Blessings in Disguise (1985),
and a collection of anecdotes and reflections on his career,
My Name Escapes Me: The Diary of a Retiring Actor (1997)
and A Positively Final Appearance: A Journal 1996-98 (1999).
Guinness was knighted in 1959.



Sir Alec Guinness

Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe) was born April 2, 1914 in London to Agnes de Cuffe and a father he never knew. He was 5' 11" tall.

Young Guinness was discouraged by his headmaster at Pembroke Lodge (a boarding school), from attending school theatrical performances. While enrolled in Roborough School in Eastbourne, his role as the 'urgent messenger' in the schools' production of Macbeth rekindled his passion for acting. His peers and teachers praised him on his small but powerful performance.

In 1932 Guinness finished his schooling then worked as an apprentice copywriter for an advertising agency in London. In 1933 he applied to the Fay Compton Studio of Dramatic Arts which had granted him a scholarship, he was accepted but, he found the classes tedious and boring. He left seven months later, with a major award presented by the judges, one of them John Gielgud.

In 1934 Guinness got three small bit parts in a production called Queer Cargo, and a walk-on part in Libel. With little money and less food he braved the odds and called Gielgud, at the time very successful and ten years his senior. Gielgud cast him as Osric and the Third Player in his production of Hamlet at the New Theatre. This added to his credits and spawned other parts.

In 1938 he played Hamlet in a Tyrone Guthrie production at the Old Vic. Between 1938 and 1941 he played 34 roles in 23 plays. In 1941 he enlisted in the Royal Navy becoming a landing-craft operator. After the war Guinness resumed his stage and newfound writing career portraying the role of Mitya in his own rendition of Dostoyevski's Brothers Karamazov.

Other roles included Sartre's Vicious Circle, the Dauphin in Shaw's Saint Joan and, in the title role of Shakespeare's Richard II. Within the year after the war Guinness decided to try film....and what an impressive start. The director David Lean cast him as Pocket in Dickens' Great Expectations. He then played Fagin in Oliver Twist another Dickens classic. In 1949 he made A Run for Your Money and Kind Hearts and Coronets (in which he played eight different characters), it was this performance that really brought him the most recognition and exploited his tremendous skill at playing a large variety of roles. Other roles in 1949 include, a ruminative psychiatrist in T.S. Elliot's Cocktail Party (so successful he took it to Broadway). There are a few performances that were small yet memorable: a bank clerk who masterminds the smuggling of gold bullion out of England in The Lavender Hill Mob 1951, a flirtatious skipper in the comedy The Captain's Paradise 1953 and as a sly sleuth in The Detective 1954.

One of the most appealing roles was as Colonel Nicholson in Bridge on the River Kwai, the second film he did for David Lean, for which he won an Oscar in 1958 ( he also starred in two other David Lean films: Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago). In the same year he was Oscar nominated for his screenplay for The Horse's Mouth AND knighted by Queen Elizabeth.

Guinness did not leave the stage altogether, in 1964 he played the title role in Dylan (about the last months of poet Dylan Thomas), so well was this role played that Guinness won nearly every stage award given for that year. In 1977 Guinness was cast by George Lucas in Star Wars, another small yet memorable role, he was Oscar-nominated for the part of Obi-Wan Kenobi the following year. The part of Kenobi made Guinness famous to a whole new generation.

In 1980 he was awarded an honorary Oscar for acting. He played Kenobi two more times in, The Empire Strikes Back 1980 and The Return of the Jedi 1983. He made appearances in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley's People on television, again small roles with a lasting impression.

Sir Alec Guinness died of cancer at the King Edward VII Hospital in Midhurst, West Sussex on Saturday, August 5, 2000, after being in ill health for a number of years. He was aged 86 and was survived by his wife (married June 20, 1938) actress/playwright Merula Salaman (who died just two months later) and his son Matthew (Born 1939), who is an actor.

Awards, Honors and Nominations
Academy Awards (Oscar):
Nom 1988 Actor in a Supporting Role - Little Dorrit
Rec'd 1979 Honorary Award for Acting
Nom 1977 Actor in a Supporting Role - Star Wars
Nom 1958 Writing/Screenplay - The Horse's Mouth
Rec'd 1957 Actor - Bridge on the River Kwai
Rec'd 1957 Actor - Bridge on the River Kwai
Nom 1958 Writing/Screenplay for The Horse's Mouth
Rec'd 1957 Actor - Bridge on the River Kwai
Rec'd 1957 Actor - Bridge on the River Kwai
Nom 1952 Actor for The Lavender Hill Mob
Rec'd 1957 Actor - Bridge on the River Kwai
Nom 1952 Actor - The Lavender Hill Mob
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Horror Films (Saturn Award):
Rec'd 1978 Best Supporting Actor for Star Wars
Rec'd 1978 Best Supporting Actor for Star Wars
Berlin Film Festival:
Rec'd 1988 Honorary Golden Berlin Bear
British Academy Awards (BAFTA):
Nom 1956 Best British Actor for The Prisoner
Rec'd 1958 Best British Actor Bridge on the River Kwai
Rec'd 1958 Best British Actor for Bridge on the River Kwai
"BookNom 1960 Best British Screenplay for The Horse's Mouth Nom 1960 Best British Screenplay for The Horse's Mouth
Nom 1961 Best British Actor for Tunes of Glory
Nom 1961 Best British Actor Tunes of Glory
Golden Globes:
Nom 1989 - Little Dorrit, Parts I and II
Nom 1978 - Star Wars
Rec'd 1958 - Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for Bridge on the River Kwai
Grammy Awards:
Nom 1964 Spoken Word for A Personal Choice (collection of selected favorite poems)
European Film Awards:
Rec'd 1996 Lifetime Achievement Award
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists:
Rec'd Silver Ribbon 1952 Best Actor Foreign Film for The Lavender Hill Mob
Laurel Awards:
Rec'd 3rd Place Golden Laurel Top Male Comedy Performance for The Horse's Mouth
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards (LAFCA):
Rec'd 1988 Best Supporting Actor for Little Dorrit
Nation Board of Review (NBR Award):
Rec'd 1957 Best Actor Bridge on the River Kwai
Rec'd 1950 Best Actor Kind Hearts and Coronets
New York Film Critics Awards (NYFCA):
Rec'd 1957 Best Actor for Bridge on the River Kwai
Venice Film Festival:
Rec'd 1958 Volpi Cup Best Actor for The Horse's Mouth
Emmy:
Nom 1983 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Special for Smiley's People
Honors
1991 - Honorary LittD by Cambridge University
1977 - DLitt by Oxford University
1955 - dubbed a Commander of the British Empire (OBE)
1959 - Knighted by Queen Elizabeth

[DocCasualty]

Actor Paul Newman was decorated WWII sailor

Most Americans know actor Paul Newman had an Academy Award to his credit, but few know his list of awards also include a Navy Combat Action Ribbon and the coveted Combat Aircrew Wings he got while serving as an aviation radioman and aerial gunner during World War II.

Newman, 83, died Sept. 26 after a long battle with cancer.

According to information provided by Navy Personnel Command and the Naval Historical Center, the future blue-eyed actor enlisted in the Navy on Jan. 22, 1943 — four days before his 18th birthday — with the hopes of becoming an officer and an aviator flying off carriers.

While waiting for his application for officer training to go through, Newman attended Ohio University in Athens.

When his approval came through, he was ordered to report on July 1 to the Navy V-12 program at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. His hopes for a commission and pilot’s wings were dashed four months later after a flight physical discovered he was colorblind.

Instead, he was shipped a few miles down the road to the Navy’s boot camp at Newport, R.I. Graduating three days after Christmas, Newman was selected to train as an aviation radioman and reported to the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Jacksonville, Fla., on Jan. 8, 1944.

He would not leave Jacksonville until July 20, having completed radio school and qualified as an aerial gunner — enabling him to be aircrew on carrier-based aircraft.

Aviation Radioman 3rd Class Newman spent a few months at Naval Air Station Miami before transferring to NAS Barber’s Point, Hawaii, where he would serve in three Pacific-based replacement torpedo squadrons, VT-98, VT-99, and VT-100.

While he was with VT-99, training personnel in TBM-1Cs, TBM-3s and TBF-1cs, the squadron moved to Eniwetok, then to Guam, and in January 1945 on to Saipan. The squadron would ferry replacement pilots and aircraft to carriers around the fleet.

Though Newman did see scattered combat, his closest brush with death came in May 1945.

Operating from Saipan, Newman and a number of other aircrews from his squadron had been ordered with their TBM Avenger aircraft to be replacements onboard the Essex-class aircraft carrier Bunker Hill operating off Okinawa. But Newman’s pilot got sick, grounding the aircraft and crew until he could recover.

Just days later, on May 11, two Japanese kamikaze aircraft hit the ship within 30 seconds and in the resulting fires and explosions 346 sailors were killed — among them, the entire contingent from Newman’s squadron.

A VT-99 contingent including Newman was aboard the escort carrier Hollandia, which was operating about five hundred miles off Japan when the Enola Gay dropped its atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

Returning home after the Japanese surrender, Newman served with Carrier Aircraft Service Unit 7 in Seattle, Wash. before being discharged Jan. 21, 1946.

Along with his aircrew wings and CAR, he was also awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the American Area Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

[Panzermacher]

Good one, Doc....


Here's one I never knew about:

Tony Bennett, born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, served in the Army during World War II. He was a member of the 63rd Infantry Division (the Blood and Fire Division) where he served in France and in Germany.

Bennett got his first opportunity to sing when he performed with a military band. After his tour of duty in Europe, Bennett studied music at Heidelburg University before returning to the United States. He studied voice under the GI Bill while supporting himself as an elevator operator. He is best remembered for recording the hit song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."

Biography for
Tony Bennett (I) More at IMDb Pro »
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Date of Birth
3 August 1926, Astoria, New York, USA

Birth Name
Anthony Dominick Benedetto

Height
5' 7½" (1.71 m)

Mini Biography

Tony Bennett, one of the legends of jazz and popular music who served during the Second World War and had a career that spanned more than half a century, is now enjoying celebrations of his 80th birthday with a series of events, culminating in a Gala-party in Los Angeles, where he performed his legendary hits -- "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" and "What A Good Life" before a crowd of celebrities.

He was born Anthony (Antonio) Dominick Benedetto on August 3, 1926, in Astoria, Queens, in New York City. His father was a grocer, his mother was a seamstress, and his uncle was a tap dancer. Young Tony gave a singing performance at the opening of the Triborough Bridge at the age of 10. He studied music and painting at the New York High School of Industrial Arts but dropped out at the age of 16. He had to support his family and he performed as a singing waiter in Italian restaurants.

Bennett was drafted into the US Army in 1944 during WWII. He served on the front lines until April 1945 and was involved in the liberation of a Nazi concentration camp at Landsberg, Germany. After the end of WWII he sang with the Army military band under the stage name "Joe Bari" until his discharge and return to the US in 1946. He studied the Bel Canto singing discipline at the American Theater Wing on the GI Bill and continued singing while waiting on tables at New York restaurants.

He drew from such influences as Judy Garland, Louis Armstrong, and Bing Crosby among others and created his own style of singing. He integrated jazz-style phrasing into his singing by imitating the instrumental solos with his own voice. In 1949, he was invited on a concert tour by Bob Hope, who suggested he use the name Tony Bennett. In 1950, he was signed to Columbia Records and made his first big hit "Because of You," produced by Mitch Miller with orchestration by Percy Faith. It sold over a million copies, reaching #1 in 1951 pop charts. His other #1 hits were "Blue Velvet," "Rags to Riches," and "Stranger in Paradise" in 1952-54. Bennett was able to do five to seven shows a day in New York to a crowd of screaming teenagers.

In 1956, he hosted "The Tony Bennett Show" (1956), which replaced "The Perry Como Show" (1948). He continued recordings with the top jazz musicians of the day and his collaboration with Count Basie brought two albums, with "Chicago" and "Jeepers Creepers" becoming popular songs. His landmark concert at Carnegie Hall in June of 1962 featured 44 songs and was accompanied by an all-star band. The same year he released "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," which remained on the charts for a year and has become his signature song. The eponymous album became a gold record.

Bennett had a change of fortune after 1964, with strong competition from The Beatles and the British Invasion. In 1965, he separated from his first wife, artist Patricia Beech, with whom he had two sons. The marriage did not work under the pressures of being too much on the road and eventually ended in divorce. At the same time, his first acting role in the film The Oscar (1966) was not a success; he received poor reviews, and the film was lambasted by critics, ignored by audiences and became one of the biggest flops of the year. His singing career took a downturn when his bosses at Columbia Records, worried about competition from The Beatles, forced him to change his image and style, which pleased no one. He left Columbia in 1972. A brief contract with MGM Records yielded no hits, and Bennett was left without a recording job.

He married again. He started his own record company and made two highly praised albums with Bill Evans. He moved to England for a while, where he once performed for the Queen. Back in the US, Bennett found only one regular gig in Las Vegas, but no recording deals or concert tours. His debts grew to the point of bankruptcy, and the IRS was trying to seize his house in L.A. By the late 1970s, his second marriage to actress Sandra Grant, with whom he had two daughters, was failing. He also suffered from a drug addiction, and after an overdose in 1979, he called for help from his son Danny Bennett. Danny signed on as his father's manager. It turned out to be a smart move because, by bringing back his original style, tuxedo and the Great American Songbook, they rejuvenated his career. He staged a strong comeback during the 1980s and 1990s, signed with Columbia again, and made two gold albums in 1992 and 1993, and developed a surprising -- and loyal -- following among audiences in their 20s and 30s. He also received a Grammy Award, the first since 1962. He performed and recorded with Frank Sinatra, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Elvis Costello, and k.d. lang among others. Bennet also appeared as himself on MTV's documentary series "Unplugged" (1989) in 1994 and 2000.

Bennett appeared as himself in the films Analyze This (1999), The Scout (1994), and Bruce Almighty (2003). He has sold over 50 million records worldwide, was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame (1997), published an autobiography "The Good Life: The Autobiography of Tony Bennett" (1998), received a lifetime achievement award from ASCAP (2002), and was the recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor in December of 2005.

On his 80th anniversary, Tony Bennett enjoyed congratulations from millions of fans from over the world. In November 2006, Bennett hosted a party in his honor at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, where he enjoyed live performances by numerous celebrities and entertained his guests by singing his best known hits.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Steve Shelokhonov

Spouse
Susan Crow (21 June 2007 - present)
Sandra Grant (29 December 1971 - 1984) (divorced) 2 children
Patricia Beech (12 February 1952 - December 1971) (divorced) 2 children

Trivia

Well known for hit ballads like "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" (a come back hit released in 1962), and "Rags to Riches" (released in 1954).

Was a close friend of Frank Sinatra.

Bob Hope suggested Tony change his stage name from "Joe Bari" to "Tony Bennett."

Received the Pied Piper lifetime achievement award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. [20 May 2002]

Has founded The Frank Sinatra High School of Performing Arts in Queens, New York. Named after his long-time friend Frank Sinatra. [2001]

Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1997.

He is an accomplished painter with an art studio in New York City, USA.

Recipient of the 2005 Kennedy Center Honors. Other recipients were Robert Redford, Tina Turner, Suzanne Farrell, and Julie Harris.

Despite his hit ballad song, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," he was actually born in New York.

His daughter Antonia Bennett has sung alongside her father since the age of four.

Founded, with his wife Susan Crow, the charitable organization "Exploring the Arts".

Former New York Governor Mario Cuomo and his wife, Matilda, were witnesses to the civil ceremony between Tony & Susan.

Sang "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" at the celebrations for the inauguration of Nancy Pelosi as first female Speaker of the House of Representatives. (4 January 2007).

Personal Quotes

"I only met Bing Crosby once. He called me the best singer he'd ever heard."

"It's an interesting thing. When Coretta Scott King passed away recently they had a memorial where they refreshed people's minds about Martin Luther King, and the idea of non-violence. And now in America you're suddenly seeing war movies again on TV - they never showed war movies until recently - and how great it is to be patriotic. It's wrong. The day and age we live in now, it's all full of fear and frightening feelings. It's the opposite of Roosevelt saying, 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.' Now we're saying, 'Look out, this is going to happen.' We're being told: get frightened. This business of machoism is ridiculous. I'm not interested in that. search for truth and beauty in what I do."

"It gave me a social conscience. And the war itself made me a pacifist; I just know that every gun in the world should melt somehow and as soon as possible. But that looks impossible now."

"When you're young you think, 'What shall I do - the movies, a sitcom?' But that went away. I did Hollywood for a while and had the great pleasure of taking advice from Fred Astaire and Cary Grant - two of the classiest guys that ever lived - and they both told me how to play so you don't get overexposed. Cary Grant told me, 'Just do cameos in films, it's the most boring business in the world.' He said, 'Just go and become a performer in front of audiences - you're alive, they're cheering you.' I liked it when they asked Cary Grant why did you retire, and he said, 'I got tired of walking on cables.'"

"But what's interesting to me is, knowing the past masters that I knew - Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, and I'm really name-dropping here - when they were my age, even before that, in their early seventies, they were very prestigious, but it was very difficult for them to get a film or make a recording. My son acquired about six months ago a huge contract with Columbia/Sony which goes into millions of dollars for two albums over a four-year period, and then if I do two more after that they'll give me an extra half a million for each album. That's unheard of for someone of my age! He's got it turned around to a point where I've never been more exposed and out there. Last year was the most successful year in my life in show business, and it was also the most tragic, because my sister and brother died. It's just life. Shakespeare said that. It's the yin and yang of life. No matter how successful it is, there's always something that says, 'Whoops!'"

"I have traveled around the world to Asia and Europe. They show you what they have contributed to the world. The British show you theater, the Italians show you music and art, the French show you cooking and painting, and the Germans show you science. The only thing that the United States, which is still a young country, has contributed culturally to the world is jazz - elongated improvisation. It's tragic. Fifty years from now people will be bowing to Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, just like impressionist painters like Monet, who were starving in their day. The Americans don't even know what they have come up with."

We all know how wonderful Peggy Lee sings, but let's not forget what a great composer she is as well.

[1987 quote on Judy Garland] She was the very best there was. In our profession, no one could command an audience the way she did. Of course, she had the most marvelous training. At MGM there were so many people to tell her what to do, how to make the best of herself. Tragic? Oh yes.

[J Flynn 206]

Jim O said:

Great idea! And great lead. I remember Senator Inouye from the Watergate hearings in the 1970's, and my father telling me about his war injury.

I'll add one myself. Boston Red Sox star Ted Williams served in the Marines during World War II and Korea. He lost about five years from his career in so doing. His service in World War II was mostly as a flight instructor (F4U Corsair) at NAS Pensacola, but in Korea he flew 38 missions on the F9F Panther and was awarded the Air Medal.

[ATTACH]753[/ATTACH]
Ted Williams being sworn into the military on May 22, 1942.

Although Ted didn’t engage in actual combat in World War II, he trained for three years, became an instructor and rose to the rank of Captain. He set records for certain flying maneuvers, such as barrel rolls, hits and zooms. No wonder. His eyesight was 20/10. (That made him an expert fly fisherman as well) It was in the Korean Conflict, with the Third Marine Air Wing, 223rd Squadron, as a Marine fighter pilot (along with John Glenn) that he distinguished himself over the course of 39 combat missions. On one mission, his F-9 Panther had taken some flak, was on fire, and smoke was pouring into the cockpit. Ted made a decision that was quite remarkable under the circumstances. At 6’ 3” he was a long legged guy and he realized that if he ejected there would be a good chance he could damage his knees permanently and wreck his baseball career, so he struggled through the fire and smoke and crash landed in flames at base. He was so dedicated to baseball, that he would rather risk going down in flames than sacrifice his career as a ball player.
Had he not lost three seasons of his career in the two Wars, (notice I said Wars), he would have broken just about every batting record in the book. When they recalled him back, for Korea, he wasn’t particularly happy about it, but he didn’t try to maneuver out of it. He simply answered the call like the loyal American and soldier that he was. He received the Air Medal with two Gold Stars for meritorious achievement.

[Wustenfuchs]

Don Adams (born Donald James Yarmy; April 13, 1923 – September 25, 2005)
AKA Agent Maxwell Smart from the TV series Get Smart.




Don Adams joined the U.S. Marines in the early days of World War II. He was wounded in the invasion of Guadalcanal and was the only survivor of his platoon. He contracted blackwater fever and nearly died, remaining hospitalized for more than a year. After his recovery he served as a drill instructor.

From Wikipedia:
"After his recovery, he served as a drill instructor for the remainder of the war. In this capacity he was commended by his superiors for being able to exceed the performance of his recruits in every required physical task."

[DocCasualty]

(from Lee Marvin)

Quote

Lee Marvin in WWII

In a career that included 31 films, Lee Marvin ofter played a tough-as-nails military man. He had the background for it, having been a Marine in real-life in WW2.

Hollywood actor Lee Marvin served as a Private First Class in the Marines in World War II. In the battle of Saipan in 1944, he was one of only nine survivors of his unit. He was seriously wounded during the battle and earned a trip home, where he spent months recovering. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

Lee Marvin died August 29, 1987 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Section 7-A, not far from the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Lee Marvin guest starred in the WWII TV series Combat! in the episode "Bridge at Chalons." In the book "Combat! A Viewer's Companion" by Jo Davidsmeyer, the following is said about Lee Marvin [sections reprinted with permission]:

Rick Jason was surprised to see Marvin do a guest stint. After a three-year run as star of the series "M Squad," in which he was to share in the profits, Marvin should not have needed the money. But Marvin confided in Jason that the books for the series showed no profits, so Lee Marvin was again working series, but trying to select only good shows.

An ex-Marine, Lee Marvin brought touches of realism to his role. Marvin saw action in WWII in the Pacific and was wounded in the battle of Saipan. In "Bridge at Chalons," he is completely natural as a man of arms. He holds his weapon like someone familiar with the feel. He added the rubber inner tube around his helmet, just as he had done with his own helmet in the Pacific. [...]

"A lot of people wanted to work with Vic," says Dick Peabody about Vic Morrow. "The actors would do the show even if they weren't doing television, just to work with him. That's what Lee Marvin told me. He said, 'I don't do television anymore, but I wanted to work with Vic.' He was an actor's actor." [...]

When asked about guest stars on the show, Lee Marvin is the first one all the actors and crew mention. "I always thought Lee Marvin was so cool," says Tom Lowell. "The way he came in and had his rifle slung that way. Remember the way he had his elbows looped through the strap. That was so cool. I tried to do that for every show after that and Dick would look down at me and say, 'Don't even try it.' After Lee Marvin came on, everyone wanted a rubber band wrapped around their helmet."

Jack Hogan about Lee Marvin: "I remember Lee Marvin as one of the most bright military guys and a fantastic actor. After work, the Retake Room (a bar just off the MGM lot behind the Thalberg building) was busy when he was there."

"Lee Marvin was a kick in the tail," says Conlan Carter. "He was a piece of work, boy. The fun part of him was not so much in the acting, though he was good and he did what he did well. But he was a hard drinker. After the shoot was over for the day, man, could he put them down. Tell the stories! And he had incredible recovery. He could drink to one, two, three o'clock in the morning and show up on the set the next day and look like he'd never been out."

Georg Fenady says, "I was still an assistant then. I made the mistake of trying to stay with him one night. That man had a hollow leg. At two o'clock in the morning I'm staggering out to my car and he says 'Where are you going, I know a place to go.' I said, 'Lee, we have to get up in two hours.' I left him, and he went wherever he went. The next day, at seven in the morning, he put on all of his equipment — backpack, helmet, and rifle — and stood three feet from the camera all day, standing tall. Incredible. What an interesting man. A really interesting man." [...]

Lee Marvin narrated the WWII documentaries "Our Time in Hell, Marines in WWII," from the 1st Marine Division Association, Inc. [out of print] and "Marine Corps Combat Leadership Skills" [out of print].

From IMDb, a personal quote:

Quote

Tequila. Straight. There's a real polite drink. You keep drinking until you finally take one more and it just won't go down. Then you know you've reached your limit.

Lee Marvin photo
courtesy of Art.com

This post has been edited by DocCasualty: February 15, 2009 - 09:35 PM

[Frank Cheatham]

Michael Pate
Biography (Ref: Michael Pate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

He was born Edward John Pate, on 26 February 1920 in Drummoyne, Sydney. In 1938, he became a writer and broadcaster for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, collaborating with George Ivan Smith on Youth Speaks. For the remainder of the 1930s he worked primarily in radio drama. He also published theatrical and literary criticism. He enjoyed brief success as an author of short stories, publishing works in Australia and the United States.
During World War II, Pate served in the Australian Army in the South West Pacific Area. He was transferred to the 1st Australian Army Amenities Entertainment Unit, known as "The Islanders", entertaining Australian troops in various combat areas.
After the war, Pate returned to radio, appearing in many plays and serials. Between 1946 and 1950 he began breaking into films. In 1949 he appeared in his first leading role in Sons of Matthew. In 1950 he appeared in Bitter Springs with Tommy Trinder and Chips Rafferty.
Also in 1950, Pate adapted, produced, and directed two plays — Dark of the Moon and Bonaventure. Later that year he travelled to the U.S. to appear in a film adaptation of Bonaventure for Universal Pictures. This was released in 1951 as Thunder on the Hill, starring Claudette Colbert and Ann Blyth. In 1956 he appeared in the film The Court Jester.
Pate spent most of the 1950s in the U.S., appearing in over three hundred TV shows. Most notable among these was a 1953 Climax! live production of Ian Fleming's Casino Royale, in which Pate played the role of "Clarence Leiter" (instead of Felix, in the credits), opposite Barry Nelson's "Jimmy Bond".
During his time in the U.S., Pate became an acting instructor and lecturer, and wrote many screenplays and teleplays for the major American networks. In 1959, he returned briefly to Australia, where he starred in the TV program The Shell Hour. He returned to the U.S. for another eight years, during which he enjoyed a successful career as a television character actor, appearing repeatedly on such programs as Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, Branded, The Virginian, Batman, Mission: Impossible ("Trek"), The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Get Smart, Rawhide ("Incident of the Power and the Plow"), and Wagon Train. In the 1963 movie PT 109 he played the part of Arthur Reginald Evans, the Australian coast watcher who helped rescue John F. Kennedy and his crew.
In 1968, Pate returned to Australia and became a television producer, winning two Logie Awards while working at the Seven Network. In 1970, he published a textbook on acting, The Film Actor. From 1971 to 1975 he starred as Detective Sergeant Vic Maddern in Matlock Police. In 1977 he wrote and produced The Mango Tree, starring his son Christopher Pate.
Pate continued working in theatre in both Sydney and Melbourne. In 1979, he adapted the screenplay for Tim from the novel by Colleen McCullough. The film would star Mel Gibson and Piper Laurie. For his adaptation, Pate won the Best Screenplay Award from the Australian Writers Guild.
During the early 1980s Pate and his son Christopher collaborated in a stage production of Mass Appeal. This was a success, and closed with a season at the Sydney Opera House.
Although Pate retired from acting in 2001 he remained busy with voiceover work, and was writing a screenplay at the time of his death. He was married to Felippa Rock, daughter of American film producer Joe Rock. He died on 1 September 2008 at Gosford Hospital, of pneumonia and a chest infection.

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[Panzermacher]

Another Nice Find, Frank!

[NagaSadow]

Max Schmeling
Heavyweight boxing champion of the world 1930-1932
K.O. victory over Joe Louis 1936 in New York
Boxing record: 56-10-4


Served as a Fallschirmjäger with Stb./Fsch.Jg.Rgt. 3 1941 in Crete.