Actors who fought during wartime

Potsdamerplatz · Post by **Potsdamerplatz** » 27 Nov 2006 02:16

I am hoping everyone can help compile a list of actors (both famous and not so famous) who fought during wartime whether it be World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm etc.

Here are a few to start us off:

ERIC DODSON
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0230282

Was a British Lancaster bomber pilot during World War II.

JAMES STEWART
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000071

He was the first movie star to enter the service for World War II, joining a year before Pearl Harbor was bombed. He was initially refused entry into the Air Force because he weighed 5 pounds less than the required 148 pounds, but he talked the recruitment officer into ignoring the test. He eventually became a Colonel, and earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Croix de Guerre and 7 battle stars. In 1959, he served in the Air Force Reserve, before retiring as a Brigadier General.

LESLIE HOWARD
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001366

Joined the army at the outbreak of World War I. In 1917, diagnosed as shell-shocked, he was invalided out and advised to take up acting as therapy. During World War II his KLM aircraft was shot down by German fighters over the Bay of Biscany in 1943 and he was killed.

contactwaitout · Post by **contactwaitout** » 27 Nov 2006 08:45

Don't forget Audie Murphy..I think that's how you spell it.
I know he was one of Americas highest decorated soldier's.
Michael

Eisenfaust · Post by **Eisenfaust** » 27 Nov 2006 08:46

Christopher Lee (S.A.S.)
Richard Burton (Paratrooper)
Don Adams (Marines)
Clark Gable (USAAF gunner)

More in http://forums.wildbillguarnere.com/lofi ... /t365.html

=E=

Tolga Alkan · Post by **Tolga Alkan** » 27 Nov 2006 10:07

I've seen a picture from 1943, Comedian Frank Capra getting awarded a badge and dressed in the US military officer uniform.No idea of his active duty.

Beppo Schmidt · Post by **Beppo Schmidt** » 27 Nov 2006 23:42

Wolfgang Preiss served in an AA unit in Berlin in WWII.

Hardy Kruger was a Hitler Youth and served briefly as a Waffen-SS soldier near the end of the war.

dabbydo · Post by **dabbydo** » 28 Nov 2006 00:47

Here is a site with quite a few celebrities.

http://www.jodavidsmeyer.com/combat/mil ... _wwii.html

Dave

melbar16 · Post by **melbar16** » 28 Nov 2006 00:48

Don't forget British actor Richard Todd, he landed on D-Day i think..

dabbydo · Post by **dabbydo** » 28 Nov 2006 00:53

I don't have a source but if I remember correctly, Tom Poston was a C-47 pilot on D-Day.
He was in the Bob newhart show.

By the way, Benny Hill was in the Army

Dave

Fallschirmjäger · Post by **Fallschirmjäger** » 28 Nov 2006 03:19

There is a good book is saw that was on this subject and there where lots in it,now what was the name?,

David niven,soldier,WW2.
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000057/bio

Clark gable in,bombers like james stewart,WW2.
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000022/bio

Lee marvin,marine in the pacific,WW2.
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0001511/bio

Charles bronson,WW2.
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000314/bio

Dan W. · Post by **Dan W.** » 28 Nov 2006 03:43

Judge Wapner of The People's Court was saved from a sniper's bullet when it lodged in a can of tuna he was carrying while an Army officer in the Pacific

I never knew that. Were it not for a can of tuna we may never have had The Peoples Court. And Wapner is the only TV judge to have ever pulled off the role with any measure of credibility and keeping the viewers interest, in my opinion.

edward_n_kelly · Post by **edward_n_kelly** » 28 Nov 2006 07:24

dabbydo wrote:Here is a site with quite a few celebrities.

http://www.jodavidsmeyer.com/combat/mil ... _wwii.html

Dave

What an appalling site.

Does not know his history at all! "Royal Army" indeed !

Edward

PS missed so many.......

edward_n_kelly · Post by **edward_n_kelly** » 28 Nov 2006 07:50

Pre WW2 Actors

Alec Guinness - drove Landing Craft as a LT RNVR at a few landings (Normandy for certain).

Ralph Richardson - LT Cmdr RNVR though don't know his actual job.

Michael Redgrave - RNVR for 2 or so years - invalided out.

Arnold Ridley - Served WW1 invalided out.

Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier Clive Dunn and John Laurie all served in either WW1 or WW2 or both.

John William Goffage - Flt Lt RAAF

Peter Ustinov - Pte (Suffolk Regiment) - 5 years service.

Desmond Llewelyn - Lt RWF (POW at Dunkirk)

Douglas Fairbanks Jnr - Lt Cmdr USNR attached to Combined Ops and served in Med attached MTB/MGB flottillas.

Post WW2 actors

Peter Finch - Australian Army

Kenneth Moore - Lt (Flying) RNVR (Seafires in BPF)

Michael Trubshawe - British Army (HLI I think)

Peter Sellers - RAF LAC Airframe Frame Fitter I

Terence Alan Patrick Sean Milligan - Bdr RRA - wounded

Harry Secombe - Cpl (?) RSigs

(scratch just about any actor in Britain or the Commonwealth of "the right age" and they served in one capacity or another)

Edward

Brian Ross · Post by **Brian Ross** » 28 Nov 2006 10:03

Michael Caine - Korea IIRC.

Audrey Hepburn - Resistence in Netherlands

Stanley Holloway - Connaught Rangers infantry regiment - WWI

Peter Sellers - RAF WWII

Spike Milligan - Royal Artillery, North Africa and Italy, WWII

Harry Secombe - Royal Artillery, North Africa and Italy, WWII

Sean Connery - Royal Navy, HMS Formidable

Roger Moore - Military Intelligence (required National Service, 2nd Lt.)

Jack Palance - B-24 pilot, USAAF - needed facial reconstructive surgery after his aircraft crashed off the coast of California.

dabbydo · Post by **dabbydo** » 28 Nov 2006 11:18

edward_n_kelly wrote:
dabbydo wrote:Here is a site with quite a few celebrities.

http://www.jodavidsmeyer.com/combat/mil ... _wwii.html

Dave
What an appalling site.

Does not know his history at all! "Royal Army indeed !

Edward

PS missed so many.......

Hardly "an appalling site". Really.

Daniel L · Post by **Daniel L** » 28 Nov 2006 12:45

Once again. Please respect the focus of this section. Post-world war two subjects should be discussed in other parts of the forum.

Best regards/ Daniel

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Actors who fought during wartime

Actors who fought during wartime

war actors

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