I was watching an episode of the "World at War" about the allied bombing campaign in europe and the Hollywood actor James Stewart was in an interview.

I was surprised to learn that he was a squadron leader and I looked him up in Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stewart#Wartime_activity

He rose to the rank of colonel and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross twice as well as recieving other medals. He eventually retired as a Brigadier General of the USAF reserve.

Are there any other Hollywood legends that are war heroes? I would be interested in knowing.

Cheers

Jamie

Audie Murphy comes quickly to mind.
Not Hollywood but baseball legend Ted Williams interrupted his carreer with the Boston Red Sox during the Korean War and flew F9F Cougars for the either the Navy or the Marines.
Many of Hollywood's stars during the war spent their time making movies in support of the war effort.

Just looked up Audie Murphy on wikipedia.

The most decorated combat soldier of WW2, thats impressive. His citation for the medal of honour is the stuff of legends.

Jamie

Though not an A list star Jack Warden
A character actor from many movies was a member of the 101st Airborne and fought in the Battle of the Bulge
BIOGRAPHY


Ted Knight
Who people may remember from the Mary Tyler Moore Show and as Judge Smails in Caddyshack served in World War II and received five Bronze Stars. He served with the First Army Group's combat engineers as a radio operator and was with the first American troops to enter Berlin.
If anyone knows any more details about Ted Knight's army career I'd love to know about it.

David Niven was a member of the Phantom Regiment and served in Normandy driving in, I think, a Humber Armoured car.

Charles Bronson Served during World War 2 as a truck driver and later as a tail-gunner on a B-29 bomber

Kirk Douglas Enlisted in US Navy 1942. Communications officer in anti-submarine warfare.

Henry Fonda, US Navy 1942 Worked in operations and combat intelligence. Bronze star. Reached a rank of lieutenant.

Christopher Lee, Volunteered to join Winter War in Finland 1939 at the age of 17 but was not allowed to go to the front. Served in the British Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve from 1941 to 1946 and in British Intelligence.

Lee Marvin, In US Marines Kwajalein and Eniwetok. Took part in the invasion of Saipan and was seriously injured in the buttocks by machinegun fire - his sciatic nerve was severed. Was invalided out with a Purple Heart.


Many others as well I'm sure

Clark Gable - In 1942, following Carole Lombard's death*, Gable joined the U.S. Army Air Forces. Adolph Hitler held a hefty bounty over Gable's head, since Gable was a ace as a gunner. As Captain Clark Gable he trained with and accompanied the 351st Heavy Bomb Group as head of a 6-man motion picture unit making a gunnery training film. While at RAF Polebrook, England, Gable flew five combat missions, including one to Germany, as an observer-gunner in B-17 Flying Fortresses between May 4 and September 23, 1943, earning the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts. He left the Army Air Forces with the rank of Major.

* Carole Lombard was Gable's wife - she died in a plane crash while on a War Bonds tour across the US

The list of Hollywood types who served honorably and perhaps heroically is long indeed, a few:

Clark Gable, enlisted and then passed OCS in the USAAF, sent to GB to make a movie about aerial gunnery, flew several combat missions in B17s before being ordered grounded

Leslie Howard, disappeared on a mission with the British Secret Services

Charles Durning, D-Day veteran, US Rangers

James Garner, wounded in Korea

Mel Brooks, veteran of the Bulge

Robert Monygomery, USN, serving IIRC in PT boats

BTW, there is a book about Jimmy Stewart's service, called "Jimmy Stewart, Bomber Pilot." It was a very different time.

John

Ted Williams also flew F4Us during WW2. As for the Bronx Bombers, by 1944, the entire 1941 Yankees were in uniform.

John

WW-II-Hero Alec Guinness
Alec Guinness (Star Wars) operated
a British Royal Navy landing craft on D-Day.

WW-II-Hero Brian Keith
Brian Keith served as a U.S. Marine rear gunner in several actions against the Japanese on Rabal in the Pacific.

WW-II-Hero Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson was a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps, more specifically on B-29's in the 20th Air Force out of Guam, Tinian, and Saipan

WW-II-Hero Charles Durning
Charles Durning was a U. S. Army Ranger at Normandy earning a Silver Star and awarded the Purple Heart.

WW-II-Hero Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston was an Army Air Corps Sergeant in Kodiak.

WW-II-Hero Clark Gable
Clark Gable (Mega-Movie Star when war broke out) Although he was beyond the draft age at the time the U.S. entered WW II, Clark Gable enlisted as a private in the AAF on Aug. 12, 1942 at Los Angeles.
He attended the Officers' Candidate School at Miami Beach, Fla. and graduated as a second lieutenant on Oct. 28, 1942.
He then attended aerial gunnery school and in Feb. 1943 he was assigned to the 351st Bomb Group at Polebrook where he flew operational missions over Europe in B-17s.
Capt. Gable returned to the U.S. in Oct. 1943 and was relieved from active duty as a major on Jun. 12, 1944 at his own request, since he was over-age for combat.

WW-II-Hero David Niven
David Niven was a Sandhurst graduate and Lt. Colonel of the British Commandos in Normandy.

WW-II-Hero Donald Pleasance
Donald Pleasance (The Great Escape) really was an R. A. F. pilot who was shot down, held prisoner and tortured by the Germans.

WW-II-Hero Eddie Albert
Eddie Albert (Green Acres TV) was awarded a Bronze Star for his heroic action as a U. S. Naval officer aiding Marines at the horrific battle on the island of Tarawa in the Pacific Nov. 1943.

WW-II-Hero Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine was a U. S. Navy Gunners Mate 1935-1945.

WW-II-Hero George C. Scott
George C. Scott was a decorated U. S. Marine.

WW-II-Hero James (Jimmy) Stewart
James Stewart Entered the Army Air Force as a private and worked his way to the rank of Colonel.
During World War II, Stewart served as a bomber pilot, his service record crediting him with leading more than 20 missions over Germany, and taking part in hundreds of air strikes during his tour of duty.
Stewart earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, France's Croix de Guerre, and 7 Battle Stars during World War II.
In peace time, Stewart continued to be an active member of the Air Force as a reservist, reaching the rank of Brigadier General before retiring in the late 1950s.

WW-II-Hero James Doohan
James Doohan ("Scotty" on Star Trek)
landed in Normandy with the U. S. Army on D-Day.

WW-II-Hero John Russell
John Russell: In 1942, he enlisted in the Marine Corps where he received a battlefield commission and was wounded and highly decorated for valor at Guadalcanal.

WW-II-Hero Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin was a U.S. Marine on Saipan during the Marianas campaign when he was wounded earning the Purple Heart

WW-II-Hero Robert Ryan
Robert Ryan was a U. S. Marine who served with the O. S. S. in Yugoslavia.

WW-II-Hero Tyrone Power
Tyrone Power (an established movie star when Pearl Harbor was bombed) joined the U.S. Marines, was a pilot flying supplies into, and wounded Marines out of, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

WW-II-Hero-Ultimate Audie Murphy
Audie Murphy, the little 5'5" tall, 110 pound guy from Texas who played cowboy parts in several movies:
Murphy received the Medal of Honor, the military's highest award for valor, along with 32 additional medals awarded for bravery and service. He was the most Decorated serviceman of WWII, and earned: The Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, 2 Silver Star Medals, Legion of Merit, 2 Bronze Star Medals with "V", 2 Purple Hearts, U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, 2 Distinguished Unit Emblems, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and one Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern France) World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar, Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar, French Fourragere in Colors of the Croix de Guerre, French Legion of Honor, Grade of Chevalier, French Croix de Guerre With Silver Star, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Medal of Liberated France, Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 Palm.

Jimmy Stewart is one of my all time favorite actors, and a real hero. From what I've read he paid to learn to fly prior to the war on his own so he was ready when war came. He certainly didn't have to do what he did, which him even more heroic. There is some new "tell all" book that supposedly paints a darker side to his personality. I frankly don't want to read it. While I expect my heroes to have feet of clay I really don't want to here anything bad about Stewart. My wife can attest, no matter how many times I've seen any of his movies if one is on the tube, I'll more than likely be watching it.

Eddie Albert must have been pretty special. To get a Bronze Star at Tarawa would be like getting a Medal of Honor at any other battle.

David Niven is another hero of mine. Again what made him special is that he didn't have to do what he did. He tells a story about meeting Churchill during the war. Winnie said something to the effect of "what you did is commendable young man, but of course if you hadn't it would have been despicable."

Audie Murphy is the one that basically was able to turn his fame for his awards into Hollywood celebrity. This is NOT to take anything away from his valor, it's just that after the war he was in the right place at the right time. I understand he didn't want to play himself because it made him uncomfortable.

You're right Rodger. In the movie "To Hell and Back", they played down the act that won Murphy the CMOH, the scene on the tank at the end of the movie. From what I remember, that fire fight went on for over 45 minutes.

And to add to Dave's impressive list (ya beat me to it)
WW2 - Rod Steiger - tin can sailor who's ship was part of the Doolittle Raid.

~Kenny

The late James Doohan ('Scotty") of Star Trek fame landed at Normandy with CANADIAN Forces. From Wikipedia.....


"At the outbreak of the Second World War, Doohan, aged 19, joined the Royal Canadian Artillery, and was eventually commissioned as a lieutenant in the 13th Field Regiment, part of the divisional artillery of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. Doohan went to the United Kingdom in 1940 for what became years of training. His first combat assignment was the invasion of Normandy at Juno Beach on D-Day. Shooting two snipers along the way, Doohan led his unit to higher ground through a field of anti-tank mines and took defensive positions for the night. Crossing between command posts at 11:30 that night, Doohan took six rounds from a Bren gun fired by a nervous sentry, four in his leg, one in the chest, and one through his right middle finger. The bullet to his chest was halted by the silver cigarette case he carried, and his wounded finger was amputated which he would conceal during his career as an actor.

Despite his injuries, Doohan remained in the military, trained as a pilot and flew an artillery observation plane. He flew Taylorcraft Auster Mark V aircraft for 666 (AOP) Squadron, RCAF, as a Royal Canadian Artillery officer in a flying role in support of #1 Canadian AGRA (Army Groups Royal Artillery). All three Canadian (AOP) RCAF Squadrons were manned by Artillery Officer-pilots and 'aircrewed' by Artillery personnel serving as observers. Though never actually a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, he was once labeled the "craziest pilot in the Canadian Air Forces."



The injuries to his right hand explains why in Star Trek you rarely see his right hand on screen.


Also:

Ed McMahon – U.S. Marine Corps became a fighter pilot in 1944. Korean War flew 85 combat missions.

Rod Serling – U.S. Army severely wounded by shrapnel during the invasion of the Philippines.

Burt Lancaster – U.S. Army served in Tunisia and Italy.

Humphrey Bogart – U.S. Navy wounded in World War One, he tried to enlist after Pearl Harbor but was turned down because of his age.

Gene Autry – U.S. Army Air Corps flew cargo planes in China, Burma and India.


Notable for 'the other side'....

Hans Christian Blech (ie The Longest Day, Battle Of The Bulge) - Famous trademark facial scars from serving with the German Army on the eastern front in WWII

Don't mean to hijack a GREAT thread but IMHO:

Can you Imagine Hollywood lending the support and people for the conflict's we face today????







EDIT by moderator.

Folks, I'm not going to delete this post, but I am going to delete any replies to it. The reason I want to leave this one up is remind everybody that this is the HISTORY forum, and not current events. Jim S has made it very clear that we don't have a current events forum on Armorama, or any of the related sites. So please don't reply to this particular post as it IMHO it crosses the line in this regard.

And also:

Richard Todd - part of the force which took Pegasus Bridge. He later appeared in the Longest Day playing someone else, and had a line of dialogue where he talked to another actor who was playing - Richard Todd.

Esmond Knight - Temporarily blinded while an officer on the PoW in the Denmark Straits, he later played the captain of PoW in Sink the Bismark!

Peter Butterworth - appeared in many of the Carry On films and as a PoW was part of the group involved in the attempt to escape by tunnelling under a vaulting horse. He was legendarily turned down for the Wooden Horse, a film based on the events as he didn't look the part.

Art imitates life....

David

I remember seeing Sir Richard Todd over hear in Australia, he was performing in a play. During the tour obviously he did the TV variety shows and I remember him talking about parachuting into Normandy. Apparently he was either, "one of the first" or "THE first" man out of a plane that day, as he was in the lead aircraft.

Cheers
Wiz

Is there any female Hollywood stars who gave notable support to the troops? I've heard about the Red Cross Clubmobile and wondered if anyone famous served in the red cross.

Jamie

Marlene Dietrich for a start.

David

Judy Garland as well. Carole Lombard was on a bond selling tour when her plane crashed and she was killed. Depression over her death was often cited as the reason Clark Gable enlisted.

John

When Stewart joined up he made it clear that he wanted to fly, not make movies. His first posting, Hollywood! He got into a big fight over it, then was told that he only had to make a short one reel movie to promote the USAAF, then he could fly.

BTW, other notable servicemen (not Hollywood types, but notable nonetheless) include:

Tom Landry, head coach Dallas Cowboys, flew B17s
George McGovern, long time senator and 1972 Presidential candidate flew B24s
Rocky Bleier (sp?) Running back for the Steelers in the 70s, was wounded in Vietnam

John

Tom Poston, genial rube on Bob Newhart's shows,
*

I can't think of his name, but a pre-war actor joined the USN and actually became a 5-kill ace flying from carriers.

I read Jimmy Stewart, Bomber Pilot. He was an incredible American. I knew he'd been in USAAF in WW2 but did not know the details until several years before the book. Confederate Air Force's Sentimental Journey and Diamond Lil stopped by for a visit. While checking them out for the 1,000th time, I started talking to a gentleman who owned a local hardware store. He had flown for Stewart and explained that Stewart was the real deal, who flew the tough missions and did not try to duck out. He told me how Stewart was mobbed by the local girls during a dance on the base; afterwards he always took leave whenever there would be a social gathering, so as to not get in the way of his men.

*Source: Tom Poston Online, http://www.tomposton.com/biography.html

Oh yeah, and Johnny Carson, USN, 1943-46. I know no other details, but saw a report that he was on a detail to remove decomposing bodies from a damaged compartment of his ship after a battle.

One sadly ironic story is that of Donald Pleasence. On IMDB.com under the trivia section on The Great Escape is this story.

"Donald Pleasence had actually been a World War II prisoner of war. When he kindly offered advice to the film's director John Sturges, he was politely asked to keep his "opinions" to himself. Later, when another star from the film informed John Sturges that Pleasence had actually been a RAF Officer in a World War II German POW Stalag camp, Sturges requested his technical advice and input on historical accuracy from that point forward.'

Found a web site filled with info on those from Hollywood who served


Don Adams - USMC, Contracted malaria on Guadalcanal [Source: Internet Movie Database] Maxwell Smart - Agent 86 -

Martin Balsam - US Army.

James Best - US Army Air Corps.
(He appeared in the Combat! episode "Mail Call.")


Richard Boone - US Navy.

Neville Brand - US Army.
(He appeared in the Combat! episode "Fly Away Home.")Also had a cameo in Tora Tora Tora - "There's your CONFIRMATION - Captain"


Ernest Borgnine he served in the U.S. Navy for twelve years, joining before WWII.

Mel Brooks (Melvin Kaminsky) joined army in WWII and became a combat engineer. Cleared German mines after the Battle of the Bulge. He organized shows for the US troops, and when the German army began transmitting propaganda over loudspeakers Brooks is said to have replied with a version of Al Jolson's 'Toot-toot-tootsie'.

Charles Bronson - US Army.
(Bronson appeared in the Combat! episode "Heritage.")


Richard Burton - Royal Navy.

Art Carney - US Army. Carney went to Normandy in July of 1944 as a replacement to the 28th Division in position around St Lô. He was part of a 30 calibre machine gun squad. On 15 August 1944 he had just taken up his position and was hit in the right leg by mortar shrapnel. After receiving field treatment, he was sent back to Britain and then the US. He once said of his military career, "Never fired a shot and maybe never wanted to. I really cost the government money."

Julia Child served with the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) in Ceylon and China during WWII. [Source: They Also Served by Scott Baron]


Jeff Chandller - US Army.

Robert Clary - In a Nazi concentration camp. He played Le Beau on Hogan's Heros.

Jackie Coogan - US Army Air Corps. Enlisted in Army March 1941. After Pearl Harbor, requested transfer to Air Corps as a glider pilot because of his civilian flying experience. After graduating from Glider School, he was made a Flight Officer and volunteered for hazardous duty with the 1st Air Commando Group. In Dec. 1943, the unit was sent to India where, by using CG-4A gliders, it airlifted crack British troops under Gen. Orde Wingate during the night aerial invasion of Burma (Mar. 5, 1944), landing them in a small jungle clearing 100 miles behind Japanese lines. [Source: US Air Force museum - www.wpafb.af.mil]


Tony Curtis - US Navy joined 1943 at age 17. In Tokyo Bay he watched the surrender ceremonies from the Signal Bridge of the USS Proteus.

Ossie Davis - US Army [Source: Internet Movie Database]

Kirk Douglas - US Navy [Source: Internet Movie Database]

Charles Durning - US Army. Durning landed at Omaha Beach in the D-Day invasion. He survived the landing, but was wounded in an ambush during the Battle of the Bulge. He was captured, escaped, and narrowly missed assassination at the Malmedy Massacre. He won three Purple Hearts and the Silver Star.

Maurice Evans was in a Special Entertainment Unit that toured the South Pacific.

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. - US Navy. He joined the naval reserves before the war. During the war he served on the Battleship Massachuesetts and was a Commando raider sent on several land attack missions. He retired from the reserves, years later, as a full Captain. He wrote about his war years in the book "A Hell of a War" which also covers his duties in helping organize the forerunners of today's Navy Seals.

Henry Fonda - US Navy. Bronze Star for Valor.

Glenn Ford - US Navy. In addition to his WWII service, he served in the reserves during the Korean War and the Viet Nam War. He retired as a Captain in the US Naval Reserve. [Information provided by Tom Mischke, Commander, USNR (ret.)]

Clark Gable - Captain, US Army Air Corps. Although beyond draft age, Clark Gable enlisted as a private in the Air Corps on Aug. 12, 1942 at Los Angeles. He attended Officers' Candidate School at Miami Beach and graduated as a second lieutenant. He then attended aerial gunnery school and in Feb. 1943, on personal orders from Gen. Arnold, went to England to make a motion picture of aerial gunners in action. He was assigned to the 351st Bomb Group at Polebrook and although neither ordered nor expected to do so, flew operational missions over Europe in B-17s to obtain the combat film footage he believed was required for producing the movie entitled "Combat America." Gable returned to the U.S. in Oct. 1943 and was relieved from active duty as a major on Jun. 12, 1944 at his own request, since he was over age for combat. [Source: US Air Force museum - wpafb.af.mil]

Frank Gorshin - US Army (Appeared in the Combat episode The Medal)


Shecky Greene - US Navy

Alan Hale The Skipper on Gilligan's Island served with the Coast Guard during WWII

Sterling Hayden USMC

Jack Hawkins - Volunteered to serve in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He spent most of his military career arranging entertainment for the British forces in India

David Hedison The Skipper of the SeaView on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,

Audrey Hepburn, as a child she was a courier for World War II resistance fighters in Holland

Benny Hill - British Army


William Holden - US Army [Source: Internet Movie Database]

Rick Jason - US Army Air Corps

Bob Keeshan - ("Captain Kangaroo") U.S. Marines, enlisted two weeks before his 18th birthday. He saw no combat because his enlistment was just two months before the bombing of Hiroshima [Source snopes.com]

Brian Keith - USMC, Aerial gunner [Source: Internet Movie Database]

George Kennedy - US Army, served 16 Years

Werner Klemperer - US Army

Don Knotts - USA 1943

Burt Lancaster - US Army [Source:

Jack Lemmon - US Navy Reserve 1945-1946

Strother Martin - US Navy Swimming instructor

Lee Marvin - US Marines, wounded in the battle of Saipan


Patrick MacNee British Royal Navy.

Steve McQueen USMC

Jan Merlin - Enlisted in US Navy April, 1942, served as a destroyer torpedoman until April 1946, honorably discharged. Played Roger Manning, Space Cadet!

Burgess Meredith - US Army Air Corps

Gary Merrill US Army

Robert Montgomery - US Navy Reserve

Audie Murphy - US Army, most decorated soldier of WWII. Murphy Became an actor after the war and made many forgetable films. He two finest performance came in The Red Badge of Courage and To Hell and Back.


David Niven Royal Army. His relates several charming tales of his war service (including the time he lets a German general slip away) in his autobiography The Moon's a Balloon


Caroll O’Connor - Merchant Marines 1942

Jack Palance US Army Air Corps. 455th bomb group. Required facial reconstruction from terrible injuries received in 1943 when his B17 crash landed in Britain.

Dick Peabody - US Navy

Tyrone Power - USMC Pilot in the South Pacific.

Anthony Quayle - Royal Artillery

Jason Robards Jr - US Navy. He was a radioman on duty at Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack. He wrote about his experiences in A Hell of a War.

Ronald Reagan - Captain, US Army Air Corps. Because of a poor eyesight, he was not allowed any flying duties. However, he appeared in training films. Prior to the war, he was a cavalry officer in the Nebraska National Guard.

Carl Reiner Entered army In 1942 and trained as a radio operator. He later studied French on assignment at Georgetown University to become an interpreter, but became a teletype operator in the Signal Corps where, on the way to Iwo Jima from Hawaii, was assigned to Maurice Evans' Special Entertainment Unit. For 18 months, he toured the South Pacific as a comedian in GI reviews.

Don Rickles - US Navy. Destroyer duty. He has said of one deployment, "It was so hot and humid, the crew rotted."

Andy Rooney - (okay, not an actor, but he is a TV personality) Sergeant, US Army. Early in war served with artillery regiment assigned to England. Joined Stars And Stripes in London. In 1943, Rooney is among first correspondents allowed aboard B-17 bombers attacking Germany. He wrote of his war experiences in the book My War.


Mickey Rooney - US Army. PFC. Served 21 months with a unit that entertained the troops [Source: Internet Movie Database]

Albert Salmi - US Army.
(He appeared in the Combat! episode "Cat and Mouse.")


Charles Schultz (cartoonist) - US Army. Staff sergeant and leader of machine gun squad.

Rod Serling - US Army paratroopers

Robert Stack - US Navy. Because of his expertise as an Olympic champion skeet shooter, he was assigned to teach anti-aircraft gunnery.

Rod Stieger - Torpedoman, US Navy. Falsified his age to enlist at 16

Jimmy Stewart - US Army Air Corps.


Eli Wallich (Magnificent Seven) was an admin clerk/Sgt in WWII. .

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


Eli Wallach Sergeant US Army Medical Corps as an admin clerk.


Jack Warden Served in the 101st Airborne during WWII.


James Whitmore - USMC. WWII interrupted his pre-law studies at Yale. He received his degree while at boot camp and served as an officer in the Marine Corps. [Source: actor's publicity material]
(He appeared in the Combat! episode "The Cassock")

Actors who served during other times:
Alan Bates - Royal Air Force, Humphrey Bogart - US Navy, wounded in World War One, tried to enlist in WWII but was turned down because of his age, Michael Caine - Royal Fusiliers, Sean Connery - Royal Navy

IIRC Anthony Quayle worked with partisans somewhere in the Balkans, handy when it came to appearing in 'The guns of Navarone'

Michael Caine served in Korea and made use of his experience by being an adviser on 'A hill in Korea' as well as acting in the film. Double pay

Davdi

I thought that Bogart was with a US Army artillery unit in WWI and was wounded by shrapnel, leaving the scar he often rubbed in his movies. Also, I thought he was accepted by the US Navy during WWII as a reserve officer doing War Bond rallys.