We often think of actors as people who exist in their own world, outside the norms of the common folk. However, major events and tragedies often bring them back to reality, and few are bigger than war. That's why today we're looking at ten actors who fought in World War II.
10. Desmond Llewellyn
The name Desmond Llewelyn may be familiar only to James Bond fans, who know him as the iconic Q, the head of the research team that always supplied Bond with the cool toys and gadgets he used on every mission. Llewelyn played the role for almost 40 years, appearing in 17 Bond films, more than any other actor in the franchise.
Yet his acting career was almost snuffed out in its infancy by World War II. Born in Newport, Wales, Llewelyn moved to London in 1934 to study acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His first screen role was in Will Hay's 1939 comedy"Ask a policeman" And immediately after his big break, World War II broke out and Llewelyn was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and sent to France.
The following year, his unit was in Lille, fighting a Panzer division, when it was captured. Llewelyn was sent to Laufen, but was caught trying to escape there, so he was transferred instead to the infamous Colditz Castle, where he spent the rest of the conflict as a prisoner of war.
9. James Arness
As with the previous case, James Arness' name won't bring immediate recognition, but Western fans will remember him for his role as Marshal Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke.role , which he played for 20 years in more than 600 episodes. Before all that, however, James Arness was a decorated veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and several others for his role in the Battle of Anzio.
When the United States entered World War II, Arness wanted to become a Navy pilot, but he was disqualified for being too tall. Instead, he joined the Army and was part of the 3rd Infantry Division that landed at Anzio in 1944 as part of the Italian campaign. His height worked against him again, as Arness was the first to exit the landing craft to test the water depth.
Although he came through the battle unscathed, Arness was later seriously injured while on night patrol when he passed in front of a machine gun nest. Several rounds pierced his right leg, causing the bones to shatter. Arness survived, but the surgeries to repair his leg shortened it by more than half an inch, forcing the actor to wear lifts for the rest of his life.
8. Lenny Bruce
Before the stand-up comedian ushered in the counterculture era and helped pass landmark obscenity laws, he was a sailor aboard the USS Brooklyn During World War II, Lenny Bruce joined the US Navy when he was just 16 years old and saw action in North Africa and Italy, taking part in four overseas invasions.
Then, in 1945, Bruce decided he'd had enough of the Navy and pretended to be gay to get a discharge. He started by mentioning his "homosexual tendencies" to a medical officer, who reported it to the ship's commander, then sent Bruce for "psychiatric counseling," where the future comedian admitted it was only a matter of time before he gave in to his urges.
The analysis concluded that Bruce was telling the truth and not simply trying to get out of the service. The commander agreed and recommended either firing Lenny or transferring him to a shore station. A few weeks later, Bruce was dishonorably discharged, but successfully petitioned for an honorable discharge. Decades later, Lenny's little stunt inspired Corporal Klinger's disguise on the TV showM*A*S*H .
7. Charles Bronson
Charles Bronson became famous for his roles as the serious, quiet tough guy, and it seems that it was simply a case of art imitating life. Raised in poor Pennsylvania by a large family of Lithuanian immigrants, Bronson had to work in the coal mines as a teenager to support his family after the death of his father.
During World War II, he was drafted into the Army and, after graduating from gunnery school in Arizona, joined the 61st Bomb Squadron, 39th Bomb Group, based in Guam. After being assigned to a B-29 Superfortress bomber, Bronson fought in the Pacific Theater, where he participated in 25 missions and later received a Purple Heart for his efforts. Afterwards, he used the GI Bill to pursue acting and, appropriately enough, found his first film role in a war production, playing a sailor.
6. Don Adams
Donald James Yarmy became better known professionally as Don Adams, a television actor with a 50-year career that included his most famous role as bumbling secret agent Maxwell Smart on the sitcom Get Smart. » But before all this, Adams came very close to death during World War II.
When the war broke out, Adams was still in high school, so he dropped out and joined the Marines. He attended basic training in North Carolina and was then assigned to I Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines and sent to Samoa. On August 7, 1942, Adams took part in the initial assault on Guadalcanal, and although he was shot by a Japanese sniper, it was not what nearly killed him, with the fatality rate being 90 percent.
He was not expected to survive, but Adams made a full recovery after spending a year in hospital in New Zealand. Despite his clean shave, Adams still enjoyed military life, so when he returned to America, he became a drill instructor for Marine recruits.
5. Mel Brooks
We just had a guy who starred in"Strain your brain" , so now let's move on to the man who created "Strain your brain" . Legendary comedian Mel Brooks became a big Hollywood star thanks to his parodies of " "Shining Saddles" And "Young Frankenstein" But like Don Adams, his first career was in the Army, which he joined while still in high school.
One day, when Brooks was 17, an Army recruiter came to his high school to take an aptitude test. Brooks scored high and joined the Army Specialized Training Reserve program, knowing he would likely be drafted anyway. From there, he studied engineering at the Virginia Military Institute and officially joined the Army when he turned 18.
Brooks spent most of his active duty as a combat engineer with the 1104th Engineer Combat Battalion, 78th Infantry Division, helping to clear mines and build bridges. Despite this, his unit fought as infantry on numerous occasions, even taking part in the decisive Battle of the Bulge.
As soon as the war ended, Mel Brooks immediately moved into an entertainment career while he was still overseas. He joined a special services unit that ran variety shows from camp to camp.
4. Henry Fonda
Unlike most of the others on this list, Henry Fonda was already a big star when he decided to put his career on hold to fight in World War II. He made his Hollywood debut in 1935 and rose to fame in the late '30s with roles in films such asJezebel" And "The Grapes of Wrath".
Like many actors, Fonda initially contributed by making war films to raise funds and boost morale. But that wasn’t enough. The actor reportedly said he didn’t want to participate in a “phony studio war,” so he enlisted in the Navy in 1942. He first served as a quartermaster 3rd class aboard the destroyer USS Satterlee He later received the rank of junior lieutenant in combat air reconnaissance, fighting in the central Pacific.
According to his file, Fonda's superiors described him as possessing "officer-like qualities of leadership, military bearing, loyalty, judgment, and intelligence." He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, and after the war, Fonda continued his military career, serving another three years in the Naval Reserve.
3. James Doohan
The first, but not the last, member of this list to take part in D-Day, James Doohan is best known to sci-fi fans around the world as Scotty in the original series. "Star Trek" Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Doohan joined the Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps in 1938 after graduating from high school. A year later, he joined the Royal Canadian Artillery and was later sent to the United Kingdom to train for Operation Overlord, also known as the Battle of Normandy.
On D-Day, Doohan's regiment stormed Juno Beach, and the actor is personally credited with killing two enemy snipers. Although he escaped the actual battle unscathed, he was nearly killed by friendly fire later that night. Doohan sneaked away to smoke a cigarette, and when he returned, a nervous Canadian sentry mistook him for the enemy and shot him six times. Most of the bullets hit him in the leg, although one shot took off the middle finger of his right hand. Doohan concealed the missing finger with prosthetics for much of his acting career, although in "Star Trek" There are scenes where you can see an amputated finger.
2. David Niven
On screen, David Niven has always been the perfect image of an English gentleman: courteous, refined, eloquent and well-mannered. However, in real life, he was not afraid to get his hands dirty and fight for king and country.
Unlike other entries, Niven already had a military career before World War II. He was born into a military family, attended the Royal Military College Sandhurst, and graduated in 1930 as a second lieutenant. He abandoned army life when he found he didn't like taking orders, and began his acting career.
By the time World War II broke out, Niven had already become a leading man and had just landed his big role as Raffles, the gentleman thief. However, once Britain entered the war, he put his career on hold and returned home to fight for his country. He joined the commandos and was assigned to a special reconnaissance unit called “A” Squadron GHQ Liaison Regiment, better known as “Phantom”. By the time D-Day arrived, he was the unit’s commander and led his men into the Battle of Normandy. However, after the war, he steadfastly refused to discuss his experiences.
1. James Stewart
When it comes to military careers, no actor can boast a career like Jimmy Stewart's. Not only was he already a big star when he enlisted, with films likeMr. Smith is going to Washington" And "It's a wonderful life ", he also retired with the rank of brigadier general.
Like David Niven, Stewart’s family had deep military ties. Like Henry Fonda, he began with recruiting, fundraising, and other public appearances, but he wanted more. Stewart was already a licensed commercial pilot, so joining the Air Force seemed like an obvious choice. After training to fly bombers in New Mexico, Stewart was sent overseas to the United Kingdom as commander of the 703rd Bomb Squadron.
He flew 20 bombing missions during the war, while most crews averaged no more than a dozen before being killed in action. Stewart received numerous commendations for his actions during World War II, but even after the war ended, he continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve. Even during the Vietnam War, Stewart flew one last mission as an observer, and then finally folded his wings as a brigadier general.
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