War Movie actors who also experienced the real thing- (A list)

[Ransom E. Olds]

American actor Wayne Morris was an ace in the U.S. Navy during the second war and Lt. Roget in Kubrick's Paths of Glory. Ransom

[duderank 2000]

The aforementioned Christopher Lee, in one of his autobiographies, mentions knowing some of the R.A.F's leading aces in North Africa, such as Neville Duke and describes witnissing a strafing attack by Me 109s in Tunisia.

[retread]

If Basil Rathbone was mentioned I missed it. He enlisted with the London Scotish in 1916 and served as a private and later recieved a commision with the Liverpool Scottish, ending the war as a Captain. He saw a good deal of combat in France and was awarded the Military Cross September, 1918. While serving as an intelligence officer with the Liverpool Scottish he led trench raids. His younger brother John was killed during the war.
Also serving in the London Scottish were Claude Rains who, like Rathbone, rose in rank from private to captain. He was partially blinded in one eye by mustard gas. Herbert Marshall, again with the London Scottish, lost a leg in the war. Finally , Ronald Coleman who joined the Regiment in 1909. Early in the war (Oct. 31, 1914) he was wounded in the leg and invalided out of the service in 1916.

[Colin A Owers]

Because he came back and joined up Niven was taxed by the British on his Hollywood earnings - see his wonderful autobiography "The Moon's a Balloon."

Doug Fairbanks Jnr also served in WWII.

Colin A Owers

[Colin A Owers]

The web site Military Movie List by Marshall Cram has a listing of war movies and he gives information on the stars who actually had a military career.

What about the icon of the American fighting man who never joined up?

Guess who Marion?

Colin A Owers

[Mr_Flibble]

Not exactly movie star material, but Greg Boyington was the commanding officer of VMF-214 in 1943 before he was shot down and became a POW. He appeared in a guest role of a general in 2 episodes of the TV-series "Baa Baa Black Sheep" meeting the actor Robert Conrad who portrayed Boyington.
Boyington's former squadron buddies disapproved of the series because of the way they were depicted.

[BuzPezold]

Here are some books related to this topic:
U.S. Naval Institute
U.S. Naval Institute
U.S. Naval Institute

Enjoy,

Buz

[Barrett]

Originally Posted by Ransom E. Olds

American actor Wayne Morris was an ace in the U.S. Navy during the second war and Lt. Roget in Kubrick's Paths of Glory. Ransom

Morris was pretty old (all of 30) but pulled strings to get to combat with Dave McCampbell's VF-15 aboard USS Essex in 1944. He was Dashing Dave's nephew by marriage--I met Bert's widow Patty in the 1980s, and she was still a beauty.

Ironically, considering his "real-world experience," Bert Morris played a torpedo pilot at the Battle of Midway in the pretty good 1949 film Task Force.

Morris died while visiting then-Capt. McCampbell's Bon Homme Richard in 1959.

Break-break

One of my all-time favorites, Victor McLaghlin, cleaned up Baghdad during WW I as a captain in the provost marshal dept.

Charles Durning landed on Omaha Beach and finished with three Purple Hearts.

[retread]

Heres one I just recalled. Walter Brennan served in the First World War and if I remember correctly saw a good deal of action. As he was from Massachusetts he may have served with the 26th "Yankee" Division. I believe he was an infantryman. Anyhow, what I know for sure he WAS in the Army and he did see action in France. He went on to win three "oscars" for supporting actor. I remember him when I was a kiddo from the television program "The Real McCoys". Man, thats a looong time ago.

[mike_baram]

Minor point...Raymond Burr was actually Canadian, born in BC.

As far as Marion Morrison is concerned;
"Wayne was exempted from service due to his age (34 at the time of Pearl Harbor) and family status, classified as 3-A (family deferment)."

Of course he could have gone around that....but legally he wasn't required to serve.