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

[buzz1941]

And comedian Dan Rowan, whose partner Dick Martin died this week. P-40 pilot in the South Pacific, two victories

[FliegerJG1]

Robert Stack 1919-2003 US actor best known for his role as the crimefighting Eliot Ness in the TV series "The Untouchables." He served as an aerial gunnery instructor during WWII in the Navy.

[buzz1941]

Here's the view at Arlington:

[Willi Von Klugerman]

Don't forget director William Wellman who served with the famous No.124 squadron!!!

[rainbase]

Gene Roddenberry flew B-17's in WWII. He was awarded a DFC and after the war worked as a commercial Pilot. He never flew a Starship though.

[Gregvan]

Hi,

Actually, William Wellman never served in Escadrille N.124 (The 'Lafayette Escadrille'). This claim was often made about him, but I don't believe he ever claimed it himself. He was a member of the Lafayette Flying Corps, the overall large group of Americans who flew for France in various Escadrilles prior to the U.S. entry into the war. Wellman did fly Nieuports of Escadrille SPA 87, and was officially credited with 2 victories and received the Croix de Guerre. He wrote a book about his career entitled "Go Get 'Em" which, through Scott's good efforts, you can read here on the Forum.

The real veterans of N.124 were none too happy with Wellman after his terrible (and final) film entitled "The Lafayette Escadrille" came out. However, as I understand it the film's atrocious plot and script were not entirely all his fault (he had originally wanted to entitle it "C'est la Guerre" but the studio overruled him).

[Michael_Dailey]

My memory is fuzzy on this one, but I recall reading an account by Peter Ustinov of his service sometime around WWII in the British Military in which he underwent some sort of aptitude or psychological testing to become an officer and the evaluation came back something like:

'Never, under any circumstances, put this individual in charge of anything.'


May be a bit of Ustinovian self deprecating humor..


MDD

[shackleton]

Denholm Elliott

-was in numerous british films but also in the Indiana Jones films.

A neighbour of mine was in a prison of war camp in Poland with Denholm Elliot. He was a wireless operator on a bomber.

Was Pat O'Brien a Sopwith Pup pilot in the First War?

[retread]

He did, although its not the Pat O'Brien your thinking of. This particular owner of the name flew Pups with 66 Squadron. He has been discussed at the forum on a couple of occasions. His is an interesting and ultimately tragic story. A nice bio can be found here;

66 Squadron

[jhhoffman]

For the Australians the actor Bud Tingwell who has been in countless movies and tv shows here was a spitfire pilot during the second world war, Americans might know him as the elderly lawyer in 'the castle'.