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

[spad]

Christopher Lee served as an IO with 260 Squadron RAF in North Africa and Italy.

Michael Bentine, of Goon fame served in various squadrons in the same capacity, including 350 (Belgian) Squadron and with one of the Typhoon Wings in 1945.

Niven wasn't at Dunkirk by the way. He was with either 3 or 8 Commando in 1940-41 before they went overseas.

Anthony Steele, a famous 50's actor in British Films served in 154 Gurkha Parachute Battalion.

[shackleton]

Originally Posted by 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

Thanks retread
What a very sad ending.

[Wind In The Wires]

I read somewhere that Ed McMahon (Johnny Carson's sidekick) flew Wildcats during WW2 and was credited with 5 victories.

Reginald Denny was reported to have been a WW1 fighter pilot and to have flown with the 13 Black Cats, a famous barnstorming troupe. He also owned a hobby shop.

[pghaddick]

Hello,

Denholm Elliot (Cruel Sea, Indiana Jones etc ) - Wireless operator on Halifax bombers of 76 Squadron, shot down and ditched off coast of Holland 1943, spent rest of the war in P.O.W. camp (Stalag Luft VIII) was vwery active in the camp entertainment group.

Cheers

PGH

[Thomas Trauner]

Do famous pilots, doing some acting after WWI also count ?
If so - well, Ernst Udet did some acting (pilots of course) in movies of the 20s and 30s, in one landing his "Udet Flamingo" on a glacier high in the Bavarian alps.
And VFw Gabriel, Jasta 11, flew "Fokker Dr. I" in "J.88" an WWI.movie of the early 30s (before 1933).....

Thomas

[Kilian]

James Stewart was a Brig. General, didnt know that

[josquin]

Lee Marvin was not only at Saipan: he was a 19-old Marine at
Tarawa, in 1943, and he said (in at least two interviews I read
years ago) that what he experienced at Tarawa was the most
intense, meaningful, and unforgettable time of his otherwise
eventful life. Gentlemen: get the spelling right: Ronald Colman,
Victor McLaglen. Another possible Great War vet: a magazine
article many years ago said that Christian L. (Buddy) Ebsen
served in the Navy; no further details were given.
regards josquin

[Mata Hari]

Patrick Macnee ("MACK-knee"), of The Avengers, served with the Royal Navy in WWII.

[mike_baram]

Originally Posted by 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

I heard an interview with Ustinov on San Francisco's KGO a few years before his death. He related that during WWII he was David Niven's batman, and they used the time together to practice routines to entertain the troops. But since an enlisted man and officer could not fraternize, if anyone entered the room when they were together, Ustinov would grab a pair of Niven's shoes and pretend to be polishing them.

[Wind In The Wires]

Ustinov was also a great fan of Formula 1 racing and used to throw lavish parties for the teams in the late 50s and early 60s.

I still have an LP of The Grand Prix of Gibraltar by Peter Ustinov.