Hollywood Stars - Veteran Patriots

Dolly Howard | November 11, 2005 | DollyCali

[DollyCali]

With "JAG," "Navy CIS," "MASH," and other military television shows being quite popular, one might consider with how military service has enhanced the fame of veteran actors in Hollywood or vice versa.

During our distinguished history, some Hollywood actors have taken a break from their careers while they defended our country oftentimes to battle in war.

These hereos include Charles Bronson, Gary Cooper, Glenn Ford, Henry Fonda, Clarke Gable, Lee Marvin, Elvis Presley, and Jimmy Stewart.

More recent editions of entertainment veterans include "Limp Bizkit" lead singer Fred Durst who did service with the United States Navy.

Up until just recently, we could find James Reynolds on NBC's afternoon soap opera "Days of Our Lives." He starred as "Abe Carver" on the show from October, 1982 through September, 2003. Reynolds served for the U.S. Marine Corps and was wounded while in the Vietnam War ending his military career. Upon returning from the war and enrolling in Topeka's Washburn University, he was advised that the theatre department was the best place on campus to meet girls. Many of you might agree that this inducement is still true today. Reynolds listened and his career was off and running.

Dennis Franz, who portrayed detective "Andy Sipowicz" on "NYPD Blue," served in the Vietnam War with the U.S. Army's 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. Says Franz of his tormenting 11 months over in Vietnam, "it was one of those experiences that you never want to experience again, but it was life altering. It was a very maturing time for me. I came back a much different person than when I left, maybe much more serious. I was very frivilous before I left. I left my youth over there. I left it behind." Remembering the friends that he made over there, he said, "I had seen many friends get wounded or lose their lives." He added that in this environment, "they become all important to you. So when something happens to them, it really hurts."

Chuck Norris performed as the lead character "Walker" for many years on "Walker, Texas Ranger." Norris served in the U.S. Air Force as a military policeman. He said that, "my years in the military changed my life. It helped me to get my focus." While in the service, he also took up Judo.

Don Bellisario, producer of "JAG," "Navy CIS," and "Magnum P.I," is himself formerly of the U.S. Marine Corps.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has military experience as well. He served his native country in the Austrian Army working with armored tanks. This well known action hero and body builder explains that he joined up to receive fresh meat for his rigorous training appetite.

A further review will find additional celebrity actors who have donned the uniform of the U.S. armed forces. Briefly naming a few, Charleton Heston was a Sergeant with the Army Air Corps during World War II. JesseVentura saw action in the Vietnam War as a Navy SEAL. Clint Eastwood served in the U.S. Army while being stationed at Ft. Ord, CA. Montel Williams first enlisted into the Marine Corps and later attended the U.S. Naval Academy. He consequently earned a commission and became a Navy Intelligence Officer. Alan Alda was a combat officer with the Army while fighting in the Korean War. Jay North from "Dennis The Menace" served in the Navy. Drew Carey was with the Marine Corps for 5 years.

Women are now getting into the act more and more. Robin Quivers, longtime a sidekick of Howard Stern, was a Captain and nurse in the military. T.J. Myers served in Operation Desert Storm with the Army. Darva Conger, who was briefly married to Rick Rockwell after "earning the opportunity" on the reality TV show "Who Wants To Marry A Millionaire," was a nurse Staff Sergeant with the Air Force. Former Navy petty officer Sherry Lynne White's career includes appearing on several episodes of "Baywatch Hawaii." Coincidentially, both Conger and White have posed for Playboy." Speaking of Playboy, Editor-in-Chief Hugh Hefner was in the Army as an infantry clerk from 1944 - 1946.

J. Scott Davis, enlisted into the Navy, held the Gunner's Mate- Guns petty officer rating, specialty of Surface Rescue Swimmer, and served in the Persian Gulf War aboard a naval destroyer.He has built a very interesting web page listing those famous Hollywood celebrities who are veterans of the military. Please take a moment to view it enclosed below:

http://www.geocities.com/entertainmentveterans/chiseled.html

Remember to never take for granted your freedom.
Always appreciate the contribution those provide you
in the armed forces year around 24 hours per day.

[FearlessFreep]

Thanks!

[jordan8]

Jesse Ventura saw action in the Vietnam War as a Navy SEAL.

In fact he didn't. He was stationed in the Philippines with a Underwater Demolitions Team.

That Dennis Franz thing, I don't know, it caused a little jump of the old meter. It's hard to say without a detailed bio, and the net has its usual fragmentary info. Typical net bio says went on to study theater [Southern Illinois University] in college. After graduating in 1969, he was drafted into the army and spent 11 months on the front lines of Vietnam with the 82nd [and 101st] Airborne recon unit. Although Dennis made it home in 1970,
Graduated spring (?) 1969 drafted and in an "airborne recon unit" in Vietnam the same year. One on-line source mentioned "officer school" (not unusual for a college grad) but no mention of his rank in any story which would usually mean he was enlisted. The 82nd had one brigade in Vietnam sent in for the Tet emergency (Jan.'68) that stayed for 22 months and [i]n September 1969, the Brigade conducted its last combat operation in Vietnam -- YORKTOWN VICTOR -- in the iron triangle. The 3rd Brigade returned to Fort Bragg and the 82nd on 12 December 1969. That could explain why he served in both the 82nd and 101st staying on after the 82nd left, but . . .

[DollyCali]

Thanks for info. I always liked Walther Matthau! Now I like him even better.

I did not do an exhaustive reasearch on this. It started with an email I recieved a few months ago & I have played with it on & off.

[gc4nra]

By the mary Mapes standard everything is true until disproven!

[Eaker]

Audie's grave is the only one that can be easily found without a map.

Location, location, location!

Here is a page you might enjoy.

Heroes

[Looper]

Thank you all for posting. Truly moving. I clipped the quote from Mill and plan to use it.

[Young Werther]

In fact, a close friend of mine was a a Navy seal in Viet Nam and participated in many clandestine missions with Senator Kerrey and Gov Ventura. He told me that Ventura was every bit the loud mouth that he portrayed as a professional wrestler but there is no one he would rather have at his back while chasing Viet Cong in the jungle.

I don't want to go tell Steve that he's a liar and that he never soldiered with Ventura in Viet Nam.

[DollyCali]

thanks Excuse_My_Bellicosity !!!!!!

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Jesse Ventura would not be a good example to use. With his obnoxious self-promotion and questionable credibility of his service during Vietnam, Jesse is not a veteran that many people want to deal with these days. Too many open questions, too few answers.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

No problem, glad that worked out for you!

[DollyCali]

He reminds me a bit of a young Mohamed Ali.. brash, obnoxious.

Maturity & Illness have seem him become much more mellow. Maybe the same will happen w/Jesse as he ages and realizes his vulnerabilities (or at least is willing to exhibit humility along those lines)

[Victoria Delsoul]

Outstanding thread, Dolly. Fantastic idea.

Thanks for the memories...

click on it.

[kabar]

Audie Murphy is and always will be "THE MAN".

I am a big Audie Murphy fan as well. When you visit his modest grave in Arlington, it is a moving experience--the understated courage and bravery of the American fighting man.

There are many others listed in the MOH citations. I always enjoyed this one:

*MOON, HAROLD H., JR.

Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company G, 34th Infantry, 24th Infantry Division. Place and date: Pawig, Leyte, Philippine Islands, 21 October 1944. Entered service at: Gardena, Calif. Birth: Albuquerque, N. Mex. G.O. No.: 104, 15 November 1945.

Citation: He fought with conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity when powerful Japanese counterblows were being struck in a desperate effort to annihilate a newly won beachhead.

In a forward position, armed with a submachinegun, he met the brunt of a strong, well-supported night attack which quickly enveloped his platoon's flanks. Many men in nearby positions were killed or injured, and Pvt. Moon was wounded as his foxhole became the immediate object of a concentration of mortar and machinegun fire. Nevertheless, he maintained his stand, poured deadly fire into the enemy, daringly exposed himself to hostile fire time after time to exhort and inspire what American troops were left in the immediate area.

A Japanese officer, covered by machinegun fire and hidden by an embankment, attempted to knock out his position with grenades, but Pvt. Moon, after protracted and skillful maneuvering, killed him. When the enemy advanced a light machinegun to within 20 yards of the shattered perimeter and fired with telling effects on the remnants of the platoon, he stood up to locate the gun and remained exposed while calling back range corrections to friendly mortars which knocked out the weapon. A little later he killed 2 Japanese as they charged an aid man.

By dawn his position, the focal point of the attack for more than 4 hours, was virtually surrounded. In a fanatical effort to reduce it and kill its defender, an entire platoon charged with fixed bayonets. Firing from a sitting position, Pvt. Moon calmly emptied his magazine into the advancing horde, killing 18 and repulsing the attack. In a final display of bravery, he stood up to throw a grenade at a machinegun which had opened fire on the right flank. He was hit and instantly killed, falling in the position from which he had not been driven by the fiercest enemy action.

Nearly 200 dead Japanese were found within 100 yards of his foxhole. The continued tenacity, combat sagacity, and magnificent heroism with which Pvt. Moon fought on against overwhelming odds contributed in a large measure to breaking up a powerful enemy threat and did much to insure our initial successes during a most important operation.

[TravisBickle]

Jack Lemmon was in the Naval ROTC at Harvard and served in the Navy after his graduation, just after WWII.

[Victoria Delsoul]

So many patriots and great actors as well. I like Jack Lemmon.

[Looper]

That is a fantastic story. Thanks for sharing it.

[Republican Red]

Alan Alda was a combat officer with the Army while fighting in the Korean War

Are you thinking about the character he played on M*A*S*H, Major Hawkeye Pierce?

[DollyCali]

any of your work that might fit in here????

[DollyCali]

Thanks Victoria! Bob Hope will always have a special MILITARY honor in my mind for his decades of USO work with our troops... He was one class act. I have a fairly large selection of his movies on DVD/video

[DollyCali]

If martin sheen thinks he is president, perhaps alda can be a vet???

I think we decided earlier in thread it was the movie character. My bad! I should have been more diligent.

sorry