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.

[DollyCali]

oh Bob! thank you...

you have something for everything it seems.

When I was little, I recall the actors but would have never considered it admirable etc that they had served in the military.

[DollyCali]

I had done the Picture It BIG files quite a few weeks ago, saved it & forgot about it. This AM, I was looking for something else & tripped on it. Thought I would work it up for our Finest Thread. It kept getting bigger :&: bigger (know that story?) and just too much for a single post, so thought it best for a sep thread. I have noted there is NOT a whole lot of response to movie type posts anyway at the Finest. It didn't take terribly long. Copy/paste expert that I am!

thanks Aqua!

[eleni121]

Mel Gibson again acting in and producing a wonderful movie about the Vietnam War...thank Mel and thanks for a great thread Dolly!

[eleni121]

Who can forget Bob Hope's contributions to the morale of our heroes over what? 60 years?

Thanks for posting.

[DollyCali]

I loved that movie! I love about all Mel does (pant, pant) and really like war movies. I was just thinking about the current military men.. and ones like Ceegar Guy (as I just posted the note from his wife on two threads).. In 2 or 3 decades...how many movie stars will have served in the last two mid east conflicts.. Not sure I will be alive to know but on FR or a similar thread maybe there will be another tribute to the movie star troops & the men/women now serving will be featured.

[U S Army EOD]

I agree, I know some people that were in real MASH units in the Korean War. They hated "MASH". I can't picture him in a real uniform.

[U S Army EOD]

You forgot to mention Jane Fonda who was an anti-aircraft gunner in the North Vietnamese Army during Vietnam.

[DollyCali]

funny but MUCH too sad!

[DollyCali]

I saw the movie on big screen on it's release in HONG KONG!!!

was in a theater with the sound english but chinese subtitles.

very strange as the audience would laugh when there was nothing funny & vice versa. Of course you know some things are lost/added with subtitles.

[txroadkill]

Purple Heart -- Korea

[txroadkill]

Russell Johnson fought with the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II. He flew 44 combat missions as a crewman in B-24 Liberator bombers, and won seven decorations, including a Purple Heart for injuries sustained when his plane was shot down over the Philippines.

[StayAt HomeMother]

Have I missed a mention of Bill Cosby? He was a Navy Corpsman. As of last year a picture of him and his team was still hanging in the basement of the Bethesda Naval Hospital, aka "National Naval Medical Center."

[DollyCali]

hm... interesting. I like James Garner, Did you see him in the movie The Notebook? It was a really wonderful movie. Anyone with relatives /friends w/Alzheimer's would appreciate this movie

[DollyCali]

Russell Johnson's Flicks/work

[DollyCali]

I apparently missed quite a few! Good thing this wasn't a PhD project, huh?

[Victoria Delsoul]

You're welcome.

[Frank Sheed]

Wow! You missed Steve McQueen, the King of Cool. USMC, 1947.

He was born Terence Steven McQueen in Beech Grove, Indiana. He never knew his father -- although McQueen did find the house where he lived approximately a year after his father's death. McQueen's father abandoned his wife and child shortly after McQueen was born. He was raised in Slater, Missouri by his uncle, where his mother left him. At the age of 12 McQueen moved with his mother to Los Angeles. When he was 14, his mother sent him to a reformatory school. McQueen later gave huge gifts to the school because of his belief that it helped him find some focus during those restless years. Soon McQueen left the school and drifted before joining the Marines in 1947. In 1952, he took advantage of the G.I. Bill and auditioned to study at Lee Strasberg's Actors' Studio in New York. Of the 2000 people who auditioned that year, only McQueen and Martin Landau were accepted. McQueen made his Broadway debut in 1955 in A Hatful of Rain.

[U S Army EOD]

Actually the real truth is if you will look how close the mike is to her mouth which is partially openned, she was singing patriotic NVA songs that she had learned.

When they interviewed her this year about the incident, she claimed she didn't know they were taking pictures and someone just asked her to sit on the gun.

What a piece of trash she is.

[Frank Sheed]

Aloha Ronnie was there. Happy Veteran's Day man!

Francis

[Frank Sheed]

Wasn't Alan Alda the son of an Alan Alda? Perhaps it was his dad who was the veteran. Can't see Hawkeye as ever having been a GI.

Frank