World War Two, those that served and those that didn't

[charliechaplinfan]

I don't know where I stand on this, I only know that when I read a biography and it talks about the war why did some of the actors of the day not serve and some of my favorite actors too. I understand the argument that they might have done more for the war by remaining in Hollywood and making films rather than getting shot at at the front.

The two big guys I think should have gone and didn't were Cary Grant and John Wayne. Wayne didn't go because he had too many dependants and Grant didn't go because he was pursuaded to stay and make films, depending on what book you read on him he might have been a FBI agent.

Many weren't fit enough to serve, Errol Flynn and John Garfield being two.

Dies anyone else have any opinions or musings about this?

[Mr. Arkadin]

http://tinyurl.com/yggu889

[movieman1957]

I think some of those who didn't/couldn't go were behind the scenes tech people. Everyone knew that film would be an important part of morale for the soldiers but in keeping support from the public. You need good people to carry that off.

I read that Ford used to give Wayne all kinds of grief over his not being in the service. (I think someone also mentioned it in a thread at TCM on "They Were Expendable.) After awhile even Robert Montgomery told Ford to lay off. He did.

[MichiganJ]

You also have to think about some, like Bob Hope and Marlene Dietrich, who did quite a lot in the war effort, both at home and on tour entertaining the troops overseas.

I know Abbott and Costello raised oodles of money criss-crossing the country selling war bonds.

Anyone know of any Hollywood actors who actually enlisted in the British or other Allied army to fight before the United States entered the war?

[mrsl]

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I could be wrong because this is all from memory, but I'm pretty sure the top age for the draft was 25, and men who already had children were exempt from draft, and would remain that way unless the war lasted too long and they were needed to fill in. Therefore, in 1941 all of the biggies were in their late 30's and early 40's so not obliged to join. Gable pulled strings to get IN after Lombard died, the story being he didn't care what happened to him, and he was quite a dare-devil. Jimmie Stewart did join and rose to Colonel very quickly, and to Brigadier General in the reserves later. Cary Grant, though never active in the U.S. army, donated some of his earnings from a couple of movies totally to the war effort in England, so possibly he still wasn't a U.S. citizen. I wondered about the same thing and looked them all up one time.

P.S. in regard to the question about enlisting before Pearl, yes Jimmie Stewart had already been in for about a year at the time of the bombing.

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[ChiO]

Raymond Massey served in the Canadian Army during both WWI and WWII. I don't know whether he joined for WWII before the US entered.

[knitwit45]

I think the draft age was higher, Anne. My dad, who was to his sorrow, 4-F, talked about his best friend being drafted at the age of 34. The age limit was 35, and he turned 35 on the ship going over to France. He was in the photography corps, and worked with Patton.

[moira finnie]

Cary Grant became a citizen of the United States on June 26th, 1942. He donated his entire salaries from Mr. Lucky, and None But the Lonely Heart to war related charities. He had tried to enter the British Navy at age 38 early in the war (prior to U.S. involvement), he was told that he was too old. When he attempted to offer his services to the U.K. and the U.S. both governments told him he was more valuable as a propaganda figure in WWII movies.

Here are several lists of actors who served in WWII:

http://www.angelfire.com/film/humble/actors.html

http://www.jcs-group.com/military/war19 ... efore.html (this list includes many Brit's service as well)

http://palletmastersworkshop.com/flipside.html
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Actors, writers and others who served in WWI are briefly mentioned here:

http://militaryhistory.suite101.com/art ... _great_war

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Re: Actors who joined up prior to U.S. involvement in WWII:

Before the U.S. entered the war, Phillips Holmes, who had appeared in Dinner at Eight, Broken Lullaby and An American Tragedy, joined the Canadian Royal Air Force in 1941 along with his actor brother, Ralph Holmes. Ralph became an active pilot and RCAF officer, while the older Phillips attended the Air Ground School at Winnipeg. After graduation, Phillips, along with six other classmates, were flying to their new posts in Ottawa, when they crashed into another plane, slaying everyone. Both Phillips and Ralph Holmes were involved with singer, seductress and bad luck babe, Libby Holman as well. Ralph had the poor judgment to marry her in 1939 (though most people felt that he was a poor substitute for "the one that got away", Phillips), and, when Ralph returned from the war, probably suffering from what would today be diagnosed as PTSD, their marriage fell apart. Ralph, (who, like his brother, may have been a conflicted bisexual), wound up dead of an overdose of barbiturates in 1945. The moral of this story: War is bad enough, but whatever you do, Avoid Libby Holman.

[stuart.uk]

Alison

I'm sure you know in WW1 Chaplin registered with the British armed forces for the draft, but was never called up. As far as I believe he was branded a coward by some, who were ignorant of the truth, even to point off sending him white feathers. It was believed he wasn't called up because of the morale he gave British troops serving at the front, when they got a chance to see his movies.

In WW2 David Niven had a remarkable war. Inbetween fighting in real battles, of which he said he was lucky to survive, he got time of to make classic propaganda movies The Way Ahead and The First Of The Few

Richard Todd mirrored his own army career in The Longest Day, as like character he played he was one of the first soldiers to land on D-Day

[charliechaplinfan]

I think Chaplin did do far more good by continuing to make movies.

Thanks for the link for the book. What I didn't say earlier and what comes up time and time again in biographies is the guilt felt by the ones who didn't serve, even if they had very good reasons for not serving, ie Errol Flynn who managed to slay people onscreen could not go to war and I don't think it was ever publiscised as to why because Warners would not have wanted the public to know how afflicted their star was.

Thanks for the lists Moira, they are interesting reading.

Re Libby Holman, she's cropped up in the book I'm reading about Montgomery Clift, I don't think she did him any good either but she didn't thank heaven, marry him.

[jdb1]

I think Chaplin did do far more good by continuing to make movies.

Thanks for the link for the book. What I didn't say earlier and what comes up time and time again in biographies is the guilt felt by the ones who didn't serve, even if they had very good reasons for not serving, ie Errol Flynn who managed to slay people onscreen could not go to war and I don't think it was ever publiscised as to why because Warners would not have wanted the public to know how afflicted their star was.

Thanks for the lists Moira, they are interesting reading.

Re Libby Holman, she's cropped up in the book I'm reading about Montgomery Clift, I don't think she did him any good either but she didn't thank heaven, marry him.

Alison, there are some good biographies of Holman -- she had a very interesting life. I can remember two: one is called "Libby Holman, Body and Soul," and the other is "Dreams that Money Can Buy." I'm sorry, but off the top of my head I can't remember the authors.

As for Clift -- it seems to me that a great many of his female colleagues tried to win his heart.

[charliechaplinfan]

It's not surprising looking like he did and acting so needy, that combination would attract many.

Thanks for the references for the books, she doesn't sound like a woman's woman.

[stuart.uk]

In WW1 Herbert Marshal lost a leg and Ronald Colman was wounded. The wounded Colman dragged himself backwards back toward his own lines, because he feared if he'd been killed he'd have been branded a coward if his body was facing toward his own trench

[moira finnie]

Holmes and Watson service:

Basil Rathbone served in the Liverpool Scottish, 2nd Battalion, as an intelligence officer during WWI, eventually rising to Captain. According to his own autobiography, Rathbone was reportedly disguised as a tree planted in no man's land where he was able to observe enemy movements for one mission. I'm not sure that's a joke or not, but in September 1918, he was awarded the Military Cross. (His younger brother John was killed in action during the war while also serving Britain).

Nigel Bruce was in the British army during World War I and was seriously wounded in action, which many feel may have led to circulatory problems he later developed, leading to surgery and contributing to a relatively early death at only 58.

Both men did all they could to assist their country when it entered WWII.

[charliechaplinfan]

It is tricky, many actors could raise far more going on bond tours, like Chaplin and Fairbanks than they could ever accomplish fighting. It's down to the individual and their draft board I suppose at the end of the day.

Does anyone know who the top ten male stars were during the war years? I'm presuming it would be Mickey Rooney, Bing Crosby, Cary Grant, Errol Flynn, Gary Cooper and Humprey Bogart they're the biggest stars I can think of that were left behind.