VANGUARD PRODUCTIONS

Presents

THEY ALSO SERVED

STARS WHO ANSWERED THEIR COUNTRY’S CALL TO DUTY

A TELEVISION SERIES PROPOSAL

VANGUARD PRODUCTIONS 12111 Beatrice St., Culver City CA 90230 Tel 310-306-4910 Fax 310-306-4910 [email protected]

Confidential Property of Vanguard Productions Registered 662204 There were millions of men and women who selflessly answered their country’s call to duty, but only a few went on to achieve fame and fortune in the movies after their tour of duty. THEY ALSO SERVED focuses on their experiences in the military and how it shaped them as individuals.

THE CONCEPT

THEY ALSO SERVED is a 30-minute weekly series based on the book of the same title by Scott Baron. THEY ALSO SERVED is a fascinating look at the great movies stars and celebrities of past and present whom answered their country’s call to duty. We follow the celebrities into foxholes, sea battles, and air strikes to reveal little known aspects of their lives and their time in the military. There are many interesting stories, facts, and anecdotes that will be told for the first time on camera by the actual celebrities, or by friends and family through archival footage and research.

While there are countless stories of awe-inspiring courage heroism, there is also humor, humility and amazing never before known facts. All will be covered to give the viewer a glimpse into the life of their favorite celebrity, which has never been seen before, their time serving in the military for their country.

THE FORMAT

Each episode will begin with the host (Roger Moore) introducing the show and the guest or guest to be interviewed. The host will also set up the clips, reenactments, and the celebrities segments covered in the retrospective portion of the show.

Each week three celebrity’s biography will be presented, concluding with a wrap-up by the host. The host may also present fascinating anecdotes and bits of trivia about a certain war, battle, or topic featured in that episode. The setting will be a Movie Sound Stage with various film equipment and paraphernalia such as a Mitchell Camera, freznel lights, microphone booms, c-stands, dollies, etc.

A featured celebrity segment will be built around an on-camera interview supplemented by photographs and stock footage of battles, and events, etc. as appropriate. For the retrospective portion of the show each segment will be built around interviews with family and friends, as wells as photographs, stock footage and possible re-enactments.

THE TONE

Respect for the men and women who have served. The series is not a forum for the political agendas of those interviewed. It is neither anti-war nor pro-war. The intent is to bring history alive through the experiences of those who have been touched in other walks of life.

1 THE AUDIENCE

THEY ALSO SERVED appeals to anyone with an interest in “war and the military,” the “movies,” “celebrities,” and “history.” It will also appeal to those who have an interest in the more personal aspects of the lives of famous personalities or in obscure historical facts and anecdotes. In short, the show has the broadest possible appeal.

A SMALL SAMPLE OF STARS FOR POSSIBLE INTERVIEWS:

Charlton Heston Mr. Heston was involved in some of the most hazardous flight missions of the war, including “Operation Wedlock,” a massive deception to convince Japan that America and Canada were preparing an attack. He was preparing for “Operation Downfall,” the invasion of mainland Japan, when the war ended.

Michael Caine Mr. Caine served in the British Army and was shipped to Korea in 1952. He remembered mass attacks by the Chinese in which only one in four soldiers had riffles and they would retrieve weapons from fallen comrades as the attacks moved forward. Caine contracted malaria while in Korea and continued to suffer the effects of the disease long after his discharge.

Clint Eastwood Mr. Eastwood was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1951, during the Korean conflict, He was sent to Ft. Ord in California for basic training. Instead of shipping him off to Korea the Army took advantage of Eastwood’s talents as a competitive swimmer and assigned him duty as a swimming instructor at Ft. Ord. His swimming abilities paid off once when he was traveling in a torpedo bomber and it developed engine trouble and had to ditch in the ocean off of San Francisco. Eastwood had to swim over a mile through the treacherous current to make it back to shore.

Sean Connery In 1947 at the age of seventeen, Sean Connery enlisted in the Royal Navy for a twelve year hitch (seven active, five reserve) hoping for glamour and girls. He was trained at the gunnery school at Butlaw Camp Rosyth, Scotland and after a brief tour of duty with an Aircraft unit; he was assigned as an able seaman aboard the HMS Formidable. He boxed on the boxing team and was discharged just after three years for medical reasons due to a stomach ulcer.

James Garner Mr. Garner saw action in Korea; he was wounded twice and narrowly escaped being taken prisoner. Garner was separated from his unit behind enemy lines with one other South Korean soldier. In order to make it past the Chinese troops, Garner raised his hands over his head and pretended to be the South Korean’s prisoner. The Chinese assumed the South Korean Soldier was a North Korean soldier and let them pass.

2 Oliver Stone Mr. Stone saw heavy action in Vietnam and was wounded twice, once while rescuing two platoons that were pinned down during an ambush behind enemy lines. On News Years Day 1968, the Fire Base he was stationed at was attacked by two full regiments, resulting in 500 dead. Stone received a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.

Lord Richard Attenborough Lord Attenborough enlisted in the Royal Air Force (RAF) in June 1943. In 1944, while assigned as an airman second class, he was taken out of pilot’s training and transferred to the RAF film unit at Pinewood. He took a leading role in the morale-raising movie “Journey Together" (1945), with Edward G. Robinson. Upon completing the film, Attenborough requested assignment to an operational unit, and he finished the war flying air reconnaissance missions over Germany.

Mel Brooks Although not the model of a warrior at 115 pounds, Mel Brooks was highly regarded by his comrades for his quick wit and entertaining stories. On one occasion after the battle at Bastogne, Brooks responded to the German propaganda being broadcasted by loudspeakers by setting up his own loudspeaker and belting out an Al Jolson imitation of “Toot Toot Tootsie.”

Peter O’Toole Mr. O’Toole was drafted into compulsory conscripted National Service in 1952. He joined the Royal Navy and served a two-year tour. During his first year he served in a submarine flotilla. While with the flotilla he went to sea on the flotilla’s depot ship. He remembers these cruises in the North Atlantic with great fondness, writing in his autobiography, “There had been times of stillness, times of friendship, times of thoughtfulness, vigorous times, uncertain times, hilarious times, and times of wonder and great beauty. In addition to his normal naval duties ashore, he marched as a bass drummer and played rugby.

Mickey Rooney Louis Meyer, head of MGM, was not eager to lose Mickey Rooney, his top star at the height of his popularity so he continually requested and received extensions from the draft board arguing that the Andy Hardy movies were necessary to the war efforts and moral. Finally, by the end of 1942 Meyer and the studio lawyers got Rooney classified as a 4-F exempting him form military service due to high blood pressure. By the beginning of 1943 Rooney was so uncomfortable being out of uniform that he requested that the draft board review his case and allow him to service his country. After reviewing his case the draft board reclassified him and he was inducted into the Army in 1944. Later he became part of the “Jeep Show” during WWII and he performed several performances under fire.

3 Glenn Ford Mr. Ford served as a sergeant and photographic specialist in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was discharged on December 7, 1944. On December 30, 1958 Ford re-enlisted in the naval reserves and was commissioned as a lieutenant commander. By 1968 Ford was promoted to Captain and volunteered for active duty in a forward combat area in Vietnam. He lead combat camera teams filming Marine Corps documentaries in the Mekong Delta. He was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal, and decorated with the Vietnamese Legion of Merit First Class.

Kirk Douglas Mr. Douglas served in the U.S. Navy aboard a #1139 Patrol Craft, which was a 175-foot sub chaser. On February 24, 1944 while en route from California to Hawaii a depth charge prematurely discharged. Douglas was wounded and suffered internal injuries. He was hospitalized at Balboa Hospital in San Diego and received a medical discharge on July 27, 1944.

Eddie Albert Mr. Albert served as a seaman from September 9, 1942 to January 31, 1943. He was given a direct commission as a lieutenant (j.g.) and attended officer training school at Cornell University. After graduating, Albert was assigned to the U.S.S. Sheridan (APA- 51) an attack transport ship. During the assault on Tarawa Island in the South Pacific Albert was involved in rescuing over 150 trapped and wounded marines while under fire from Japanese machine guns and snipers.

Ernest Borgnine Having already served as a gunners mate aboard a US destroyer, Mr. Borgnine re- enlisted after Pearl Harbor and was re-assigned to an anti-submarine ship.

Red Buttons Mr. Buttons was already a veteran of stage and screen when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1943. Red was allowed to still star in movies and stage plays during his time in the army in the name of the war effort. He was chosen for a role in Moss Hart's, "Winged Victory." First he did the Broadway show, and then the motion picture for Darryl Zanuck with George Cukor directing. When "Winged Victory" disbanded, Red joined Mickey Rooney's outfit in France, and together with Mickey, entertained the troops all through the European Theater of Operations during World War II. Red had the honor to perform at the Potsdam Conference and was among the first troops to enter Berlin.

4 A SMALL SAMPLE OF STARS FOR POSSIBLE RETROSPECTIVE STORIES:

Jimmy Stewart Jimmy Stewart flew over 50 missions aboard a B-24 with over 18,000 hours of flight time. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Croiz de Guerre and Oak Lieaf Cluster medal; he stayed in the reserves until 1968 and retired as a Brigadier General.

Charles Laughton Mr. Laughton went to war at the age of eighteen. He enlisted in the British Army as a private during World War I and despite his class and education turned down the opportunity to be commissioned, stating, “I did not want to command… to take responsibility for other people’s lives.” Laughton was sent to France in 1918, assigned as part of the Royal Huntingdonshire Riffles, as was posted to Vimy Ridge. He never talked publicly about what happened there, official records indicate that the Royal Huntingdonshire Riffles were involved in a fierce bayonet engagement. His wife, Elsa Lanchester, recalled that Laughton told her about the battle and said that he had had to stab a man to death. Laughton had been a very sensitive nineteen-year-old at the time, and that horrifying experience haunted him for many years.

Clark Gable After his wife, Carol Lombard, died in a plane crash on a war bond tour Gable enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at the age of 41. After graduating Officer’s Candidates School, Gable was sent overseas to Europe and flew more than five bombing mission over Germany for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross. Goering offered a $5000 bounty and an immediate promotion to the pilot who shot down Gable. Needless to say, no ever collected and Gable was discharged as a major in 1945. Incidentally, Gable’s discharge papers were signed by Captain Ronald Reagan.

Ronald Coleman Mr. Coleman joined the 14th. London Scots Regiment and served a four-year hitch before leaving the regiment in 1913. He rejoined the regiment at Buckingham Gate on August 5, 1914, shortly after the start of World War I. The 14th London Scots Regiment was the first territorial unit to serve overseas with the regular army. They were among the first troops sent to France, despite being relatively untrained. They were known as “the Ladies from Hell” because their uniforms included Kilts. Coleman fought in the first battle at of Ypres and was later wounded at Messines, by shrapnel from an exploding shell. He crawled backward to his lines, facing the enemy, because he feared being found dead with his back to the enemy.

Lee Marvin Lee Marvin dropped out of high school to enlist in the Marines in 1942. He saw action at Saipan, the Marianas, and Marshall Islands. He was involved in the capture of several small islands and was nearly killed on two separate occasions, one of which he narrowly missed becoming paralyzed. Lee was hospitalized for 13 months at the naval hospital at Chelsea, Massachusetts before given a medical discharge in 1945.

5 Humphrey Bogart Mr. Bogart served on the USS Leviathan and got his famous scar and lisp, when a prisoner he was escorting tried to overpower him in an escape attempt.

Spencer Tracy During World War I, Tracy tried to join the Marine Corps, but was too young. Tracy’s boyhood friend Pat O’Brian enlisted in the navy and advised Tracy that he could join too, if he got his parent’s permission. Tracy’s parents gave their consent and he enlisted in the navy.

Henry Fonda Mr. Fonda served aboard the USS Curtis and saw action in Guam, Iwo Jima and Saipan. Similar to his movie “Mr. Roberts”, a kamikaze plane smashed into the cabin of his ship, luckily he was not on board at the time. Fonda earned a Bronze Star and was discharged a full Lieutenant.

Darryl Zanuck Mr. Zanuck served in WWI and WWII. While stationed in London Zanuck endured the nightly Blitz attacks by holding parties in his “quarters” a suite on the top floor of the Claridge Hotel in Mayfair overlooking Hyde Park. His “Blitz Parties” became legendary for the food, booze, and beautiful women. Guest included General Eisenhower, Noel Coward, Laurence Olivier and others. One guest was Lord Mont batten, whom Zanuck teamed up with for one clandestine mission in which they crossed the English Channel to St. Valery, destroyed a German radar station, and then escaped back to England under heavy enemy fire. Zanuck later went to Algiers to film the invasion of North Africa.

Art Carney While serving in the army in Normandy during WWII, Mr. Carney was blown off his feet by a German motor round and was wounded by shrapnel. He was evacuated to England for medical treatment. His wife jean was informed that he was missing in action and did not learn that he was alive and well until one of Art’s letter’s finally arrive from England. Art was discharged in 1945 with a Purple Heart and a permanent limp.

Tyrone Power Mr. Power joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He took flight training in Corpus Christi and then was sent the South Pacific as a marine transport pilot flying the Curtis R5C Commando plane. He saw action in Saipan flying in supplies under heavy enemy fire. Power logged over 1,100 hours flight time before being discharged as a captain in 1946.

Burgess Meredith Mr. Meredith was already a successful actor when he enlisted in the army at the beginning of WWII. He was called to New York to perform in the play Candida for the USO at the request of General Marshall. An aid to President Roosevelt arranged for Meredith to be discharged early so he could play the lead in the film “The Story of G.I. Joe” about the life of beloved war correspondent Ernie Pyle who was kill in action during the war.

6 Steve McQueen Mr. McQueen enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 17. He was trained as an auto mechanic and tank driver. He served in Labrador where he rescued five marines when their Amtrac vehicle overturned in freezing water. McQueen also served as part of the honor guard protecting President Truman’s yacht. McQueen was repeatedly promoted and demoted for numerous incidents of drunkenness and going AWOL. He once spent six weeks in the brig. By the time he was discharged he still was a private first class. McQueen once remarked that the only way he would make corporal is if all the Pfc’s died at the same time.

Walter Matthau Mr. Mathau, born Walter Matuschanskavasky in New York City and enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was assigned to the 453rd. Bomb Group. He flew over France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He remembered serving with Jimmy Stewart, who was an Operations Officer giving mission briefings to his bomber group.

Elvis Presley Presley was already an international star when he was drafted into the army in 1958. Presley was assigned to the 1st Medium Tank Battalion, 32nd. Armor of the 3rd. Armor Division. He was sent to Bremerhaven, West Germany at the height of the cold war and his unit was on almost constant alert. Presley was discharged as a sergeant in 1960.

Jason Robards Mr. Robards enlisted in the U.S. Navy reserve at the age of 17. He was called to active duty where he served in the South Pacific as a radioman aboard cruisers. After returning from a mission to Wake Island, Robards arrived in Honolulu on December 8, the day after Pearl Harbor. Not that Robards didn’t see plenty of action; he was present at 13 major engagements and twice served on ships that were torpedo. He was aboard the U.S.S. North Hampton (CV-26) at Guadalcanal when it was sunk by torpedoes and aboard the U.S.S. Honolulu when it was torpedoed near Formosa.

William Holden Mr. Holden had already starred in dozens of movies when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942. He graduated Officer’s Training School in 1943 and was commissioned a second lieutenant and then assigned to the 1st. Motion Picture Training Command and spent his time making training films and appearances at war bond drives. Holden hated it and want to be shipped over seas to see action but the army thought he was too valuable to moral to risk sending him. He was later sent to a unit at Hal Roach Studios in Culver City. He recalled taking an instant dislike to the “martinet adjutant,” Captain Ronald Reagan, who had him stand at attention for 25 minutes while he recited regulations.

7 THE TEAM

Terence M. O'Keefe, Writer, Producer, Director: Mr. O’Keefe has worked in the film industry for over fifteen years and this is the seasoned experience he draws upon to make his film productions so successful. He graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Communications and received his Masters Degree in Film Production from Loyola Marymount University.

Mr. O’Keefe served as Director of Multimedia for one of the largest mortgage bank companies in the United States, Countrywide Funding Company. While there, he was responsible for the design and implementation of the new Multimedia department, which used CD-ROM and the latest interactive technology. He also wrote, produced and directed many of their industrial films and television commercials, including “The 60 second Refinance” commercial, which won a Telly Award for best regional spot.

Mr. O’Keefe formed Vanguard Productions to establish a production company with a vision of making high quality independent films for the global market. Vanguard Productions first feature, “We The People,” debuted at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival and was one of only two American films selected to screen at the 1995 Moscow Film Festival.

Along with partners Kevin Reem and Drew Stotesbery, Mr. O’Keefe formed United Film Partners, Inc. to acquire, develop, and package outstanding and diverse motion picture and television properties for domestic and international distribution. After taking UFP public O’Keefe and his partners sold the company to a Korean company in 2004.

Some of O’Keefe’s past producing credits include: “The Bad Pack,” starring Robert Davi, Roddy Piper and Ralf Moeller; “Closing The Deal,” starring Ray Wise, James Wilder, and Michael Bergin; “Route 666” for Lions Gate Films, starring Lou Diamond Philips and Lori Petty; and “Wanted,” which O’Keefe also wrote and directed, starring Timothy Busfield, Robert Culp, Michael Sutton, and Tracy Gold, “Dead Rail” for the Sci Fi Channel, starring Lou Diamond Philips, Barry Corbin, and Steven Brand.

Mr. O’Keefe has served as Blue Ribbon panel Judge for the 2004 Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Animation Awards and the 2003 Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Music Video Awards. He has served as Blue Ribbon panel Judge for the 2000 International Emmy Awards and for the 19th. Annual CableACE Awards. Mr. O’Keefe also serves on the board of directors of the Educational Media Workshop of Southern California and is a SAG Signatory Producer whom is listed in “Who’s Who In Entertainment” and in “Who’s Who In California.”

Currently Mr. O’Keefe and writer/director Robby Henson are developing a “Memento” meet “Leaving Las Vegas” dark drama called “Broken April” starring Kris Kristofferson, Sissy Spacek, Christina Applegate, Randy Travis, and Richard Tyson.

8 Kevin Reem, producer: Kevin Reem is a multiple award winning film and video producer with over twenty years experience in the entertainment industry. His many skills encompass producing, directing, production management, postproduction supervising, AVID digital editing, and writing. Kevin is the creator of Magic Window Productions, a production company that has developed marketing tapes, television programs, promotional trailers, theme park films and commercials. He ran Magic Window Productions for six years, and then went on to successfully create a production company for Soundelux / Hollywood Edge. Kevin has held management and producer positions with the Walt Disney Company in three major divisions, The Disney Channel, Walt Disney Home Video International and Walt Disney Imagnineering. As an "Imagineer" he worked as producer, director, and designer on the multi-formatted films that are currently playing at EPCOT center and Tokyo Disneyland. At the Disney Channel he wrote and produced television trailers and specials. As a producer for Walt Disney Home Video he ran the production division, conceptualizing, writing, supervising and producing product as well as marketing material for the company. Recently he production managed for Sparkhill Production, “24: Conspiracy”, the first ever “mobisode” or made for wireless phone video series on 3G broadband. Client: 20th Century Fox/Verizon Wireless.

Presently he is working with Little Warsaw Productions, which has contracted with Ascent Media and Sony Prictures on the Jerry Seinfeld DVD’s and hi-def series transfer.

He has been involved with various DVD productions, marketing videos and documentaries. DVD titles include: “The Hours”, “O Brother Where Art Thou”, “Don’t Say A Word”, “Tuck Everlasting”, “The Vault Disney Collections”, “The Rookie,” “Snow Dogs”, etc.

As being both a casting director and former agent, Jeff regularly has contacts with all the agencies in town, including the top three, CAA, William Morris and ICM. His unique background has also allowed him to utilize his extensive knowledge of the union contracts, which has certainly facilitated many aspects for the producers. He is also able to contact certain name celebrity talent, either through friendships with the actors themselves or through previous business dealings with their respective agent, manager or lawyer.

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