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James E. Wise, Paul W. Wilderson. Stars in Khaki: Movie Actors in the Army and Air Services. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2000. xi + 244 pp. $24.95, cloth, ISBN 978-1-55750-958-1.

Reviewed by Charles C. Kolb

Published on H-PCAACA (November, 2000)

Hollywood Stars and their Army Service from In Stars in Blue we learned about Wayne the Spanish American War to Morris, , Jr., , This splendid book is the third and fnal vol‐ , , , ume in historian-biographer Wise's trilogy and it , Robert Montgomery, Cesar makes a ftting companion to its two illustrious Romero, and dozens of other flm stars. With the predecessors. In 1997 Wise and his co-author Ann sequel, Stars in the Corps , we discovered the con‐ Rehill wrote Stars in Blue: Movie Actors in Ameri‐ tributions made by more than 30 motion picture ca's Sea Services in which flm actors who served stars including , , in the U.S. Navy, Naval Reserve, Coast Guard, or Steve McQueen, , , Coast Guard Reserve from 1920 through the Kore‐ George C. Scott, Keitel, , an War are profled. Wise and Rehill also au‐ Hugh O'Brien, Ed McMahon, and Dale Dye. As in thored Stars in the Corps: Movie Actors in the these two volumes, the emphasis in Stars in Khaki Marines (1999) which covers the is on World War II. Many of the men who served same period but emphasizes Marines in the Pacif‐ in the U.S. Army and air services were already ic Theater of Operations during World War II. motion picture -- Jimmy Stewart, Clark Your reviewer had the privilege of reviewing Gable, , and -- or were these two prior volumes [1], and is pleased to re‐ just beginning their careers -- and port that this third volume joins its antecedents Bert Parks -- or, as a result of their military ser‐ by providing the reader with clear, concise, and vice, would aspire to the acting profession and be‐ informative profles of celebrities who, in this vol‐ come stars in their own right -- , ume, served in the U.S. Army and air services , , and Clint East‐ from as early as the Spanish-American War into wood. the Vietnam era. The senior author, James Wise, is a retired U.S. Navy captain who a naval aviator and in‐ H-Net Reviews telligence ofce, and is the author of three other ; Lt. Colonel Tim McCoy; Captains naval books in addition to the trilogy. His co-au‐ , Bert Parks, Ronald Reagan, and Eli thor, Paul Wilderson is executive editor of Naval Wallach; First Lieutenants Audie Murphy and Institute Press and holds a doctorate in American ; and Van history from the University of New Hampshire. Hefin. Some flm stars were intelligence ofcers Their book contains a preface, acknowledgments, (Bruce Cabot and ), and there were three parts comprising 25 biographies and 100 a number of drafted and enlisted men and NCOs, brief biographies, three appendices, and 78 - such as Sergeants (a vet‐ and-white images. The Bibliography lists 99 books eran), , , Melvin and periodicals, nine ofcial records or archives, Douglas, , Charlton Heston, and Joe and nine other sources. A seven-page double col‐ Yule, Jr. ('s true name), as well as umn index includes almost exclusively proper drill instructors ( and Gordon nouns. Scott). In the Army Air Force (AAF) there were in‐ In "Part 1: Soldiers and Airmen in Combat," structor pilots (, , 14 stars are documented, 13 are from World War and a civilian, Welshman ); and pilots II, while director William "Wild Bill" Wellman (C-47s), (gliders), Tim served in the Great War. Notable among the men Holt (B-29s), Dan Rowan (P-40s), Jimmy Stewart profled in this section are Charles Durning, Clark (B-17s and B-24s, and later B-47s and B-52s), Jack Gable, Audie Murphy, Sabu, and Jack Warden. Palance, and . Kris Kristoferson was a With "Part 2: Staf Personnel, Instructors, and En‐ helicopter pilot in the Vietnam era. AAF personnel tertainers," the authors focus on 11 men, profling also included bombardiers (such as Cameron stars that include Gene Autry, , Mitchell), navigators (Arthur Franz and Gordon , Elvis Presley, and Ronald Reagan. MacRae), and aircrew ( and Sabu). The third section is an alphabetical tabulation of Other motion picture stars included para‐ -biographies of 100 other flm and troopers ( and Kris Kristoferson), mili‐ stars, beginning with Art Abbot and ending with tary policemen ( and ), radio Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. An appendix is devoted to the operators (, Steve Forrest, and Wal‐ actress and comedienne, (1916-1994) ter Matthau), medical corps personnel (Ossie a member of the troupe who for more Davis, , and ), and a com‐ than 30 years entertained GIs in North Africa, Eu‐ bat photographer named Van Hefin. The wound‐ rope, Korea, and Vietnam. Another appendix con‐ ed included: , Pat Brady, Charles tains two dozen captioned images of actors and Durning, , Audie Murphy, and Jack actresses "boosting GI morale." A fnal appendix Palance. veterans who were also flm tabulates 38 prominent stars who were unable to stars included , Robert Burton, qualify for military service during World War II Melvin Douglas, and director William Wellman (among them were , , who was in the Lafayette Flying Corps and was , , , Bob Hope, credited with three kills. Cowboy star Tim McCoy , , , John served in both World War I and II while Gene Wayne, and -- most of whom Raymond was in both World War II and Vietnam. starred in flms with military themes). Lewis Stone has the distinction of serving as an Among the stars who are documented were a Army ofcer in the Spanish-American War and number who became ofcers: General Jimmy World Wars I and II. Two men served in both the Stewart; Majors Clark Gabel, Glenn Miller and U.S. Navy and Army during World War II -- and Jack Warden; while

2 H-Net Reviews was in the army for 16 years before a of Baghdad (1940) but his career fagged in the flm star. postwar era and beset by personal problem died Several stories deserve mention. In 1942, sev‐ at the age of 39 of a heart attack. Jack Warden had en months after losing his wife, , served in the U.S. Navy from 1938-1941 then in an tragic TWA DC-3 domestic airplane crash joined the Merchant Marine as water tender in near , the flm at the engine room but disliked convoy duty because the age of 41 (well past draft age) enlisted in the of Axis aircraft attacks and his location 30 decks Army Air Corps. He attended Ofcers' Candidate below the main deck -- this, as he says, ended his School, and was assigned to the 351st Bomb "romance with the life of a sailor." He left the Group in to make flms about aerial gun‐ Merchant Marine in 1942, joined the army and be‐ nery. However, Gable volunteered for combat came a platoon sergeant and parachute jumpmas‐ duty and made fve B-17 bombing missions over ter in the 101st Airborne. While hospitalized with earning the Distinguished Flying Cross a leg injury sustained in a jump, Warden read a and the Air Medal, as well as the notable honor of play written by Cliford Odets and decided to be having the Nazi Air Minister, Hermann Goering, come an actor. ofer a reward for Gable's capture. Attaining the We also learn about the "Culver City Com‐ rank of major, Gable was discharged in June 1944. mandos" who made or starred in training flms What caused Gable to enlist -- grief, a suicidal for the Army Air Force Special Services in Califor‐ death wish, patriotism, or a combination of these? nia. Among these commandos were DeForest Kel‐ This remains a mystery. ley from "Star Trek," , Clayton The distinguished theater, flm, and television Moore (the "Lone Ranger"), Craig Stevens ("Peter actor Charles Durning participated in the D-Day Gunn"), and a fellow named Ronald Reagan -- a invasion at Normandy, was wounded three times Reserve Army Ofcer 1937-1941, called to duty, during the European campaign, and barely who would later serve as president of the Screen missed becoming a casualty at the infamous Actors Guild (1947-1952 and 1959), Governor of Malmedy Massacre. Audie Murphy (1924-1971), (1966-1974), and President of the Unit‐ America's most decorated soldier with more than ed States (1981-1989). two dozen U.S. medals and honors, was awarded In Part 2 the exploits of pilot Orvon Gene the Congressional . He served in Autry (1907-1998) are recalled, including once fy‐ six major campaigns: Sicily, Naples, Anzio-, ing the "Hump" in Burma. Gene Autry is the only Rhone Valley, Rhineland, and Central Europe. person to be honored with fve stars on the Holly‐ Murphy's well-known story is profled in the book wood Walk of Fame -- one each for radio (his ca‐ and flm To Hell and Back (in which he played reer began in 1928), recording (100 million himself), and he received a battlefeld commis‐ records), flm (dozens of motion pictures com‐ sion in addition to many foreign military honors mencing in 1934), television (star of his own TV from the Allies. Indian born Sabu Dastagir series and the producer of fve others), and live (1924-1963) -- know professionally by his frst performance (rodeo and theater). An astute busi‐ name -- was already an established American flm nessman and legendary fgure in American popu‐ star by the late , became a United States citi‐ lar culture, Autry also held an interest in the Cali‐ zen, enlisted in the Army Air Force, and served 40 fornia Angels baseball team. Compelling stories missions as a ball turret gunner in B-24 Liberators are told about Sammy Davis, Jr. and his deter‐ in the Pacifc Theater of Operations. He starred in mined eforts against racial discrimination and Elephant Boy (1937), Drums (1938), and The Thief bigotry during his 1942-1945 service in .

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In the Korean War era Army PFC Clinton East‐ This fnal volume of the trilogy is a fascinat‐ wood's swimming enabled him to survive the ing and valuable collection of profles of motion crash of a Navy AD3E Skyraider crash of the Cali‐ picture stars and directors who served in the fornia coast, and we learn why an Army man was or associated air services. The aboard a naval aircraft. As the star of a television stories are compelling and hold the reader's inter‐ series (Rawhide) and flm actor beginning with est, often providing little-known facts and are ac‐ "spaghetti Westerns" and award-winning perfor‐ companied by many images never before pub‐ mances with now over 50 flms to his credit, East‐ lished. Observant readers may also note that the wood also served as mayor of Carmel, California. books' dust jackets and cloth bindings correlate During World War II Sergeant Charlton Heston with the service whose motion picture stars are served in the Aleutians in the Army Air Force as a being profled: Navy blue, Marine Corps green, radio operator and gunner in a B-25. Known for and Army khaki. his roles in epics such as The Notes (1956), Ben Hur (1960), and Khartoum (1966), Hes‐ [1]. Charles C. Kolb, "Review of James E. Wise, ton began his career on the stage and in televi‐ Jr. and Anne Collier Rehill, Stars in the Blue: sion, and would become president of the Screen Movie Actors in America's Sea Services," H-PCAA‐ Actors Guild (1963-1975), a member of ‐ CA, H-Net Reviews, December 1997. URL: http:// al Council on the Arts (1966-1972), and president www.h-net.msu.edu/reviews/showrevv.cgi?path= of the National Rife Association (1998-date). 12705884375164. Originally William Beedle, Jr., Lieutenant Copyright (c) 2000 by H-Net, all rights re‐ (1918-1981), perhaps best known served. This work may be copied for non-proft for his action roles in (1953), The Bridges educational use if proper credit is given to the au‐ at Toko-Ri (1954), The Bridge on the River Kwai thor and the list. For other permission, please con‐ (1957), and (1969), was in the tact [email protected]. Army Air Force making training flms from 1942-1945. The adjutant of his unit was Captain Ronald Reagan and a roommate was baseball great Hank Greenberg. Holden's brother Bob, a naval aviator, was killed in the Pacifc on 1 Janu‐ ary 1944. New Yorker Bert Lancaster (1913-1994), an acrobat and actor recognized for his stellar flm roles in Run Silent, Run Deep (1958), (1953), Elmer Gantry (1960), Bird‐ man of Alcatraz (1962), and (1964), as well as number of swashbucklers, was an Army athletics instructor stateside but he was also in a theater unit that entertained troops in Tunisia and during World War II. The tri‐ umphs and tragedies of gifted musicians Major Glenn Miller (1904-1944) and Elvis Presley (1935-1977) are also recounted along with their military service.

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Citation: Charles C. Kolb. Review of Wise, James E.; Wilderson, Paul W. Stars in Khaki: Movie Actors in the Army and Air Services. H-PCAACA, H-Net Reviews. November, 2000.

URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=4680

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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