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Posted on 03/03/2006 5:28:39 PM PST by nutmeg
Hollywood was instrumental in shaping the resolve of the American public during the gloomy days of World War II. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt used America’s love affair with the movies to keep the public firmly behind the war effort...
-snip-
...Films like “Confessions of a Nazi Spy” and “The Purple Heart” helped galvanize the American public against two brutal enemies.
In this special episode of “War Stories,” Oliver North sits down with actors Cliff Robertson and Tony Curtis, who talk about how movies like “Dawn Patrol” and “Crash Dive” inspired them to join the military. Tony Curtis also describes witnessing the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay. In a rare interview, Alfred Hitchcock’s daughter, Patricia, explains how her father used his films to take on the Nazis. And Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney reminisces about putting on “jeep shows” in brutal combat areas throughout Europe.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
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Not only did the Hollywood industry support the war effort through films, many stars joined our military and fought. As far as I know, not one star has enlisted in this war on terror and Hollywood hinders the war effort instead of helping it.
At present, Hollywood is damaging to the defense of this country, and should probably be boycotted.
Gary Sinise excepted, of course! (I am told they love him over there...:)
This is something I've been thinking about lately, and have commented on a couple of times in the last day or two.
During World War 2 we took the propaganda war seriously, as something that had to be fought and won here at home. No one, no one, was allowed to speak against the war publicly. To do so would get you a visit from the FBI, and who knows what more.
Dissenting voices were shut down. Anyone who might be disloyal was rounded up. Americans who worked for the enemy were executed.
The kind of dissent (and open disloyalty) we see coming out of the press and Hollywood during wartime now would not have been tolerated then; we were at war, after all.
Roosevelt is not my favorite president for a lot of reasons, but he is a god to a lot of people. During WW2, normal peacetime civil liberties did not apply, and everyone knew it.
Agreed. You look at men like Clark Gable and Jimmy Stewart, and your point is made. Even someone like Hedy Lamar, though she was best known as a beautiful actress, actually developed the concept of "Frequency Hopping" which is used in a gazillion types of products and weapons, did it as part of the war effort.
I think people like John Wayne and Bob Hope can and do contribute to a war effort, not everyone has to, or should fight.
But they are not only not fighting or contributing, they are actively working AGAINST our country.
Right on target! Would prefer watching this than an asian non-westerner director showing the public two queer cowboys getting it on. Ugh!
Watch for incredible epics once New York or LA gets fried........to little, to late.
Exactly...Not too long back I saw a list of actors and actresses who enlisted and or contributed to the war effort during WWII, I was astounded. I knew of many of them that did, but there were names on the list that I had no idea had contributed. And most all of them never made a big deal of it after the war.
Sadly, patriotism is not what it used to be. Having said that, there are many young people stepping forward and speaking up for our country, I'm proud of them.
I know.
A guy asked my father if he had seen "Buttcrack Mountain" yet.
His reply: "Have you lost your damn mind?!"
I couldn't have said it better myself.
Really? I had no idea...
Thanks for the ping!
I know...I was kind of flabbergasted to find that out. Brainy AND beautiful...my kind of girl! Just do a google search on Hedy lamar frequency hopping.
bttt
Charlton Heston was a B-25 gunner in the Pacific.
Humphrey Bogart was wounded in World War One. He tried to enlist after Pearl Harbor but was turned down because of his age.
Clark Gable and Jimmy Stewart both flew bombing missions. Stewart flew 20 missions over Germany and worked his way up from private to brigadier general, the highest ranking actor of the war. Jimmy Stewart's experiences as a pilot undoubtadly proved useful for later films!
Ed McMahon was a Marine who became a fighter pilot in 1944. In 1952 he was recalled to active duty and flew 85 combat missions in the Korean War!
Lee Marvin was a Marine and wounded in the Marianas campaign.
Jason Robards was in the Navy and was on the USS Northampton when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He participated in 14 major battles in the Pacific and won the Navy Cross for heroism during the battle of Tassafaronda.
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. became the first American officer to command a flotilla of British craft during a raid in World War Two. He participated in the invasions of Sicily and Elba.
Thanks for taking the time to post info. I believe I knew most of the list except Douglas Fairbanks Jr., had no idea he was in the navy and saw combat.
The patriotism of that generation speaks well for them. My relatives and friends of my folks who were in WWII didn't ever talk about the war after it was over as I recall. I was still a kid and I wanted to hear about it from 3 of my uncles but they wouldn't talk about it.
bttt
8pm ET bump
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