John Wayne

[Thunderbird]

Celebrity War Heroes

 

Two things pass for celebrity heroics these days: adopting lots of orphans and being a spokesman/fundraiser for a noble cause. That's nice and all, but compared to what Hollywood stars used to do, their modern counterparts are a bunch of wimps.

Even if it's nice to write big checks and change the poopy diapers of people who are not related to you genetically, it's pretty easy to do if you're rich and armed with a squadron of professional nannies. Compared to spying on the enemy or climbing inside a plane and getting shot at, this is weak sauce.

So listen up, Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Bono, George Clooney and all the rest of you. Here are 10 superstars who not only left indelible marks on the world of pop culture, they also put their bodies on the line for their countries as soldiers and spies.

They're stars and they're heroes, and if you want to impress the likes of me, you'll consider taking on a more challenging role, OK?

 

Why do impersonators always seem to dress up as fat, spangly Elvis? Don't they know he served in the United States Army from 1958-1960 -- after he'd already starred in four movies, such as "Love Me Tender" and "Jailhouse Rock"? They could dress as soldier Elvis, which no doubt would be more dignified.

He was a huge star, even while serving in the Army. Fans sent as many as 10,000 letters a week addressed to Elvis Germany, where he was stationed.

His military service made the man once dismissed by a New York Times critic as a mere "virtuoso of the hootchy-kootchy" more palatable to mainstream America. But not every fan was impressed. When Elvis died in the 1970s, John Lennon said, "Elvis died in the Army."

 

Not many men could wear this moustache

It didn't matter to that he was a huge movie star, having recently wrapped up his role as Rhett Butler in "Gone with the Wind." When his wife Carole Lombard died in a 1942 plane crash, Gable's heart broke and he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. He flew many bombing missions and came home to resume his Hollywood career with two awards: the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.

No matter what he told Scarlett O'Hara, we know he did give a damn.

 

A hero to be "Fonda"

Henry Fonda star of "The Grapes of Wrath," didn't have to serve in the military during World War II, but he did anyway, saying, "I don't want to be in a fake war in a studio."

He volunteered for the U.S. Navy and served on a destroyer in operations and air combat intelligence, earning a Bronze Star for valor.

 

 

 

It was a wonderful life

Jimmy Stewart

He was in "It's a Wonderful Life" because of a trick ear, but in real life, the actor was anything but. He was the first Hollywood star to enlist, and he served in the Army Air Corps during World War II as an officer and pilot (Walter Matthau was a sergeant in his unit).

Stewart came home with a variety of decorations for his military service, and in 1985, President Reagan awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

 

Newman's own heroism Paul Newman

was a military veteran who also wrote big checks on behalf of charities. He served as a radioman in torpedo bombers during World War II, from 1943 to 1946. He won two Academy Awards, including an honorary one for his contributions to film. His greater contributions, though, come from his food company, Newman's Own, which has given more than $265 million to charity. This might just make him the coolest celebrity in history.

 

 

According to Gary Wills’ book “John Wayne’s America,” the man who portrayed the archetypal, battle-hardened Marine, Sgt. Stryker, in 1949’s “The Sands of Iwo Jima,” actually avoided the draft during WWII. Wills contends that the Duke did not reply to letters from the Selective Service system, and applied for deferments. Apparently, Wayne—who had sought stardom during years of B-pictures following 1930 frontier drama “The Big Trail”—got his big break during the struggle against fascism when many Hollywood action heroes like Tyrone Power enlisted and shipped out overseas.

With much of the competition away in the Pacific and European theaters, Wayne was able to storm movie theaters to solidify his stardom. While Jimmy Stewart and his fellow celebrity servicemen were real action heroes, Wayne was a “Lights! Cameras! Action!” hero who merely played the part in the safety of Tinseltown’s home front and back lot.

 

 

Why do you think we worship image over reality ? Why was john Wayne worshiped by baby boomers as the archetypal hero when he was any thing but? What does he really reflect about Americans?

[lemit]

Thunderbird,

 

Where did you hear that baby boomers worshipped John Wayne? I was born in 1946 and was part of the Civil Rights and anti-Vietnam war movements, and I think I can say pretty categorically that we didn't worship John Wayne or any of the symbols of the military establishment that was trying to get our generation, as well as the innocent population of Southeast Asia, killed.

 

You seem to suggest that while we were (according to popular belief) spitting on returning soldiers, we were worshipping the war movies that tried to teach us to become soldiers? Neither part of that is correct, and the whole of it is preposterous.

 

--lemit

[sanctus]

No I don't think that with John Wayne you picked a good example. I know him mainly for having done western movies where with one shot he killed 10 indians...giving the impression (on purpose?) that white people are much better/stronger/etc.

I know that I am not the only one making this connection.

[Thunderbird]

No I don't think that with John Wayne you picked a good example. I know him mainly for having done western movies where with one shot he killed 10 indians...giving the impression (on purpose?) that white people are much better/stronger/etc.

I know that I am not the only one making this connection.

John Wayne is not a good example of the American archetypal hero ?

Archetype n. An original model after which other similar things are patterned. [Greek arkhetupos]

[Thunderbird]

Thunderbird,

 

Where did you hear that baby boomers worshipped John Wayne? I was born in 1946 and was part of the Civil Rights and anti-Vietnam war movements, and I think I can say pretty categorically that we didn't worship John Wayne or any of the symbols of the military establishment that was trying to get our generation, as well as the innocent population of Southeast Asia, killed.

 

You seem to suggest that while we were (according to popular belief) spitting on returning soldiers, we were worshipping the war movies that tried to teach us to become soldiers? Neither part of that is correct, and the whole of it is preposterous.

 

--lemit

Even in their particulars of age and political preference, the data are peculiar. Liberals and moderates go for Washington (not Clooney?), while conservatives prefer Wayne and, whoa, Hanks (not Mel?). Agewise, Wayne is #1 with the baby boomers; but Roberts wins the hearts of the AARP set, which you might have thought the Duke would own.

 

John Wayne: Still Tops - TIME