SwiftVets.com

shawa · CNO Joined: 03 Sep 2004 Posts: 2004

I did not watch the Awards show, unable to stomach the self-obsessed America haters that Hollywood has become.

Ben Stein says it well:

Doll · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:49 pm Post subject:

Great article! I like you could not stomach watching these self-declared know-it-alls 'bloviate'!

I saw some of the reviews this morning on Fox and Friends and changed the channel. I am not sure why these people still get so much play in our society suffice to say that sadly many people just do not have a life and vicariously live through these moronic, unpatriotic, ungrateful nobodies. Rolling Eyes

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jwb7605 · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:23 pm Post subject:

The History Channel was running "Hollywood at War".
That was about the contributions of Hollywood to the WWII effort, and the histories of some who went to Hollywood after serving in the military during WWII.
I did not know the list included Jimmy Stewart or Tony Curtis!

I have no idea what was on the Oscars, but the "Hollywood at War" sure was entertaining. Surprised

rparrott21 · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:16 pm Post subject:

Didn't watch it and didn't miss it...

BuffaloJack · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:48 pm Post subject:

The last time I personally saw 'Hollywood at War' was January or February 1970 in the person of Georgie Jessel and 2 playboy bunnies who came to our Swiftboat base in Qui Nhon and put on a 3 person show for 60 or seventy of us. They played pool with us in our club after the show and we appreciated their efforts.
Hollywood today is too in love with itself to show support for the troops.
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I B Squidly · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:01 pm Post subject:

Good point JW. The self-obsession of the current Hollywood generation stands in stark contrast to the self-effacement of previous eras. In the 20s and 30s but especially in the 50s and 60s Tinseltown was absolutely awash with military veterans. They didn't brag about it, seldom mentioned it really and others remained mum.

Audie Murphy and Neville Brand always come to mind but among others (and 'Sorry' this is no where near comprehensive):

-Victor McClagen played a Sgt to Waynes officer often but was himself an officer in the Boer War

-David Niven just as in Guns of Navarone had been a British Commando.

-William Wyler, the director was a flyer in WWI.

-Johnny Carson, a JG got stuck with the body retrieval detail when the USS Pennsy was hit by kamikase. And, of course McMahan was a jarhead.

-Lee Marvin took a bullet in the butt as a Marine; "ruined my wallet" he said.

-Lew Ayers, WWII's most famous concientious objector served as a medic.

The point being that a quick peek at the background of so many reveals war-time service. Even after WWII Fort Bragg was a damn site closer to Hollywood than whatever podunk the Rocks or Clints came from and they didn't dodge the draft. Today's crew missed the draft, didn't have any inclination to join something bigger than themselves and didn't need the boot-strap out of misfortune or juvenile court (as many richly needed).

Today's Babylonian aristocracy (ever notice how many of these pampered pukes are 2nd and 3rd generation Hollywood?) are divorced from the military and the concepts of 'duty, honor and country'. Ermy is a novelty act. Brian Denehey was proven a fraud. The general's son and chopper pilot Kristophersen took a left turn to hang with Babs Striesand. There's no Hollywood Canteen and the glitterati are too busy wife swapping or wrecking their Porches and Ferarris to bother with the USO.
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"KILL ALL THE LAWYERS!"

-Wlm Shakespeare

becca1223 · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:24 pm Post subject:

Here's an email I received recently regarding the real hollywood heroes:

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WW II MOVIE STARS

With the advent of World War II many of our actors went to fight rather than stand and rant against this country we all love.

They gave up their wealth, position and fame to become service men & women, many as simple "enlisted men."

This page lists but a few, but from this group of only 18 men came over 70 medals in honor of their valor, spanning from Bronze Stars, Silver Stars, Distinguish Service Cross', Purple Hearts and one Congressional Medal of Honor.

Most of these brave men have since passed on.

Real Hollywood Heroes:

Alec Guinness (Star Wars~Bridge over the River Kwai) operated a British Royal Navy landing craft on D-Day.

James Doohan ("Scotty" on Star Trek) landed in Normandy with the U. S. Army on D-Day.

Donald Pleasance (The Great Escape) really was an R. A. F. pilot who was shot down, held prisoner and tortured by the Germans.

David Niven was a Sandhurst graduate and Lt. Colonel of the British Commandos in Normandy.

James Stewart Entered the Army Air Force as a private and worked his way to the rank of Colonel.

During World War II, Stewart served as a bomber pilot, his service record crediting him with leading more than 20 missions over Germany, and taking part in hundreds of air strikes during his tour of duty.

Stewart earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, France's Croix de Guerre,and 7 Battle Stars during World War II.

In peace time, Stewart continued to be an active member of the Air Force as a reservist, reaching the rank of Brigadier General before retiring in the late 1950s.

Clark Gable (Mega-Movie Star when war broke out) Although he was beyond the draft age at the time the U.S. entered WW II Clark Gable enlisted as a private in the AAF on Aug. 12, 1942 at Los Angeles.

He attended the Officers' Candidate School at Miami Beach, Fla. and graduated as a second lieutenant on Oct. 28, 1942. He then attended aerial gunnery school and in Feb. 1943 he was assigned to the 351st Bomb Group at Polebrook where flew operational missions over Europe in B-17s.

Capt. Gable returned to the U.S. in Oct. 1943 and was relieved from active duty as a major on Jun. 12, 1944 at his own request, since he was over-age for combat.

Charlton Heston was an Army Air Corps Sergeant in Kodiak.

Earnest Borgnine was a U. S. Navy Gunners Mate 1935-1945.

Charles Durning was a U. S. Army Ranger at Normandy earning a Silver Star and awarded the Purple Heart.

Charles Bronson was a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps, more specifically on B-29s in the 20th Air Force out of Guam, Tinian, and Saipan.

George C. Scott was a decorated U. S. Marine.

Eddie Albert (Green Acres TV) was awarded a Bronze Star for his heroic action as a U. S. Naval officer aiding Marines at the horrific battle on the island of Tarawa in the Pacific Nov. 1943.

Brian Keith served as a U.S. Marine rear gunner in several actions against the Japanese on Rabaul in the Pacific.

Lee Marvin was a U.S. Marine on Saipan during the Marianas campaign when he was wounded earning the Purple Heart.

John Russell In 1942, he enlisted in the Marine Corps where he received a battlefield commission and was wounded and highly decorated for valor at Guadalcanal.

Robert Ryan was a U.S. Marine who served with the OSS in Yugoslavia.

Tyrone Power (an established movie star when Pearl Harbor was bombed) joined the US Marines, was a pilot flying supplies into, and wounded Marines out of, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Audie Murphy a little 5'5" tall 110 pound guy from Bay City, Texas who played cowboy parts?

Most decorated serviceman of WWII and earned: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, 2 Silver Star Medals, Legion of Merit, 2 Bronze Star Medals with "V", 2 Purple Hearts, U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, 2 Distinguished Unit Emblems, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and one Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern France) World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar, Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar, French Fourragere in Colors of the Croix de Guerre, French Legion of Honor, Grade of Chevalier, French Croix de Guerre With Silver Star, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Medal of Lbrtd France, Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 Palm.

So how do you feel the real heroes of the silver screen acted when compared to the hollywonks today who spray out anti-American drivel as they bite the hand that feeds them? Can you imagine these stars of yesteryear saying they hate our flag, making anti-war speeches, marching in anti-American parades and saying they hate our president?

I thought not, neither did I!

If you enjoyed the story send it on, if not delete it as we cannot always agree and that is what is great about the USA.

God Bless the USA!

baldeagle

Here is a great list/tribute
http://hollywoodheros.tripod.com/
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"In a word, I want an American character, that the powers of Europe may be convinced we act for ourselves and not for others; this, in my judgment, is the only way to be respected abroad and happy at home." --George Washington

jwb7605 · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:06 am Post subject:

And let us not forget: ELVIS!

Laughing

kate · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:26 am Post subject:

baldeagle, that is the most comprehensive list I've seen yet, great link... "The Great Generation of Hollywood Heros"

I watched Ollie North's War Stories last night on Fox - it was about Hollywood & those who served in WWII... dunno if it was the same as Hollywood at War? He had interviews with some of the stars, now that they are older, discussing their service.

I didnt bother with the Oscars either
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one of..... We The People

I B Squidly · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:56 am Post subject:

Want to know where, how much, who, and the film stock used for your favorite flick? Want to know what kept Richard Widmark out of WWII? The best site for all things related to the film industry is IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base),

http://www.imdb.com/

There's no charge to register. Despite many juveniles on the message boards there are many worthwhile threads. Be warned, you can waste alot of time bouncing link to link through all the trivia.
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"KILL ALL THE LAWYERS!"

-Wlm Shakespeare

dusty · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:14 am Post subject:

I did the same as Kate, choosing to watch Ollie's show on Fox instead of the Oscars.
I thought it was very poignant that at the same time the Hollyweird crowd was in the process of totally missing the mark, Ollie was putting on a show about a time when Hollywood and it's actors and directors were patriots dedicated to helping the war effort instead of hurting it as they are today.

One of these days the West coast will slide off into the Pacific. They will be missed.

Dusty
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Me#1You#10 · Site Admin Joined: 06 May 2004 Posts: 6503

Perhaps a bit tangential, but perfectly indicative of the topic theme....

I didn't watch this year, but I happened to catch O'Reilly's "Most Ridiculous Moment of the Day" segment closing tonite's "Factor" and it inspired me to do a quick search for some comparative history...

Let's jump forward a decade at a time...

MUSIC (Original Song)

1935 (8th)
"Lullaby of Broadway" from Gold Diggers of 1935 -- Music by Harry Warren; Lyrics by Al Dubin

1945 (18th)
"It Might As Well Be Spring" from State Fair -- Music by Richard Rodgers; Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

1955 (28th)
"Love Is a Many-Spendored Thing" from Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing -- Music by Sammy Fain; Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster

1965 (38th)
"The Shadow of Your Smile" from The Sandpiper -- Music by Johnny Mandel; Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster

1975 (48th)
"I'm Easy" from Nashville -- Music and Lyrics by Keith Carradine

1985 (58th)
"Say You, Say Me" from White Nights -- Music and Lyric by Lionel Richie

1995 (68th)
"Colors of the Wind" from Pocahontas -- Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz

and now, our 2005 winner.....

2005 "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from Hustle & Flow -- Music and Lyric by Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman and Paul Beauregard

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein must be rolling over in their graves...

I B Squidly · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:35 am Post subject:

#1,

Not tangential but indicative. I can hum a bar, sing a lyric from all but the Disney trifle "Pocohontas". Previous winners like Jerome Moross, Elmer Berstein, Miklos Rosza, Maurice Jarre were all curious how they won with what they considered lesser works. No accounting for Academy tastes was their public statement in one form or another. My current favorite is Alex North's "Unchained" (Melody without Elvis, Righteous Bros. or any vocal) from 1955's self named flick.

In so far as the Academy actually retains ownership of the statuettes it's a wonder if any of them might find this an appropriate time to return them. This rap crap is no surer indication than that the Academy is a useless insult to the craft.
_________________
"KILL ALL THE LAWYERS!"

-Wlm Shakespeare

dusty · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:47 pm Post subject:

I don't have any problem with them calling it 'Rap'. It's when they associate it with the word music that I have a major problem.

Dusty
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Left and Wrong are the opposite of Right!