When the United States entered WWII, life changed for Hollywood actors, on and off the screen. Studios shifted to making movies to bolster patriotism and morale, while actors often supported the war effort differently. Some led recruitment and bond drives, and others entertained troops. A few left Hollywood altogether and joined the United States Armed Forces. Here are a few Hollywood actors who played a part in WWII.
Jimmy Stewart was an Academy Award-winning actor when he traded tuxedos for military fatigues at the height of his career. In March 1941, Stewart enlisted in the US Army and went from a $12,000/month job as a Hollywood A-lister to a $21/month job as a private in the US Army. Military officials were hesitant to send someone so famous overseas, but Stewart refused preferential treatment. He served in the 8th Air Force and flew more than 20 combat missions over Europe. Stewart received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, and the French Croix de Guerre. By the time the war ended, he had achieved the rank of brigadier general, making him the highest-ranked Hollywood actor.
Paul Newman was a radioman/gunner in torpedo bombers in the United States Navy during WWII. He enlisted in 1943 at age 18, hoping to become a pilot, but he was rejected because he was color blind. Newman spent three years in the Pacific Theater. Following the war, Newman studied drama and made his Broadway debut in 1953, where he met his future wife, Joanne Woodward. They married in 1958. His breakout role occurred in 1956 in Somebody Up There Likes Me.
Charlton Heston received a scholarship to Northwestern University, where he studied drama. In 1944, before his film career took off, Heston enlisted in the US Army. He was a radio gunner in the 77th Bomb Squad of the 11th Air Force and was stationed in the Aleutian Islands. While there, he flew combat missions to the Kuril Islands north of Japan. Heston achieved the rank of staff sergeant. Following the war, Heston’s Hollywood debut occurred in 1950 when he starred in Dark City. He is also known for his iconic performance of Moses in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments.
Clark Gable was already an established movie star in 1942 when he joined the US Army. Gable was married to actress Carole Lombard, but in January 1942, Lombard was killed in a plane crash while returning from a war bond tour. Mourning her loss, Gable joined the Army that August. He flew combat missions as a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps, serving in the 359th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group. Among his fans was Adolf Hitler, who offered a reward to German troops if they could capture Gable alive. They were never successful, and Gable was discharged in 1944.
Henry Fonda made a name for himself in Hollywood in 1940 when he was nominated for an Oscar for his role in The Grapes of Wrath. He was a good friend and former roommate of Jimmy Stewart, and the two had raised money for the defense of Britain. When war broke out, Fonda said, “I don’t want to be in a fake war in a studio.” He enlisted in the US Navy and served three years as a quartermaster on the USS Satterlee, later qualifying as an air combat intelligence officer. He was discharged in 1945 and returned to Hollywood to pick up his career in film.
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