Stars in Blue: Movie Actors in America's Sea Services - Hardcover

James E. Wise Jr.; Anne Collier Rehill

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1557509379 ISBN 13: 9781557509376

Publisher: Naval Institute Press, 1997

Synopsis

Henry Fonda, Humphrey Bogart, Robert Montgomery, and Ernest Borgnine are among many stars who have portrayed naval personnel on film - but do their fans know that Fonda won a Bronze Star for his actions during Pacific naval encounters, that Bogart dropped a fleeing prisoner with his .45, that Montgomery was awarded a Bronze Star for his courageous performance of duty during the Normandy invasion, or that Borgnine hunted U-boats off America's East Coast? <br><br>A virtual who's who, this entertaining and historically accurate work brings to life these and dozens of other stars' naval and coast guard service backgrounds and film careers. It is drawn from interviews with the actors, diaries, letters, and official military and film industry archives. Here you'll find out how John Howard won a Navy Cross, how Navy Hellcat ace Wayne Morris downed seven Japanese planes, how UDT frogman Aldo Ray reconned the Okinawa landing beaches, how Eddie Albert saved more than a dozen wounded marines on the bloody reefs of Tarawa, and how Hedy Lamarr patented World War II communications antijamming technology still in use today.<br><br> Rarely have movie stars' real lives been portrayed in such detail, including interesting anecdotes from their Hollywood careers and never-before-published photographs from their military careers, including Paul Newman as a Navy radioman/gunner who flew in torpedo bombers during World War II.

About this title

Review:

A powerful piece of work (Ernest Borgnine)

A damned good read and also a reminder that wars are fought someplace other than on the screen (Paul Newman)

Even the most avid film buffs might be surprised to learn that their favorite actors served in one of this country's sea services and distinguished themselves above and beyond the call of duty (Sea Classics)

Exciting new evidence that the acting profession is best practiced by those who have known firsthand the extremes of life's experiences (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr)

What did you do in the war?” is still a hot question when its answers come from celebrities. Wise and Rehill's compendium offers a sunny look at the sea services careers of U.S. movie actors . . . A volume as colorful as black and white can be and a vital addition to the movie-star trivia shelves (Booklist)

Full of little-known facts . . . A fun read (Wings of Gold)

Highly recommended. A fascinating account of the lives of more than fifty movie celebrities who served in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard (World War II Times)

A browser's delight . . . contains nuggets of gossip, information, and an occasional surprise (Naval Aviation News)

A well-researched, tightly written book on a unique subject (American Reference Books Annual)

Truly deserves the traditional naval plaudit “Well done!” Historians and film buffs alike should find the book appealing (Associated Press)

About the Author:

<strong>James E. Wise, Jr.</strong>, a former naval aviator and intelligence specialist, is the co-author of many books published by the Naval Institute Press, including <em>Shooting the War, Soldiers Lost at Sea</em>, and<em> International Stars at War</em>. <br><br><strong>Anne Collier Rehill</strong>, who also co-authored <em> in the Corps</em> with Wise, has published numerous articles and essays and taught English and French. She now works as a freelance writer and editor.

About this edition

• Publisher: Naval Institute Press
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 1557509379
• ISBN 13: 9781557509376
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 352