68.124.153.86 (talk) 00:34, 30 April 2008 (UTC) Gerard, Other than his wartime experiences, the article makes no mention of Charles Durning's career pre 1973. Charles Durning, a Tony Award-winning actor whose prolific work in films and television included supporting roles in the classic comedy "Tootsie" and the TV sitcom "Evening Shade," died Monday.. So when was he a member of Third Army, during or after the war?EnigmaMcmxc (talk) 13:23, 26 December 2012 (UTC), It seems to me we should be able to track down (and then link to) Durning's Silver Star citation, which would provide date, circumstances and probably unit of assignment at the time. Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.18.160.21 (talk) 03:07, 7 July 2009 (UTC), Every time I watch Star Wars episode IV (1977), I am certain I see Charles Durning as a foot soldier, Trying to defend the ship as Princess Leia records her message to Obi Wan in R2D2. Before jumping into your new job all gung-ho, you would do yourself a great disservice if you didn't do your research. Prior to his acting career, Durning served in World War II and was decorated for valor in combat. The two fought with their bayonets, and Durning suffered further injury during the fight. View more newsletters on our Subscriptions page. Please take a moment to review my edit. He interviewed over 200 surviving P.O.W.s. Rlevse Talk 03:28, 9 November 2009 (UTC), i'm confused because it seems that three purple hearts are claimed, but only two instances of being wounded are cited. But I didn't know until last week that Durning was not only a veteran of World War II, but a genuine hero, awarded a Silver Star, three Purple Heart medals, and a Good Conduct Medal. I added this piece of information: War Hero on Walk of Fame by Solvej Schou (Associated Press). --Chuck Baggett (talk) 02:48, 29 November 2017 (UTC), Cheers.InternetArchiveBot (Report bug) 12:27, 14 December 2017 (UTC), Recent edits have removed a reference while asserting a claim "from IMDb" about Mr Durning's ancestry. The Cat!" See: First, no one doubts he was at D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, but he also told me he was there at Malmady. Durning married his first wife, Carole Doughty, in 1959. Kaspazes talk 13:00, 29 December 2006 (UTC), User:Monkeyzpop has made an edit to this article about some statement that Burt Reynolds supposedly made on a TV show, that he is disputing. Page Views (PV) 55.51. Charles Durning served his country with honor and with great personal sacrifice. - Mr. During supposedly told a close friend that the reason he was transferred to the Rangers was because he hit an officer, and was therefore given the choice of either Leavenworth or the Rangers. Durning was simply not there. He debuted in film in 1965's "Harvey Middleman, Fireman." He was taken prisoner during the Battle of the Bulge, and was one of the few survivors of the infamous Malmedy massacre of American POWs, perpetrated by a battlegroup under Joachim Peiper of the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. In 1980, he won critical acclaim for his performance as Norman Thayer, Jr. in Los Angeles's Ahmanson Theater's production of On Golden Pond opposite Julie Harris. William J. Stepp - 12/23/2009 . #VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Charles Durning - VA News Today's #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Charles Durning, who served as an infantryman during World War II and later became a prolific actor. Durning was wounded by a German "S" Mine on June 15, 1944 at Les Mare des Mares, France. Other film roles include Henry Larson, the benevolent father of Holly Hunter's character in Home for the Holidays (1995) and Waring Hudsucker in The Hudsucker Proxy (1994). I really found that shocking to hear. Furthermore one should keep in mind that all survivors to the massacre, i.e. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Charles Durning, a World War Two hero who became one of Hollywood's top character actors in films like "The Sting," "Tootsie" and "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," has. (2000). You can hear a story from one of the survivors, Ted Paluch, below. The net result was a commercial that was okay. In conclusion I still have strong doubts about this story and I think that one should check for more reliable sources before writing that Mr. Durning is a Malmedy massacre survivor. 7. Editors have permission to delete these "External links modified" talk page sections if they want to de-clutter talk pages, but see the RfC before doing mass systematic removals. I have put some editing only text above the section warning editors not to edit that area. I am proposing the following as a new section on the Charles Durning page: "Controversy Surrounding Military Service - Durning participated in various functions to honor American veterans, including serving as Chairman of the U.S. National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans. Durning's memorable roles included the Oscar-winning The Sting (1973) and Dog Day Afternoon (1975), along with the comedies Tootsie, To Be or Not to Be and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Is it him, or someone who really looks like him? Unfortunately, the vast majority of Mr. Durning's 'war record' merely consists of his own assertions (which varied greatly over the years) or retellings of his assertions, as understood or embellished by others. Set the record straight and, once you have, we can revise it here. If such a trivial thing deserves mention (which IMO it doesn't), then you would need to provide a reference that someone else is the 2nd most decorated soldier of WWII. Over the course of his life, aside from the medals he earned as a soldier, Durning won numerous accolades as an actor including a Life Achievement Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, 9 Emmy Award nominations, and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Durning was born in Highland Falls, New York on February 28, 1923, the ninth of ten children. Charles Durning, the beloved . 159th Regiment. That at least would acknowledge the elephant in the room. Again, Charles Durning is nowhere to be found among these men. 67.181.14.236 (talk) 09:39, 9 May 2009 (UTC), I've removed this from the article after his admission of nightmares: "which is common among veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress", Unless the person that added this is a medical doctor with Mr. Durning under his care (and has consent to post it to the internet!) They were fighting at Bitche, France, 200+ kilometers from Malmedy at the time of the Massacre. Nothing more. They are unable to identify his unit or any records of his being there, other than the French consul saying so in their 2008 presentation of the French Legion of Honor to him. I would hope that the editors of this page would at least mention that there is controversy surrounding the many versions of his wartime service and that official records are at odds with many points. He also played the voice of recurring character Francis Griffin, the religious zealot father of Peter in the animated series Family Guy. As pointed out, there is no official record of Mr Durning listed on any roll of a Ranger unit and in my knowledge elements of the Provisional Ranger Force were landed besides the 29th Infantry Division rather than the First Infantry Division. (1965), Pousse-Caf (1966), The Happy Time (1968), Indians (1969), That Championship Season (1972), In the Boom Boom Room (1973), The Au Pair Man (1973), Knock Knock (1976), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1990), Inherit the Wind (1996), The Gin Game (1997), and The Best Man (2000). Co. X176ADec. 18, 1944 - Dec. 31, 1945. Durning killed the German infantryman which became a particularly painful memory. This seems even to have publicly said by the French consul in LA during an official ceremony that took place a few years ago. Charles Durning, who overcame poverty, battlefield trauma and nagging self-doubt to become an acclaimed character actor, whether on stage as Big Daddy in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" or in film as. Share on Facebook; What is the purpose of your discussion topic? But it was thought be of value in the areas where they knew the mercury issue was relevant. Durning's unit guarded German POW's in Krippe, Germany until after VE Day, June 23, 1945. Sheesh. The "confusion" regarding Mr. Durning's service is far more extensive than has been touched on here. No special action is required regarding these talk page notices, other than regular verification using the archive tool instructions below. This record will need to be linked on this talk page so that other editors can verify this before we can allow this kind of character assassination. Mr. Durning, my gratitude and utmost respect go out to you. Every service member leaves the military eventually. And yet I am still very far from being convinced. ", The Charles Durning Collection is held at the Academy Film Archive. By the time the 106th was ready to resume combat operations (25 April 45) the war was winding down (VE Day was just two weeks later) and the division was relegated to running POW camps rather than fighting as an infantry division. Before the war was over, Durning received a third Purple Heart and the Silver and Bronze Stars for valor. The current article, which avoids all discussion of these questions of fact, appears dedicated to burnishing and protecting his image, which seems a POV violation. It took Durning 5 years after leaving the military to eventually make his way into acting. Veteran character actor Charles Durning died yesterday in his Manhattan home. During the German attack, Durning reported that a particularly young soldier charged him, but Durning couldnt bring himself to fire. There is a significant question as to who he served with upon returning to the Continent. He doggedly pursues the young grifter, Johnny Hooker (Redford), only to become the griftee in the end. We were frightened all the time. he and the rest of his company were captured and forced to march through a pine forest at Malmedy, the . Finally, this story about Durning present at the crossroad is running on several websites since many years. Durning does not appear in either the muster reports or morning reports of any of the units involved. LOS ANGELES - From World War II hero to dancer and award-winning actor, Charles Durning has lived a storied life. Mr. Steve Karras, among other researchers, has accessed primary sources such as Durnings discharge papers, his medical records, unit personnel rosters and morning reports, Army General Orders, and other records, as well as secondary sources such as unit official histories, to assemble an accurate record of Durnings military experiences. He was 89. By June 17 he was back in England at the 217th General Hospital. Rlevse Talk 03:12, 9 November 2009 (UTC), I realize it's no shame to have post traumatic stress disorder, but I think that any such assertions in an article must be sourced, as per BLP. I could find no trace of this on the website of the French consulate. Mr. Durning told me he was in that group, but he and six other guys hid behind trees then escaped. http://news.yahoo.com/durning-king-character-actors-dies-nyc-075353360.html, While the article notes there appears to be some confusion at Durning's war record (which unit he was with at any particular moment etc), I think the Third Army [art needs to be clarified. Durning served as a soldier in World War II, during which he was awarded a Silver Star, three Purple Heart medals, and a Good Conduct Medal. a former professional boxer and a decorated world war veteran who took part in the d-day invasion at omaha beach, the battle of the bulge and was one of few survivors of the malmedy massacre,. In 1972, director George Roy Hill, impressed by Durning's performance in the Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning play That Championship Season, offered him a role in The Sting (1973). The French document being discussed is not. When a Stranger Calls. His is a remarkable story of survival. He was discharged with the rank of private first class on January 30, 1946. We would do three plays in Central Park for the summer. Following your training period in 1943, you were sent to England in February of the following year. He landed at D-Day, was in the Battle of the Bulge, and was part of the Malmady Massacre. There are links to articles on the medals with pictures of them there. On TV, Durning had a recurring role on Everybody Loves Raymond as the Barone family's long-suffering parish priest, Father Hubley. The New York Times, which commented on Durning's more than 200 credited roles, referred to him and actor Jack Klugman, who died the same day, as "extraordinary actors ennobling the ordinary". This may have been a mistake or perhaps not, but it would explain why an actor, in an age sensitive business, would not want to publicize a World War II war record. Oldbubblehead (talk) 06:18, 18 June 2013 (UTC). . Since you've left the military, you have already had some civilian experience, but maybe it's time for a change in your education or career path. Chris Wiegand. Records describe a badly wounded G.I with a severe concussion, multiple lacerations to the face, and fragmentation shrapnel wounds to the right frontal region of his head, left chest-wall, both legs, left foot, knee, fingers, and hands. Durning was born in Highland Falls, New York, the . On that basis everything ever quoted is potentially false - a ridiculous proposition. 2. The Cat! Other film credits include Dog Day Afternoon with Al Pacino; When A Stranger Calls; The Final Countdown; The Hindenburg; Twilight's Last Gleaming with Burt Lancaster; True Confessions with Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall. Sadly, Durning made a number of statements during his lifetime and was present when statements were made about his military service which cannot be reconciled with the undisputed facts in his military records. The piece on Durning does not refer to any military units, does not claim that he landed in Normandy on D-Day and credits him only with a Silver Star and three Purple Hearts. I can't understand why you're so emphatic here, but so unwilling to prove your case in public. I have known of Charles Durning as an accomplished actor for many years. It's entirely possible that Durning (or someone on his behalf) asked for (and obtained) corrections to the original records in the time since his discharge, explaining the additional awards in the 2002 summary and the letter from 2008. Division. 1923-02-28. I got to direct a TV commercial for the Kerry Campaign in 2004 starring the late Charles Durning. Charles Durning Born: 28-Feb - 1923 Birthplace: Highland Falls, NY Died: 24-Dec - 2012 Location of death: New York City Cause of death: unspecified Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: White Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Actor Nationality: United States Executive summary: The Muppet Movie Military service: US Army (Ranger, WWII) It's right at the beginning of the movie. - According to another source, Durning and 12 others were levied out of C/386 AAA/AW on 23 May 44, just two weeks before D-Day and assigned to the 17th Replacement Depot; he arrived in Normandy still assigned to a detachment of that Depot (as Old bubblehead noted). [11] His badges included the Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Badge with Rifle Bar, and Honorable Service Lapel Pin.[9]. I hope to get some kind of interview with him that can be published in order to cite these things, but with his current condition, I'm not sure it can be accomplished. Was Charles Durning at the Malmedy massacre? In 1979, he played Doc Hopper, a man who owns a frog leg restaurant and the main antagonist in The Muppet Movie. It is apparently based on a June 1993 interview the source of which is not listed. Earlier in the discussion somebody (rightfully) pointed out General Reynold's sentence "Few of these accounts are based on fact, and most are embellished and inaccurate". Anyone have any further information??? It also states that Durning was drafted in 1943 at the age of nineteens shortly before his twentieth birthday. He holds the Silver Star for valor and three Purple Hearts for wounds he suffered. Durning passed away on December 24th, 2012 due to natural causes and was buried in Arlington National Cemetary. the relation of the facts, how things happened. 1935). Born in Highland Falls, NY, Durning was reared solely by his mother Louise after his father, John, died when he was very young, leaving Louise to support her and her son by working as a laundress at the nearby West Point military academy. He was taken prisoner during the Battle of the Bulge and was one of a few survivors of the attack on American POWs at Malmedy, Belgium. That place that no one knows about horrifying things we keep secret. While pursuing an acting career, Durning, a professional ballroom dancer, taught at Fred Astaire Dance Studio in New York City. France honors Charles Durning . Durning was equally entertaining in the Billy Wilder production of The Front Page (1974), he supported screen tough guy Charles Bronson in the suspenseful western Breakheart Pass (1975) and featured as "Spermwhale Whalen" in the story of unorthodox police behavior in The Choirboys (1977).The versatile Durning is equally adept at comedic roles and demonstrated his skills as "Doc Hopper" in The Muppet Movie (1979), a feisty football coach in North Dallas Forty (1979), a highly strung police officer berating maverick cop Burt Reynolds in Sharky's Machine (1981), and a light footed, dancing Governor (alongside Burt Reynolds once more) in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982). Same for passage saying he was hospitalized for physical and "mental" wounds. (2000). He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for both The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) and To Be or Not to Be (1983). Fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, he and the rest of his company were captured. He appeared in John Frankenheimer's I Walk the Line (1970) starring Gregory Peck, and three Brian De Palma movies: Hi, Mom! Tough Guys. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Durning was drafted into the U.S. Army just in time to fight in World War II. Subsequently, he performed in roughly 50 stock company productions and in various off-Broadway plays, eventually attracting the attention of Joseph Papp, founder of The Public Theater and the New York Shakespeare Festival. And then you go and do a documentary feature film about the Bataan Death March (as I did last year and will begin screening on Feb. 14 at Brown University) and you end up gaining your own appreciation for the fact that history is just some agreed upon set of stories. Which is strange. Sad news arrived on Christmas Day with word that longtime character actor Charles Durning . Durning was paid a special tribute at the May 26, 2013, National Memorial Day Concert when "Taps" was sounded in his honor. In 1976, he received both an Emmy and a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in the television mini-series Captains and the Kings. The two forces converged just before noon at the crossroads hamlet of Baugnez, two and a half miles south of Malmedy. There are no original sources, official documents or corroborating accounts by those he served with that validate his stories. I wonder whether it might be able to get some rock solid sources on this. Copyright 2023 Military.com. Division, and a former Chief of Staff for the 1st. The two actors worked together again in a 1985 TV production of Death of a Salesman. few survivors of the attack on American POWs at Malmedy, Belgium. As a teen, Durning displayed the tenacious nature that would later earmark many of his . And there's the weakness in Wiki; the burden of proof should be on those making assertions of fact; instead, Wiki gives credence to unsubstantiated, possibly self-serving claims made by individuals, that are only bolstered by second and third hand retellings of that same man's stories. Blacks later book, The Battalion: The Dramatic Story of the 2nd Ranger Battalion goes into more detail about the 2nd Ranger Battalion. Charles Durning, a Tony Award-winning actor whose prolific work in films and television included supporting roles in the classic comedy "Tootsie" and the TV sitcom "Evening Shade," died Monday.. After February 2018, "External links modified" talk page sections are no longer generated or monitored by InternetArchiveBot. His birthplace is Highland Falls, New York. Best Answer. You were getting a salary for performance plus a rehearsal salary. And I said, yes, I am. While working as an usher in a burlesque theatre, he was hired to replace a drunken actor on stage. Born in Highland Falls, New York, Charles Durning was the ninth of ten children. On July 31, 2008, he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame adjacent to one of his idols, James Cagney. Showing Editorial results for charles durning. Breakheart Pass. I do belive that the edit should stand, however. He also received Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nominations for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas in 1982 and To Be or Not to Be in 1983. Stetsonharry (talk) 21:43, 22 February 2009 (UTC). The ceremony took place in Los Angeles and the presenter was Philippe Larrieu, Consul General of France. Durning was honored with three Purple Hearts and a Silver Star. Charles Durning, an American actor , plays Mayor John Fitzgerald, father of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, in the TV mini-series 'The Fitzgeralds And . Durning, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was awarded the Silver Star and three Purple Hearts, began his acting career in his late forties when he was cast in guest appearances in early 1960's television shows where he played minor roles over the next decade until he gained notice on film as a sneering, corrupt cop in the multi award winning mega-hit 'The Sting' (1973). He was drafted at age 20. Kampfgruppe Peiper immediately began firing upon Battery B, sending the Americans into a panic. ( M. Both his war record and his acting career were mentioned. Warren Kozak writes in the Wall Street Journal, "The Real Rules of War," Dec. 23, that his father, who survived the Battle of the Bulge, told him that for two weeks . On D-Day, you took part in the invasion at Omaha Beach, landing early in the day with a battalion of Rangers, alongside the First Infantry Division. He agreed to give us a day, I pulled together an amazing crew of industry veterans (including the very best cameraman I ever got the joy of working with they were all Democrats willing to donate their time for the campaign), we found a location north of L.A., and within a couple days were out there filming. In Tootsie, he played a suitor to Dustin Hoffman's cross-dressing lead character. Depot/ Repl. He was part of the landing forces at Normandy during the initial invasion of France by Allied forces. Charles Durning died on Christmas Eve, 2012, at age 89. --rogerd (talk) 02:58, 15 March 2008 (UTC), I had the priviledge and honor to meet Charles Durning some years ago, when I was on The Los Angeles St. Patrick's Day Committee, and we made him "Grand Marshall" for the parade in Hollywood. He was not a witness at the war crimes trial and he is not mentioned in any of the first person accounts of any of the survivors. His three brothers James (known as Roger, 19152000), Clifford (19161994), and Gerald (19262000) and his sister Frances (19182006) survived to adulthood, but five sisters died from scarlet fever and smallpox as children. Fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, he and the rest of his company were captured and forced to march through a pine forest at Malmedy, the scene of an infamous massacre in which the Germans . He told me he was fond of my father because he was, in his opinion, one of only a handful that he felt was actually telling the truth most of the rest had either intentionally or unintentionally blown their stories up over the years into hugely embellished tales that contradicted each other and played loose with the facts. Unfortunately, Durning is very frail and his conversation is a bit wandering and imprecise. --Lebob-BE (talk) 20:11, 25 February 2009 (UTC),
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