Lee Marvin - The Dirty Dozen

stratovani · #1 08-21-2011, 07:40 PM

Our local PBS station is showing The Dirty Dozen this weekend, and as I'm watching it it occurs to me that there are few actors more badass than Lee Marvin! From Wikipedia:

Marvin left school to join the United States Marine Corps, serving as a Scout Sniper in the 4th Marine Division. He was wounded in action during the WWII Battle of Saipan, during which most of his platoon were killed. Marvin's wound (in the buttocks) was from machine gun fire, which severed his sciatic nerve. He was awarded the Purple Heart and was given a medical discharge with the rank of Private First Class.

They didn't make them any more badass than Lee Marvin!

DigMe · #2 08-21-2011, 07:47 PM

Yeah, he was awesome. I'm a fan.

bc

Scogman · #3 08-21-2011, 07:50 PM

There are a number of actors from the WWII generation that many would could consider real badass men when you look at their record, Lee Marvin being one of them. Don't have a list off the top of my head but I'm remembering there are a number of them. Curiosity is sending me to google this.

Dr. Cheese · #4 08-21-2011, 08:11 PM

The scene where the private is hanged after going on interminably during his last words in the Dirty Dozen is the most brutal execution scene I can think of. Lee Marvin was a master at projecting toughness!

**colcifer** · #5 08-21-2011, 10:13 PM

One of my all time favorite movies... I love The Great Escape too.

Jhengsman · #6 08-21-2011, 10:32 PM

How about Jimmy Stewart who was 140lbs thus ineligible when he tried to enlist a year before Pearl Harbor. Strings got pulled and he flew 25 missions in a B17 and was a Colonel by the end of the war. Retiring as a General from the USAFR in the 60s.

The anti tough guy who could be tough if needed.

carl h. · #7 08-21-2011, 10:44 PM

Google James Arness.
Wikipedia only touches the surface of his military actions.

Schlyder · #8 08-21-2011, 10:49 PM

Google.. Audie Murphy

clue... Who is the MOST DECORATED soldier in the history of the US ARMY???

bassteban · #9 08-21-2011, 10:53 PM

Sergeant effin YORK, B's

Schlyder · #10 08-21-2011, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassteban

Sergeant effin YORK, B's

We are talking actors who were war veterans/heroes here.
Sgt.York wasn't an actor.

He was a hero .. but if you can name the actor who portayed him , you get 1/2 marks.

bassteban · #11 08-21-2011, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schlyder

We are talking actors who were war veterans/heroes here.
Sgt.York wasn't an actor.

He was a hero .. but if you can name the actor who portayed him , you get 1/2 marks.

Gary Cooper, noob.

Edit: & I'm not seeing the word *actor* in the OP

Quickie · #12 08-21-2011, 11:09 PM

Steve McQueen.

Steve McQueen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

stratovani · #13 08-22-2011, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jhengsman

How about Jimmy Stewart who was 140lbs thus ineligible when he tried to enlist a year before Pearl Harbor. Strings got pulled and he flew 25 missions in a B17 and was a Colonel by the end of the war. Retiring as a General from the USAFR in the 60s.

The anti tough guy who could be tough if needed.

Jimmy Stewart was one of Hollywood's biggest stars when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. Unlike most of his actor contemporaries Stewart actually saw combat, piloting a B-17 over Germany on daylight bombing runs, which was extremely dangerous since the Allies didn't achieve air superiority over Germany until later in the war. Yeah, he was badass all right!

Points for anyone to say what it took for the Allies to achieve air superiority over Germany.

Webtroll · #14 08-22-2011, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stratovani

Points for anyone to say what it took for the Allies to achieve air superiority over Germany.

attrition?

Tegzsa · #15 08-22-2011, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stratovani

Points for anyone to say what it took for the Allies to achieve air superiority over Germany.

Luftwaffe losses during the Battle of Britain
The opening of the Eastern Front
Bomber Harris
Putting the Spitfire Merlin engine in the P51 Mustang

stratovani · #16 08-22-2011, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Webtroll

attrition?

It was the idea of attaching external fuel tanks to the P-51 Mustang fighter, extending its range into Germany so they could take on the German fighters while the bombers did their thing. Thing went downhill real fast for the German air defenses after that.

Schlyder · #17 08-22-2011, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassteban

Gary Cooper, noob.

Edit: & I'm not seeing the word *actor* in the OP

From the first line in the OP -
"...and as I'm watching it it occurs to me that there are few actors more badass than Lee Marvin!..."

You might want to get your eyes checked

bassteban · #18 08-22-2011, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schlyder

From the first line in the OP -
"...and as I'm watching it it occurs to me that there are few actors more badass than Lee Marvin!..."

You might want to get your eyes checked

I stand(sitting, actually)corrected.

And my eyes are pretty bad.

<--- Ray Charles sig sunglasses

Edit: I will say that I don't believe it was any single development during the war that spelled the end of German air superiority but as stated above, a combination of several factors.
A great read: *How Hitler could have won the war*
NOT wishful thinking but an examination of crucial mistakes made throughout the war, as well as before.

carl h. · #19 08-22-2011, 09:24 AM

Some interesting reading.

Heroes West - Actors Who Served Our Country Well

Actors who went to war list

More Hero Actors who served their country

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Clary

Hollywood Heroes in World War Two: Actors and World War Two Service | Suite101.com

IotaNet · #20 08-22-2011, 11:06 AM

The Dirty Dozen is one of my favorite movies of all time -- I've had the DVD for a few years.

Lee Marvin's picture (especially in this movie) ought to be in the dictionary next to the word "Bada$$."

This is one of my favorite scenes in the movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3AEetq9o8s At 2:49 ("Zero Hour") it turns into a totally different movie and you realize just how serious this deal is about to get.