Unfortunately, Harold Billow, the last known survivor of the WWII POW massacre, died at 99 on May 17, 2022. He was the son of Louise (ne Leonard; 18941982), a laundress at West Point, and James E. Durning (1883 c. The two actors worked together again in a 1985 TV production of Death of a Salesman. 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". He worked with the Coen Brothers again playing "Pappy" O'Daniel, a cynical governor of Mississippi (a character loosely based on the Texas politician and showman W. Lee O'Daniel) in the Coen Brothers' O Brother, Where Art Thou? Stetsonharry (talk) 21:09, 2 February 2009 (UTC), I think everybody's raised good points. The rest of the Wikipedia article on World War II service is, as others have noted here, quite inconsistent. Soldiers of Kampfgruppe Peiper summarily killed eighty This is four days after the start of the Battle of the Bulge and three days after the Malmedy Massacre.Oldbubblehead (talk) 06:39, 7 May 2014 (UTC). and "Inherit the Wind.". With regards to the re-assignment of soldiers - while it is common knowledge that the replacement system funneled troops from unit to unit after being wounded, they were still moved to units with respect to their training. But he leaves behind an interesting question: was he at the Malmedy Massacre? Durning participated in various functions to honor American veterans, including serving as Chairman of the U.S. National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans. Which is strange. I have just modified one external link on Charles Durning. Charles Durning Durning at the 2008 National Memorial Day Concert in, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Dealing: or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor, Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor Motion Picture, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, CableACE Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast, National Board of Review Award for Best Cast, Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance, Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play, Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance, Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play, Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actor, Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor Series, Miniseries or Television Film, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, "Los Angeles Times: Archives No Bleeps for Durning's Role", "Durning Takes On The 'Peasant Pope' For Pbs", "WWII Soldier, character actor Charles Durning to be interred at Arlington", "Military urban legends versus true tales: real life stories prove more interesting", "Speech by Consul General of France Philippe Larrieu", "VA Voluntary Service National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans", "Charles Durning, Oscar-nominated king of the character actors, dies at 89 in NYC", "An Appraisal Remembering Jack Klugman and Charles Durning", "Charles Durning, Jack Klugman Deaths Bring New Appreciation For Character Actor Titans", "McCaslin, John, TownHall.com (cached) "Stars by example", Hayes, Richard L., Osprey Publishing. Description. Division. [15][16] He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. It took Durning 5 years after leaving the military to eventually make his way into acting. 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 opened fire on almost 90 prisoners. The problem here is that this regiment arrived in the ETO very late (mid-March 45), and was plugged into the then-reconstituting 106th Infantry Division to replace one of the two regiments destroyed during the Bulge. Mr. Frankly speaking I have doubts about this. Durning was drafted into the U.S. Army just in time to fight in World War II. Co. X176ADec. 18, 1944 - Dec. 31, 1945. Then came The Malmedy Massacre which took place on December 17, 1944 by a unit that was a part of the 1st SS Panzer Division . Sad news arrived on Christmas Day with word that longtime character actor Charles Durning . the relation of the facts, how things happened. While Oldbubblehead's research apparently verifies the Silver Star, the issue will not be put to bed until the GO (with its citation extract) can be located. Preceding unsigned comment added by Deemery (talk contribs) 16:08, 26 December 2012 (UTC), In 1943 you joined the army, enlisting as an Army Ranger. He talked about how cold it was that day in the snow as they were hiding behind the trees. But then again, Reynolds is hardly an authority on military history, so what he says about Charles Durning's war record is very trivial, even if the editor could find a reference. They were fighting at Bitche, France, 200+ kilometers from Malmedy at the time of the Massacre. Charles Durnings significant decorations include the . For example, tankers were returned to armored units, specialist troops (rangers, paratroops, etc.) I don't seem to recall it being used when he first came to prominance. A few additional points. Nothing more. [5]. He holds the Silver Star for valor and three Purple Hearts for wounds he suffered. My sergeant said, are you scared, son? It also shows wounded 29 Jun 44, which is incorrect in comparison with all the med records. The stockily built Charles Durning was one of Hollywood's most dependable and sought after supporting actors.Durning was born in Highland Falls, New York, to Louise Marie (Leonard), a laundress, and James Gerald Durning. television commercial for the Kerry campaign, Obama commercial that I discussed a few weeks ago. 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. #253) CHARLES DURNING: Great War Hero, Great Actor, but Malmady Survivor? On the other hand I am far from being convinced that the fact this would have been said by the French consul (if it was the case) make it the revealed truth. Whether you want to learn more about other famous veterans, polish up your resume, find veteran job fairs in your area, or connect with employers looking to hire veterans, Military.com can help. Today's #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Charles Durning, who served as an infantryman during World War II and later became a prolific actor. 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 . Let sleeping dogs lay silent! I do belive that the edit should stand, however. "Hollywood Stars at D-Day", Soldiers Online Army.mil. He was discharged in 1946 as a private first class. I have put some editing only text above the section warning editors not to edit that area. The Malmedy massacre was a German war crime committed by soldiers of the Waffen-SS on 17 December 1944, at the Baugnez crossroads near the city of Malmedy, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 - 25 January 1945). After February 2018, "External links modified" talk page sections are no longer generated or monitored by InternetArchiveBot. William J. Stepp - 12/23/2009 . His three brothers James (Roger) (1915-2000), Clifford (1916-1994),and Gerald Durning (born 1926), and his sister Frances (born 1919) survived to . 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) The policy of not returning recovered from wounds soldiers to their original units was not a hard fast rule. #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. 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. Stetsonharry (talk) 22:26, 30 January 2009 (UTC), There was some discussion a few months ago about whether or not Durning was a survivor of the Malmedy massacre. Then when you read about the increased skepticism these days in the legal system of the value of eye witness accounts of crimes, you do kinda wonder. - While many individual service records were indeed destroyed by fire, the General Orders which issued Silver Stars were stored at other locations - such as in the unit files - that have been archived at other facilities. Again, Charles Durning is nowhere to be found among these men. 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. I realize that one will oppose the statement of the French consul. But second, last year I met with Gavan Daws who wrote the definitive book on Japanese Prisoners of War. . The Game Net Worth 2021 Forbes, Gacha Whale Chart, Charles Durning Malmedy, Black Bear Diner Keto Options, 1963 Kansas City Athletics Roster, Scholastic Choices Code, Ford Radio Repair Near Me, Catholic School Boards In Ontario, Jewel Sweet Potato Nutrition, Share this entry. Charles Durning, Durning served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a great actor with a LOT of fascinating tales to tell. I'd be interested to learn how he came into show business - his turn in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" shows him to be a gifted dancer. Can someone decode this? (1970, as Charles Durnham), Sisters (1973), and The Fury (1978). Those who did not escape, including medical personnel, quickly surrendered to the SS troopers and after being searched and relieved . --Lebob-BE (talk) 20:11, 25 February 2009 (UTC), . Zskok (1994) Smrt Waringa Hudsuckera ( Charles Durning) byla inspirovna skutenou udlost ze dne 3. nora 1975, kdy obchodnk Eli M. Black rozbil kufkem okno sv kancele ve 44. pate Newyorkskho mrakodrapu Pan Am Building (nyn MetLife Building) a skoil z nho. They had three children together before divorcing in 1972. Charles Durning. 2004 was still pre-Wikipedia time, so I had little to go on when a friend told me to ask him about Malmady. But I did. On June 6, 1944, Durning was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division and was in one of the first waves of American troops that landed on Omaha Beach during the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Durning was a great actor. For his valor he . I made the following changes: When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs. Copyright 2023 Military.com. 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. While working as an usher in a burlesque theatre, he was hired to replace a drunken actor on stage. That at least would acknowledge the elephant in the room. Before the war was over, Durning received a third Purple Heart and the Silver and Bronze Stars for valor. Durning was present for the Battle of the Bulge, the German counter-offensive in December 1944. After all, few PFCs who earn the Silver Star remain as PFCs for long. Not even a Bronze Star, much less a Silver Star. [11] His badges included the Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Badge with Rifle Bar, and Honorable Service Lapel Pin.[9]. Further thoughts on this would be helpful. What is the purpose of your discussion topic? Plus, he has appeared in the role of "Santa Claus" in five different television movies. Durning continued a regular on screen association with Burt Reynolds appearing in several more feature films together and as "Dr. Harlan Elldridge" in the highly popular TV series Evening Shade (1990). - 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. There is a significant question as to who he served with upon returning to the Continent. He wasnt just a run of the mill World War II veteran. During the German attack, Durning reported that a particularly young soldier charged him, but Durning couldnt bring himself to fire. Rangers in World War II by Robert W. Black contains a complete roster of all Rangers who served during World War II. 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!) 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). Durning appeared in more than 100 movies, in role 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. Shearonink (talk) 19:53, 9 June 2019 (UTC), Not so far as I can tell, information does not appear in cited souces. He was honored with the Life Achievement Award at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Award Ceremony on January 27, 2008. 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. Durning was wounded by a German "S" Mine on June 15, 1944 at Les Mare des Mares, France. It is possible that a riflemen might be reclassified as a driver due to the extent of his injuries and be given limited duties in a FAOB, so it is not inconceivable, but the point here is that there needs to be some reliable evidence. But he leaves behind an interesting question: was he at the Malmedy Massacre? The "confusion" regarding Mr. Durning's service is far more extensive than has been touched on here. Go for it - its obviously a field of study that you enjoy and you have the chance to make your name. Let's discuss the editing here please. Durning was simply not there. The two fought with their bayonets, and Durning suffered further injury during the fight. Here's a key tactic that most job seekers overlook when attending a job or career fair: Stop at every table. Unless someone has a contradictory source, or different experience with the Frances/Francis spelling/gender distinction, I believe the section should assume she is a sister. The Sting. Charles Durning Malmedy How To Teach You. Although he survived the initial assault relatively unscathed, he was wounded by a German mine a few days later and earned a Purple Heart. Durning was honored with three Purple Hearts and a Silver Star. 2. Just because someone else makes a statement about the subject of this article, doesn't mean that it deserves mention here. At that time,in my pre-understanding of conversations I had with his spouse, Mr. Durning did not like to discuss his involvement in the landing at Omaha Beach that fateful day with The 1st. Charles Durning died on Christmas Eve, 2012, at age 89. He was one of only a few soldiers to survive the Malmedy massacre when German soldiers opened fire on nearly 90 prisoners of war. "There are many secrets in us, in the depths of our souls, that we don't want anyone to know about," he told Parade. But simply because I am interested in the Malmedy massacre for several years, which means I have spend much time on the question and read a lot of books. Has he really said this. Thinking about how veterans of that era typically talk about the Army with regard to administrative matters only confirms this feeling that such records may be largely inaccurate. Tough Guys. In Tootsie, he played a suitor to Dustin Hoffman's cross-dressing lead character. Actor. 1923-02-28. (2000). A guy goes and risks his life for his country, performs incredibly heroic feats in war, and when he finally passes away, the main thing hes known for is play-acting movie characters ranging from a sketchy governor to a horny Nazi. Durning, 84, will receive the award for fostering the "finest ideals . Charles Durning is indeed a great actor and served his country honorably during WWII, including his landing at Normandy on D-Day. Set the record straight and, once you have, we can revise it here. Age (2022) Update Soon. Five of his siblings died due to scarlet fever and smallpox, and much of his early life was spent in hardship. We owe him a debt of gratitude as we do the many other World War II veterans who served alongside him. [14], Durning died of natural causes at his home in Manhattan on Christmas Eve December 24, 2012, aged 89. [12] He was an honored guest speaker for 17 years at the National Memorial Day Concert televised by PBS every year on the Sunday evening of Memorial Day weekend. Durning, 84, will receive the award for fostering the "finest ideals . It had much to do with the nature of the wounds, and the length and location of hospitalization. Languages Editions (L) He appeared in John Frankenheimer's I Walk the Line (1970) starring Gregory Peck, and three Brian De Palma movies: Hi, Mom! He was born into an Irish family of 10 children in 1923, in Highland Falls, New York, a town near West Point. 1935). 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. 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. Stetsonharry (talk) 21:43, 22 February 2009 (UTC). Cheers.InternetArchiveBot (Report bug) 05:27, 5 September 2017 (UTC), There's no reason to display the medals or decorations he is said to have received. Is it him, or someone who really looks like him? 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. 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. Verify your free subscription by following the instructions in the email sent to: Search the largest free Veteran Job board to find jobs with veteran-friendly companies. Depot/ Repl. After recovering for six months, he was put back on the front lines to combat the German Ardennes offensive. A lot of that is released through acting. 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. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 89 years old group. 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. [AlanM1(talk)] 00:56, 29 July 2013 (UTC), More Durning documents have turned up. But he definitely does not claim to be a Malmedy survivor. Durning was born in Highland Falls, New York on February 28, 1923, the ninth of ten children. Durning was then evacuated to the U.S. to spend the remainder of his time in the Army recovering until he was discharged in January 1946 as a private first class. In that respect I would draw you attention to the fact that one should make a distinction between the survivors, i.e. Asteriks (talk) 18:46, 10 August 2008 (UTC). We don't have to resolve the discrepancies, but we should at least note them. 98.255.89.22 (talk) 09:00, 6 July 2013 (UTC), Oldbubblehead. Durning's unit guarded German POW's in Krippe, Germany until after VE Day, June 23, 1945. If you have discovered URLs which were erroneously considered dead by the bot, you can report them with, If you found an error with any archives or the URLs themselves, you can fix them with, This page was last edited on 22 April 2022, at 10:34. 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. It was an awesome day. IMDb is not considered to be a reliable source since it is mainly user-edited - just like Wikipedia. ( M. He was 89. This message is updated dynamically through the template {{source check}} (last update: 18 January 2022). In 2005, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for his portrayal of a Marine veteran in "Call of Silence," an episode in the television series NCIS, first broadcast November 23, 2004. That same year, he won a Tony Award for his performance as Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. I am proposing the following as a new section on the Charles Durning page: "Controversy Surrounding Military Service - Share on Facebook; It is hard to see where Mr. Durning would have earned a Silver Star with this unit. He received two Drama Desk Awards for his performances in That Championship Season and Third. On the other side there are based on what the Germans say (at least those who are ready to admit they actually were there: curiously if you listen at the men of Peiper, almost all were miles away from that particular place a that particular time): most of the times, this is presented as an unfortunate accident due to the fact that some US PoWs had tried to escape. and will get the relevant/readable pages uploaded ASAP. Although he displayed a passion for entertaining others, a high school teacher told him that he was talentless in art, language, and math and was better suited to working in an office. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. He was a great character actor, a tremendous military hero, and a really good guy (plus a Democrat) whom I got to spend a day with in 2004. Early life. Below the table, you can find all the information about his birthday. 398th Infantry Regiment; part of the 100th Infantry Division, 3. The biggest joy of the experience was getting to spend the day chatting with Mr. Durning. I tend to agree with David T Tokyo, but I'd feel better if the declaration appeared in a better source than the one we have, preferably an official one. The two forces converged just before noon at the crossroads hamlet of Baugnez, two and a half miles south of Malmedy. Unfortunatley, the secondary sources have most of his info wrong. Also, the alleged false statement was the Durning was the 2nd most decorated soldier of WWII, which Monkeyzpop disputes. [4] Given the scores of thousands of trained infantry replacements prepositioned in Britain in anticipation of D-Day casualties (over 88,000 replacements of all types had been 'stockpiled' in the UK by 7 Jun 44), it defies belief that the Rangers would accept a last minute replacement who was not even infantry qualified. Veteran character actor Charles Durning died yesterday in his Manhattan home. He also points out that During's records only mention Silver Star, not Silever Star Medal. My father was a Malmedy survivor and I have done extensive research into the massacre and its aftermath. The fact is mentioned, but a reliable source (e.g. few survivors of the attack on American POWs at Malmedy, Belgium. According to Wikipedia, 43 men escaped. Where the River Runs Black. 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,. Showing Editorial results for charles durning. 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. [8] After being wounded by a German anti-personnel mine in the Bocage, he spent six months recovering. From there he worked in a variety of plays. the men who were in the pasture and who managed to escape the slaughter are all identified and have been interrogated by the US Army as their testimonies where the first material on which the judges would rely during the process. I'm afraid that's where your argument runs out of steam. Charles Durning's first job in the entertainment field was as an usher at a burlesque house. discussion above, today's AP story on Mr. Durning's death says he was "captured in the Battle of the Bulge and survived a massacre of prisoners." Durning passed away on December 24th, 2012 due to natural causes and was buried in Arlington National Cemetary. He was taken prisoner during the . By June 17 he was back in England at the 217th General Hospital. The best result we found for your search is Charles Albin Durning age 70s in Mendenhall, MS. All rights reserved. He scored minor roles over the next decade until he really got noticed by film fans as the sneering, corrupt cop "Lt. Snyder" hassling street grifter 'Robert Redford' in the multi award winning mega-hit The Sting (1973). Both his war record and his acting career were mentioned. 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. Drafted at age 21, he was first assigned as a rifleman with the 398th Infantry Regiment, and later served overseas with the 3rd Army Support troops and the 386th Anti-aircraft Artillery (AAA) Battalion. 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. The question of why a trained rifleman (if that is what he was on D-Day) would suddenly end up in a field artillery observation battalion (if that is what happened) on 17 December is still pertinent. Military spouses are making a go of their dream jobs across a wide range of fields. Mr. Durning, my gratitude and utmost respect go out to you. On that basis everything ever quoted is potentially false - a ridiculous proposition. 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. [AlanM1(talk)] 23:36, 28 December 2012 (UTC) (Edited 23:39, 28 December 2012 (UTC)), Oldbubblehead (talk) 23:42, 16 April 2013 (UTC), I have received a copy of Durning's military records from the National Archives. On July 31, 2008, he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame adjacent to one of his idols, James Cagney. Tue 25 Dec 2012 10.24 EST. 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. Durning's performances in Broadway productions include Drat! It's right at the beginning of the movie. On par with his multitude of feature film roles, Durning has always been in high demand on television and has guest starred in Everybody Loves Raymond (1996), Monk (2002) and Rescue Me (2004). Charles Durning will be honored for lifetime achievement by the Screen Actors Guild. Finally, this story about Durning present at the crossroad is running on several websites since many years. 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.
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