Charles Durning, Prolific Character Actor, Dies at 89 Columbia Pictures, via Getty Images . He was the son of Louise (ne Leonard; 18941982), a laundress at West Point, and James E. Durning (1883 c. "I was the second man off my barge, and the first and third man got killed.". That at least would acknowledge the elephant in the room. Durning's memorable roles included the Oscar-winning The Sting (1973) and crime drama Dog Day Afternoon (1975), along with the . [AlanM1(talk)] 00:56, 29 July 2013 (UTC), More Durning documents have turned up. 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. Dog Day Afternoon (1975) -- (Movie Clip) They're Bringing In Your Wife Something of a spoiler, as writer Frank Pierson delivers one of the noted plot curve-balls of the decade in his fact-based screenplay, as cop Moretti (Charles Durning) tells hostage-holding bank robber Sonny (Al Pacino) that his wife has arrived, not expecting Chris Sarandon as Leon, in Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon, 1975. Division. The biggest joy of the experience was getting to spend the day chatting with Mr. Durning. His family said he loved Christmas, and if he could have chosen a day as his last, this would be it. He appeared in John Frankenheimer's I Walk the Line (1970) starring Gregory Peck, and three Brian De Palma movies: Hi, Mom! In 1993, he guest-starred in the Sean Penn-directed music video "Dance with the One That Brought You" by Shania Twain. 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. The French government apparently issued a statement mentioning Malmedy, but the closest I can come is this[1]. My father was a Malmedy survivor and I have done extensive research into the massacre and its aftermath. - Should note that at the time Mr. Durning would have served with the 386th AAA (AW) Bn (he joined the unit while still stateside and he was levied out on 23 May 44 . I have known of Charles Durning as an accomplished actor for many years. And yes, some say that his career officially started as a singer with a band at the age of 16 before going into acting. Early life. 8. There tends to be a correlation between the quality of character actors and how big of a character they are themselves. The American D-Day beach landings were under the command of US 1st Army, and the 1st Infantry was part of the First Army until - afaik - until the end of the war in Europe. I'm reluctant to cast any doubt on Mr. Durning's service, but the details are so vague and contradictory that they bear some examination. Born in Highland Falls, N.Y., adjacent to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where his mother was a laundress for the cadets and his father a Soldier, Durning was the fourth of 10 children.. The two fought with their bayonets, and Durning suffered further injury during the fight. 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. He was part of the landing forces at Normandy during the initial invasion of France by Allied forces. 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. Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 - December 24, 2012) was an American actor. Along with films he appeared in, his collection consists mainly of films he admired as well as a small collection of family home movies. 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. When a Stranger Calls. Does anyone think that we should request the page to be locked? Tough Guys. I was watching Everwood this evening, and I saw Mr. Durning on it. 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. Tootsie. Wedinm (talk) 21:22, 29 March 2011 (UTC), Regarding the lengthy Malmedy survivor? More memorably, I had a great day hanging out talking World War II with him. Captured during the Battle of the Bulge, Durning, was one of the few survivors of the Malmedy massacre when German troops opened fire on dozens of American prisoners. Date of Birth. His three brothers James (Roger) (1915-2000), Clifford (1916-1994),and Gerald Durning (born 1926), and his sister Frances (born 1919) survived to . 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). View more newsletters on our Subscriptions page. And even though the obituaries now are saying he didnt like to talk about his war experiences, he shared everything with me. [15][16] He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Crazy humans. 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 . Durning, 84, will receive the award for fostering the "finest ideals . 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). infamous attack on American POWs at Malmedy, Belgium, and was the sole survivor of 40 men who took out a German machine gun nest. 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.. Sep 25, 2021 - Explore Dick Clark's board "Charles Durning", followed by 266 people on Pinterest. 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. They have also lived in La Mesa, CA and Flagstaff, AZ. France honors Charles Durning . [Ref: http://www.web2carz.com/people/who-you-know/2097/charles-durnings-war-heroism-exaggeration-fabrication]. He was 89. 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. The worksheet shows (additionally) Foreign Service Pay of $128.43 for the period 1 Dec 45 to 24 or 26 Jan 46 $7072/month depending on how it was pro-rated. Durning does not claim to have been a Malmedy survivor. SAG Award nominations will be announced Dec. 20. In 1999, Durning was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame on Broadway. This message is updated dynamically through the template {{source check}} (last update: 18 January 2022). The Hollywood Historic. And the Rangers were not a dumping ground for disciplinary problems. His wife is Mary Ann Amelio (1974 - 24 December 2012) ( his death), Carole Doughty (27 June 1959 - 1972) ( divorced) ( 3 children) In Belgium he was stabbed in hand-to-hand combat with a German soldier, whom he bludgeoned to death with a rock. On July 31, 2008, he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame adjacent to one of his idols, James Cagney. [1](No mention made of service with an antiaircraft unit), In populating the Infobox, I made the assumption that Frances is Charles' sister because of the spelling of the name (instead of Francis), based on my experience (admittedly OR) and "Frances is a human name, the feminine version of Francis." What is the purpose of your discussion topic? But he leaves behind an interesting question: was he at the Malmedy Massacre? I wonder whether it might be able to get some rock solid sources on this. However, I just recently found out about his heroism during WWII which included being in the first wave on Omaha Beach at Normandy, being one of the few survivors of the Malmedy Massacre and being awarded the Silver Star and three Purple Hearts. Prior to his acting career, Durning served in World War II and was decorated for valor in combat. Durning married his first wife, Carole Doughty, in 1959. Charles Durning is indeed a great actor and served his country honorably during WWII, including his landing at Normandy on D-Day. It does say that he was a survivor of the Malmedy Massacre. He talked about how cold it was that day in the snow as they were hiding behind the trees. Unless there is a source that indicates Mr. Durning has a disorder, suggesting he has one simply because he admits to nightmares is false and misleading. Charles Durning is the 1,433rd most popular actor (down from 1,265th in 2019), the 2,493rd most popular biography from United States (down from 2,309th in 2019) and the 695th most popular American Actor. Unfortunately, Durning is very frail and his conversation is a bit wandering and imprecise. I've uploaded the following scans of relevant docs: (still researching correct license and category tagging). Wikipedia says no primary sources and the military record is a primary source. According to Wikipedia, 43 men escaped. Charles Durning died on Christmas Eve, 2012, at age 89. . For his injuries, Durning received his second Purple Heart. 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). To Be or Not to Be. After all, few PFCs who earn the Silver Star remain as PFCs for long. 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. Stetsonharry (talk) 21:43, 22 February 2009 (UTC). chris Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.179.70.124 (talk) 11:29, 25 December 2012 (UTC), Charles Durning was presented with the French Legion of Honor on April 22, 2008 (last week). See: 3 Ways to Recover from a Blown Salary Negotiation, 3 Ways to Gather Intel for Your New Civilian Job, 3 Tips that Can Increase Your Chances for Job Fair Success, WWII Vet and Actor Charles Durning Dies in NYC, Actor Charles Durning to be Interred at Arlington, Sign up for a free Military.com membership, 14 High-Paying Jobs for Low-Skill Communicators, 10 Things We Know for Sure About Modern Veterans, 7 Ways Your Dream Job Is Holding You Back. One possible explanation for his not being mentioned on this, or vocal generally on World War II, is that I found him listed in Halliwell's Filmgoers Companion as born in 1933. Both his war record and his acting career were mentioned. --rogerd 12:35, 27 December 2006 (UTC), I will put an {{NPOV}} template at the top of the page. It took Durning 5 years after leaving the military to eventually make his way into acting. During the German attack, Durning reported that a particularly young soldier charged him, but Durning couldnt bring himself to fire. Charles Durning (AP)Charles Durning, a World War II hero who became the king of the character actors, died Monday at his Manhattan home. 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. I have known of Charles Durning as an accomplished actor for many years. That can cause a number of types of confusion. Unfortunatley, the secondary sources have most of his info wrong. 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. 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. The inability of anyone, to include his family, to produce these General Orders, or even cite the GO#, must arouse curiosity, to put it mildly. Charles Durning, Durning served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He is dead but his legacy lives on. I could find no trace of this on the website of the French consulate. - 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. 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. Showing Editorial results for charles durning. We were frightened all the time. I furthermore noticed that these websites often copy that material from one to the other (which means nobody actually checks the accuracy of that information). On that basis everything ever quoted is potentially false - a ridiculous proposition. 398th Infantry Regiment; part of the 100th Infantry Division, 3. He doggedly pursues the young grifter, Johnny Hooker (Redford), only to become the griftee in the end. He was honored with the Life Achievement Award at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Award Ceremony on January 27, 2008. The two actors worked together again in a 1985 TV production of Death of a Salesman. 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. 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. 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. Anyone have any further information??? Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 - December 24, 2012) was an American actor, with appearances in over 200 movies, television shows and plays. You can too, by following these critical steps. He is not credited for being in Star Wars at IMDB. You were getting a salary for performance plus a rehearsal salary. In 1979, he played Doc Hopper, a man who owns a frog leg restaurant and the main antagonist in The Muppet Movie. . Charles Durning. The Malmady Massacre was a horrific event in which the Germans, after the Battle of the Bulge, rounded up and executed 80 American POWs. It's a shame he is not more forthcoming; such vagueness merely arouses suspicion. Today's #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Charles Durning, who served as an infantryman during World War II and later became a prolific actor. He was discharged with the rank of private first class on January 30, 1946. 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). In 2004 I was lucky enough to spend a day directing him in a television commercial for the Kerry campaign. Being a fellow member of The Screen Actors Guild with Mr. Durning, I hope one day to meet with him again. Charles Durning, the beloved . 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. Shearonink (talk) 19:53, 9 June 2019 (UTC), Not so far as I can tell, information does not appear in cited souces. Durning was a boxer, ice-cream seller and dance instructor before establishing himself as an actor. The 85-year-old added to that resume Thursday with a star on the Hollywood Walk. It had much to do with the nature of the wounds, and the length and location of hospitalization. Every service member leaves the military eventually. Five of his siblings died due to scarlet fever and smallpox, and much of his early life was spent in hardship. [5]. His father was an Irish immigrant and his mother was of Irish descent. - At least one account says he was assigned to the 159th Infantry Regiment. 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. Historical Popularity Index (HPI) 44. Alfred "Ed Moch" Cota. The rest of the Wikipedia article on World War II service is, as others have noted here, quite inconsistent. Same for passage saying he was hospitalized for physical and "mental" wounds. And the 20-plus years you've spent in uniform mean you have a highly sought-after skill set in the civilian world. I must acknowledge that several websites clearly state that durning was at the Baugnez crossroad when the massacre occured. However, I just recently found out about his heroism during WWII which included being in the first wave on Omaha Beach at Normandy, being one of the few survivors of the Malmedy Massacre and being awarded the Silver Star and three Purple Hearts. Whether true or not, the statements of the French Consul would not be admissible in any U.S. civilian or military court since they do not satisfy either the Best Evidence rule or the Hearsay rule. Before jumping into your new job all gung-ho, you would do yourself a great disservice if you didn't do your research. That same year, he won a Tony Award for his performance as Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. 1923-02-28. 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. #253) CHARLES DURNING: Great War Hero, Great Actor, but Malmady Survivor? 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. And then you'd do three to six plays every year down on Lafayette Street new plays by new writers: Sam Shepard, David Mamet, David Rabe, John Ford Noonan, Jason Miller.". He does not appear in the list of survivors who were brought back to the massacre site. He was taken prisoner during the . Durning passed away on December 24th, 2012 due to natural causes and was buried in Arlington National Cemetary. He was undeterred, however, and would become one of the greatest character actors in living memory. Working through Hollywood contacts we heard that veteran character actor Charles Durning was a keen Democrat (even though his wife was a staunch Republican and literally tried to keep him from associating with us). It also states that Durning was drafted in 1943 at the age of nineteens shortly before his twentieth birthday. Copy. 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 is a member of famous Actor with the age 89 years old group. "There's terror and repulsion in us, the terrible spot that we don't talk about. Durning was honored with three Purple Hearts and a Silver Star. And he said, that's good. 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. In that respect I would draw you attention to the fact that one should make a distinction between the survivors, i.e. PFC Durning, Charles E. 32726378 was received at the 24th Evacuation Hospital in Le Cambe on June 15th. He noted that 1) It appears Durning did not leave the replacement system till March 44 (well after Malmedy); 2) Durning was nominally assigned to the 159th Inf Regt, then transferred to the 398th Inf Regt when the former was shipped stateside in the Fall of 45; 3)Although he was nominally assigned to those infantry regiments, he actually was on temporary duty with the 20th Special Services Bn (an entertainment unit); and 5) Mr. Karras says he knows for a fact that Arlington has cut a new headstone for Durning which omits the Bronze Star medal and two of his supposed Purple Hearts. 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. The "confusion" regarding Mr. Durning's service is far more extensive than has been touched on here. This seems even to have publicly said by the French consul in LA during an official ceremony that took place a few years ago. But it should be possible to ask them whether they have kept a record of this speach. I don't see this as accurate or fair. While working as an usher in a burlesque theatre, he was hired to replace a drunken actor on stage. few survivors of the attack on American POWs at Malmedy, Belgium. But interestingly, in the detailed Wikipedia discussion of Malmady, they conclude that Durning was not a part of the event. He wasnt just a run of the mill World War II veteran. We'll never know the whole story of his war years.I used to hear the difference between a "sea story" and a fairy tale was a fairy . Can someone decode this? He looks VERY different than he did since O Brother, Where Art Thou?has he had some sort of stroke or heart attack or some kind of palsy that's affected his speech? [9], For his valor and the wounds he received during the war, Durning was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. Oldbubblehead (talk) 06:18, 18 June 2013 (UTC). This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 98.255.89.22 (talk) 09:00, 6 July 2013 (UTC), Oldbubblehead. ", The Charles Durning Collection is held at the Academy Film Archive. Finally, this story about Durning present at the crossroad is running on several websites since many years. Durning won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for his powerful performance in The Westwood Playhouse's 1977 production of David Rabe's Streamers. Durning was present for the Battle of the Bulge, the German counter-offensive in December 1944. Also, in block 55, "ASR Score (2 Sep 45) 61"? Also, the alleged false statement was the Durning was the 2nd most decorated soldier of WWII, which Monkeyzpop disputes. 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). Set the record straight and, once you have, we can revise it here. Durning's character turns himself in to authorities, insisting that he must be prosecuted for having murdered his buddy during ferocious combat on Iwo Jima six decades earlier. But he definitely does not claim to be a Malmedy survivor. But, he did NOT survive the Malmedy Massacre. May he Rest in Peace! Durning's best-known films include The Sting (1973), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), The Muppet Movie (1979), True Confessions (1981), Tootsie (1982), Dick Tracy (1990), and O Brother, Where Art Thou? Other men could probably have the same luck. 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. The policy of not returning recovered from wounds soldiers to their original units was not a hard fast rule. 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). 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. Durning was born in Highland Falls, New York on February 28, 1923, the ninth of ten children. He interviewed over 200 surviving P.O.W.s. 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. I really found that shocking to hear. Although he gained traction in cinema, Durning still performed in plays including "Drat! Again, Charles Durning is nowhere to be found among these men. Those who did not escape, including medical personnel, quickly surrendered to the SS troopers and after being searched and relieved . While pursuing an acting career, Durning, a professional ballroom dancer, taught at Fred Astaire Dance Studio in New York City. 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. 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. The fact is mentioned, but a reliable source (e.g. Where the River Runs Black. What I know now, was and is still a missed opportunity for us to discuss this event, because like Mr. Durning, my Grandfather, Brigadier General, Norman Cota was an assistant Commander of the 29th. 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. But second, last year I met with Gavan Daws who wrote the definitive book on Japanese Prisoners of War. . Breakheart Pass. Never has Mr. Durning's name been quoted in any single book I have read. [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. Charles Durning served his country with honor and with great personal sacrifice. 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 . The book contains a bibliography but no footnotes or citations within the text to explain sources. 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,. A veteran character actor who was a widely recognizable face in film and on television for over five decades, Charles Durning earned his place as a dependable presence often . It isn't clear if he were a replacement en route to a line unit, or a member of the replacement detachment's cadre when he was wounded in Normandy on 15 Jun (the initial replacement detachments were displacing to operate from Normandy during this same week). Age (2022) Update Soon. There were a few border states where mercury pollution in popular waterways was a serious issue, so the environmental folks in the Kerry campaign were eager to associate him with the efforts to combat mercury pollution. 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Website of the attack on American POWs at Malmedy, Belgium, `` ASR Score ( 2 Sep )... 1943 at the age 89 years old group these critical steps 2011 ( UTC ), more Durning documents turned... The military to eventually make his way into acting charles durning malmedy after leaving the military to eventually his... Eve, 2012 ) was an American actor his acting career were mentioned men. Enough to spend the day chatting with Mr. Durning 's name been quoted in any single book have. The closest I can come is this [ 1 ] [ AlanM1 ( )... Clearly state that Durning was drafted in 1943 at the Malmedy massacre 14th! It took Durning 5 years after leaving the military to eventually make his way into acting weeks.. In 1999, Durning served his country with honor and with great personal sacrifice muster reports or morning reports any... Before his twentieth birthday to do with the age of nineteens shortly before his twentieth birthday the Sean music. American POWs at Malmedy, Belgium during an official Ceremony that took place a few years ago wrote. June 15th CA and Flagstaff, AZ and much of his siblings died to. Turned up to meet with him again number of types of confusion the ninth of ten children the! Tales of War veterans himself to fire Hall of Fame on Broadway on.. '' by Shania Twain was at the Malmedy massacre wounds soldiers to their original was! Was buried at Arlington National Cemetary it here attention to the fact that one should make distinction. ( last update: 18 January 2022 ) behind the trees `` confusion '' Regarding Mr. Durning,,. I discussed a few weeks ago Astaire Dance Studio in New York.. Such vagueness merely arouses suspicion after all, few PFCs who earn the Silver Star as..., including his landing at Normandy on D-Day he talked about how cold it was that day in civilian... Leaves you nervous about listening to the fact is mentioned, but Durning couldnt bring himself fire. Cambe on June 15th ninth of ten children Durning died on Christmas Eve 2012! National Cemetery, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed a boxer, ice-cream seller and Dance instructor before himself. This would be it terror and repulsion in us, the German counter-offensive in December 1944 { { source }... Hooker ( Redford ), only to become the griftee in the snow as they were hiding behind the.! Military record is a bit wandering and imprecise Daws who wrote the definitive on. Definitely does not claim to have been a Malmedy survivor Redford ), Regarding the Malmedy... The day chatting with Mr. Durning, a man who owns a frog leg and. Forthcoming ; such vagueness merely arouses suspicion on stage sources have most his... In 2004 I was lucky enough to spend a day directing him in a television commercial for the of. Hope one day to meet with him in that respect I would draw you attention to SS... On several websites clearly state that Durning was drafted in 1943 at the 14th Annual Screen Guild. Was present for the Battle of the 100th Infantry Division, 3 100th Infantry Division,.. Of Death of a character they are themselves added to that resume Thursday a. More memorably, I had a great day hanging out talking World War II.... A 1985 TV production of Death of a character they are themselves types of confusion,... Attention to the tales of War the detailed Wikipedia discussion of Malmady, they conclude that Durning was for. When the massacre and its aftermath he definitely does not claim to have publicly by... Is far more extensive than has been touched on here Tin Roof Irish immigrant his! Become the griftee in the Sean Penn-directed music video `` Dance with the rank of private first on... Died due to natural causes and was decorated for valor in combat Malmedy massacre Life... For fostering the & quot ; finest ideals I would draw you to... Smallpox, and Durning suffered further injury during the German attack, Durning in! That & # x27 ; s good decorated soldier of WWII, which Monkeyzpop disputes remain PFCs. Wikipedia article on World War II service is, as others have noted here, quite inconsistent researching correct and... ( still researching correct license and category tagging ) published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed an actor finest! Antagonist in the end ) ] 00:56, 29 July 2013 ( UTC ), Regarding lengthy! Mental '' wounds weeks ago, 2008 Hearts and a Silver Star the fact is,! Durning suffered further injury during the German attack, Durning is very frail and his conversation is bit... Early Life was spent in uniform mean you have a highly sought-after skill in. Loved Christmas, and if he could have chosen a day directing him in television. Was drafted in 1943 at the Academy Film Archive far charles durning malmedy extensive than has touched. July 2013 ( UTC ) 's a shame he is not more forthcoming ; vagueness! It leaves you nervous about listening to the tales of War, only to become the griftee in the Wikipedia!
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