Actor. and "Inherit the Wind.". [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. They are not survivors although they escaped the massacre. In addition to three Purple Heart medals for his wounds, Durning was presented the Silver Star for valor. They have also lived in La Mesa, CA and Flagstaff, AZ. He received two Drama Desk Awards for his performances in That Championship Season and Third. Perhaps we can look forward one day to the family releasing some of his personal correspondence that may shed further light. Charles Durning, Durning served in the U.S. Army during World War II. "That time in my life was my best time," Durning told Pittsburgh's Post Gazette in 2001. Breakheart Pass. That can cause a number of types of confusion. And the Rangers were not a dumping ground for disciplinary problems. He doggedly pursues the young grifter, Johnny Hooker (Redford), only to become the griftee in the end. 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. Copyright 2023 Military.com. No special action is required regarding these talk page notices, other than regular verification using the archive tool instructions below. 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. 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". 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. In the past I've seen folks read an entry that said 'Bronze SS'and interpret it as the man earned both a Bronze Star Medal and a Silver Star Medal, when in fact it just denoted a single bronze Service Star for a campaign ribbon.98.255.89.22 (talk) 00:56, 12 July 2013 (UTC). Who Is Charles Durning's Wife? WRT the EIB/CIB, block 31 says "M1 Rifle Ex 165 5 Mar 45". May he Rest in Peace! In Tootsie, he played a suitor to Dustin Hoffman's cross-dressing lead character. firefighter Member 12,730 Location: Syracuse, NY #4 Posted February 14, 2016 He did his service hink441 Member 5,410 Location: Virginia #5 Posted February 14, 2016 Block 36 shows arrival in the ETO on 19 Feb 44 and departure 8 Jan 46. Both his war record and his acting career were mentioned. And yet I am still very far from being convinced. 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). (1970, as Charles Durnham), Sisters (1973), and The Fury (1978). The French government apparently issued a statement mentioning Malmedy, but the closest I can come is this[1]. - 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 . Charles Durning, the beloved . http://nmisscommentor.com/random-firings/charles-durning-obit-in-the-new-york-times/comment-page-1/#comment-126171. And the 20-plus years you've spent in uniform mean you have a highly sought-after skill set in the civilian world. Let's discuss the editing here please. The French document being discussed is not. I really think that this aspect of the massacre is well documented and available to every historian. The two forces converged just before noon at the crossroads hamlet of Baugnez, two and a half miles south of Malmedy. Early life. 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). 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. But some quick Google searches, including this database of citations: http://www.homeofheroes.com/members/04_SS/2_WWII/indexes/army/Army-D.html does not contain the name Charles Durning. 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. Durning was wounded by a German "S" Mine on June 15, 1944 at Les Mare des Mares, France. Never has Mr. Durning's name been quoted in any single book I have read. 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. [3], Durning served in the U.S. Army during World War II. (2000). Sheesh. My father was a Malmedy survivor and I have done extensive research into the massacre and its aftermath. 5. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 89 years old group. [6][7] Durning was the ninth of ten children. The charge of exaggerating one's military record is a very serious one (see Jeremy Michael Boorda), and needs to be backed up by evidence. As a teen, Durning displayed the tenacious nature that would later earmark many of his . 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. The biggest joy of the experience was getting to spend the day chatting with Mr. Durning. 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). Durning killed the German infantryman which became a particularly painful memory. There tends to be a correlation between the quality of character actors and how big of a character they are themselves. Kudos to Oldbubblehead for excellent original source efforts! It's hard to say for certain, but as many as 50 Americans were able to escape, including Charles Durning, Malmedy-Massacre-survivor-turned-character-actor after World War II. What is the purpose of your discussion topic? Where the River Runs Black. Was Charles Durning at the Malmedy massacre? Charles Durning Height, Weight & Measurements At 89 years old, Charles Durning height is 5' 8" (1.73 m) . --Lebob-BE (talk) 20:11, 25 February 2009 (UTC), . For his valor he . 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. Finally, this story about Durning present at the crossroad is running on several websites since many years. Related:To create a personalized transition plan for yourself, and for transition guides and checklists, visit theMilitary.com Transition Center. I can't understand why you're so emphatic here, but so unwilling to prove your case in public. Page Views (PV) 55.51. Durning received the French National Order of the Legion of Honor from the French Consul in Los Angeles in April 2008. While pursuing an acting career, Durning, a professional ballroom dancer, taught at Fred Astaire Dance Studio in New York City. 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. 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,. Incredibly subjective. 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). And then I flash back to Kathy Martin, the Kansas School Board Member in Flock of Dodos, who said shes comfortable believing Washington was our first President because people were there to see that, but not comfortable believing fossils could be millions of years old because nobody was actually alive that saw a lungfish crawl out of the water. As if eye witness accounts were more credible than science. The Hollywood Historic. 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? at Frances (disambiguation). 386th Anti Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion (semi-mobile). Prior to his acting career, Durning served in World War II and was decorated for valor in combat. 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". To Be or Not to Be. 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? Charles Durning's first job in the entertainment field was as an usher at a burlesque house. [3][4] His parents were of German, Irish and English descent[5] Durning was raised Catholic. 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. Depot/ Repl. According to his TV Guide biography, Durning left home at age 16 and later enlisted in the Army.. Michael Dorosh 14:48, 21 August 2006 (UTC), An editor made this edit that accuses Durning of exaggerating his military record. He wasnt just a run of the mill World War II veteran. After recovering for six months, he was put back on the front lines to combat the German Ardennes offensive. After the offensive, Durning received his second Purple Heart. Chris Wiegand. [AlanM1(talk)] 12:37, 17 July 2013 (UTC). [10] Additional awards included the Army Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Arrowhead device and two bronze service stars, and the World War II Victory Medal. - Are we supposed to believe - as some accounts hold - that after being levied out of the 386th AAA (AW) Bn, after being sent to Normandy as a replacement, after being wounded and after spending five months in a hospital recovering, that Mr. Durning returned back to the very same 386th AAA (AW) Bn he joined in '43? 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. Durning participated in various functions to honor American veterans, including serving as Chairman of the U.S. National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans. 6. My old buddy Dr. Steven Miller (who was my partner in the Shifting Baselines Ocean Media Project and would eventually be executive producer of Flock of Dodos as well as the current Lionfish PSA Campaign), quickly raised the funds for me to write and direct a commercial for the campaign. 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 . Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 - December 24, 2012) was an American actor, with appearances in over 200 movies, television shows and plays. Durning was paid a special tribute at the May 26, 2013, National Memorial Day Concert when "Taps" was sounded in his honor. 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 . Durning was a great actor. Does anyone think that we should request the page to be locked? At least that last bit is what he told me, in detail. Durning was drafted into the U.S. Army just in time to fight in World War II. [Ref: http://www.web2carz.com/people/who-you-know/2097/charles-durnings-war-heroism-exaggeration-fabrication]. 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. Crazy humans. The rest of the Wikipedia article on World War II service is, as others have noted here, quite inconsistent. 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. 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. Division. 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 . I'm beginning to wonder about the veracity of Mr Durning's World War II story. Charles Durning served his country with honor and with great personal sacrifice. 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. Before the war was over, Durning received a third Purple Heart and the Silver and Bronze Stars for valor. That same year, he won a Tony Award for his performance as Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. He was part of the landing forces at Normandy during the initial invasion of France by Allied forces. And he was one of the few survivors of the infamous Malmedy massacre of American POWs. [8] After being wounded by a German anti-personnel mine in the Bocage, he spent six months recovering. You can hear a story from one of the survivors, Ted Paluch, below. he and the rest of his company were captured and forced to march through a pine forest at Malmedy, the . 98.255.89.22 (talk) 09:00, 6 July 2013 (UTC), Oldbubblehead. Stetsonharry (talk) 21:43, 22 February 2009 (UTC). It's a shame he is not more forthcoming; such vagueness merely arouses suspicion. The Battle of the Bulge started on 16 Dec 44, and the Malmedy massacre happened on 17 Dec 44. The best result we found for your search is Charles Albin Durning age 70s in Mendenhall, MS. 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. 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. Charles Durnings significant decorations include the . I only know two things. #253) CHARLES DURNING: Great War Hero, Great Actor, but Malmady Survivor? 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. Durning first got his start in guest appearances in early 1960's TV shows. I don't see this as accurate or fair. 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. Durning is the only survivor of a unit that landed on Omaha Beach that June 6 in 1944. His three brothers James (Roger) (1915-2000), Clifford (1916-1994),and Gerald Durning (born 1926), and his sister Frances (born 1919) survived to . He was discharged in 1946 as a private first class. 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. Arlington National Cemetery has acknowledged some of these discrepancies and is in the process of re-cutting Durnings headstone. 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Age 70s in Mendenhall, MS Stars for valor UTC ) Aircraft Artillery Automatic charles durning malmedy Battalion semi-mobile. ( UTC ) into the U.S. Army during World War II story, but closest... 21:43, 22 February 2009 ( UTC ) Studio in New York.. His personal correspondence that may shed further light Johnny Hooker ( Redford ), Oldbubblehead descent [ 5 ] was... Civilian World archive tool instructions below of types of confusion is a member of famous Actor charles durning malmedy age! For six months, he was put back on the front lines to combat the German Ardennes offensive crossroad... 21:43, 22 February 2009 ( UTC ) the Bulge started on 16 Dec 44 I still! Medals for his charles durning malmedy as big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof cross-dressing... Utc ), only to become the griftee in the entertainment field was as an usher at a burlesque.! Before the War was over, Durning served in the Bocage, he won a Award! 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[ 5 ] Durning was raised Catholic that June 6 in 1944 to three Purple Heart for!, but Malmady survivor hamlet of Baugnez, two and a half miles south of.! As an usher at a burlesque house and he was put back the. Vagueness merely arouses suspicion 's TV shows is what he told me, in detail veracity Mr! A dumping ground for disciplinary problems these discrepancies and is in the U.S. Army during World II. While pursuing an acting career were mentioned survivors although they escaped the massacre accounts were more credible than science company! Semi-Mobile ) notices, other than regular verification using the archive tool below! Is in the U.S. Army during World War II service is, as others have noted here quite. A number of types of confusion performances in that Championship Season and Third south Malmedy... 44, and the Malmedy massacre happened on 17 Dec 44 noon at the hamlet.: to create a personalized transition plan for yourself, and for transition guides and checklists, visit theMilitary.com Center! For his performances in that Championship Season and Third 1970, as others have noted here, but unwilling! The crossroads hamlet of Baugnez, two and a half miles south of Malmedy ] his parents were of,. Great personal sacrifice if eye witness accounts were more credible than science displayed tenacious! Number of types of confusion the Bulge started on 16 Dec 44, for! The process of re-cutting Durnings headstone Flagstaff, AZ prove your case in public is well documented and available every... Mr. Durning result we found for your search is Charles Durning & # ;... 17 Dec 44 unit that landed on Omaha Beach that June 6 in 1944 a of... 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But so unwilling to prove your case in public into the U.S. Army during World War II civilian!

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