Durning does not claim to have been a Malmedy survivor. I have just modified one external link on Charles Durning. . It is apparently based on a June 1993 interview the source of which is not listed. He is not credited for being in Star Wars at IMDB. Military spouses are making a go of their dream jobs across a wide range of fields. They are not survivors although they escaped the massacre. 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. 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. I'd also hope that other identified incorrect entries be removed from the article, such as earning 3 Puprple Hearts (he earned just one); serving with the 1st Division (he did not) and receiving campaign credit for the Battle of the Bulge (Ardennes Campaign - which, again, he did not); Oldbubblehead's research has proven those elements invalid. But interestingly, in the detailed Wikipedia discussion of Malmady, they conclude that Durning was not a part of the event. Given the manual, handwritten nature of documentation at the time, and the huge growth of forces, it's not at all surprising to me that administrative paperwork was less than accurate. Born in Highland Falls, New York, Charles Durning was the ninth of ten children. I'm guessing the latter was in response to Durning wanting to clarify things in the time leading up to his award from the French on 22 April. I wonder whether it might be able to get some rock solid sources on this. infamous attack on American POWs at Malmedy, Belgium, and was the sole survivor of 40 men who took out a German machine gun nest. 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. 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 received the French National Order of the Legion of Honor from the French Consul in Los Angeles in April 2008. David T Tokyo (talk) 05:40, 15 October 2008 (UTC), This is a major hole in the article. Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 December 24, 2012) was an American actor who appeared in over 200 movies, television shows and plays. Charles Durning is Update Soon years old in 2022. he and the rest of his company were captured and forced to march through a pine forest at Malmedy, the . 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. I do belive that the edit should stand, however. His three brothers James (Roger) (1915-2000), Clifford (1916-1994),and Gerald Durning (born 1926), and his sister Frances (born 1919) survived to . Historical Popularity Index (HPI) 44. Although he. That same year, he won a Tony Award for his performance as Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. [9], For his valor and the wounds he received during the war, Durning was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. Plus, he has appeared in the role of "Santa Claus" in five different television movies. [14], Durning died of natural causes at his home in Manhattan on Christmas Eve December 24, 2012, aged 89. 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. 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. 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. And even though the obituaries now are saying he didnt like to talk about his war experiences, he shared everything with me. In 1976, he received both an Emmy and a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in the television mini-series Captains and the Kings. 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. He also played the voice of recurring character Francis Griffin, the religious zealot father of Peter in the animated series Family Guy. He said, we all are. 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). A few additional points. Shearonink (talk) 18:54, 10 June 2019 (UTC), North American military history task force, United States military history task force, http://www.historynet.com/magazines/world_war_2/3030591.html, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, http://westlaonline.com/wcnp_article.php?articleid=5, http://www.ww2f.com/wwii-today/25135-they-also-served-celebrities-uniform-ww2.html, http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2008/04/france_honors_charles_dur.php, http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1401379.php/France_says_Viva_Charles_Durning_actor_and_war_hero, http://www.legiondhonneur.fr/shared/fr/ordresdecorations/fhist.html, http://stephane.delogu.free.fr/hs12-07.pdf, http://m.web2carz.com/article/article.php?articleId=2097, http://news.yahoo.com/durning-king-character-actors-dies-nyc-075353360.html, http://www.homeofheroes.com/members/04_SS/2_WWII/indexes/army/Army-D.html, http://www.arrse.co.uk/military-history-militaria/87046-actor-charles-durning-talks-about-d-day.html, http://nmisscommentor.com/random-firings/charles-durning-obit-in-the-new-york-times/comment-page-1/#comment-126171, http://www.web2carz.com/people/who-you-know/2097/charles-durnings-war-heroism-exaggeration-fabrication, https://web.archive.org/web/20071201183644/http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1%2C1002%2C271%7C91918%7C1%7C10%2C00.html, http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1%2C1002%2C271%7C91918%7C1%7C10%2C00.html, https://web.archive.org/web/20060625095909/http://www.army.mil/soldiers/apr1999/news/index.html, http://www.army.mil/Soldiers/apr1999/news/index.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Charles_Durning&oldid=1084065080, This article has not yet received a rating on the project's, This article has been checked against the following, A news item involving Charles Durning was featured on Wikipedia's, Reading the remarks by the French Consul General (no doubt prepared by a careless researcher using limited references to accomplish the job in a rapid period) only mentions. Who Is Charles Durning's Wife? In addition to three Purple Heart medals for his wounds, Durning was presented the Silver Star for valor. He was part of the landing forces at Normandy during the initial invasion of France by Allied forces. Before the war was over, Durning received a third Purple Heart and the Silver and Bronze Stars for valor. WWII veteran, dance instructor and diversely talented stage & screen actor were all inclusions on the resume of this perpetually busy US actor who didn't get in front of the cameras until around the time of his fortieth birthday. The ceremony took place in Los Angeles and the presenter was Philippe Larrieu, Consul General of France. We were frightened all the time. I was watching Everwood this evening, and I saw Mr. Durning on it. - 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? 6991 Guard Company. Durning's memorable roles included the Oscar-winning The Sting (1973) and crime drama Dog Day Afternoon (1975), along with the . Durning participated in various functions to honor American veterans, including serving as Chairman of the U.S. National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans. 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. And he said, that's good. Soldiers of Kampfgruppe Peiper summarily killed eighty 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. (LOS ANGELES TIMES) 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. I've received the docs from Oldbubblehead (tnx!) He doggedly pursues the young grifter, Johnny Hooker (Redford), only to become the griftee in the end. Having a successful career in the military is a major accomplishment. 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. - 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. Again, kudos to Oldbubblehead. Durning, 84, will receive the award for fostering the "finest ideals . But it should be possible to ask them whether they have kept a record of this speach. Here's a key tactic that most job seekers overlook when attending a job or career fair: Stop at every table. 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. Discuss here please. "That time in my life was my best time," Durning told Pittsburgh's Post Gazette in 2001. 2. 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. There are links to articles on the medals with pictures of them there. Durning was simply not there. 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. Durning passed away on December 24th, 2012 due to natural causes and was buried in Arlington National Cemetary. 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 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). Please take a moment to review my edit. 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. He was one of the military masterminds of The Invasion of Normandy that also landed at Omaha Beach. 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? While pursuing an acting career, Durning, a professional ballroom dancer, taught at Fred Astaire Dance Studio in New York City. In 1999, Durning was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame on Broadway. The Sting. Durning, 84, will receive the award for fostering the "finest ideals . After all, few PFCs who earn the Silver Star remain as PFCs for long. Asteriks (talk) 18:46, 10 August 2008 (UTC). Worse, the 398th's own regimental history of its participation in WWII has a list of all its medal awardees; Mr. Durning is not listed as earning any medal of any kind with that unit. television commercial for the Kerry campaign, Obama commercial that I discussed a few weeks ago. 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. 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. 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). 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). The best result we found for your search is Charles Albin Durning age 70s in Mendenhall, MS. 8. In any case, recovered soldiers were returned to units of their original branch. 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. Hand color tinted photo of Charles Durning. We would do three plays in Central Park for the summer. before D-Day), it and the Third Army were still in England, not yet having been in combat. The fact is mentioned, but a reliable source (e.g. Charles Durning Malmedy How To Teach You. Both his war record and his acting career were mentioned. The book contains a bibliography but no footnotes or citations within the text to explain sources. [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. the men in the pasture, and the other men who escaped the massacre because for one or other reason they were not at the crossroads when and where they were supposed to be when the massacre occured (I think for instance to a man the artillery observer battalion who had been left in Malmedy because he suddenly fell ill: he escaped the massacre but is not a survivor). http://nmisscommentor.com/random-firings/charles-durning-obit-in-the-new-york-times/comment-page-1/#comment-126171. 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. He cut his teeth in Shakespearean productions staged by Joe Papp and, in 1972, won a Drama Desk award for his performance in That Championship Season on Broadway. This message is updated dynamically through the template {{source check}} (last update: 18 January 2022). But he leaves behind an interesting question: was he at the Malmedy Massacre? 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. Go for it - its obviously a field of study that you enjoy and you have the chance to make your name. Rangers in World War II by Robert W. Black contains a complete roster of all Rangers who served during World War II. Durning was reassigned to the 398th Infantry Regiment with the 100th Infantry Division, and participated in the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. Durning was born in Highland Falls, New York, the . Finally, this story about Durning present at the crossroad is running on several websites since many years. Breakheart Pass. And I said, yes, I am. Search instead in Creative? Does anyone think that we should request the page to be locked? 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. Charles Durning will be honored for lifetime achievement by the Screen Actors Guild. Every service member leaves the military eventually. Unfortunately, Durning is very frail and his conversation is a bit wandering and imprecise. 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). 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. More memorably, I had a great day hanging out talking World War II with him. Although he survived the initial assault relatively unscathed, he was wounded by a German mine a few days later and earned a Purple Heart. Age (2022) Update Soon. 1923-02-28. Stars in Khaki by Wise and Wilderson provides little information. 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. On July 31, 2008, he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame adjacent to one of his idols, James Cagney. 5. 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. 6. Block 36 shows arrival in the ETO on 19 Feb 44 and departure 8 Jan 46. 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. I've posted on this in the Military History WikiProject in the hope that maybe some better sourcing can be found. Howell's threads since he came on the old Shooters site before it closed down and he has been a lightning rod from day one. Also, we got Paul Newman to do the voiceover which was fun I directed him over the phone but he did his performance at the end of a recording session for the animated feature, Cars, and he was very old by then so most people didnt even recognize his voice (which was a lesson to me in voice talent). 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). Charles Durning. Let sleeping dogs lay silent! WRT the EIB/CIB, block 31 says "M1 Rifle Ex 165 5 Mar 45". 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. Not only has no text been provided from this document, but it sounds like the entire thing was cribbed from this very article. 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 It does say that he was a survivor of the Malmedy Massacre. 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". Perhaps we can look forward one day to the family releasing some of his personal correspondence that may shed further light. 98.255.89.22 (talk) 09:00, 6 July 2013 (UTC), Oldbubblehead. [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. While working as an usher in a burlesque theatre, he was hired to replace a drunken actor on stage. Kampfgruppe Peiper immediately began firing upon Battery B, sending the Americans into a panic. Beginning in 1961, he appeared in 35 plays as part of the Shakespeare Festival. It had much to do with the nature of the wounds, and the length and location of hospitalization. Photograph: NBC via Getty Images. In 2002, he performed in Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui with Al Pacino, produced by Tony Randall. 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. But, there is no way Durning is the second most decorated hero of WWII, see Audie Murphy and Matt Urban. Charles Durning was born on 1923-02-28. Durning was wounded by a German "S" Mine on June 15, 1944 at Les Mare des Mares, France. Durning was honored with three Purple Hearts and a Silver Star. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 89 years old group. 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. And yes, some say that his career officially started as a singer with a band at the age of 16 before going into acting. LOS ANGELES - From World War II hero to dancer and award-winning actor, Charles Durning has lived a storied life. I must acknowledge that several websites clearly state that durning was at the Baugnez crossroad when the massacre occured. He holds the Silver Star for valor and three Purple Hearts for wounds he suffered. Durning was a great actor. Charles Durning, the beloved . Durning was born in Highland Falls, New York. 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 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. [5]. At least that last bit is what he told me, in detail. The French document being discussed is not. My sergeant said, are you scared, son? Durning's unit guarded German POW's in Krippe, Germany until after VE Day, June 23, 1945. Get special job alerts, offers and insider tips on making the most of your military experience in the civilian workforce. View more newsletters on our Subscriptions page. He was transported to the 24th Evacuation Hospital. It also states that Durning was drafted in 1943 at the age of nineteens shortly before his twentieth birthday. He talked about how cold it was that day in the snow as they were hiding behind the trees. Stetsonharry (talk) 21:43, 22 February 2009 (UTC). It contains a roster, list of decorations awarded, and some information on landing craft assignments. There is a significant question as to who he served with upon returning to the Continent. 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. Durning is the only survivor of a unit that landed on Omaha Beach that June 6 in 1944. 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. He wasnt just a run of the mill World War II veteran. Stetsonharry (talk) 20:53, 5 February 2009 (UTC), If there's no objection, I suggest inserting a reference to him as a Malmedy survivor based on bhcnp.org. 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!) (2000). 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.