Pride of the Marines (Warner Bros.) (1945)

Marine Officer Finds New Vocation As Hollywood Casting Director Major Gordon Warner, USMC, Finds Job of Classifying Veterans Tough But Interesting. Says Warner, “They’re All Great Guys.” A new man with a new job in Hollywood is Major Gordon Warner, U.S.M.C., retired, who was recently signed by Hollywood’s Central Casting for the job of interviewing and classifying all returning veterans for film extra work. His first job was accomplished for Warner Bros.’ “Pride Of The Marines,” starring John Garfield, Eleanor Parker and Dane Clark, currently playing at the Strand. The film recounts the rehabilitation experiences of Sergeant Al Schmid, the Marine hero who was wounded after destroying more than two hundred Japs at Guadalcanal. Major Warner met a number of interesting men in that assignment. Most of the fellows were, of course, bona fide veterans who had seen plenty of action in combat and who wore all kinds of ribbons, but there were, too, a certain number who, in military vernacular love to “beat their gums” in dreaming up their front line experiences. One day, for instance, Jerry Wald, who produced ‘Pride Of The Marines,” for Warner Bros., asked Major Warner to talk to a young fellow who claimed to be a Guadalcanal veteran. “What did you do at Guadalcanal?” courteously asked the major. “Oh me? I was the guy who cut down the Nip. who got Schmid with the grenade,” he replied. Fakes Valor All of which was interesting. But the fact of the matter was that the Jap in question blew himself to his own perdition with the grenade that wounded Schmid. No particular effort is made by Major Warner to compromise the phonies — they invariably do it themselves — in the way they handle equipment, etc. Besides, there is no burning issue involved; if they look and act the part, that is all that Central Casting or the studios require. But if this were an issue, they would have to work pretty hard to fool the good major. He learned about things the hard way. Wearer of the Navy Cross and now up for the Congressional Medal of Honor after losing his leg in one of the most heroic actions in Bougainville, he joined the Marine Corps as a second lieutenant as a U.S.C. undergraduate in 1938. He took his basic training at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, then _ relinquished his commission to sail for Japan to teach water polo — he’d been captain of the U.S.C. swimming team — at Merji University. In the land of the Rising Sun, he learned to speak Japanese fluently and also became the only American to boast a degree in Kendo, the national sport of swordfighting. Warner then for a _ year taught history at Funahou University in the Hawaiian Islands, and in 1940 returned to the Marine Corps. He found himself at Quantico as an instructor, and became a member of the lst Marine Raider battalion under Col. Merritt “Red Mike” Edson. Subsequently he was promoted to captain, and placed in command of the special weapons branch of the Marine Base at San Diego. He shipped out to Guadalcanal and then to Bougainville, and on the first day of that critical encounter was given a spot promotion to major on the field of battle and was awarded his Cross after leading a reconnoitering Mat 110 —15c Eleanor Parker Stall 639-323 Mat 207 — 30c John Garfield, as gallant Al Schmid — the fighting marine — lets go another blast of machine-gun fire at lurking Japs, in the above scene from Warners’ "Pride of the Marines" at the Strand. Also starred in the film are Eleanor Parker and Dane Clark. party of five on a death-defying patrol of the Island. On November 7, less than a week later, Major Warner led his company of two hundred and twenty against a raiding party of more than five hundred Japs attempting a landing. Without walkie-talkie equipment, he stood atop the unit’s one tank, which had observation straight ahead but neither to the right nor left, and guided it by hammering its side, once for the left, twice for the right. All of the Japs were killed, while only eight of his own men were lost, but he himself suffered a machine burst in his leg, which was later amputated at Tulagi. It was for this action that Major General Allen H. Turnage, Commanding General of the famous Third Marine Division, has reeommended Warner for the Congressional Medal of Honor. Warner was shipped back to the mainland, eventually arriving at the hospital at Mare Island where he was given an artificial leg. He then returned to Los Angeles and was one of the first servicemen of the war to return to college, re-entering U.S.C. and completing his credits for an M.A. degree. A friend happened to mention that M-G-M was looking for a legless man to double for Van Johnson in “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo” and Warner got the job. That led to his association with Central Casting. Warner is very enthusiastic about his work — the only thing he would like better would be getting back into combat — and he often runs across GI leathernecks he knew at the front. And, of course, a lot he did not know — like another hopeful for a part in “Pride Of The Marines,” who said, “Sure, I sweated all through Guada.” “Were you at Bloody Ridge?” asked the major. Well, he was a little bit vague about that. “How about Kali point?” Perhaps even a little foggier about this. “Heck,” says the major, “if he ever saw Guadalcanal, he’d know about Bloody Ridge — that was when we were hanging on the ropes and would have sold our chances for a Jap yen, and Kali Point was our landing place. Both those spots are like asking if you know where the corner of Hollywood and Vine is.” John Garfield Discusses Plans For Veteran Aid John Garfield, vice-president of the Hollywood Canteen, revealed recently that postwar plans for the film colony’s servicemen’s center include a crafts producing and sales organization and a self-supporting home for young vets seeking a break on the screen. Garfield, currently starring in Warner Bros.’ “Pride Of The Marines,” the story of marine hero Al Schmid, said that the factory would not in any way be a charity enterprise once it is established, but would adhere to the aim of giving selfrespecting jobs to returning G.I’s. Funds realized from the forty percent gross share of Warners’ film, “Hollywood Canteen,” will be used to finance the organization’s plans. Still 639-21 John Garfield portrays the Marine hero of Guadalcanal, Sgt. Al Schmid, in the Warner Bros.' "Pride of the Marines,’ currently shown at the Strand Theatre. Mat 109 — 15e¢ Leaves Navy In Quest Of Peace And Quiet, Finds Job As Prop Man On War Picture Life is just a dreary succession of one war after another for former U. S. sailor Armor Emanuel Coetten. His last job with the Navy was as Chief Pharmacist's Mate (AA) in a hospital somewhere in the South Pacific. His first civilian job is also in a hospital somewhere in the South Pacific — although in reality it is no more than a setting for Warner Bros.' wartime drama, "Pride Of The Marines'’ now playing at the Strand with John Garfield, Eleanor Parker and Dane Clark in the top starring roles. Coetten, an actor prior to his enlistment in 1942, is now working at the Warner studio as an assistant property man "until the right break comes along.’ He is a brother of June Marlow, actress, and was honorably discharged from the Navy last October. Fame Comes To Dane Clark But Not Home With Shower Housing Shortage Puts Actor On Run For Lodgings With Hot and Cold Running Water The day that Dane Clark can take a shower in his own home he’ll know he’s “arrived” in Hollywood. And as far as he’s concerned, not until then. When Dane was signed for the screen a few years back, Hollywood looked like a very hard nut to crack. Handfuls of young actors get contracts, come out, appear in a picture or two opening or closing a door in a scene for some glamorous star, and then find themselves with an occupational disease called option dropsy. But this didn’t happen with Dane. He was the one who clicked. In “Destination Tokyo” Warner Bros. doubled the part he had in “Action in the North Atlantic.” They parlayed it in “The Very Thought of You” and again in “God Is My CoPilot.”” He next proved the surprise hit of “Hollywood Canteen.” Starred In Drama Now the young actor is “there,” in the top supporting role to John Garfield and Eleanor Parker in “Pride Of The Marines,” currently at the Strand. Everybody tells him he’s “arrived,” but he doesn’t think So. It all has to do with that shower in his own home. When he first came to filmtown, the only house he could find within his means was an old, well-used glorified shack on a hilltop. There wasn’t much of a kitchen, the rooms were somewhat draughty, the furniture was crochety and the plumbing was just a laugh — and not a funny laugh. But, he thought, at least the view was good. He enjoyed the view. Yet the idea of a shower began to develop from mere annoyance into an obsession. When he worked, of course, he could shower in his’ studio dressing room, and he joined the Hollywood Athletic Club so that he could go there when he wasn’t on screen call. But psychiatrists will tell you that in a situation of such nature, the patient inevitably in his subconscious develops a protective mental mechanism. And that’s just what Dane Clark did. He thought, “When I get to be a success in Hollywood, I'll be able to get a house with a nice, smooth-working shower.” That thought kept him going. He still hasn’t been able to get the place, but he’s looking, and it may happen one of these days. When it does, he’ll know he’s “arrived.” Still Service Now Available Stills available on most of the scene cuts on the publicity pages in this campaign plan. Price: 10c each. Order by still number indicated under each cut, from Campaign Plan Editor, 321 West 44 Street, New York 18, N. Y. If still number is not given, photo is not available because the cut was made from a special retouch or a composite. (*Asterisk denotes still is available at local Warner Exchanges.) Still DC 37 Mat 107 — 15c Dane Clark, popular screen discovery of the past season, plays hard-hitting Lee Diamond in Warners’ "Pride of the Marines," now playing at the Strand. Also starred in the film are John Garfield and Eleanor Parker. Popular Actor Assures Good Theatrical Notes John Garfield Turns To Journalism Many motion picture stars have had investments in businesses ranging from ladies’ lingerie to airplane parts, but John Garfield will soon be the first Hollywoodite to have his name on the masthead of a newspaper as publisher. Plans Newspaper Garfield, who owns a small farm near Chula Vista, California, a community of almost five thousand, has formed a company to issue a weekly to be called The Plaindealer. The star, currently in Warner Bros.’ “Pride Of The Marines” at the Strand, says: “Tm not going to attempt any public crusading in the paper. It will just be a chatty little sheet with news about the neighbors. And if nothing else, I will have the satisfaction of knowing that there will always be at least one newspaper in the country,that will never pan a John Garfield performance on the screen.”