PT 109 (Warner Bros.) (1963)

‘PT 109’ Fires Screen In Taut Kennedy Drama Soe ae ae His PT boat sliced in half by a Japanese destroyer, Cliff Robertson, starring as Lt. John F. Kennedy in “PT 109,” the Warner Bros. action drama opening at the Theatre, leads his crew through the flaming sea toward a distant island in this scene from the film. Kennedy actually towed one of his men, too seriously injured to swim and portrayed here by James McCallion, four miles to shore by clenching a strap from the man’s life belt in his teeth. Ty Hardin, James Gregory, Robert Culp and Grant Williams are co-starred in the Technicolor-Panavision presentation, which was filmed under the personal supervision of Jack L. Warner. “PT 109” was produced by Bryan Foy and directed by Leslie H. Martinson from a script by Richard Breen based on Robert J. Donovan’s bestselling book. Mat 2-B_ Still No. 870/861 ee ee ee ew oo AL TEI fc wee tte RECOUNTED KENNEDY'S WORLD WAR II EXPLOITS Y DRAMATIC NEW FILM Warner Bros. PT 109, ‘In Technicolor and Panavision, Re-Creates Historic Struggle For Solomon Islands Bringing to the screen the combat exploits of President John F. Kennedy as a Navy PT-boat commander in the South Pacific during World War II, “PT 109,” the Warner Bros. adventure drama in Technicolor and Panavision, opens ates 1S oe ee © ee . Theatre. Cliff Robertson, who won the coveted role over more than 100 performers, portrays Lt. (j.g.) J. F. Kennedy in the big-scale action epic. Ty Hardin, James Gregory, Robert Culp and Grant Williams are co-starred as rugged PT-boat men who fought with Lt. Kennedy in the historic battle for the Solomon Islands. Filmed under the personal supervision of Jack L. Warner, president of Warner Bros., “PT 109” is based on the best-selling book by Washington newsman Robert J. Donovan. Star Portrays JFK Cliff Robertson stars as Lt. John F. Kennedy, the most coveted role of the year, in “PT 109,” the Warner Bros. Technicolor Panavision adventure drama opening ...... atethetaescsn Theatre. Ty Hardin, James Gregory, Robert Culp and Grant Williams are costarred in the stirring re-enactment of the action-packed four months that led up to the early morning ramming of the 109 by a Japanese destroyer in the Solomon Islands. The film was produced under the personal supervision of Jack L. Warner. Film ‘Naval’ Career Floats On Slowly Naval advancement has been slow for Grant Williams, who made his screen bow as a lieutenant (j.g.) in ‘PT 109’s’ Star Thought He Lost ‘Em All, Then Won The Big One Cliff Robertson had a frustrating streak of losing prize screen roles he The film was produced by Bryan Foy and directed by Leslie H. Martinson from a screenplay by Richard L. Breen. The story of “PT 109” begins April 7, 1943, when a Japanese aerial bombing attack welcomes Lt. Kennedy to the Solomons, and continues through the remarkable events that followed the night and early morning of August 2, 1943, when the battle-scarred patrol-torpedo boat 109 was cut in two by a Japanese destroyer, ihe Amagiri. Kennedy spent 30 of the next 39 hours in the water, pulling a badly burned crew-member to the safety of a small island, then swimming out to sea again at night e Head Man In Sprint in the hope of signalling a PT-boat on patrol duty. The crew of the 109 was given up for dead, but Kennedy and the other survivors lived to report the fascinating story of their thrilling rescue—and to fight again against the Japanese. Star Sea-Struck The long and intensive search for the perfect actor to portray President John F. Kennedy as a PT-boat skipper ended with the signing of Cliff Robertson, a young man who at one time wanted to make the sea his ca “Away All Boats.” Seven years later, co-starring with Cliff Robertson, Ty Hardin, James Gregory and Robert Culp in “PT 109,” the Warner Bros. adventure drama opening ..... sae theshex cranes Theatre, Williams is back in the Navy—as Lt. Alvin Cluster, who commanded the PT-boat squadron to which Lt. (j.g.) John F. Kennedy and the PT 109 were as signed. had created in other media before finally winning the most coveted motion picture role of the year—as Lt. (j.g.) John F. Kennedy in Warner Bros. stirving“ PT. 109, Opening. ¢ ¢..dsncisiens at ther. oes cae Theatre. Robertson won his first Emmy nomination for the television presentation of “Days of Wine and Roses,” but Jack Lemmon starred in the Warner Bros. film version, and won an Oscar nomination. He originated “The Hustler” on TV, but Paul Newman won the screen role and an Academy Award nomination, too. He turned back a year’s salary to Columbia Pictures so that he could do three weeks in the play “Career” at a Hollywood theatre. But the film starred Anthony Franciosa. Robertson won critical acclaim in Tennessee Williams’ “Orpheus De Message Scrawled On Coconut Launches Action-Packed Rescue Climax In PT 109° On President John F. Kennedy’s White House desk there is a scending” on Broadway, but Marlon Brando was selected for the movie. Several years ago, “The Navy Log” TV series presented a_ half-hour drama about PT 109. Now it was turnabout. John Baer, who played Lt. John F. Kennedy, lost out—along with over 100 other actors who were Cliff Robertson, as Lt. John F. Kennedy, (j-8-) sprints for cover during the aerial bombardment that greets his arrival in the Solomon Islands in_ this scene from “PT 109,” the Warner Bros. adventure drama openINGO. ce cas at thes oc. --« Theatre. The film, produced under the reer. Recognized as one of Hollywood’s best performers, he has achieved his success on the Broadway stage, in motion pictures and on television. For his role in “PT 109,” Robertson did extensive research on President Kennedy, including study of newsreels. His objective, however, was to learn as much as _ possible about the man and to avoid attempting a carbon copy imitation. In his portrayal, he shies away from any conscious mimicry and any attempt to simulate the Harvard accent. The large supporting cast of “PT 109” includes Lew Gallo, Errol John, Michael Pate, Robert Blake, Biff Elliott, Norman Fell, Sam Gilman, coconut shell encased in plastic. It’s the coconut that represents his ereat life-and-death adventure in the South Pacific in World War II. The story of that adventure and his other exploits as a Navy lieuten considered—to Cliff Robertson in the Technicolor-Panavision release. Ty Hardin, James Gregory, Robert personal supervision of Jack L. Warner, is a stirring account of Kennedy’s first four months in the South Pacific leading up to Clyde Howdy, Buzz Martin, James McCallion, Evan McCord, Sammy Reese, Glen Sipes, John Ward, Wil ant (j.g.) in command of a PT-boat is brought to the screen in “PT 109,” the Warner Bros. adventure drama opening......... Theatre with Cliff Robertson starring as at the Lt. Kennedy. Kennedy’s PT-boat, the 109, was cut in two by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri in the early morning of August 2, 1943, in Blackett Strait in the Colomon Islands. He managed to lead the other survivors to a small island where they were finally discovered by two friendly islanders who were in touch with an Australian coast-watcher. It was on the coconut that Kennedy scratched the message which the islanders took to the coast-watcher. The message read: “Native knows posit He can pilot 11 alive Need small boat Kennedy.” The coconut was delivered. The Australian, Lt. Reginald Evans, radioed word of the PT 109 survivors to U. S. Navy headquarters and Kennedy and his men were rescued. It is the rescue that provides the dramatic climax of “PT 109,” the Technicolor-Panavision film which was produced under the personal supervision of Jack L. Warner, president of Warner Bros. Co-starring with Robertson are Ty Hardin, James Gregory, Robert Culp and Grant Williams. * The coconut, incidentally, was returned to Kennedy by Evans in 1961 when the Australian came to Washington to attend the President’s inauguration. “PT 109” was directed by Leslie H. Martinson and _ produced by Bryan Foy. Richard L. Breen based his screenplay on the best-selling book by Washington newsman Robert J. Donovan. Culp and Grant Williams co-star in the World War II adventure drama produced under the personal supervision of Jack L. Warner, president of Warner Bros. ‘PT 109’ Rescue Mission Starts Out Trapped with his injured and exhausted crew on an uninhabited Pacific island in Japanese waters, Cliff Robertson, starring as Lt. (j.g-) John F. Kennedy in “PT 109,” the Warner Bros. adventure drama, persuades two friendly natives to deliver a message he has carved on the shell of a coconut in this scene from the film. The natives delivered the message to an Australian coast-watcher who radioed the U. S. Navy that there were survivors of the 109, which had been rammed by a Japanese destroyer. “PT 109,” opening Atithete. onsets aes Theatre, co-stars Ty Hardin, James Gregory, Robert Culp and Grant Williams and was produced under the personal supervision of Jack L. Warner. ecee eee ee the ramming and sinking cf his PT boat by a Japanese destroyer. Ty Hardin, James Gregory, Robert Culp and Grant Williams are co-starred in the gripping acaccount, produced by Bryan Foy in Technicolor and Panavicion. Leslie H. Martinson directed “PT 109.” Mat 1-D_ Still No. 879/25 12 Cubans [n Flight Surrender At Sea To Movie’ Navy’ Twelve Cuban refugees in a small dory surrendered to the Warner Bros. “navy” during the filming of scenes for “PT 109,” the Warner Bros. adventure drama based on Lt. (j.g.) John F. Kennedy’s World War I South Pacific exploits opening...... at thee... ars Theatre. The unusual incident occurred 30 miles off Key West when a warlike PT boat bore down on the small craft at high speed. The Cubans waved their arms to show they were unarmed and ready to surrender to the PT boat, which was skippered by Cliff Robertson, who stars as Lt. Kennedy in the stirring screen account filmed in Technicolor and Panavision under the personal supervision of Jack L. Warner, president of Warner Bros. The reconstructed PT 109 stopped and the Cubans were given food and water. They proceeded to Key West where they were taken into custody Mat 2-C_ Still No. 870/843 by immigration authorities. liam Douglas and David Whorf. Stirring Combat Scenes Some of the most thrilling battle action ever staged for a motion picture can be seen in “PT 109.” Specially staged for the Panavision cameras were the bombing of an LST transporting Kennedy to the South Pacific; the Japanese aerial attacks on the naval bases at Tulagi and Rendova and on the PT 109; the encounter with the Japanese when Kennedy brings the 109 in close to shore to rescue a group of Marines; and the nightmarish crash sequence. Meticulous attention was paid to maintaining the authenticity of the film. Breen, who wrote the screenplay, served four years with the Navy in the South Pacific as a communications officer aboard a destroyer that saw action at Okinawa, Guam, Saipan and Leyte. The Navy assigned Captain J. E. Gibson, commander of PT Boat Squadron 10 to which Kennedy was attached after the sinking of the 109, as technical advisor. In addition, Lt. Commander Alvin Cluster, USN (Ret.), served as advisor during the writing of the script and pre-production preparation. Cluster, portrayed in the film by Grant Williams, was Commander of PT Boat Squadron 2, to which Kennedy was attached as skipper of the 109. Director of cinematography for “PT 109” was Robert Surtees, who recently filmed “Mutiny on_ the Bounty” and who has received “Oscars” for his camera work on “Ben Hur,” “King Solomon’s Mines” and “The Bad and the Beautiful.’ The music for “PT 109” was composed by William Lava and David Buttolph. PAGE 2