Character Actors Who Served in World War II

Usually when classic movie actors who served in World War II are discussed, it is big names such as Gene Autry, Clark Gable, and Jimmy Stewart, but the fact is that several characters also served during World War II. Here is a short list of character actors who served during the war, although there were many, many more.

Eddie Albert: Now best known for Green Acres, Eddie Albert was a genuine war hero. He enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in September 1942. It was in 1943 that that he was discharged from the Coast Guard he could become a lieutenant junior grade in the United States Navy.It was during the Battle of Tarawa that he rescued 47 Marines at incredible risk to his own life, and supervised the rescue of 30 more. The Marines had been pinned down by Japanese gunfire. For his bravery during the Battle of Tarawa Eddie Albert was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat "V". In later years Eddie Albert would be asked about his courageous action during World War II. Rather than talk about himself, Mr. Albert preferred to discuss the courage of the Marines at the Battle of Tarawa and others with whom he served.

Neville Brand: Known for playing heavies, Neville Brand served as a soldier during World War II. It was in October 1939 that he enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard. It was in March 1941 that he enlisted in the United States Army as a corporal. He was a part of B Company, 331st Infantry Regiment of the 83rd Infantry Division (Thunderbolt Division), serving in both the e Ardennes, Rhineland and Central European campaigns. He was wounded  along the Weser River on April 7, 1945, and very nearly bled to death. He was awarded the Silver Star and discharged in October 1945.

James Doohan: Today James Doohan is best known as Lt. Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, the Chief Engineer on the starship Enterprise, but during World War II he served in the  Royal Canadian Artillery and as part of the 22nd Field Battery of the 3rd Canadian Division was part of a reconnaissance party in the second wave to land at Juno Beach. He lost his right middle finger during the fight, and during his acting career wore a prosthetic. He later graduated from Air Observation Pilot Course 40 and served as an Observation Pilot supporting the 1st Army Group Royal Canadian Artillery.  

Clive Dunn: Clive Dunn is now best known Lance Corporal Jones of the Home Guard on the classic Britcom Dad's Army, but he actually saw action during World War II. At the start of the war, he enlisted in the British Army and served as a trooper in the 4th Queen's Own Hussars. Initially posted with them in the Middle East, he later served with he 1st Armoured Brigade in support of the 6th Australian Infantry Division during the Greek Campaign. In 1941 he fought in an action at the Corinth Canal. Unfortunately, when his unit was overwhelmed by German forces, he was among 400 taken prisoner. He spent the remainder of the war in POW camps in Austria.

Charles Durning: Like James Doohan, Charles Durning also saw combat during D-Day. Having been drafted into the United States Army at age 20, he was among the first wave to land at Omaha Beach. He later took place in the Battle of the Bulge. Charles Durning had a distinguished military career, earning the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. Even France recognized him for his service in liberating France. He was awarded the National Order of the Legion of Honour in April 2008.

Jerry Fujikawa: Following World War II, Jerry Fujikawa would play Japanese officers in various movies and TV shows, but during the war he served in the United States Army. Sadly, like many Japanese Americans, he was interned at Manzanar. It was while he was at Manzanar that he volunteered for the Army. He served as a messenger in the segregated Japanese American unit, Charlie Company in the 100th Infantry Battalion. He was wounded in combat near Castellina, Italy, on July 9, 1944. He later served in France.

Lee Marvin: Lee Marvin not only played a military man in several movies, but he actually was one during the Second World War. On August 12, 1942, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He served as a quartermaster before completing the School of Infantry, and then served as a scout sniper in the 4th Marine Division in the Pacific Theatre. During the war, he took part in 21 amphibious assaults on various islands. It was during the Battle of Saipan that he was wounded during an assault on  Mount Tapochau. His sciatic nerve was severed by machine gun fire and then he was shot in his foot. He received medical treatment in various Naval hospitals for over a year before receiving an Honourable Discharge. 

Larry Storch: Today Larry Storch may be best remembered as Corporal Randolph Agarn on F Troop, but during World War II he served not in the cavalry, but in the United States Navy. During the war he served aboard the submarine tender Proteus in the Pacific Theatre. Among his shipmates was a fellow named Bernie Schwartz, later to become better known as Tony Curtis. The two would remain friends for the rest of their lives. The crew of the Proteus, along with the submarines of Submarine Squadron 20, witnessed the surrender of Japan aboard the U.S.S. Missouri.

The Late Great Clarence Carter

Clarence Carter, the legendary blues and soul singer and guitarist known for such songs as "Slip Away" and "Back Door Santa," died on May 13, 2026, at the age of 90. 

Clarence Carter was born on January 14, 1936 in Montgomery, Alabama. He listened to the blues records his stepfather bought, and as a result he took an interest in music while still young. He learned to play guitar as a result. He graduated from Alabama State College in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science in music. 

He briefly taught school before beginning his music career. He and his friend Calvin Scott formed a music duo and their single "I Wanna Dance But I Don't Know How" was released under the name "Clarence and Calvin" on the Fairlane label. They signed to Duke Records as The C & C Boys and released four singles there. They recorded "Step By Step," which was released on Atlantic Records. None of their singles saw any success. It was after Calvin Scott was injured in a car accident that Clarence Carter began his solo career. He had his first hit with the single "Tell Daddy," released on the Fame label in 1967. It went to no. 35 on the Billboard R&B chart.

By late 1967, he had signed with Atlantic Records. There he would have a string of hits that lasted into the early Seventies, starting with "Slip Away," which went to no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart. It was followed by such hits as "Too Weak to Fight," "Back Door Santa," "Snatching It Back," "Doin' Our Thing," and "Patches." 

Unfortunately, after 1971, Clarence Carter saw fewer successes. He left Atlantic for Fame and then in 1975 signed with ABC Records. It was in 1985 that he signed with Ichiban Records and found new success with his album Dr. C. C. Its single "Strokin'" proved to be a hit in Australia and the UK.He released several more albums, many of which did very well. His final studio album, Sing Along with Clarence Carter, was released in 2011. He continued to release more live albums afterwards. 

Clarence Carter was a true talent, particularly as a composer. His lyrics could be very descriptive, which sometimes ran him into trouble, as in the case of "Strokin'," which considered by many radio stations to be too suggestive. He was also an impressive balladeer, and no one could write or sing about the anguish of love the way he could. In is songs, he often addressed complex romantic situations with sensitivity and intelligence. All of this was aided by impressive baritone voice, which could be extremely emotive. Clarence Carter was a great R&B and soul singer, and possibly one of the most underrated performers in the field. 

"I Can Se for Miles" by The Who

This has been a stressful week for me, so today I will simply leave you with one of my all time favourite songs. 'I Can See for Miles" was written by Pete Townsend and performed by The Who. The lyrics were inspired in a fit of jealousy on the part of Pete Townsend any time he saw his then girlfriend with other men. Pete Townsend was certain the song would be a smash hit and considered the best song he had written up to that point. 

"I Can See for Miles" was recorded over several different recording sessions. Backing tracks for the song were recorded from May 6 to May 7, 1967, at CBS Studios in London. The vocals and overdubs were recorded at Masters Studio in New York City from August 6 to August 7, 1967. The Who's manager and the song's producer, Kit Lambert, then had the song mixed mastered at Gold Star Studios in Los Angles on September 10, 1967. It was included on their album The Who Sell Out.

"I Can See for Miles" was released as a single on September 18, 1967 in the United States. To promote the new single in the US, The Who appeared on The Smother Brothers Comedy Hour, where they also performed "My Generation." It remains one of The Who's best known television appearances, if not their best known television appearances. Allegedly, Keith Moon bribed a dodgy stagehand to let him put ten times the usual amount of explosives into his drum kit for the explosion at the end of "My Generation." The explosion was so great that Peter Townshend would experience tinnitus afterwards. 'I Can See for Miles" was released in the UK on October 13, 1967, although none of the song's promotion there was quite as, well, explosive as their Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour appearance in the United States.

"I Can See for Miles" peaked at no. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at no. 10 on the UK singles chart. It did better in Canada, where it went all the way to no. 4. In the United States, it was the highest ranking Who single to date. While many composers would have been happy with the song's performance on the charts, Pete Townsend was disappointed, to say the least. He later said, "To me it was the ultimate Who record, yet it didn't sell. I spat on the British record buyer." 

Regardless, "I Can See for Miles" remains one of The Who's best known songs and the favourite of many fans (it is for me). It would also be the inspiration for a Beatles song. Paul McCartney read a description of the song in an interview with Pete Townsend as The Who's loudest song to date. Paul McCartney then wrote "Helter Skelter," arguably the loudest Beatles song ever recorded.

Without further ado, here is The Who's "I Can See for Miles."

Pat Suzuki: Miss Pony Tail

Most people probably remember Pat Suzuki for originating the role of Linda Low in the Broadway production of Flower Drum Song. She had a successful recording career, and also appeared on movies and on television. She has a place in American entertainment history as one of the earliest Japanese American performers to enter the mainstream.

Pat Suzuki was born Chiyoko Suzuki on September 22, 1930, in Cressy, California. Her father was a musician who specialized in traditional Japanese instruments and also operated a farm. Pat Suzuki took to singing while very young. Sadly, after World War II began, like many other Japanese American families, Pat Suzuki's family were sent to an internment camp. Initially they were interred at the Mercy Assembly Centre in California. Later they went to Granada War Relocation Center in Colorado.

Although she would become a singer, Pat Suzuki majored in education in college. When she ran out of money for her schooling in New York, It was while the production was in Seattle that she got a job at The Colony. She appeared at the club for three years. It was while she was ar The Colony that she earned the nickname "Miss Ponytail."

Bing Crosby caught one of her performances at The Colony, and she made such impression on him that he got her a recording contract with RCA Victor. Her first album, The Many Sides of Pat Suzuki, was released in 1958. She frequently appeared as a singer on various variety TV shows in the late Fifties and early Sixties, including The Dinah Shore Chevy Show, The George Gobel Show. The Frank Sinatra Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show, and others. She also appeared on the interview show Person to Person and the game shows What's My Line? and The Match Game.

It was an appearing on Tonight Starring Jack Paar that Richard Rogers offered her the role of Linda Low in Flower Drum Song. She turned the role down before accepting it. For her performance, she received a Theatre World Award. She would not play the role in the movie, which would go to Nancy Kwan (whose singing voice was dubbed by B. J. Baker). As it was, Pat Suzuki couldn't have played the role in the movie, as she had given birth to her son not long before the movie started shooting. 

After her son was born, Pat Suzuki semi-retired from the entertainment business, with appearances become rarer. She guest starred on such shows as The Red Skelton Show and Charlie's Angels, and was a regular on the short-lived sitcom Mr. T and Tina. 

At 95 years of age, Pat Suzuki no longer performs, but she is hardly forgotten. Her cover of "How High the Moon" was used in the movie Biloxi Blues (1988). On top of her career as a singer, Pat Suzuki was also a pioneer with regards to East Asian American performers, particularly Japanese American performers. She paved the way for other East Asian performers to come.

Here is her version of "How High the Moon" from her debut album The Many Sides of Pat Suzuki.

Firefox Should Let Users Disable Searching from the URL Bar

I have never searched from the URL bar on Firefox. I don't want to search from the URL bar on Firefox. To me, the URL bar should be exclusively for visiting websites. For that reason, I have always disabled searching in the URL bar. Unfortunately, I learned today that it has been re-enabled. Every way I tried to disable it again failed.

To me, this is a case of Mozilla doing a disservice to Firefox users. I know I am not the only one who dislikes searching from the URL bar. Indeed, it can cause problems. Too many times I have typed a URL in the URL bar only for it to launch a Google search. Beyond that, one of the many reasons people use Firefox is that it is more customizable than Chrome or Edge. Take away the customization and Mozilla might find themselves losing users.

Regardless, I hope in the next update that Mozilla returns the ability to disable search in Firefox's URL bar. I really won't be too happy with Mozilla until they do.

Godspeed Ann Robinson

Ann Robinson, best known for starring in the sci-fi classic War of the Worlds (1953), died on September 25, 2025, at the age of 96. Her death was not made publicly known until the past few days.

Ann Robinson was born on May 25, 1929 in Los Angeles. Her father worked at the Bank of Hollywood, located in the Equitable Building of Hollywood at Hollywood and Vine. Her father started teaching her to ride horses when she was only three and she became an accomplished rider. She attended Hollywood High and Sacred Heart Academy in La Canada Flintridge.

Ann Robinson broke into film as a stunt rider in the film Black Midnight (1949). She was the stunt double for June Havoc in The Story of Molly X (1949) and Shelly Winters in Frenchie (1950). She joined the Circle Theatre in Hollywood. Paramount signed Miss Robinson for $125 a week. In addition to performing stunts in Black Midnight, she also had an uncredited part as a girl serving punch at a square dance. She appeared in similar uncredited parts in such films as The Damned Don't Cry (1950), I Was a Shoplifter (1950), Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950), A Life of Her Own (1950), and All About Eve (1950). She was an extra in A Place in the Sun (1951), and director George Stevens gave her one line of dialogue.

In addition to playing Sylvia Van Buren in War of the Worlds, for the remainder of the Fifties, Ann Robinson appeared in the movies Goodbye, My Fancy (1951), Callaway Went Thataway (1951), I Want You (1951), The Cimarron Kid (1952), Son of Ali Baba (1952), City Beneath the Sea (1952), The Glass Wall (1953), Bad for Each Other (1953), Dragnet (1954), Gun Brothers (1956), Julie (1956), Gun Duel in Durango (1957), Damn Citizen (1957), and Imitation of Life (1959). On television, she guest starred on the shows Biff Baker, U.S.A.; The Web; Racket Squad; The Ford Television Theatre; Rocky Jones, Space Ranger; Waterfront; Passport to Danger; Stage 7; Studio 57; It's a great Life; Fury; The Bob Cummings Show; The Millionaire; Schlitz Playhouse of Stars; Mike Hammer; Man and the Challenge; Johnny Midnight; The Texan; Shotgun Slade; Goodyear Theatre; Perry Mason; Bachelor Father; Rawhide; and Manhunt.

The Sixties saw Ann Robinson appearing exclusively on television. She guest starred on the shows The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp; Dante, Sugarfoot, Peter Gunn, Hawaiian Eye, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Surfside 6, Ben Casey, The Roaring 20s, Death Valley Days, 77 Sunset Strip, and Gilligan's Island.

In the Seventies, Ann Robinson appeared on the shows Police Woman and Days of Our Lives. In the Eighties, she reprised her role as Sylvia Van Buren on the TV show War of the Worlds. She also guest starred on The New Adam-12. She appeared in the movie Midnight Movie Massacre (1988). She had a cameo in the movie My Lovely Monster (1991). She played a character named Dr. Sylvia Van Buren in the movie The Naked Monster (2005) and in the same year had a cameo in the movie War of the Worlds (2005). She appeared in the movies Tales of Frankenstein (2018) and The Last Page of Summer (2020)

Chances are very good Ann Robinson will always be best remembered for War of the Worlds. She told author Tom Weaver in his book Attack of the Monster Movie Makers, "I’ve gotten more mileage out of War of the Worlds than Vivien Leigh did on Gone With the Wind." While that may be true, she did play many more roles in her career. In the movie Dragnet (based on the radio and TV show of the same name), she actually played a police officer. In the Perry Mason "The Case of the Slandered Submarine," she played the wife of a Naval commander in charge of a submarine project, whose father owns an electronics company providing technology for the project. In the Rawhide episode, "Incident of the Challenge," she played a woman reputed to have magical powers. Ann Robinson was always a welcome presence on the big and small screen, and she played a wide variety of roles.  

Donald Gibb Passes On

Donald Gibb, perhaps best known for playing the hulking but none-too-bright Ogre in Revenge of the Nerds (1984), died on May 12, 2026, at the age of 71. The cause was complications from cancer.

Donald Gibb was born in New York City on August 4, 1954. He grew up in California, where he attended Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks. He attended the University of New Mexico on a basketball scholarship and then University of San Diego, where he was on the football team. He played in the NFL in the San Diego Chargers before an injury from an auto accident curtailed his professional football career.

Given his size, early in his career Donald Gibb primarily played heavies. He made his movie debut in 1980 as a henchman in Any Which Way You Can. He made his TV debut in 1981 in the unsold TV pilot Nichols & Dymes. It would be Revenge of the Nerds in 1984 that would change the trajectory of his career. With casting directors discovering Donald Gibb had a gift for comedy, he began appearing in more and more comedy movies and TV shows. During the Eighties, he appeared in the movies Stripes (1980), Conan the Barbarian (1982), Meatballs Part III (1984), Lost in America (1985), Transylvania 6-5000 (1985), Jocks (1986), They Still Call Me Bruce (1987), Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise (1987), Amazon Women in the Moon (1987), and Bloodsport (1988). On television, he was a regular on the HBO sitcom !st & Ten. He guest-starred on the shows Alice, Simon & Simon, Hardcastle & McCormick, The A-Team, Just Our Luck, Magnum P.I., Knight Rider, Otherworld, Benson, The Facts of Life, 227, Hunter, My Two Dads, Dear John, Night Court, and Doctor Doctor. He also appeared in a few TV movies.

In the Nineties, Donald Gibb reprised his role as Ogre in the television movie sequel Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love. He guest starred on the shows Sons and Daughters, Amen, MacGyver, True Colors, Quantum Leap, Stand by Your Man, Cheers, Harry and the Hendersons, Dark Justice, Renegade, The X-Files, Daddy Dearest, Hearts Afire, Empty Nest, Boy Meets World, Muddling Through, Seinfeld, Murphy Brown, Kirk, Unhappily Ever After, Weird Science, Homeboys in Outer Space, Pacific Blue, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, Days of Our Lives, Arli$$, The Steve Harvey Show, Secret Agent Man, Early Edition, and Veronica's Closet. He appeared in the movies Missing Pieces (1991), Breakfast of Aliens (1993), Magic Kid II (1994), Broken Bars (1995), Bloodsport 2 (1996), American Tigers (1996), High Voltage (1997), U.S. Marshals (1998), and Durango Kids (1999).

In the Naughts, Donald Gibb guest starred on the TV shows Black Scorpion, Philly, She Spies, and The Young and the Restless. He appeared in the mini-series The Fantastic Two. He appeared in the movies Grind (2003), Lightning Bug (2004), Window Theory (2005), The Biggest Fan (2005), 8 of Diamonds (2006), and Hancock (2008). He appeared on the TV show Secret Mountain Fort Awesome in 2011 and the movie Hands in 2026.

Donald Gibb certainly had a flair for comedy, so that it is little wonder that he may be best remembered as ogre in the Revenge of the Nerds movies. It also little wonder that he appeared in many comedy movies, including Lost in America (1985), Transylvania 6-5000 (1985), Jocks (1986), They Still Call Me Bruce (1987), and Amazon Women on the Moon (1987), and such sitcoms as Benson, 227, Night Court, and Cheers. Of course, he could play other roles. His second best known role may be Ray "Tiny" Johnson in both Bloodsport (1988) and its sequel. In the X-Files episode "Conduit" he played Kip, a bartender who apparently had an encounter with aliens. In the MacGyver episode "Split Decision," he played Herman the German, a boxer who also serves as a thug for fight organizers. Of course as mentioned earlier, Donald Gibb played many heavies throughout his career. Regardless of what role he played, whether comedy or drama, whether nice guy or thug, Donald Gibb always gave a good performance.