Comments by "Big Blue" (@bigblue6917) on "The Beach Jumpers and Douglas Fairbanks Jr." video.

  1. Actually I do have evidence. It is a well known fact that Wayne did not serve in the army. John Ford used to humiliate him about it. In one film Wayne was the only actor in the film who had not served so Ford gave the military rank as well as their name to all those who had served in the end credits. Wayne was Mr. John Wayne. Wayne was exempted because he was 34 at the time of Pearl Harbour. But at that time the age limit was 36 year and six months. So he would be eligible to serve. And in early 1942 this was changed to the duration of the war plus a six-month. As he had a family he was classified as 3-A - family deferment. This, I understand, would be something Wayne himself would need to claim for. Henry Fonda was 36 and also had children but served anyway. The story of him being booed came from a highly regarded documentary series about WW2 where one of the US marines who was there related the story of what happened. The documentary series, I believe, was The World at War. It may possibly have been episode 23, The Pacific. None of what I wrote is anecdotal. I studied at university where I was awarded a degree in archaeology so I know the importance of facts.
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  2. John Wayne managed to to dodge combat in WW 2. All the enemies he faced were extras in Hollywood. There was an incident during the war where he was part of a group entertaining the troops. The curtain opened to find him stood there dressed as a cowboy. The audience, wounded US Marines who had been fighting the Japanese on all the various islands booed him off the stage. Wayne was in favour of the US fighting various wars as long as he was not asked to do the fighting. Laurence Olivier was a fighter pilot in the Royal Navy in WW 2. I understand that when he asked to be granted leave to film Henry V the Navy was happy to oblige. Apparently he had crashed so many aircraft he was in danger of becoming a German Air Ace.
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  3. Jacob Zodag I think he has a note saying he is excused warfare because he has a bone in his foot. But on the upside it is the "greatest bone ever to be in anyone's foot." "Like no other president has ever had a bone as great as his." Then he goes off to find out when the War of 1812 was. Pity he doesn't have a general on his staff who could tell him.
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  4. Jacob Zondag Adding "Believe me" would have added to the authenticity. :)
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