Richard Todd

[rickshaw]

[Old Wombat]

 

[NARSES2]

Yup 

Mind you he did get a promotion between 6th June 44 and the film being made 

[The Rat]

Yup 

Mind you he did get a promotion between 6th June 44 and the film being made 

Can't speak for the esteemed Mr. Todd (who deserved to be 'Sir' Richard, not sure why he was overlooked) but a Captain in our reserve regiment allowed in private that he much preferred 'Sergeant,' as that was his rank when he was last in combat.

[kerick]

Outstanding story.

[PR19_Kit]

I love that he played his own CO in 'The Longest Day' film, superb casting. 

[Rheged]

I love that he played his own CO in 'The Longest Day' film, superb casting. 

Entirely appropriate!

In another film of the same genre, " The Man Who Never Was"  I was most entertained to find that Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu (who dreamed up the concept of Operation Mincemeat)  played an extremely sceptical Air Vice Marshal in a committee discussing the operation.  He is alleged to have been given the line "Don't be a fool Montagu, you know it will never work"

[Martin H]

I love that he played his own CO in 'The Longest Day' film, superb casting. 

He had a bust up with the director during filming over historical accuracy. The director asked how the hell did he know what realy happened that night.  Todd pointed at an extra. "See that junior officer over there?"  "That was me!" End of argument.

[Nick]

Sounds like what happened with Donald Pleasance in The Great Escape - He made several comments about real life in a POW camp and the director John Sturges ignored him.
A few days later it was pointed out Donald had spent 9 months in Stalag Luft 1 after being shot down in a Lancaster over France.
Sturges changed his tune quickly and started asking his advice!

"As an aviator, I was rather successful, right up to the point I was shot down."
Donald Pleasance
 

[NARSES2]

Can't speak for the esteemed Mr. Todd (who deserved to be 'Sir' Richard, not sure why he was overlooked)

2 wives, a partner and 5 kids between them probably didn't help back in the day, meant he had to settle for an O.B.E.

[The Rat]

Can't speak for the esteemed Mr. Todd (who deserved to be 'Sir' Richard, not sure why he was overlooked)

2 wives, a partner and 5 kids between them probably didn't help back in the day, meant he had to settle for an O.B.E.

Seems a bit phony, considering that the upper crust who influence such matters are in and out of each other's beds all the time.

[NARSES2]

Can't speak for the esteemed Mr. Todd (who deserved to be 'Sir' Richard, not sure why he was overlooked)

2 wives, a partner and 5 kids between them probably didn't help back in the day, meant he had to settle for an O.B.E.

Seems a bit phony, considering that the upper crust who influence such matters are in and out of each other's beds all the time.

Yup, but in very few cases, Duchess of Westminster was the first I think, they stayed married. It was all about breeding and inheritance, love and lust was elsewhere   

[McColm]

I had the pleasure of being a guest of Saint Dunstans Charity for the War Blind on the Normandy War memorial tour when I worked as front of house security. I got to walk in the footsteps of my stepfather as he was a junior officer in the Royal Marines during the Day Landings.  Complete chaos as he became the senior officer now in charge of various British units, the longest day, well they got that right depending on your point of view.