Screaming Eagles (film)
Encyclopedia
Screaming Eagles is a 1956
black-and-white World War II
film directed by Charles F. Haas
and released by Allied Artists. It stars Tom Tryon
, Jan Merlin
and was the film debut of Jacqueline Beer
a French Miss Universe 1954
runner up. The story is set during the night of the Normandy Invasion where the 101st Airborne Division
jumps into France. The title of the film refers to the nickname of the Division, based on its shoulder sleeve insignia. The film is notable for its large cast of up-and-coming actors.
) who doesn't get along with his fellow paratroopers but is kept in the unit by his platoon commander Lt. Pauling (Jan Merlin
).
Soon after the drop, Lt. Pauling is blinded and Mason learns how to be a paratrooper when he takes care of his Lieutenant.
, Georgia.The technical advisers were Richard Haynes Case a D-Day veteran of the 101st and Werner Klingler
, a German film director who also had a role in the film. Case had also acted as an adviser to The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit in the same year.
Jan Merlin recalled that originally he was supposed to play Private Mason due to his reputation for playing villains. As his character was to continually carry the blinded Lieutenant who was to have been played by the much taller Tom Tryon, the two agreed to switch their roles to make things easier.As Tryon usually played heroes he welcomed the change in roles.
1956 in film
The year 1956 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 5 - The Ten Commandments opens in cinemas and becomes one of the most successful and popular movies of all time, currently ranking 5th on the list of all time moneymakers * February 5 - First showing of documentary films by...
black-and-white World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
film directed by Charles F. Haas
Charles F. Haas
Charles Friedman Haas was an American film and television director. He was born in Chicago, Illinois....
and released by Allied Artists. It stars Tom Tryon
Tom Tryon
Tom Tryon was an American film and television actor, best known for playing the title role in the film The Cardinal and the Walt Disney television character Texas John Slaughter...
, Jan Merlin
Jan Merlin
Jan Merlin is an American character actor, screen writer, and author.- Career :Born and raised in New York USA, during the Second World War he enlisted in the US Navy to serve on three successive ships in the North Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, accumulating ten battle stars before entering Japan's...
and was the film debut of Jacqueline Beer
Jacqueline Beer
Jacqueline Vangramberg is a former Hollywood film and television actress who was also named Miss France in the 1954 Miss Universe Pageant...
a French Miss Universe 1954
Miss Universe 1954
The third edition of Miss Universe was held on 24 July 1954, at Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California, USA. They had 33 young ladies in the competition. Miss USA, 21-year-old Miriam Stevenson, won the competition...
runner up. The story is set during the night of the Normandy Invasion where the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division (United States)
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
jumps into France. The title of the film refers to the nickname of the Division, based on its shoulder sleeve insignia. The film is notable for its large cast of up-and-coming actors.
Plot
Prior to the Normandy landings three replacements are assigned to the 1st Platoon, "D" Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment. Amongst them is Private Mason (Tom TryonTom Tryon
Tom Tryon was an American film and television actor, best known for playing the title role in the film The Cardinal and the Walt Disney television character Texas John Slaughter...
) who doesn't get along with his fellow paratroopers but is kept in the unit by his platoon commander Lt. Pauling (Jan Merlin
Jan Merlin
Jan Merlin is an American character actor, screen writer, and author.- Career :Born and raised in New York USA, during the Second World War he enlisted in the US Navy to serve on three successive ships in the North Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, accumulating ten battle stars before entering Japan's...
).
Soon after the drop, Lt. Pauling is blinded and Mason learns how to be a paratrooper when he takes care of his Lieutenant.
Cast
- Tom TryonTom TryonTom Tryon was an American film and television actor, best known for playing the title role in the film The Cardinal and the Walt Disney television character Texas John Slaughter...
- Pvt. Mason - Jan MerlinJan MerlinJan Merlin is an American character actor, screen writer, and author.- Career :Born and raised in New York USA, during the Second World War he enlisted in the US Navy to serve on three successive ships in the North Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, accumulating ten battle stars before entering Japan's...
- Lt. Pauling - Alvy MooreAlvy MooreJack Alvin "Alvy" Moore was an American light comic actor best known for his role as scatterbrained county agricultural agent "Hank Kimball" on the television series Green Acres....
- Grimes - Martin MilnerMartin MilnerMartin Sam Milner is an American actor best known for his performances in two popular television series, Adam-12 and Route 66....
- Corliss - Pat ConwayPat ConwayPatrick Douglas Conway, known as Pat Conway , was an American actor best known for his role as young but tough Sheriff Clay Hollister on the ABC and then syndicated western television series Tombstone Territory . He was a maternal grandson of silent film star Francis X...
- Sgt. Forrest - Jacqueline BeerJacqueline BeerJacqueline Vangramberg is a former Hollywood film and television actress who was also named Miss France in the 1954 Miss Universe Pageant...
- Marianne - Joe di Reda - Dubrowski
- Mark DamonMark DamonMark Damon is an American film actor and producer. He started his career in his native country, appearing in such films as Young and Dangerous and Roger Corman's House of Usher...
- Lambert - Paul BurkePaul Burke (actor)Paul Burke was an American actor best known for his lead roles in two 1960s ABC television series, Naked City and Twelve O'Clock High...
- Dreef - Edward G. Robinson, Jr. - Smith
- Robert Dix (son of Richard DixRichard DixRichard Dix was an American motion picture actor who achieved popularity in both silent and sound film. His standard on-screen image was that of the rugged and stalwart hero.-Early life:...
) - Peterson - Robert Roark - Torren
- Robert BlakeRobert Blake (actor)Robert Blake is an American actor who starred in the film In Cold Blood and the U.S. television series Baretta. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted for the 2001 murder of his wife, but on November 18, 2005, Blake was found liable in a California civil court for her wrongful death.-Early...
- Hernandez - Keith LarsenKeith LarsenKeith Larsen was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer who starred in three short-lived television series between 1955 and 1961.-Background:...
Production
Parts of the film were filmed at Fort BenningFort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia.The technical advisers were Richard Haynes Case a D-Day veteran of the 101st and Werner Klingler
Werner Klingler
Werner Klingler was a German film director and actor. He directed 29 films between 1936 and 1968.He was born in Stuttgart, Germany and died in Berlin, Germany.-Selected filmography:* Titanic...
, a German film director who also had a role in the film. Case had also acted as an adviser to The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit in the same year.
Jan Merlin recalled that originally he was supposed to play Private Mason due to his reputation for playing villains. As his character was to continually carry the blinded Lieutenant who was to have been played by the much taller Tom Tryon, the two agreed to switch their roles to make things easier.As Tryon usually played heroes he welcomed the change in roles.