Audie Murphy

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  • AUDIE MURPHY


    For full biography, please see:-
    Audie Murphy- wikipedia


    Information From IMDb


    Date of Birth
    20 June 1924, Kingston, Texas, USA

    Date of Death
    28 May 1971, near Roanoke, Virginia, USA (plane crash)


    Birth Name
    Audie Leon Murphy


    Height
    5' 5" (1.65 m)


    Spouse
    Pamela Archer (23 April 1951 - 28 May 1971) (his death) 2 sons
    Wanda Hendrix (8 February 1949 - 14 April 1950) (divorced)


    Trivia
    Most decorated US soldier of WWII. Among his 27 US decorations was the Medal of Honor, the US's highest award for military conduct "above and beyond the call of duty," plus 5 decorations awarded by France and Belgium.


    At Arlington Cemetery, the tombstones of Medal of Honor recipients are normally decorated in gold leaf, but Murphy requested that his tombstone remain plain and inconspicuous.


    Audie Murphy Research Foundation established by Murphy family, for collection, preservation and distribution of historical information about AM. Location: 18008 Saratoga Way, Suite 516, Santa Clarita, CA 91351 Fax 805-251-8432.


    June 20, 1996 was proclaimed Audie Murphy Day by the Greenville Area Postal Customer Advisory Council in Greenville, Texas. U.S. Highway 69 North, from North Greenville city limits to Fannin County line was renamed The Audie Murphy Memorial Highway. Audie Murphy was inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame this year in Oklahoma.


    Fan club contact: The Audie Murphy National Fan Club, 8313 Snug Hill Lane, Potomac, Maryland 20854-4057. Annual fee $14.00.


    Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars (#55) in film history in 1995.


    He was born in Kingston, TX, and grew up in Celeste. He went to school in Celeste until 8th grade, when he dropped out to help support his family.


    Just before his death, Murphy was offered the part of the villain in the original Dirty Harry (1971).


    His ex-wife attended his memorial service.


    Son, Terry, born April 14, 1952. Son James ("Skipper") born March 24, 1954.


    First wife Wanda Hendrix claimed he had horrible nightmares and slept with a gun under his pillow.


    Although commonly referred to as Sgt. Audie Murphy, he was given a battlefield commission and was promoted to 2nd Lt. prior to receiving his Medal of Honor.


    Received most of his decorations before he had turned 21.


    He was a life member of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA).


    Supported the Democratic Party.

    Personal Quotes


    [1956] I can't ever remember being young in my life.


    I never liked being called the "most decorated" soldier. There were so many guys who should have gotten medals and never did--guys who were killed.


    [fellow US Army officer about Murphy] Don't let that baby face fool you, that's the toughest soldier in the Third Division.


    [on his acting career] I'm working under a great handicap . . . no talent.


    [of his role as himself in To Hell and Back (1955)] I don't think I'm the type. Maybe Tony Curtis would do.


    [Bill Mauldin about Murphy] In him, we all recognized the straight, raw stuff, uncut and fiery as the day it left the still. Nobody wanted to be in his shoes, but nobody wanted to be unlike him, either.


    [pn turning 40] I guess my face is still the same, and so is the dialogue. Only the horses were changed.


    Salary
    To Hell and Back (1955) $400,000


    Mini Biography
    The son of poor Texas sharecroppers, Audie Murphy became a national hero during World War II as the most decorated combat soldier of the war. Among his 33 awards was the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award for bravery that a soldier can receive. In addition, he was also decorated for bravery by the governments of France and Belgium, and was credited with killing over 240 German soldiers and wounding and capturing many more.


    Murphy had tried to enlist in the army in his native Texas, but was rejected because he was too young. When he became old enough, he tried again and was accepted this time. After undergoing basic military training, he was sent to Europe, where he fought in nine major campaigns over three years and rose from the rank of private to a battlefield commission as a second lieutenant. Part of Murphy's appeal to many people was that he didn't fit the "image" most had of a war hero. He was a slight, almost fragile-looking, shy and soft-spoken young man, whose boyish appearance (something he never lost throughout his life; he always looked at least 15 years younger than he actually was) often shocked people when they found out that, for example, during one battle he leaped on top of a burning tank--which was loaded with fuel and ammunition and could have exploded at any second--and used its machine gun to hold off waves of attacking German troops, killing dozens of them and saving his unit from certain destruction and the entire line from being overrun. In September 1945 Murphy was released from active duty and assigned to inactive status. His story caught the interest of superstar James Cagney, who invited Murphy to Hollywood. Cagney Productions paid for acting and dancing lessons but was reluctantly forced to admit that Murphy--at least at that point in his career--didn't have what it took to become a movie star. For the next several years he struggled to make it as an actor, but jobs were few and far between and mostly bit parts. He finally got a lead role in Bad Boy (1949), and starred in the trouble-plagued production of MGM's The Red Badge of Courage (1951), directed by John Huston. While it's now considered a minor classic, the politics behind the production sparked an irreparable fissure within the ranks of the studio's upper management. Murphy proved adequate as an actor, but the film, with virtually no female presence (or appeal), bombed badly at the box office. Murphy was eventually signed by Universal-International Pictures, which put him in a string of modestly budgeted westerns, a genre that suited his easygoing image and Texas drawl. He starred in the film version of his autobiography, To Hell and Back (1955), which was a huge hit, setting a box-office record for Universal that wasn't broken for 20 years (it was finally surpassed by Jaws (1975)). One of his better pictures was Night Passage (1957), a western in which he played the kid brother of James Stewart. He worked for Huston again on The Unforgiven (1960). Meanwhile, the studio system that Murphy grew into as an actor crumbled. Universal dumped its "International" tag in 1962 and was bought by MCA, which turned the studio's focus on the more lucrative television industry. It dropped its roster of contract players and hired actors on a per-picture basis only. Murphy, among others, was out.


    In addition to his acting career--he made a total of 44 films--Murphy was also a successful rancher and businessman. He bred and raised thoroughbred horses and owned several ranches in Texas, Arizona and California. He was also a songwriter, and penned hits for such singers as Dean Martin, Eddy Arnold, Charley Pride and many others.


    His postwar life wasn't all roses, however. He suffered from what is now called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but was then called "combat fatigue", and was known to have a hair-trigger temper. He woke up screaming at night and slept with a loaded .45 automatic nearby. He was acquitted of attempted murder charges brought about by injuries he inflicted on a man in a bar fight, and director Don Siegel said in an interview that Murphy often carried a pistol on the set of The Gun Runners (1958) and many of the cast and crew were afraid of him. He had a short-lived and turbulent marriage to actress Wanda Hendrix, and in the 1960s his increasing bouts of insomnia and depression resulted in his becoming addicted to a particularly powerful sleeping pill called Placidyl, an addiction he eventually broke. He ran into a streak of bad financial luck and was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1968. Admirably, he campaigned vigorously for the government to spend more time and money on taking care of returning Vietnam War veterans, as he more than most others knew exactly what kinds of problems they were going to have.


    On May 18, 1971, Murphy was aboard a private plane on his way to a business meeting when it ran into thick fog near Roanoke, VA, and crashed into the side of a mountain, killing all six aboard. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. According to cemetery records, the only gravesite visited by more people than Murphy's is that of former President John F. Kennedy.
    IMDb Mini Biography By: frankfob


    Filmography


    Actor
    1. A Time for Dying (1969) .... Jesse James
    2. 40 Guns to Apache Pass (1967) .... Capt. Bruce Coburn
    3. The Texican (1966) .... Jess Carlin
    4. Trunk to Cairo (1966) .... Mike Merrick
    5. Gunpoint (1966) .... Chad Lucas
    6. Arizona Raiders (1965) .... Clint Stewart
    7. Apache Rifles (1964) .... Captain Jeff Stanton
    8. Bullet for a Badman (1964) .... Logan Keliher
    9. The Quick Gun (1964) .... Clint Cooper
    10. Gunfight at Comanche Creek (1963) .... Bob 'Gif' Gifford aka Judd Tanner
    11. War Is Hell (1963) .... Narrator
    12. Showdown (1963) .... Chris Foster
    13. Six Black Horses (1962) .... Ben Lane
    14. Battle at Bloody Beach (1961) .... Craig Benson
    15. "Whispering Smith" (1961) TV series .... Det. Tom 'Whispering' Smith (unknown episodes)
    16. Posse from Hell (1961) .... Banner Cole
    17. Seven Ways from Sundown (1960) .... Seven Ways From Sundown Jones
    18. The Unforgiven (1960) .... Cash Zachary
    19. Hell Bent for Leather (1960) .... Clay Santell
    20. "Startime" .... Howard Wilton (1 episode, 1960)
    - The Man (1960) TV episode .... Howard Wilton
    21. Cast a Long Shadow (1959) .... Matt Brown
    22. The Wild and the Innocent (1959) .... Yancy Hawks
    23. No Name on the Bullet (1959) .... John Gant
    24. The Gun Runners (1958) .... Sam Martin
    25. Ride a Crooked Trail (1958) .... Joe Maybe
    26. "General Electric Theater" .... Tennessee (1 episode, 1958) - Incident (1958) TV episode .... Tennessee
    27. The Quiet American (1958) .... The American
    28. "Suspicion" .... Steve Murray (1 episode, 1957) - The Flight (1957) TV episode .... Steve Murray
    29. Night Passage (1957) .... The Utica Kid
    30. Joe Butterfly (1957) .... Pvt. Joe Woodley
    31. The Guns of Fort Petticoat (1957) .... Lt. Frank Hewitt
    32. Walk the Proud Land (1956) .... John Philip Clum
    33. World in My Corner (1956) .... Tommy Shea
    34. To Hell and Back (1955) .... Audie Murphy
    35. Destry (1954) .... Tom Destry
    36. Drums Across the River (1954) .... Gary Brannon
    37. Ride Clear of Diablo (1954) .... Clay O'Mara
    38. Tumbleweed (1953) .... Jim Harvey
    39. Column South (1953) .... Lt. Jed Sayre
    40. Gunsmoke (1953) .... Reb Kittridge
    41. The Duel at Silver Creek (1952) .... Luke Cromwell, The Silver Kid
    42. The Cimarron Kid (1952) .... Bill Doolin aka The Cimarron Kid
    43. The Red Badge of Courage (1951) .... The Youth
    44. Kansas Raiders (1950) .... Jesse James
    45. Sierra (1950) .... Ring Hassard
    46. The Kid from Texas (1950) .... William Bonney ('Billy the Kid')
    47. Bad Boy (1949) .... Danny Lester
    48. Beyond Glory (1948) .... Cadet Thomas
    49. Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven (1948) .... Copy boy


    Producer:
    1. A Time for Dying (1969) (producer)
    2. The Guns of Fort Petticoat (1957) (producer) (uncredited)


    Writer
    1. To Hell and Back (1955) (autobiography "To Hell And Back")


    Watch the Full Movie:-



    Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven


    Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven(1948)

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited 11 times, last by ethanedwards ().

  • Audie Murphy was and is a national Hero.
    His actions in the face of the enemy, during WWII,
    are without doubt, some of the most heroic, ever witnessed.


    Quote

    The son of poor Texas sharecroppers, Audie Murphy became a national hero during World War II as the most decorated combat soldier of the war. Among his 33 awards was the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award for bravery that a soldier can receive. In addition, he was also decorated for bravery by the governments of France and Belgium, and was credited with killing over 240 German soldiers and wounding and capturing many more.


    Audie's photo and story in a magazine, came to the attention
    of James Cagney, who signed him,
    to Cagney Productions, arranging for acting lessons.
    However his career floundered, and it wasn't until
    with his soft Texan drawl,
    he found his niche in modesly budgeted westerns.
    Out of the 44 movies he made, 33 of them were westerns.
    He starred along James Stewert in Night Passage.


    Audie Murphy is not only a Screen Legend,
    he is a real life one as well.

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

  • Greenville, TX has a small museum dedicated to the memory of Audie Murphy. My younger brother lived and worked in Greenville for more than 20 years and while he was there, bought and had engraved a brick for placement at the museum.

    Somewhere I have several pictures taken at the museum. Will try to locate and post a few here.

    De gustibus non est disputandum

  • On Stumpy's recommendation, a while back I bought To Hell and Back. Hard to imagine what motivates a man to face long odds in battle, like jumping on a burning tank to use the gun. I can easily believe he had issues afterwards.

    Greetings from North of the 49th

  • For some reason, which I cannot identify, I have never warmed up to Audie Murphy. He was a middling actor, not great, but reliable. I think his best work was in "The Unforgiven" with Burt Lancaster and Audrey Hepburn. Our local VA Hospital is named after him.
    Cheers - Jay:beer:

    Cheers - Jay:beer:
    "Not hardly!!!"

  • Hi

    For an insight into Audie Murphy an interesting book is Picture by Lillian Ross. This looks at the making of The Red Badge of Courage from in concept to box office failure.

    It also obviously contains much about Audie Murphy including

    'For the role of the youth Huston said he wanted twenty-six year old Audie Murphy, the most decorated hero of the second World War, whose film career had been limited to minor roles. Huston said he was having some difficultu persuading both Schary and Reihardt to let Murphy have the part. "They'd rather have a star" he said indignately. "They don't see Audie the way i do. This little gentle eyed creature. Why in the war he'd literally go out of his way to find Germans to kill. He's a gentle little killer'.

    When telling Murphy about his role Audie was unimpressed giving the impression that he didn't want to be where he was or interested in what was going on.

    On the day of the commencment of shooting Max Reinhardt wrote Huston a long letter part of which said .......

    'Let me-on this day- point out the main problems as they come to mind one by one.

    (1) Audie Murphy. He needs your constant attention, all your ingenuity (photographically and directorially), all the inspiration you can give him. he shouldn't be left alone for a single second. Nothing should be taken for granted. At the risk of making myself a temendous bore, CONCENTRATE ON AUDIE MURPHY! I watched him. I believe he will be good. How good (and the whole picture depends on the degree ) depends entirely on the support you give him.'

    For many reasons including the fact that the film was subsequntly cut to ribbons. it was a financial flop.

    Regards

    Arthur

  • A few pictures from the Audie Murphy museum in Greenville, TX. The woman and man pictured are my wife and my brother. The brick shown represents my brother's contribution to the museum. I think he paid about $300. for it.






    De gustibus non est disputandum

  • Keith, you beat me to the punch, I was noticing the same thing about the pics. I would really like to see the picture of the $300 brick for the museum. What an interesting concept :biggrin:!


    So . . . Stumpy . . . we look forward to the return of your pictures.


    Added 21 hours later -
    BTW, forgot to mention that we have seen Audie Murphy in The Guns of Fort Petticoat. Most definitely a watchable movie. We have it on a damaged-in-the-middle VHS tape. I would replace it if a reasonably priced DVD became available.


    Chester :newyear:

  • Audie Murphy is one of my personal heroes. I never saw any of his movies until we finally got cable TV in Kingsville, TX-back in about 1980. I liked him instantly with my first viewing of: To Hell and Back, and liked him even more in: The Red Badge of Courage. He starred in this movie with fellow vet/buddy/famous 45th ID & Stars and Stripes Cartoonist: Bill Mauldin-who created the classic characters of all time-Willie and Joe.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

  • Is it true that Audie shot two guys dead outside the Beverly Hills Hotel when they were trying to steal his car and that it was considered by the police to be self defence?


    Quote

    His postwar life wasn't all roses, however. He suffered from what is now called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but was then called "combat fatigue", and was known to have a hair-trigger temper. He woke up screaming at night and slept with a loaded .45 automatic nearby. He was acquitted of attempted murder charges brought about by injuries he inflicted on a man in a bar fight,


    From our initial post,at the top of this thread, could well be true!

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

  • Audie Murphy was Much like Duke in that He Played Himself in His Films.
    :wink_smile:
    When Colt Stopped Making The Peacmaker Pistol after World War 2 and The Film Companys could not Find the Old Colt Weapons anymore He Started Up a Company Called
    "Great Western Firearms"
    And Made Copys of the Old West Firearms, And saved the Day for The Westerns of that day !!!
    :teeth_smile:
    Chilibill
    :cowboy:

  • Audie Murphy did not make great westerns, but they were fun westerns.
    There were two westerns that he costared that I thougth were very good.
    And in both he played the main stars brother.

    NIGHT PASSAGE :JIMMY STEWART 1957
    THE UNFORGIVEN:BURT LANCASTER 1960

    Murphy was and is a GREAT AMERICAN HERO!
    A little man who WALKED TALL

    ''baby sister i was born game and intend to go out that way.''