I was reading about Tom Landry the other day, and found out he was a B-17 co-pilot at 19 years old and had around 30 missions (one where he crashed in Belgium). I only had my car license a year at 19 lol
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays To All - It's A Wonderful (Rutgers) Life
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Those guys were something else. My former nextdoor neighbor in Pinehurst (this is going back a bit now) was a B-24 pilot in WWII and flew out of Flixton (England), the 446th Heavy Bomber Group, 8th Air Force. He flew 33 missions. Some of my best memories of my two decades in Pinehurst were when he'd summoned me over to sit with him in his courtyard and drink and talk, and he'd recount his service years, from training to missions to his return home and re-entry. He was from Westchester, NY and went to Drexel. After he passed, I attended his burial in Arlington at his widow's request, as I became part of his family. Full military honors complete with caison and riderless horse, twenty-one gun salute, etc. Cold clear winter day. Tremendously moving. His widow afterwards gifted me the silk escape map that was sewn into the liner of his flight jacket. A cherished possession.
And Thomas Mitchell (Uncle Billy) was a good friend's uncle. Not nearly as cool a connection as yours.
Wow. Would have loved to hear those talks. Shame you didn't record them but that might not have been welcome,
There's a scene in the movie where Uncle Billy and George Bailey walk out of a gathering together. Billy and George part ways with Uncle Billy walking off camera to the left of your screen. Then you hear a crash and Billy saying "I'm alright... I'm alllllll right!" and George Bailey left on camera puts his hands on his hips, looks down and smiles. The audience is left to imagine a drunk Billy fell into some garbage cans down an alley.
But what really happened is that a stage hand piled up a bunch of film cannisters too high. It was at that very moment, the cannisters fell over with the crashing sound. Mitchell and Stewart stayed right in character and ad libbed the scene. The stage hand thought he was going to get fired after the take. Instead, the scene was left as is and the stage hand got a raise.
Here's the scene:
But what really happened is that a stage hand piled up a bunch of film cannisters too high. It was at that very moment, the cannisters fell over with the crashing sound. Mitchell and Stewart stayed right in character and ad libbed the scene. The stage hand thought he was going to get fired after the take. Instead, the scene was left as is and the stage hand got a raise.
Here's the scene:
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I did videotape Carl telling a few stories. I gave a copy to his son and daughter, as they never knew that side of their dad. He never talked to them about the war.
His dad was born in Germany, came to America and made (and lost) a small fortune. Later in life, Carl returned to his father's village, and while standing on a bridge, looking out over the slow moving water, he struck up a conversation with a local man, who told him that during the war, the bridge they were standing on was bombed, completely destroyed. The man was a boy at the time, and remembered that night vividly. Carl told the man, "I know, sir. Believe it or not, I flew the bomber that took out this bridge." He called it a "milk run." Some tougher missions involved bombing civilian population centers. Can't imagine the weight he had to bare.
After the war, after some struggles, he distributed Bibles for Gideon's, having turned to religion. He slowly came to terms with his war.
Great story - I'd bet there are historians out there somewhere that would like copies of those tapes.
Great story about the impact his war service had on Stewart’s acting in the movie.
In 2001 I took my son to Washington to the Obama inauguration. It was incredibly cold. Dick Cheney was in a wheelchair for the ceremony I believe due to his heart issues.
When they wheeled him out with his white hair and a big blanket across his lap he was a dead ringer for Mr. Potter.
When they wheeled him out with his white hair and a big blanket across his lap he was a dead ringer for Mr. Potter.
We watched it again last night. There’s a Colorized version of it now that is worth seeing for those that enjoy it.
Philip Van Doren Stern (September 10, 1900 – July 31, 1984) was an American writer, editor, and Civil Warhistorian whose story "The Greatest Gift", published in 1943, inspired the classic Christmas film It's a Wonderful Life (1946).
Philip Van Doren Stern was born in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, into a family of humble means. His Pennsylvania-born father, Isadore Ullman, was a traveling merchant of BavarianJewish[1] descent, who came to Wyalusing from West Virginia with his New Jersey-born wife, the former Anne Van Doren. Stern grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, and attended Lincoln High School in Jersey City before graduating from Rutgers University.
Today Stern is most remembered for a short story he wrote in 1943. In February 1938 Stern awoke with the story in mind. Inspired by a dream that was reminiscent of the 1843 Charles Dickens novella A Christmas Carol, Stern wrote a 4000 word short storycalled The Greatest Gift. He began it in 1939 and finished it in 1943, but was unable to find a publisher for it. He sent 200 printed copies to friends as Christmas cards in December 1943. His daughter, Marguerite Stern Robinson, recalled "I was in the third grade and remember delivering a few of these cards to my teachers and my friends ... My father, who was himself from a mixed religious background, explained to me that while this story takes place at Christmas time, and that we were sending it as a Christmas card to our friends, it is a universal story for all people in all times."[5]
The story was published as a book in December 1944, with illustrations by Rafaello Busoni. Stern also sold it to Reader's Scope magazine, which published it in its December 1944 issue, and to the magazine Good Housekeeping, which published it under the title "The Man Who Was Never Born" in its January 1945 issue (published in December 1944). A small edition was produced in 1996[5] and yet another in 2011.[6]
In a 1946 interview, Stern said that the story's "Bedford Falls" had been modeled on Califon, New Jersey.[2]
Philip Van Doren Stern was born in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, into a family of humble means. His Pennsylvania-born father, Isadore Ullman, was a traveling merchant of BavarianJewish[1] descent, who came to Wyalusing from West Virginia with his New Jersey-born wife, the former Anne Van Doren. Stern grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, and attended Lincoln High School in Jersey City before graduating from Rutgers University.
Today Stern is most remembered for a short story he wrote in 1943. In February 1938 Stern awoke with the story in mind. Inspired by a dream that was reminiscent of the 1843 Charles Dickens novella A Christmas Carol, Stern wrote a 4000 word short storycalled The Greatest Gift. He began it in 1939 and finished it in 1943, but was unable to find a publisher for it. He sent 200 printed copies to friends as Christmas cards in December 1943. His daughter, Marguerite Stern Robinson, recalled "I was in the third grade and remember delivering a few of these cards to my teachers and my friends ... My father, who was himself from a mixed religious background, explained to me that while this story takes place at Christmas time, and that we were sending it as a Christmas card to our friends, it is a universal story for all people in all times."[5]
The story was published as a book in December 1944, with illustrations by Rafaello Busoni. Stern also sold it to Reader's Scope magazine, which published it in its December 1944 issue, and to the magazine Good Housekeeping, which published it under the title "The Man Who Was Never Born" in its January 1945 issue (published in December 1944). A small edition was produced in 1996[5] and yet another in 2011.[6]
In a 1946 interview, Stern said that the story's "Bedford Falls" had been modeled on Califon, New Jersey.[2]
Thomas Mitchell, who played Uncle Billy, is an Elizabeth native and St. Patricks graduate. He was also in Stagecoach, High Noon and Gone With the Wind among other films.
A fine actor he won an Oscar, Tony and Emmy awards.
A fine actor he won an Oscar, Tony and Emmy awards.
The greatest Christmas movie, hands down.
Every time RU scores a TD, an angel gets their wings. Not too many wings lately.
Also in IMHO the greatest Western ever, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
did not know this fact, thank you
my favorite RU trivia nugget is the tomatoes used by Cambell soup for eons
Good article from nj.com talking about the movie and it's NJ/RU roots.
A NJ tie in that they don't mention is that Thomas Mitchell ( a two time Oscar nominee) , who played the drunk Uncle Billy, was a native of Elizabeth and a graduate of St. Patricks.
A NJ tie in that they don't mention is that Thomas Mitchell ( a two time Oscar nominee) , who played the drunk Uncle Billy, was a native of Elizabeth and a graduate of St. Patricks.
Tonight's our traditional viewing night for this classic film. Dio ti benedica, zio Frank, per questo tesoro duraturo....
Trivia: Mitchell was the 1st person to have won an Oscar (Stagecoach), Emmy, and a Tony award.
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Here's the original article from 2017
Here's the original article from 2017
In case you’d rather not click on a NJ.com article:
This info usually comes out every year around this time. And wouldn’t be surprised if the NJ.com folks got their idea for the story from this article
This info usually comes out every year around this time. And wouldn’t be surprised if the NJ.com folks got their idea for the story from this article