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Not only a great actor but also a genuine WW2 hero who, if I remember correctly, was one of the Rangers at Point du Hoc June6, 1944.

+5

He did a very good job as the Governor in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. His song was perfect for any politician.

+7

I’ll always remember as Spermwhale Whalen from the Choirboys and Cpl. Ernie Yost in NCIS “Call of Silence”. RIP

+8

I’ll never forget how he squealed like a pig in Deliverance. Great actor!

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Joe,

that was Ned Beatty…

Charles’s best role to me was as Captain Pruiss in The Hindenburg.

+3

Great actor – one of the best.

Ok, no more for today.

+3

Always enjoyed his work.

RIP

(except that Ned Beatty imitation in ‘Deliverance’)

+5

@Death: Gotcha! Not quite though. I knew it was Ned Beatty, Warren’s brother.

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@Doc, Call of Silence is still my favorite NCIS episode.

+2

I know what it is like to loose someone on Christmas Eve. My father-in-law passed away 7 years yesterday. My condolences and prayers to the Durning family.

What Charles Durning,the warrior, did for us –

For his valor and the wounds he received during the war, Durning was awarded the Silver Star and three Purple Heart medals….Durning participated in the Normandy Invasion of France on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and was among the first troops to land at Omaha Beach…

Durning was wounded by a German “S” Mine on June 15, 1944 at Les Mare des Mares, France…Although severely wounded by shrapnel in the left and right thighs, the right hand, the frontal region of the head, and the anterior left chest wall, Durning recovered quickly and was determined to be fit for duty on December 6, 1944.

He arrived back at the front in time to take part in the Battle of the Bulge,…After being wounded again, this time in the chest, Durning was returned to the United States. He remained in Army hospitals to receive treatment for wounds until being discharged with the rank of Private First Class on January 30, 1946.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Durning

The Los Angeles Times called the war hero and storied actor “the king of character actors” in his obituary.

+3

i loved ned beatty as charles durning in the movie “the Hindenberg”. Great job.

+2

Even the conservative blogospere hasn’t adequatetly described the enormity of Charles Durning’s WWII experience. He was in action at Omaha Beach and was the only person in his unit, probably meaning a rifle squad or platoon, to survive

THEN, during the Battle of the Bulge he was captured and was involved in the Malmedy massacre where SS troops under Col Joachim Peiper rounded up about 100 American POWs and suddenly opened up on them killing about 90. So, Durning was involved into two separate incidents where the chance of surviving was about 10%. And so the odds of surviving both was 1%

Couple that with the 50% chance of surviving an entire year of non stop combat, Durning beat 200 to 1 odds against him being alive on May 1945

+1

@Shang, mine too!

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