News Scrapbook 1959-1962

An Old Salt Is Saluted

- f

Film Recreates'Gallant Hours' In Life Of Adm. 'Bull' Halsey By JAMES MEADE, The San Diego Union's Theater Writer

I

''I

I

TWO OF HOLLYWOOD'S veterans have combined to bring to the screen the World War II exploits of Fleet Adm. William F. (Bull) Halsey, one of the most colorful and inspiring officers of the Pa- cific campaign. James Cagney plays Adm. Halsey in "The Gal- lant Hours" and Robert .Mont- gomery directed the picture for United Artists release. The film will have its West Coast premiere Tuesday at the Fox Theater as a benefit for the Uni- versity of San Diego, sponsored by the university's Women's Auxil- iary. Tickets are on sale at Thearle's "The Gallant Hours" is the story of the handful of Army, Navy and Marine Corps personnel under Halsey's command in the waning days of 1942 who stopped fl1e nu- merically superior Japanese and turned the tide of the war in the Pacific. :.VIontgomery calls it a realistic, no-punches-pulled ac- count of modern warfare from the viewpoint of one of the saltiest per- sonalities in the Allied high com- mand. Supporting Cagney in the star- ring role are Dennis Weaver, Richard Carlyle, Carl Benton Reid, Ward Costello, Robert Burton, Les Tremayne, Raymond Bailey, Wal- ter Sande, Vaughn Taylor and Richard Jaeckel. William Schallert is cast as Capt. Thomas G. Lanphier, World War

II ace who shot down the bomber that was carrying Adm. Isokuru Yamamoto, chief of the Imperial ,Japanese navy. Lanphier was a vice president of Convair at San Diego until recently. Also appear- in~ briefly in the film will be Robi>1i Montgomery Jr. Although he previously has di• rected three movies ("Lady in the Lake," "Ride the Pink Horse" and "Eye Witness), Montgomery makes his bow in the dual role of producer and director with "The Gallant Hours." The original screenplay was written by Beirne Lay Jr. and Frank D. Gilroy. Joe MacDonald was chief cinematog- rapher. The musical score was mmposed and conducted by Roger Wagner and sung by the Roger . \Vagner Chorale. , • "The Gallant Hours" marks the start of Cagney's 30th year in films. It is his 59th picture but onlv the fourth in which he has played a real-life personage. The previous three werP "Yankee Doo- dle Dandy" (George M. Cohan), "Love Me or Leave Me" (The Gimp - Ruth Etting's manager- husband) and ''Man of 1,000 Faces" (Lon Chanpy). He won an "Oscar" for his role a. Cohan. Cagney rates Adm. Halsey as the most difficult to portray from the actor's viewpoint. Cohan, The Gimp and Chaney all possessed (Continued on e-4, Col. 1)

JAMES CAGNEY bears striking resemblance to Admiral Will iom F Holsey Jr., whom he portrays in "The Gallant Hours." This is from movie scene in which Halsey reads the orders en ding his career in colorful ceremony aboard his flagship.

JAPANESE Admiral Yamamoto, top photo left, played by James T. Goto, olots all-out attack on Guadalcanal with an aide, while Admiral Halsey (Cagney), in photo at right, confers with his pilot, ployed by Dennis Weaver, after learn- ing of the Japanese plans. Weaver 1s Halsey's personal pilot.

CONTROVERSY develops between Admiral Halsey and members of his staff over strategy in fighting the Japanese fleet near Guadalcanal. Aides are Vaughn Taylor and Word Costello.

WORD OF NAVY'S victory at Guadalcanal is received by Admiral Halsey and members of his fighting staff. Vastly outnumbered, Halsey's ships ond men rout the Japanese invasion fleet by teamwork, strategy,

MORALE of marines fighting desperately to fall of 1942 was bolstered by visi Admiral Holsey. On one visit to island, Japanese Ad mirol Yamamoto learns of Halsey's flight sends of aircraft in unsuccessful attempt to shoot his plane down. '