Beloved charactor actor and D-Day, World War II hero Charles Durning, 85, was honored Thrusday morning with his star on the Walk of Fame. It was attended by his closest friends, family and stars of old Hollywood and new.
Among the stars attending were actors Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna who spoke lovingly to the crowd about their octogenarian friend. Durning’s daughter, actress-writer Anita Gregory and his long-time friend, actress-producer Lee Purcell, generously made all the arrangements with the Hollywood Chamber to bestow the special honor to this most deserving recepient. As a special treat for Charles, his Star was placed next to his boyhood idol, James Cagney.
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harles was brought onstage by the Hollywood Chamber’s president/CEO Leron Gubler who, in addition to tracing Charlie’s long and illustrious acting career, spoke of the actor’s past contibution as a genuine World war II hero who stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-Day; at 17, he was the only member of his unit to survive the day June 6, 1944; fought the Battle of the Bulge, survived the Belgium POW Massacre by German troops; and narrowly escaped the Massacre at Malmedy where over 50 captured Americans were murdered by Nazi SS troops. He later had to return to the scene, and help identify the bodies. During the war, he was wounded three times, including being bayonetted 8 times before he was able to kill his attacker with a rock.
He was awarded three Purple Hearts and the Good Conduct Medal. And, Gubler revealed, even though Charlie’s legs were stafed with German machine-gun fire, he later started his performing career in New York as a professional boxer and a song and dance man on Broadway!
A two-time Oscar and nine-time Emmy nominee, Durning is also a Tony and Golden Globe winner and is currently and Emmy nominee for his performance in the FX series "Rescue Me", which he guest starred. Earlier this year, he was honored with SAG’s LifeAchievement Award.
Also onhand were Ed Begley, Jr., Richard Benjanmin, Angie Dickinson, Elliott Gould, Jon Voight, Doris Roberts, Charlotte Rae, Alan Rosenberg, George Segal, Gil Cates, Jr., Dan Lauria, Ed Lauter, Linda Bloodworth Thompson, and Robert Lyons.
My question is…Why is he just now getting a star on the walk of fame? Congratulations, Charles Durning, you are a true star in every sense of the word and a great American.
Photos by Greg Tidwell. Check out our Celeb Files for more images from this event.
