Outdoor showing scheduled for 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2 in Dana, Indiana. For more information on birthday celebration activities, click here.
Ernie Pyle’s “Story of G.I. Joe” premiered 80 years ago in Indianapolis. The movie is based on Pyle’s WWII columns chronicling the experiences of soldiers. It stars Burgess Meredith as Pyle — actors James Gleason and Walter Brennan were also considered for the lead role. In February 1945, Pyle wrote, in characteristically self-deprecating fashion, about the film which had recently finished shooting:
“My part is played by Burgess Meredith. The make-up men shaved his head and wrinkled his face and made him up so well that he’s even uglier than I am, poor fellow.”
The film was directed by William Wellman and earned four Academy Award nominations including one for Best Supporting Actor for Robert Mitchum. It was released three months after Pyle was killed by sniper fire on the island of Ie Shima on April 18, 1945. In his column, Pyle wrote that his close friend Paige Cavanaugh was a consultant on the film. Pyle wrote that Cavanaugh’s role was to, according to producer Lester Cowan, make sure, “Cowan didn’t louse Pyle up.”
As the filming was wrapping up in February 1945 Pyle wrote, “They are still calling it The Story of G.I. Joe. I never did like the title, but nobody could think of a better one, and I was too lazy to try.”
