MacKinlay Kantor (February 4, 1904 – October 11, 1977), born Benjamin McKinlay Kantor , was an American journalist, novelist and screenwriter. He wrote more than 30 novels, several set during the American Civil War , and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1956 for his 1955 novel, Andersonville . He also wrote the novel Gettysburg , set during the Civil War.
66-746: Kantor was born and grew up in Webster City, Iowa , with his older sister, Virginia. His mother, Effie (McKinlay) Kantor, worked as the editor of the Webster City Daily News during part of his childhood. His father, John Martin Kantor, was a native-born Swedish Jew descended from "a long line of rabbis , who posed as a Protestant clergyman". His mother was of English, Irish, Scottish, and Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry. (Later, MacKinlay Kantor wrote an unpublished novel called Half Jew .) Kantor's father had trouble keeping jobs and abandoned
132-439: A screenplay about veterans returning home. Kantor wrote a novel in blank verse , which was published as Glory for Me (1945). After selling the movie rights to his novel, Kantor was disappointed that the film was released under the title The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), and that details of the story had been changed by the screenwriter Robert Sherwood . Kantor was said to have lost his temper with Goldwyn and walked off
198-692: A Nation and Charlie Chaplin 's comedies are unavailable.) However, because of the distribution arrangement RKO had with Goldwyn, RKO recorded a loss of $ 660,000 on the film. In spite of his role, Harold Russell was not a professional actor. As the Academy Board of Governors considered him a long shot to win Best Supporting Actor Oscar he had been nominated for, they gave him an Academy Honorary Award "for bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans through his appearance". When Russell in fact won as supporting actor there
264-410: A bank and lived in a luxury apartment with his wife, Milly, and their teenage children, Peggy and Rob. Homer Parrish was a star high school athlete living with his middle-class parents and younger sister. Homer had also been dating his next-door neighbor Wilma, whom he intended to marry upon his return from the war. Each man faces challenges integrating back into civilian life. Homer lost both hands in
330-527: A better job than soda jerk, Fred returns to the same drug store. Fred and Peggy develop an attraction for each other, which puts the married Fred at odds with Al. When Homer visits Fred at the drug store, another customer criticizes US involvement in the war, telling Homer his injuries were unnecessary. Homer responds angrily, and Fred intervenes on his behalf, punching the customer and consequently being fired. Meanwhile, Marie, frustrated with his lack of financial success and missing her past nightlife, decides to get
396-476: A divorce. Bitter, and seeing no future in Boone City, particularly with Al telling Fred to stay away from Peggy, Fred decides to catch the next plane out. While waiting at the airport, Fred walks into an aircraft boneyard , climbing into a decommissioned B-17 bomber. Sitting in the bombardier's seat, Fred has another flashback. He is roused out of his stressful memories by a work crew foreman, who reveals that
462-543: A later novel of his. When Kantor interviewed U.S. troops, many told him the only goal was to get home alive. He was reminded of the Protestant hymn : "When all my labors and trials are o'er / And I am safe on that beautiful shore [Heaven], O that will be / Glory for me!" Kantor returned from the European theater of war on military air transport (MAT). After the war, the producer Samuel Goldwyn commissioned him to write
528-517: A living and support his family; these works included crime stories and mysteries. He sold his first pulp stories, "Delivery Not Received" and "A Bad Night for Benny", to Edwin Baird, editor of Real Detective Tales and Mystery Stories . He also wrote for Detective Fiction Weekly . In 1928, Kantor published his first novel, Diversey , set in Chicago, Illinois . In 1932, Kantor moved with his family from
594-556: A preschool through 6th grade elementary education. U.S. Route 20 , a four-lane east-west corridor through north central Iowa , was built along Webster City. Approximately 12 miles east is Interstate 35 . The city has a municipal airport with a 4,007 feet (1,221 m) runway and full-time Fixed-base operator. A junction of lines of the Canadian National and Union Pacific Railroads is located in Webster City. There
660-410: A screenplay. His work was first published as a novella, Glory for Me , which Kantor wrote in blank verse . Robert E. Sherwood then adapted the novella as a screenplay. Director Wyler had flown combat missions over Europe in filming Memphis Belle (1944), and worked hard to get accurate depictions of the combat veterans he had encountered. Wyler changed the original casting, which had featured
726-399: A very different life behind: Fred Derry was a drug store soda jerk who lived with his parents on the wrong side of the tracks. Before shipping out, Fred married a gold-digger named Marie after a whirlwind romance. Marie has since been working in a nightclub to fill her time (and her nightlife) in spite of Fred's generous combat pay as an Air Force officer. Al Stephenson was an executive at
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#1732793533361792-478: A veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder , and sought out Harold Russell, a non-actor, to take on the exacting role of Homer Parrish. For The Best Years of Our Lives , he asked the principal actors to purchase their own clothes, in order to connect with daily life and produce an authentic feeling. Other Wyler touches included constructing life-size sets, which went against the standard larger sets that were more suited to camera positions. The impact for
858-735: Is about three United States servicemen re-adjusting to societal changes and civilian life after coming home from World War II . The three men come from different services with different ranks that do not correspond with their civilian social class backgrounds. It is one of the earliest films to address issues encountered by returning veterans in the post World War II era. The film was a critical and commercial success. It won 7 Academy Awards : Best Picture , Best Director (William Wyler), Best Actor (Fredric March), Best Supporting Actor (Harold Russell), Best Film Editing (Daniel Mandell), Best Adapted Screenplay ( Robert E. Sherwood ), and Best Original Score ( Hugo Friedhofer ). In addition, Russell
924-409: Is decent and humane... acutely observed, despite being so meticulous a package. It would have taken uncommon genius and daring at that time to sneak a view of an untidy or unresolved America past Goldwyn or the public." The Best Years of Our Lives has a 97% "Fresh" rating at Rotten Tomatoes , with an average rating of 8.9/10, based on 97 reviews. The critical consensus states: "An engrossing look at
990-606: Is no Uber in the community. Webster City has eleven parks, two golf courses, indoor and outdoor community swimming pools, a recreation center, more than seven miles of walking trails, and many camping areas: Webster City is home to the Hamilton County Fairgrounds, which holds the county fair every July. In addition, the fairgrounds is home to the Historic Hamilton County Speedway. Webster City's annual community celebration
1056-624: Is the Boone Bash River Dash, which features a cardboard regatta. It is held every June. The local radio stations are KZWC and KQWC-FM . The Daily Freeman Journal is the city's local newspaper and is published Monday through Friday. The Best Years of Our Lives The Best Years of Our Lives (also known as Glory for Me and Home Again ) is a 1946 American drama film directed by William Wyler and starring Myrna Loy , Fredric March , Dana Andrews , Teresa Wright , Virginia Mayo and Harold Russell . The film
1122-462: The Astor Theater, New York , Bosley Crowther , film critic for The New York Times , hailed the film as a masterpiece. He wrote, It is seldom that there comes a motion picture which can be wholly and enthusiastically endorsed not only as superlative entertainment, but as food for quiet and humanizing thought... In working out their solutions, Mr. Sherwood and Mr. Wyler have achieved some of
1188-710: The Buchenwald concentration camp as they liberated it on April 14, 1945. During the next decade, that experience informed his research for and writing of Andersonville (1955), his novel about the Confederate prisoner of war camp . One of the problems he struggled with in Germany and afterward was how to think of the civilians who lived near Buchenwald. As he struggled to understand, he developed ideas which he expressed in his novel, where he portrayed some civilian Southerners sympathetically, in contrast to officers at
1254-652: The Kendall Young Public Library as his "university". Kantor won a writing contest with his first story, "Purple". Kantor married Florence Irene Layne, and they had two children together. Their son Tim Kantor wrote a memoir of his father, titled My Father's Voice: MacKinlay Kantor Long Remembered (1988). His grandson, Tom Shroder wrote a biography of his grandfather titled, The Most Famous Writer Who Ever Lived: A True Story of My Family . (Blue Rider Press, 2016) From 1928 to 1934, Kantor wrote numerous stories for pulp fiction magazines, to earn
1320-621: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 8.88 square miles (23.00 km ), of which 8.86 square miles (22.95 km ) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km ) is water. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Webster City has a hot-summer humid continental climate , abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps. As of the census of 2020, there were 7,825 people, 3,320 households, and 1,992 families residing in
1386-771: The Woods Theatre in Chicago on December 18 before a roadshow theatrical release in Boston and Los Angeles, starting on the evening of Christmas Day. After 12 weeks at the Astor, the film had grossed $ 584,000 and at that point had grossed $ 1.37 million from 6 theatres in five cities from 45 play weeks. The picture earned an estimated $ 10 million in theatrical rentals at the U.S. and Canadian box office during its initial theatrical run, ultimately benefiting from much larger admission prices (reflecting its exceptional length) than
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#17327935333611452-515: The poverty line , including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over. Webster City is the headquarters of several companies, including Vantec , Van Diest Supply Company, Mary Ann's Specialty Foods, Webster City Custom Meats, and Tasler. Webster City's top industries are advanced manufacturing, plastics manufacturing, food processing, agricultural related products, and warehousing and distribution. Since 2010, Webster City has attracted new projects and business expansions, including
1518-650: The "slick magazines" ( glossies ). His "Rogue's Gallery", published in Collier on August 24, 1935, became his most frequently reprinted story. It was during this decade that Kantor first wrote about the American Civil War , beginning with his novel Long Remember (1934), set at the Battle of Gettysburg . As a boy and teenager in Iowa, Kantor had spent hours listening to the stories of Civil War veterans, and he
1584-405: The 23rd Precinct, whose territory ranged from upper Park Avenue to East Harlem , comprising a wide range of residents and incomes. These experiences informed most of his short crime novels, as well as his major work Signal Thirty-Two , published in 1950 with jacket art by his wife Irene Layne Kantor. Also in 1950 Kantor took up research into the post-war life of a war widow. In discussions with
1650-833: The Female) (1950), a film noir . It was based on his short story by the same name, published February 3, 1940, in The Saturday Evening Post . However, in 1992, it was revealed that Dalton Trumbo had written the Gun Crazy screenplay, as Trumbo, one of the Hollywood Ten , had been blacklisted as a result of his refusal to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) hearings. Kantor passed his payment on to Trumbo to help him survive. Kantor acted in
1716-623: The Hollywood lot. The first 15 seconds of the movie note that it is "based upon a novel by MacKinlay Kantor", but the novel's title is not given. The film was a commercial and critical success, winning seven Academy Awards . Beginning in 1948, Kantor arranged an intensive period of research with the New York City Police Department (NYCPD). He was the only civilian other than reporters allowed to ride with police on their beat. He often rode on night shifts, working with
1782-607: The Iowa State House the next year and, with John F. Duncombe, crafted a bill to divide the very large Webster County in half. Newcastle would be renamed "Webster City," named after Daniel Webster of Massachusetts and would become the county seat of the new county. Willson suggested "Hamilton County" after William W. Hamilton, the president of the State Senate. He helped pass the legislation. The law took effect on January 1, 1857, renaming Webster City and designating it as
1848-636: The Midwest to New Jersey , in the New York metropolitan area. He was an early resident of Free Acres , a social experimental community developed by activist Bolton Hall in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey . In two years, he sold 16 short stories and a serialized novel to Howard Bloomfield, editor of Detective Fiction Weekly . He also acquired a professional agent, Sydney Sanders. Achieving some success by 1934, Kantor began to submit short stories to
1914-522: The Samuel Goldwyn/Warner Hollywood Studios. In The Best Years of Our Lives cinematographer Gregg Toland used deep focus photography, in which objects both close to and distant from the camera are in sharp focus . For the passage of Fred Derry's reliving a combat mission while sitting in the remains of a former bomber, Wyler used "zoom" effects to simulate Derry's subjective state. The fictional Boone City
1980-520: The South Had Won the Civil War . This generated such a response that it was published in 1961 as a book. It is one of many alternate histories of that war . Kantor's last novel was Valley Forge (1975). In addition to journalism and novels, several of his novels were adapted for films by other writers. Kantor was credited as writing the screenplay for Gun Crazy (a.k.a. Deadly Is
2046-485: The Van Diest Medical Center, a $ 35 million critical access hospital; and a $ 13 million competition gym at the high school Public education in Webster City is provided by Webster City Community School District , with Webster City High School, Webster City Middle School, and Pleasant View or Sunset Heights for elementary education. A private Catholic school at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church offers
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2112-428: The age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.9% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.93. The median age in
2178-520: The age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.89. Age spread: 24.1% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
2244-669: The audience was immediate, as each scene played out in a realistic, natural way. Recounting the interrelated story of three veterans right after the end of World War II , The Best Years of Our Lives began filming just over seven months after the war's end, starting on April 15, 1946, at a variety of locations, including the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden , Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California , Raleigh Studios in Hollywood , and
2310-418: The bank's senior management for his past business acumen, Al is criticized after approving an unsecured loan to a farmer and fellow veteran who wants it to buy forty acres, but has no collateral for the purchase. With inhibitions lowered by excessive drinking , Al gives a speech at a banquet that satirizes requiring a veteran to provide collateral before risking his life to take a hill in battle. Unable to find
2376-605: The camp. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1956 for Andersonville . In writing more than 30 novels, Kantor often returned to the theme of the American Civil War. He wrote two works for young readers set in the Civil War years: Lee and Grant at Appomattox (1950) and Gettysburg (1952). In the November 22, 1960, issue of Look magazine, Kantor published a fictional account set as a history text, titled If
2442-561: The chaplain at Mitchel Field, Kantor was referred to Margaret Stavish of Bellmore, New York, who had lost her B-24 pilot husband, Edward Dobson, killed in action on November 18, 1943, and in 1947 married John Stavish, a veteran of the Pacific theater. Kantor then published their story, "V-J Day Plus Five Years," in the August 1950 issue of Redbook Magazine. And see: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JE_Hill_Crew_plaque_photo.jpg Kantor
2508-402: The city was 40.2 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 25.1% were from 45 to 64; and 19.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 8,176 people, 3,502 households, and 2,227 families residing in the city. The population density
2574-439: The city. The population density was 879.9 inhabitants per square mile (339.7/km ). There were 3,734 housing units at an average density of 419.9 per square mile (162.1/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 80.8% White , 1.0% Black or African American , 0.7% Native American , 3.9% Asian , 0.0% Pacific Islander , 7.4% from other races and 6.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 15.2% of
2640-479: The city. The population density was 910.8 inhabitants per square mile (351.7/km ). There were 3,800 housing units at an average density of 428.9 per square mile (165.6/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 90.8% White , 0.4% African American , 0.2% Native American , 3.4% Asian , 3.5% from other races , and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.4% of the population. There were 3,433 households, out of which 29.2% had children under
2706-485: The county seat of the newly organized Hamilton County. Willson was also instrumental in getting the Dubuque & Sioux City rail line to be constructed through Webster City on its way to Fort Dodge . He personally oversaw the laying of track. Webster City is located at 42°27′59″N 93°49′14″W / 42.46639°N 93.82056°W / 42.46639; -93.82056 (42.466300, -93.820582). According to
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2772-715: The evening, bar hopping in celebration of Al's return. An inebriated Fred keeps asking Peggy who she is, and she keeps reminding him that she is "Al's daughter." Although proficient in managing the challenges of his disability, Homer is frustrated by his loss of independence and adjusting to his relationship with Wilma. Concerned that Wilma does not fully understand the difficulties of being married to him with his disabilities, Homer demonstrates to her how she will need to assist him at bedtime when he removes his harness with his prosthetic hands, leaving him helpless. Wilma believes she can commit herself to him for life. Al continues to struggle with re-entry into normal life. Widely respected by
2838-410: The family before Kantor was born. His mother returned to her parents in Webster City, Mr. and Mrs. Adam McKinlay, to live at their home with her children. As a child, the boy started using his middle name McKinlay as his given name. He changed its spelling, adding an "a", because he thought it sounded more Scottish, and chose to be called "Mack" or MacKinlay. He attended the local schools and described
2904-404: The far background while Homer and Butch play piano in the foreground. Bazin explains how deep focus functions in this scene: The action in the foreground is secondary, although interesting and peculiar enough to require our keen attention since it occupies a privileged place and surface on the screen. Paradoxically, the true action, the one that constitutes at this precise moment a turning point in
2970-616: The film Wind Across the Everglades (1958). The film Follow Me, Boys! (1966) was based on his novel God and My Country . He established his own publishing house, and published several of his works in the 1930s and 1940s. Kantor died of a heart attack in 1977, aged 73, at his home in Sarasota, Florida . Webster City, Iowa Webster City is a city in Hamilton County , Iowa , United States. The population
3036-452: The film. The reason was that Hall's contract with Goldwyn ended during filming, but the producer was reluctant to pay extra money to rehire him. Samuel Goldwyn was inspired to produce a film about veterans after reading an August 7, 1944, article in Time about the difficulties experienced by men returning to civilian life. Goldwyn hired former war correspondent MacKinlay Kantor to write
3102-532: The majority of films released that year, which accounted for almost 70% of its earnings. When box office figures are adjusted for inflation, it remains one of the top 100 grossing films in U.S. history. Among films released before 1950, only Gone With the Wind , The Bells of St. Mary's , The Big Parade and four Disney titles have done more total business, in part due to later re-releases. (Reliable box office figures for certain early films such as The Birth of
3168-417: The most beautiful and inspiring demonstrations of human fortitude that we have had in films." He also said the ensemble casting gave the "'best' performance in this best film this year from Hollywood". French film critic André Bazin used examples of Toland's and Wyler's deep-focus visual style to illuminate his theory of realism in film—going into detail about the scene in which Fred uses the phone booth in
3234-539: The planes are being demolished for use in the growing prefab housing industry. Fred asks if they need any help in the budding business and is hired. Al, Milly, and Peggy attend Homer and Wilma's wedding, where Fred is best man. Now divorced, Fred reunites with Peggy after the ceremony. Fred expresses his love but says things may be financially difficult if she stays with him. Peggy's smile expresses her joy. Casting brought together established stars as well as character actors and relative unknowns. The jazz drummer Gene Krupa
3300-450: The population. Of the 3,320 households, 28.0% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 7.2% were cohabitating couples, 27.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 21.8% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 40.0% of all households were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, 15.8% had someone living alone who
3366-623: The story, develops almost clandestinely in a tiny rectangle at the back of the room—in the left corner of the screen.... Thus the viewer is induced actively to participate in the drama planned by the director. Professor and author Gabriel Miller discusses briefly the use of deep-focus in both the bar scene and the wedding scene at the end of the picture in an article written for the National Film Preservation Board. Several decades later, film critic David Thomson offered tempered praise: "I would concede that Best Years
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#17327935333613432-497: The triumphs and travails of war veterans, The Best Years of Our Lives is concerned specifically with the aftermath of World War II, but its messages speak to the overall American experience." On Metacritic , the film holds a weighted average score of 93 out of 100 based on 17 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert put the film on his "Great Movies" list in 2007, calling it "... modern, lean, and honest". The Best Years of Our Lives
3498-493: The uncredited part of the soldier working as the scheduling clerk in the Air Transport Command Office at the beginning of the film. Teresa Wright was only thirteen years younger than her on-screen mother, played by Myrna Loy . Michael Hall (1926–2020), at the time of his death the last surviving credited cast member, with his role as Fredric March's on-screen son, is absent after the first third of
3564-477: The war and though he has become functional in the use of his mechanical hooks , he cannot believe that Wilma will still want to marry him. Al, tired and jaded from the war, returns to the bank and is given a promotion, but wrestles with alcohol. Though highly decorated, Fred suffers from PTSD flashbacks by night. Fred arrives home and cannot locate his party girl wife, who does not expect him. The Stephensons and their daughter Peggy invite Fred along with them for
3630-654: The war, the combat aircraft featured in the film were being destroyed and disassembled for reuse as scrap material. The scene of Derry's walking among aircraft ruins was filmed at the Ontario Army Air Field in Ontario, California. The former training facility had been converted into a scrap yard, housing nearly 2,000 former combat aircraft in various states of disassembly and reclamation. Upon its release, The Best Years of Our Lives received extremely positive reviews from critics. Shortly after its premiere at
3696-406: Was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 36,582, and the median income for a family was $ 44,342. Males had a median income of $ 30,404 versus $ 23,163 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,057. About 5.2% of families and 7.3% of the population were below
3762-424: Was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 40.7 years. 25.6% of the residents were under the age of 20; 5.3% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 23.7% were from 25 and 44; 24.5% were from 45 and 64; and 20.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.3% male and 49.7% female. As of the census of 2010, there were 8,070 people, 3,433 households, and 2,096 families residing in
3828-465: Was 7,717 at the 2023 census . It is the county seat of Hamilton County. Webster City is known as 'Boone River Country', as the Boone River meanders along the east side of the city. Webster City was originally called Newcastle by settlers of European descent. Under the latter name it was changed in 1854 by Wilson Brewer. In 1855, Walter C. Willson came to Newcastle. Willson was elected to
3894-477: Was 955.5 inhabitants per square mile (368.9/km ). There were 3,679 housing units at an average density of 430.0 per square mile (166.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 95.41% White , 0.33% African American , 0.26% Native American , 2.45% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 0.48% from other races , and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.32% of the population. There were 3,502 households, out of which 28.4% had children under
3960-562: Was a massive commercial success, not only becoming the highest-grossing film of 1946 but the entire 1940s decade. It opened to the public at the Astor Theatre in New York City on November 22, 1947, and grossed $ 52,236 in its first week. Its length restricted the film to six shows a day, cutting down on total ticket sales, and initially suffered by having a top midweek ticket price of $ 2.40, reducing gross revenue. It opened at
4026-525: Was also awarded an honorary Academy Award, the only time in history that two such awards were given for a single performance. It was the highest-grossing film in both the United States and United Kingdom since the release of Gone with the Wind , and is the sixth most-attended film of all time in the United Kingdom, with over 20 million tickets sold. In 1989, The Best Years of Our Lives
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#17327935333614092-522: Was an avid collector of first-hand narratives. His work was also part of the literature event in the art competition at the 1936 Summer Olympics . During World War II , Kantor reported from London as a war correspondent for a Los Angeles newspaper. After flying with some bombing missions, he asked for and received training to operate the bomber's turret machine guns, although he was not in service and this violated regulations. Kantor interviewed numerous wounded troops, whose thoughts and ideas inspired
4158-476: Was noted for his limited use of punctuation within his literary compositions. He was known for a lack of quotation marks and was influential in this regard on Cormac McCarthy , who said that Kantor was the first writer he encountered who left them out. Kantor was one of three primary influences on McCarthy's adopting his unique style. During his assignment with the U.S. troops in World War II, Kantor entered
4224-652: Was one of the first 25 films selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Three returning World War II veterans meet on a flight to their midwestern hometown of Boone City: USAAF bombardier captain Fred Derry, U.S. Navy petty officer Homer Parrish, and U.S. Army sergeant Al Stephenson. Each had left
4290-478: Was patterned after Cincinnati , Ohio . The "Jackson High" football stadium seen early in aerial footage of the bomber flying over the Boone City is Corcoran Stadium located at Xavier University in Cincinnati. A few seconds later Walnut Hills High School with its dome and football field can be seen along with the downtown Cincinnati skyline ( Carew Tower and Fourth and Vine Tower ) in the background. After
4356-439: Was seen in archival footage, while Tennessee Ernie Ford , later a television star, appeared as an uncredited "hillbilly singer" (in the first of his only three film appearances). Blake Edwards , later a film producer and director, appeared fleetingly as an uncredited "Corporal". Wyler's daughters, Catherine and Judy, were cast as uncredited customers seen in the drug store where Fred Derry works. Sean Penn 's father, Leo , played
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