Abbynormal
Member
Arness got hit in the hip at Anzio
Great article about Lee Marvin's "Point Blank" 4" Model 29.
- Thread starter Wyatt Burp
- Start date
Walter Rego
Member
James Doohan, AKA "Scotty" from Star Trek went ashore at Juno Beach with the Canadian Army on D-Day. He was wounded accidentally by friendly fire and lost most of the middle finger of his right hand.
Backlighting
Member
Ditto. I especially liked his performance in The Dirty Dozen.
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For those interested there is brief mention of Marvin’s .44 in the audio commentary of the “Point Blank” dvd. As I recall the director mentions they fired the revolver with live ammo, but weren’t impressed. I reasoned they were pretty toasted or shooting .44 specials.
OP
Wyatt Burp
Member
I read Mel Gibson saying Lee Marvin was one of his favorite actors. Which no doubt was why he remade “Point Blank” as “Payback”. He even used a 4” Model 29 but looked like with combat finger groove grips. That film has an intentional 70s look and Gibson is excellent in it. He’s almost as cold and relentless as Marvin. And they even managed to make it funny yet just as violent. Think I’ll watch that today.
wetdog1911
Member
You can see this at Arlington National Cemetary:
You guys know I like Marvin...see my avatar!! (In which he is wielding an S&W!).
Best Regards, Les
A real deal Bad A** and a combat Marine in the Pacific in WWII. Was in more than a few invasions/landings. Not a "Hollywood" soldier like John Wayne, but the real deal.
My wife and I both like him, she because he looked like her father (also a WWII vet), and me, because of his service.
Still miss him, both of us.
Wet
opoefc
US Veteran
I did many gun shows in Tucson in the past and I recall one in about early 1980s era at the Convention Center when Lee came by my table with a couple buddies. I had some medals for sale and a conversation arose about Purple Heart medals and said he got shot in the butt at the battle ( I think ) of Okinawa while crawling along the sand w/o keeping his butt down! ( I didn't ask to see the scar!) but never got the medal. That was 40 yrs. ago, or more. Ed.
Abbynormal
Member
Ray
Member
"Point Blank" is on YouTube, but the only free version I found has Portuguese subtitles. Must have been posted for our members Kurusu and Ray in Rio...
Ha, Ha , not me !
Regards, Ray
OP
Wyatt Burp
Member
This is the Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee, Arizona. It was built around the turn of the 20th Century, and is now the oldest continuously-operating hotel in Arizona.
On the second floor, there is a reception area, or mezzanine, at the top of the stairs that come up from the lobby. In that area, there is a round table, which has been around since the 1940s.
If you go up there, touch that table reverently. Lee Marvin and John Wayne once sat at that table, playing cards and drinking whisky until the wee morning hours. A hotel register page from many years ago can also be found there, bearing John Wayne's signature.
This is the hotel's John Wayne room, where he stayed when in town. It has an extra large bed with the Texas Lone Star carved into the headboard.
Wayne and Marvin - a classic duo, never to be equaled again. Part of their history still exists at the Copper Queen.
John
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PeterJ
US Veteran
Just saw Point Blank the other night on TCM. That .44 should have had top billing in the credits as it was in the movie as much as Marvin. That gun did everything from opening packages to smashing bad guys in the face,,, shooting beds full of holes along with a sassy telephone. Can't remember many movies that had a gun with such an integral role. Loved it.
OP
Wyatt Burp
Member
I watched it the same night and saved it so my wife can watch it with me. Too bad the link I posted about Lee Marvin giving one of his 2 Point Blank Model 29s to a teenager has been taken down. The guy’s email is there and I was going to write and ask if it’s posted elsewhere but decided not to. he removed it for some reason. He also has the original box and gun store receipt from when LM personally bought it. He got the 1960s gun that was only used in close ups when there’s no shooting. The 1959 gun was used for shooting Carrol O’Connor’s phone and everything else. Lee Marvin also owned the Model 70 the sniper used in the movie and the kid saw it on LM’s wall, too.
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Lee Marvin war story on Johnny Carson
I remember Lee Marvin telling a story on the Johnny Carson Show. Carson, a WWII US Navy vet, was congratulating Lee Marvin on his USMC WWII service.
Marvin humbly downplayed the comment and told another story. ( sic) "Johnny, the bravest man I ever served with in combat was my platoon sargent, Sgt Bob Keeshan. He was awarded the Navy Cross. You folks may know him better by his stage name, "Captain Kangaroo."
=================================================
Military service
World War II
Picture of Private Lee Marvin, USMC, as listed in the "Red Book", 24th Regiment, 4th Marine Division, published in 1943
Marvin left school at 18 to enlist in the United States Marine Corps Reserve on August 12, 1942. He served with the 4th Marine Division in the Pacific Theater during World War II.[6] While serving as a member of "I" Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division, he was wounded in action on June 18, 1944, during the assault on Mount Tapochau in the Battle of Saipan, during which most of his company were casualties.[7] He was hit by machine gun fire, which severed his sciatic nerve,[8] and then was hit again in the foot by a sniper.[9] After over a year of medical treatment in naval hospitals, Marvin was given a medical discharge with the rank of private first class. He previously held the rank of corporal, but had been demoted for troublemaking.[9]
Marvin's decorations include the Purple Heart Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.[10]
Medals and ribbons
Purple Heart
V
Navy Commendation Medal with V Device
Combat Action Ribbon.svg Combat Action Ribbon
Navy and Marine Presidential Unit Citation
American Campaign Medal ribbon and streamer American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon and streamer Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Ribbon for World War II Victory Medal World War II Victory Medal
I remember Lee Marvin telling a story on the Johnny Carson Show. Carson, a WWII US Navy vet, was congratulating Lee Marvin on his USMC WWII service.
Marvin humbly downplayed the comment and told another story. ( sic) "Johnny, the bravest man I ever served with in combat was my platoon sargent, Sgt Bob Keeshan. He was awarded the Navy Cross. You folks may know him better by his stage name, "Captain Kangaroo."
=================================================
Military service
World War II
Picture of Private Lee Marvin, USMC, as listed in the "Red Book", 24th Regiment, 4th Marine Division, published in 1943
Marvin left school at 18 to enlist in the United States Marine Corps Reserve on August 12, 1942. He served with the 4th Marine Division in the Pacific Theater during World War II.[6] While serving as a member of "I" Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division, he was wounded in action on June 18, 1944, during the assault on Mount Tapochau in the Battle of Saipan, during which most of his company were casualties.[7] He was hit by machine gun fire, which severed his sciatic nerve,[8] and then was hit again in the foot by a sniper.[9] After over a year of medical treatment in naval hospitals, Marvin was given a medical discharge with the rank of private first class. He previously held the rank of corporal, but had been demoted for troublemaking.[9]
Marvin's decorations include the Purple Heart Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.[10]
Medals and ribbons
Purple Heart
V
Navy Commendation Medal with V Device
Combat Action Ribbon.svg Combat Action Ribbon
Navy and Marine Presidential Unit Citation
American Campaign Medal ribbon and streamer American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon and streamer Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Ribbon for World War II Victory Medal World War II Victory Medal
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I do remember a scene in "The Dirty Dozen" that showed Lee Marvin could really handle an M3 submachine gun. He grabbed it, jerked the bolt back with the operating handle, and proceeded to use it to "help" a newbie over an obstacle that he was a bit recalcitrant on.
I do think he knew his way around firearms.
John
I do think he knew his way around firearms.
John
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Wouldn't hurt to ask!
I have not read it. His blog gives permission to quote any of his stuff for non-commercial use if credit is given.
Perhaps he would let us post it here.
