Portraying Frank Perconte In ‘Band of Brothers’ Forever Changed James Madio’s Life
Band of Brothers (2001), the acclaimed television miniseries that chronicles the harrowing experiences of Easy Company during World War II, had a dramatic impact not…
Gerda Weissmann Klein: The Holocaust Survivor Who Fell In Love With Her American Liberator
While two people destined to fall for one another may seem like a thing of fiction, the story of Gerda Weissmann and Kurt Klein might…
USS Recruit (1917): The Wooden Dreadnought In Manhattan’s Union Square
Amid the bustling streets of Manhattan’s Union Square in World War I, an extraordinary sight met passersby. The USS Recruit (1917), a wooden landship constructed…
Philip Toosey Served As the Inspiration for Lt. Col. Nicholson In ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) was a sensational film so well-received that it earned several Academy Awards. What most people don’t realize is…
‘The Battle of Algiers’ Is So Realistic That Guerrilla Groups Took Training Notes From It
The Battle of Algiers (1966) is a powerful and provocative film directed by Gillo Pontecorvo. It covers the Algerian struggle for independence from French colonial…
The ‘M*A*S*H’ Death That Stunned America
In an episode titled “Abyssinia, Henry,” the producers of M*A*S*H (1972-83) decided that McLean Stevenson’s character, Henry Blake, was to depart from the show. It…
KAI T-50 Golden Eagle: The Supersonic Trainer That Took Out Rebels In the Philippines
The KAI T-50 Golden Eagle is one of few supersonic trainers in the world and the first developed for the Republic of Korea Air Force…
Sherman’s Neckties: The Ingenious Union Tactic That Immobilized the Confederates
Sherman’s Neckties – also known as Sherman’s Bowties, Jeff Davis’s Neckties and Sherman’s Hairpins – were railway destruction tactics used by the Union Army during…
Alan Alda and Jamie Farr – The ‘M*A*S*H’ Stars Who Earned Their Stripes In Korea
M*A*S*H (1972-83) centers around the Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals during the Korean War. Although the television show is based on fictional characters, a lot of…
Before Playing a POW In ‘The Great Escape,’ Donald Pleasence Was One In Real Life
British actor Donald Pleasence became one of the most popular antagonists in television and film, and is probably best known for portraying a prisoner of…
Zheng of Qin: The Chinese Emperor Who Escaped Assassination By Running Around a Pillar
Zheng of Qin, who reigned as the first emperor of China’s Qin Dynasty from 221-210 BC, survived several assassination attempts, including some that occurred while…
The Best War-Themed Historical Fiction Films Ever Released
History is full of incredible war stories that Hollywood has beautifully reimagined for the silver screen. However, directors will sometimes tweak facts here and there,…