The Mountain Road

[Walt's Daughter]

Interesting tidbit taken from a letter from Captain Al Kincer of the 48th Combat Engineers.

 

 

"...The 4th of October we are expecting house guests from Atlanta, a friend of mine from Alaska, 1949--52. He is Col. Frank Gleason, an OSS commander who worked behind the Japanese lines from 1944 to the end of the war. Novelist Jacoby wrote about a 23 year old Major that commanded the detachment for over a year. I think the book was titled "Thunder out of the East" It was primarily about him. In 1952 he was ordered to Hollywood to advise on the movie The China (Or Burma) Road. His part was played by Jimmie Stewart. More if they do get to visit, he is 86 years old. OBY he is 5'7 & Stewart was 6'4"...."

 

 

Well I did a bit of research and found the book on Ebay

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=4602295704

 

Also found the book on Alibris' site and ordered an original hardcover with jacket for $2.95. Yup $2.95

 

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Did more searching and came up with the name of the film. Here is an excerpt from a site on Jimmy Stewart:

 

But in 1959, Shelton said scouted locations for 1960's The Mountain Road, a World War II movie of the China-Burma-India Theater.

 

"The studio asked if I could find a piece of country that looked like China but was close to Tucson," Shelton said.

 

"I did a lot of sniffing around down near Patagonia and found this place off Harshaw Road. It was exactly what they wanted."

 

While filming in Nogales, Stewart was promoted from colonel to brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

 

Stewart played a major in the film. According to one newspaper report, two soldiers from the Fort Huachuca Military Police "arrested" Stewart on the set for being out of uniform, wearing civilian socks and displaying the wrong insignia.

 

The practical joke was revealed when retired Brig. Gen. Frank Dorn, the film's technical adviser, pinned the real stars on Stewart's lapels.

 

"Stewart was very patriotic," said film historian Fred Goodwin. "Most people don't know that he was one of the very first people to volunteer for service in World War II."

 

"He was a big-time Hollywood star when he volunteered," Goodwin added. "He went in as a pilot and flew a lot of missions. He was a bona fide pilot. He wasn't one of those guys who just sat by the side. He saw combat in World War II.

 

"In fact, when he got out of the service in 1945, he didn't know if he wanted to go back into acting or not."

 

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Here's another lin, this one to NetFlix

 

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808737690/info

[Walt's Daughter]

Al sent this to me tonight.

 

Frank & Eunice Gleason left this morning. We had a great visit. I hope he signs into The web site. I find that he is the subject in several books, Thunder Out of China the one that least describes him. Will try to get more.

 

The photo is of Col. Frank Gleason WW11 OSS operative & AL Kincer. It was taken at Al's house this week.

 

I told him that I received Thunder Out of China yesterday from Alibris. Can't wait to read it.