Audie Murphy

Audie Leon Murphy (June 20, 1924 to May 28, 1971), was the United States' most decorated combat soldier of World War II. He later became an actor and singer/songwriter. Among his thirty three awards and decorations was the Medal of Honor, the highest military award for bravery that can be given to any individual in the United States of America, for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty." Murphy received every decoration for valor that the U.S. had to offer, some of them more than once, and five decorations by France and Belgium. He served three years active service as a combat soldier in World War II. Murphy became one of the best fighting combat soldiers of this or any other century. What Murphy accomplished during this period is most significant and probably will never be repeated by another soldier, given today's high-tech type of warfare. The U.S. Army has always declared that there will never be another Audie Murphy. Murphy was released from the Army as an active member and reassigned to inactive status on September 21 1945.

Movie career

Actor James Cagney invited Murphy to Hollywood in September 1945, when he saw Murphy's photo on the cover of Life Magazine on July 16 1945. The next couple of years in California were hard times for Murphy. He became disillusioned from lack of work. He was broke and slept on the gymnasium floor of his friend, Terry Hunt. He finally received token acting parts in his first two films, Beyond Glory and Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven but his roles were very minor in these movies. Murphy's third movie, Bad Boy, was Murphy's first starring role.

Related Topics:
Life Magazine - July 16 - 1945 - Beyond Glory - Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven - Bad Boy

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First starring role

After returning home from World War II, Murphy bought a house in Farmersville, Texas for his oldest sister Corinne, her husband Poland Burns, and their three children. The idea was that Audie's three siblings, Nadene, Billie, and Joe, who had been living in an orphanage since Murphy's mother's death, would also be able to live with Corinne and Poland and would become part of a family again. Unfortunately, six children under one roof created too much stress on everyone. The arrangement didn't work out as smoothly as expected, particularly with Nadene and Joe, so Murphy came and picked them up.

Related Topics:
Farmersville - Texas

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Joe and Nadene wanted to stay with Murphy, but he was having a hard time surviving. Despite a lot of post war publicity and James Cagney's help, Murphy's acting career had gone nowhere. He was broke and sleeping on the floor of his friend Terry Hunt's gymnasium. Murphy's oldest brother Buck and his wife agreed to take in Nadene but Murphy didn't know what to do with Joe.

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Murphy went to James "Skipper" Cherry, a Dallas theater owner whom he had previously befriended, and sought his advice. Cherry was a member of a consortium of Texas theater owners who were part of Variety Clubs International and was involved with the Variety Clubs International Boy's Ranch a 4,800 acre (19 km²) ranch near Copperas Cove, Texas. Cherry arranged for the Boy's Ranch to take Joe in. Joe loved it there and Murphy was able to visit him, as well as Skipper Cherry frequently.

Related Topics:
Variety Clubs International - Copperas Cove - Texas

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During one of these visits, Murphy confided to Cherry that even with Cagney's help and acting lessons, he wasn't getting anywhere in Hollywood. In a 1973 interview, Cherry recalled, "He was discouraged and somewhat despondent concerning his movie career." Variety Clubs was financing a film called Bad Boy to help promote the organization's work with troubled children. Cherry called Texas theater executive Paul Short, who was producing the film, and suggested they considered giving Murphy a significant role in the movie. Murphy looked good in the screen test, but the president of Allied Artists did not want to cast someone with so little acting experience as a major character. However, by this time, Cherry, Short, and the other Texas theater owners had decided that Audie Murphy was going to play the lead or they weren't financing the film. Their money talked and Murphy was cast as the lead. He turned in such a fine performance that the Hollywood powers that be finally recognized his talent. As a direct result of this film, Universal Studios signed Murphy to his first seven year studio contract.

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Autobiography

Murphy's 1949 autobiography To Hell and Back became a national bestseller. The 1955 film, To Hell and Back was based on his book. The film grossed almost ten million dollars during its initial theatrical release, and, at the time, became Universal's biggest hit movie in the 43-year history of the studio. It held the record as Universal's highest-grossing motion picture until 1975, when it was surpassed by Steven Spielberg's Jaws. This film would not be released until October, 1955, but Universal believed the movie would be a big hit, so the studio gave Murphy latitude in choosing roles as long as they required a lot of action. Terry Murphy, who played Joe Preston Murphy (at 4), is Murphy's oldest son. Corinne, Charles Emmett (Buck), Vernon, June, Oneta, J.W., Richard, Eugene, Nadene, Billie and Joseph Murphy were the names of Murphy's brothers and sisters in real life. Murphy starred as himself in this film biography.

Related Topics:
To Hell and Back - To Hell and Back - Steven Spielberg - Jaws

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Hollywood Walk of Fame

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Audie Murphy has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1601 Vine Street. In the twenty five years that Murphy spent in Hollywood, he made a total of fourty four feature films.

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