It's existence was the most open secret in the state and everyone seemed happy with the arrangement. In this county west of Houston for over 100 years servicing the veterans of five wars was the Chicken Ranch, The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. Although few people but Dom DeLuise seem to have their innocence intact in this film. The story is a true one, the names changed to protect the innocent as that other American institution used to say. This film is a real gem, a timely and historical film as well as a fun country musical. Or maybe west of the Mississippi truth be told, if everyone left there as happy as they seem. It's rather the old and established institution of the Chicken Ranch, The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. And I'm not referring to Dolly Parton's 40Ds. You will be missed.Īudie Murphy, America's most highly decorated soldier.The Texas county where Burt Reynolds is sheriff has only one thing that makes it stand out from all the other counties in the state. Durning, and for bringing more awareness to the psychological wounds of war. He is also well-known for participating in various events to honor American veterans.įor a first-hand account of what it was like on Omaha Beach on D-Day, here is Charles Durning's moving remembrance during the National Memorial Day Concert in 2007: It's your mind that's hard to heal." Like many other soldiers, Durning continued to suffer from nightmares about his war experiences throughout his life.Īfter being invited by fellow soldier and fellow actor Ossie Davis to participate in the National Memorial Day Concert to commemorate the 60th anniversary of D-Day, Durning has made it an annual event. In a Parade magazine interview, Durning is quoted as saying, "The physical injuries heal first. In a People magazine interview in 1990, Durning said, "There's only so much you can witness." He spent four years in and out of Army hospitals, being treated for the physical and psychological scars of war. Several months later, a chest wound caused his return to the US, where he recovered from both physical and psychological wounds in Army hospitals until being discharged as a Private First Class in January 1946, a month shy of his 23rd birthday.įor his service during World War II, Charles Durning was awarded the Silver Star Medal and three Purple Hearts. Durning was obliged to return with American troops to identify the bodies of his fellow prisoners. He and two others escaped, and the rest were murdered. Durning recovered from those wounds and was released from the hospital just in time to fight in the Battle of the Bulge, where he was taken prisoner.Ĭharles Durning was one of only three men to survive the infamous massacre of American POWs at Malmedy, Belgium. That day, he survived by killing the German with a rock in hand-to-hand combat. Several months later, in Belgium, Durning was stabbed eight times by a bayonet-wielding teenage German soldier. Despite suffering serious machine gun and shrapnel wounds, Durning killed seven German gunners to survive D-Day. He was the only man to survive a machine-gun ambush. As a 21-year-old infantryman, Private Charles Durning was in the first wave of soldiers to land on Omaha Beach during the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Like Medal of Honor recipient Audie Murphy, Charles Durning was a highly-decorated soldier in World War II before he began an acting career. His family said he loved Christmas, and if he could have chosen a day as his last, this would be it. Charles Durning died on Christmas Eve, 2012, at age 89. He was honored at age 84 with a Life Achievement Award by the Screen Actors Guild. Then he showed his singing and dancing skills as the two-stepping Texas governor in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas with Dolly Parton. In the 1970's he made a name for himself in The Sting with Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Most of today's generation know Charles Durning, if they know him at all, as an actor.
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