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Fort Worth, Texas. And now it's time for another Hollywood Goes to War story. with Roger McGrath. McGrath is the author of Gunfighters, Highwaymen, and Vigilantes. violence on the frontier.
U.S. Marine and former history professor at UCLA. Her breath has appeared on numerous History Channel documentaries. And he's a regular contributor here. at our American stories.
Take it away, McGrath. John Russell had a 40-year career in Hollywood. Appearing in 50 movies and more than 200 episodes of television shows. He was in a wide variety of movie genres. But more often than not, it was Westerns.
Standing six foot three and a half. with a square jaw and chiseled features. and a lean athletic body. He was a perfect lawman. Or A fearsome hired gun.
Clinistwood used him in the latter role in Pale Rider. I don't know how to dance. It's easy. You just move your feet. to the rhythms.
Despite his decades of fine work in movies, John Russell is probably best remembered. For a starring role as Marshal Dan Troop. in a hundred and fifty six episodes of Lawman. Which aired on T V for from 1958. Through nineteen sixty-two.
There's not going to be one kind of law for decent citizens and another for gunfighters. It's gonna be one law for all. You're right, Hanson when you get angry. John Lawrence Russell, is born in 1921 in Los Angeles. Parents, John, and Amy Russell.
The father is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. He survived the sinking of the cruiser San Diego. during World War I. By the time his son is born, He's a highly successful executive in insurance. The family is a large home.
with a cook and a servant. John Lawrence Russell is the firstborn. You will soon have a sister. and a brother. John has an ideal childhood.
doing well in school and excelling in sports. He grows into a strapping young man. And after graduating from high school, goes to UCLA for theater arts. because he's interested in acting. And for sports, because he's an outstanding athlete.
Russell's into his third year at UCLA. The Japanese launched their sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941. He drops out of college. and joins the Marine Corps in February 1942.
He excels in boot camp. at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. Because of his outstanding performance and his two years of college, he's selected for officer school. He continues to excel in OCS. and is commissioned as second lieutenant.
early in October 1942. Lieutenant Russell is assigned to the Sixth Marine Regiment. 2nd Marine Division. which departs for Guadalcanal in mid-October. The Marines have been on Guadala Canal since August 7.
when the men of the 1st Marine Division weighed ashore. Marine landing takes the Japanese by surprise, but within days the fighting becomes brutal and intense. Japanese pour thousands of fresh soldiers onto the island. until they have thirty six thousand cracked troops in the fight. At the same time, The US Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy are slugging it out in the waters surrounding Guadalcanal.
resulting in dozens of ships going to the bottom. and thousands of sailors dying. Among the sailors who died, are the five Sullivan Brothers. whose sacrifice becomes legendary. On land and sea, The battle for Guadalcanal is a bloodbath.
After a brief stop in New Zealand, Lieutenant Russell in the Sixth Marines land on Guevara Canal. and join the battle early. in January 1943. The Japanese forces have been greatly depleted. with thousands of men lost.
but they are still fighting fanatically. The Sixth Marines Her first task with cleaning the Japanese out of a series of jungle-clad ravines, on the northern coast of Guadala Canal, west of the Matanacao River. Previous efforts to dislodge the Japanese from these strongholds met with fierce resistance, so the Sixth Marines devised a new tactical plan. Instead of attacking from the coast and working their way up the ravines, the six marines climb over ridges and attack from the high ground. allowing them to fight their way down the ravines.
Lieutenant Russell. is in its first combat. and he quickly learns the Japanese do not surrender. The only way to defeat them is to kill them. He also learns there is no surrender for Marines.
Occasionally marines are captured. They suffer unspeakable torture at the hands of the Japanese before being killed. In the jungle-clad ravines, The fighting is close quarter. Occasionally hand to hand. It's vicious, bloody, exhausting.
By January 17, The Sixth Marines reached the beach at the mouths of the ravines. The vaunted Japanese Sendai division is decimated. The Marines leave the bodies of 643 dead Japanese in their wake. Only two Japanese are capturing. The next mission from Lieutenant Russell.
and the sixth Marines. is an advance along the coast to Cape Esperance. which the Japanese are using as an evacuation site for their troops. Resistance is fierce. But day by day the Marines advanced towards their objective.
By February 8th, Army units from further inland. and the sixth Marines along the coast. Reach Cape Esperance. but not before nearly two thousand Japanese or evacuated. Why destroyers?
And you've been listening to Roger McGrath tell the story of John Russell. And he appeared in countless movies, well over fifty. But it was his real life experience in war. that was more harrowing than anything he ever did. on the screen.
when we come back. The rest of the story of John Russell. Our Hollywood Goes to War series continues here. on our American stories. Lee Habib here again.
Our American Stories tries to tell the stories of America's past and present to Americans, and we want to hear your stories too. There's some of our favorites. Send them to us. Go to allamericanstories.com and click the Your Stories tab. Again, please go to OwlAmericanStories.com.
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Mm-hmm. Hey, what's up? It's Marla Lopez. Back to schools. An exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming and kids may feel isolated.
A vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor. Check in. Ask questions.
Stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report at dhs.gov/slash blue campaign. This is Jana Kramer from Wind Down with Jana Kramer. It's the end of summer, and as we are heading into fall, I've noticed the damage the summer sun has left on my skin.
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And we continue with our American stories. And our Hollywood Goes to War story with Roger McGrath, this time featuring the life of John Russell. Let's pick up in the Pacific Islands during World War II. Here's McGrath. telling the story of John Russell.
This is the end of the Battle of Guadalcanal. Behind them, the Japanese leave more than 19,000 dead. disease taking perhaps half of them. Another twelve thousand Japanese die in naval battles offshore. With Japan losing one carrier, two battleships, four cruisers, eleven destroyers, six submarines.
and 13 transports. Japan also loses. 680 airplanes. The Guadalcanal campaign is a disaster for the Japanese. Japanese Major General Kao Gucci Evacuated from Guadala Canal and lying on a cot suffering from malaria.
Remarks to a Japanese war correspondent. We lost the bed. And Japan. lost the war. The American victory at Gwentla Canal marks a turning point.
From Guadalcanal on, Japan will be on the defensive.
However, the cost of the U. S. victory is dear. 5,000 American sailors died. and another 3,000 are wounded.
The U.S. Navy loses two carriers, eight cruisers, and 15 destroyers. The U.S. also loses 615 airplanes. The Marines lose 1,200 men in combat.
and the army another 600. Another 5,000 Marines and soldiers are wounded. But that's not the whole story. More than 6,000 Marines are knocked out of combat by malaria.
Some men die. and nearly all of those who contract malaria. suffer recurrent bouts of the disease. By the time the sixth marines leave Guadalcanal, At the end of February 1943, Lieutenant John Russell is one of those suffering terribly from malaria. With many other Marines from Guama Canal, who have severe cases of memaria.
He shipped to the Naval Hospital at San Diego. He spends months fighting the disease. and can only return to limited duty. His war is over. In June 1944, He is discharged.
from the Marines. Back home in Los Angeles, John Russell is spotted by a talent scout. while dining with his wife at a posh restaurant in Beverly Hills. He soon signs a contract with Universal Studios. It appears in three movies in 1945.
and another three in 1946. His roles are minor. and all but one are uncredited. He's in three movies in 1947 and 48. in more substantial roles.
and is becoming a well-recognized actor. 1949. is a break out year for Russell. He co stars in three of the four movies he's in. Moving into the upper ranks volunteer.
In 13 movies from 1950 through 1955, he either co-stars or has strong supporting roles. Most of the time he's cast in good guy roles. but he occasionally plays villainous characters. In 1955, Russell does his first work on television. And he even gets his own series.
Soldiers of Fortune. I'm Tim Kelly, and this is Tubo Smith, my partner. He plays Tim Kelly. a war veteran who is now available for hire. Every week he and his sidekick or offer a new adventure.
in Africa. To bid. India. or some such exotic location. The series takes advantage of stock footage from these locations.
which help transport the viewer to far-off lands. During its 52 episodes, In many ways, soldiers of fortune. sets the stage for John Russell's more successful Second television series, Lawman. which runs for 156 episodes. From 1958.
through 1962. I wondered what happened to Sam.
Well, he got hung for horse stealing. That's one sure way to break the habit. Brussels Tim Kelly.
now becomes Marshal Dan Troop, of Laramie, Wyoming. Troop has the same commanding presence. sense of honor and duty. And courage is Tim Kelly. Russell's sidekick is now a young and impulsive deputy.
Johnny McKay. Played by Peter Brown. Starring John Russell as Marshall Dan Troop. And Peter Brown as Deputy Johnny McKay. John Russell's two TV series.
doesn't stop him from appearing in movies, mostly Westerns. He plays typical Old West characters. Haloman. And how odd? A gambler.
However, in one of them, Yellowstone Kelly, starring Clint Walker. Russell plays Sioux Indian Chief Gaul. My nephew is young. His heart is bad toward all whites. Russell continues appearing in movies and on various television shows.
throughout the nineteen sixties, seventies, and eighties. He appears with John Wayne in Rio Bravo. Just what have I done? You're a rich man, Burdette. Peg Ranch.
Pay a lot of people to do what you want them to do. And you got a brother. He's no good, but he's your brother. If he committed 20 murders, you'd try and see he didn't hang for him. I don't like that kind of talk.
Now, you're practically accusing it this straight. you don't like. I don't like a lot of things. I don't like your men sitting on the road bottling up this town. I don't like your men watching us, trying to catch us with our backs turned.
And I don't like it when a friend of mine offers to help, and 20 minutes later, he's dead. I don't like you, Burdette, because you set it up. And with Clint Eastwood, and the outlaw Josie Wales. His name's Anderson. Bloody bills what they call me.
Red legs? You'll find them up in Kansas. They're with the Union. We're going up there and set things all right. I'll be coming with you.
Honky Talk Man. and Pale Rider. Russell's role as Marshall Stockburn in Pale Rider. Is John Russell at his intimidating and villainous best? You're Stockburn.
These are my deputies. Gentlemen. Say hello to Mr. hardwood.
Well, the late 1980s. John Russell was suffering from emphysema. and his acting days are over. He dies in 1991 from the disease. leaving behind two grown daughters from his marriage to Renata Titus.
He's given the military burial at Sautelle Veterans Cemetery. in West Los Angeles. Despite his long career in Hollywood, On his tombstone. As per his wishes, Nothing is said about his movie and television stardom. Instead, engraved on his tombstone, is only the Christian Cross the dates of his birth and death, The phrase precious liberty And John L.
Russell, Second lieutenant. United States Marine Corps. Nine years. Yeah. And a terrific job on the production, editing, and storytelling by our own Greg Hengler.
And a special thanks to Roger McGrath, who was himself a Marine. Also a former history professor at UCLA. and a frequent contributor. On the History Channel, as well as here at Our American Stories, and what a story he told about John Russell. volunteering for the Marines, And there he lands in Guadalcanal.
Some of the toughest fighting. on either the Pacific Or Atlantic sides of battle. The European front and the Pacific front were brutal, but nothing as tough as what happened at Guadalcanal. but it changed the Pacific battle forever. And from that day forward, it was the Japanese who were on the defense.
And then out comes Russell to star in some of the great Westerns of all time, and also lots of TV shows. But you've seen him in Pell Ryder, The Outlaw Josie Wells. And of course, Rio Bravo if you're any fan of Westerns. And of course that last note. On his tombstone Nothing.
about his Hollywood career. his service to the US military, and the sign of the cross. and his name and date of birth. The story of John Russell Here on our American stories. Hey, what's up?
It's Mario Lopez. Back to schools, an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming, and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor. Check in.
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