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The Private War of Major Benson is 1955 comedy film starring Charlton Heston, Julie Adams, Sal Mineo and Tim Hovey, about a tough-talking U.S. Army officer who must shape up the JROTC program at Sheridan Academy, a Catholic boys' military academy, or be forced out of the Army.
The movie was filmed on St. Catherine's Military School campus in 1955, with cadets as the actors in all but the leading roles. Universal-International Studios chose St. Catherine's cadets and location for their humorous comedy about the challenges facing the new commandant of a military school by the antics of a group of grade school cadets. The picture featured a full battalion of St. Catherine's students.
This movie was said to be one of the inspirations for Damon Wayans' 1995 film Major Payne, and possibly also for the 1984 TV movie Hard Knox (starring Robert Conrad).
Original Release
08/02/1955
US Release
08/02/1955
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Charlton Heston | Maj. Bernard R. 'Barney' Benson |
Julie Adams | Dr. Kay Lambert |
William Demarest | John |
Tim Hovey | Cadet Thomas 'Tiger' Flaherty |
Nana Bryant | Mother Redempta |
Tim Considine | Cadet Lt. Gerald Hibler |
Sal Mineo | Cadet Col. Sylvester Dusik |
Milburn Stone | Maj. Gen. Wilton J. Ramsey |
Mary Field | Sister Mary Theresa |
Joey D. Vieira | Cadet Cpl. Scawalski (as Donald Keeler) / Cadet Cpl. Scawalski |
Directors
Writers
William Roberts, Richard Alan Simmons, Joe Connelly, Bob Mosher
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Charlton Heston | Maj. Bernard R. 'Barney' Benson |
Julie Adams | Dr. Kay Lambert |
William Demarest | John |
Tim Hovey | Cadet Thomas 'Tiger' Flaherty |
Nana Bryant | Mother Redempta |
Tim Considine | Cadet Lt. Gerald Hibler |
Sal Mineo | Cadet Col. Sylvester Dusik |
Milburn Stone | Maj. Gen. Wilton J. Ramsey |
Mary Field | Sister Mary Theresa |
Joey D. Vieira | Cadet Cpl. Scawalski (as Donald Keeler) / Cadet Cpl. Scawalski |
Gary Pagett | Cadet Lt. Molony |
Mickey Little | Cadet Lt. Hanratty |
Don Haggerty | Harold Hibler |
David Janssen | Young Lieutenant |
Richard H. Cutting | Monsignor Collins |
Mary Alan Hokanson | Sister Mary Thomasina |
Butch Jones | Cadet Capt. Petri |
Yvonne Peattie | Mrs. Hibler |
Chris Alcaide | Truck Driver |
Anne Barton | Miss Carter |
Producers
Name | Role |
---|
Howard Pine | Producer |
Editors
Year | Type | Category | Won |
---|
1956 | Oscar | Best Writing, Motion Picture Story | Nominated |