MovieChat Forums > The Winds of War (1983) Discussion > Casting of Mitchum as Pug Henry

Casting of Mitchum as Pug Henry

posted 12 years ago by manage-932-700755
21 replies | jump to latest

Mitchum was one of my favorite classic actors. However, I think his casting as Pug Henry was off target. About the only similarity was their taciturnity. Pug Henry was a Commander/Captain and 49 years old in the book. He was 5'6." Mitchum was 66, and despite a facelift a few years before, looked his age. Mitchum was 6'2." He was quite overweight, as compared with Henry in the book, which portrayed Henry as "board flat." If anyone was still serving in WW2 at age 66, he would have been a general or admiral, certainly not a commander or even a captain.

Many of the stars in the movie were older than their characters in the book, but at least bore a reasonable physical resemblance to them. Mitchum looked like he should have been playing Halsey, the Vice Admiral, whom he did in fact play in "Midway" some 7 years earlier. Plus in the film, Mitchum kept sucking in his gut. He had become a fat boy, and his magnificent acting skills just couldn't pull it off.

[–] lordsuhn 12 years ago

I was thinking the same thing when I was watching it (even though I never read the book.) A man his age still a Commander would suggest that he screwed up his career somewhere. Glad to hear in he book he was supposed to be younger.

[–] manage-932-700755 12 years ago

A while back I read (I forgot where) an article about the producer of the series in which he said that Mitchum was the only actor considered for the role- and the ideal actor. Mitchum was an icon- but he was too old, too heavy, and too tall for the role.

[–] manage-932-700755 12 years ago

That's the problem (if it really is a problem) with reading the book first. You develop a picture of how each of the characters look. So in the beginning of the book, when you are introduced to Pug Henry, he is a 5'6" stocky, board-flat waist Commander, with a taciturn personality. Then in the movie, when you see Mitchum, 6'2" (8 inches taller than Pug in the book), powerfully built, but overweight, and 66 years old (17 years older than in the book), it just doesn't register. In the book the only miliary men a that age are all generals, admirals, or, outside of the miliary, cabinet officials or Congressmen. And even most of them are younger than 66.

[–] mandrake62 12 years ago

When I read the book, I kept seeing Martin Balsam as Pug Henry. Much closer to the physical description but also too old. Can anyone think of an actor who was right for the role both physically and appropriate age in 1983?

[–] josborn828 11 years ago

Today as when the mini-series debuted, I am willing to overlook the contradictions with Mitchum as Pug b/c having him in the title role probably kept ABC from cutting corners in what was and still is the most ambitous project ever made for TV, especially for free TV.

With that is said, when Mitchum runs into Jan Michael Vincent and Vincent congratulates him on having to be the 1st person from his class to make Captain, I laughed out loud. But what about forty-something y/o Allie McGraw as Natalie Jastrow took a good bit of suspension of belief as well.

Mandrake, in the late 70's and early 80's (because it took so long to film), for me the perfect choice would have been Robert Conrad. He was 50y/o in 1979, 15 years older than the 35 y/o Gregory Boyington he was playing but he could have never done the Flying Misfits and Winds of War at the same time. In all honesty, I don't think I could have made it through the Carter years w/o Baa Baa Black Sheep!

[–] mandrake62 11 years ago

Yes,Conrad had the right look and appropriate age.

[–] tabari 11 years ago

at the time of the airing of Winds of War, there was of course a lot of discussion about Robert Mitchum as Pug Henry. For those of us who had already read the book, he was REALLY miscast, no matter how much we might like him as an actor. I remember Johnny Carson one night during the showing of the miniseries cracking a a joke about how Mitchum's eyes were opened a little past half mast, that night. His eyes totally aged him. Not to mention weight, height, etc. My friend also thought of Robert Conrad as Pug. Right build, right demeanor. But, not a year in his life free at that time. I'm sure that someone was available! Oh well, I am currently watching it again and enjoying it for what it is.....a wonderful telling of history through the eyes of this family and a reminder of what we should never forget, but that today's youth don't even know!

[–] wargames 11 years ago

I don't care how old he was or how overweight, I loved Mitchum as Pug..

[–] DrZaat 11 years ago

I agree, wargames.

[–] doug65oh 11 years ago

I watched a little of this earlier tonight for the first time since seeing it on television when it debuted, and all I could think of was “My God, if only I were 30 years younger!” Ali McGraw aside (I never thought much of her acting in that or the follow-up series) it was like visiting old friends. Mitchum was exceptionally good I thought - then and now.

[–] TorontoJediMaster 10 years ago

Mitchum's height wasn't the problem. It was his weight and the fact that he was clearly far too old to play the part.

It's even worse in War and Remembrance. There, he's even more overweight and looks every day of his 70 years...playing a man in his early fifties that a young woman describes as "the most attractive man she's ever met". (Paraphrasing.)

As to who could've played him?

How about Leslie Nielsen? I know he's now thought of as a comedy actor, but back in 1983 he still had credibility as a dramatic actor.

Martin Sheen would've actually been a little young. But, he has the acting ability and physically he resembled the Pug of the novel more.

James Garner would've been another good option.

And, while we're talking overage actors for parts, what about Ralph Bellamy as Franklin Delano Roosevelt? He was 79 and playing FDR at 57-59. Why couldn't they have gotten the definite FDR portrayer (Edward Hermann) to have reprised his role?

[–] pgharett-676-553123 8 years ago

And, while we're talking overage actors for parts, what about Ralph Bellamy as Franklin Delano Roosevelt? He was 79 and playing FDR at 57-59. Why couldn't they have gotten the definite FDR portrayer (Edward Hermann) to have reprised his role?

Here's what it says on Bellamy's IMDB page:

"Won Broadway's 1958 Tony Award as Best Actor (Dramatic) for his portrayal of Franklin D. Roosevelt in "Sunrise at Campobello", a role that he recreated in the movie version also titled Sunrise at Campobello (1960)."

I've never seen it, probably because I'm a Republican who disagrees with FDR's domestic policies, although I appreciate his leadership in the War. Bellamy had perhaps his greatest acting success playing FDR on the stage, and reprised his role on the screen. To older people at the time of WoW, he was FDR. He was a great choice for the role, despite his age.

[–] marbleann 10 years ago

IMO Mitchum can read a phone book and do better then most actors out there then and today. He was great in this role. Pug Henry? Heck he could of play a Pug dog and pulled it off. It was a treat seeing him in this role when I first saw it when it came on TV years ago. He was a draw. Who doesn't like Robert Mitchum?

[–] clewis100 10 years ago

Cliff Robertson or James Coburn? The former I could definitely see.

[–] marbleann 10 years ago

Both of them is a good idea. I remember cliff robertson in PT109 and he was very good I think a good actor could play any part and do well.

[–] simplemines 10 years ago

I always rather liked Mitchum as an actor. But I don't get what he's DOING in this miniseries. It seems all he does is walk into rooms and sit in chairs across from historic figures. Is he acting? The most intensity it seems like he's generating is sucking in his stomach. He's just simply not very good here.

But next to Ali McGraw, he's Lawrence Olivier!

[–] Calliegrl03 9 years ago

A young Anthony Hopkins would have been perfect, looks and acting wise... Christopher Plummer would have been good too.

[–] apriceaboverubies29 8 years ago

While reading the book, I imagined James Whitmore as Pug. However, after seeing the mini-series, I could not imagine anyone else but Mitchum in the role.

"Peggy, this isn't China. There's no money in virginity."

[–] dwbbld1026 8 years ago

Pug was exposed to be short stocky and bald. Read the books for first time in 2014ish. Thought George Costanza would have rocked this role.

[–] manage-932-700755 8 years ago

Short and stocky, yes. I have never read that Pug was supposed to be bald. I read the Winds of War way back in 1973, and War amd Remembrance around 1980. In fact, I specifically recall a comment from Rhoda in Remembrance, where she says to Pug, after he returnd from the Pacific, that he has gotten "grayer,

Which book and edition did you read that in?

[–] lferrigon-1 8 years ago

I thought Robert Mitchum was wonderfully cast as Pug Henry.