Celebrity Death: Herman Wouk, author of The Caine Mutiny and Winds of War, 103

[Acadmus]

'Caine Mutiny,' 'Winds of War' author Herman Wouk has died

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[Duke33]

Damn for some reason I thought he'd been dead since the late 80s. Whoops.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Winds of war and war and remembrance are two of I favorite books. The mini series were great as well

 

[Duke33]

Winds of war and war and remembrance are two of I favorite books. The mini series were great as well

I loved the mini-series of Winds of War. Although Mitchum was way too old to play Pug, and for the record so were MacGraw and Vincent in their roles. I also hated the way MacGraw and Polly Bergen who played Pug's wife were portrayed. Just shrill...grating characters.

But overall the mini series was very well done esp. for an 80s production. I didn't like War & Remembrance as much cause so many actors turned over (and Mitchum looked significantly older than even the first series) though.

But the books were great.

 

[Osprey]

He was born during WWI (that's I, not II) and already had a Pulitzer-winning novel and Oscar-nominated film adaptation of it before anyone had even heard of Elvis. It's crazy to think that he was still alive as recently as yesterday.

 

[Jumptheshark]

I loved the mini-series of Winds of War. Although Mitchum was way too old to play Pug, and for the record so were MacGraw and Vincent in their roles. I also hated the way MacGraw and Polly Bergen who played Pug's wife were portrayed. Just shrill...grating characters.

But overall the mini series was very well done esp. for an 80s production. I didn't like War & Remembrance as much cause so many actors turned over (and Mitchum looked significantly older than even the first series) though.

But the books were great.

once a year I read the books and then rewatch both mini series(both are free on youtube) and sadly in the Bergan she was limited and hurt by the fact that Rhoda Henry was written so poorly by Wouk--who when asked about the book version of Rhoda--he described her as one of the villains of the novels.

I agree Mitchum was too old--but who could have pulled off the role? Mitchum is nothing like how Henry is in the books. The one actor I think who would have been perfect for the role--but was only doing movies at the time and had a bit of a bad rep was Martin Sheen-before you shoot me down on him--in the book he matches how Pug Henry looked and he was the age Pug Henry was supposed to be--Sheen was 42/43 when they started filming. Mitchum was 66 at the time of shooting and because ABC (I think) only agreed to fund the mini series if Mitchum got the role and so some of the cast was built around not having that many young actors around him

 

[Lshap]

Wouk was still writing up until very recently. His last book was a personal memoir, Sailor & Fiddler, published in 2016 when he was 100. Amazing.

The last book of his I read was A Hole in Texas, written in 2004, which is a pretty good sci-fi novel about the discovery of the Higgs-Bozon particle.

Helluva life...

 

[Jumptheshark]

Wouk was still writing up until very recently. His last book was a personal memoir, Sailor & Fiddler, published in 2016 when he was 100. Amazing.

The last book of his I read was A Hole in Texas, written in 2004, which is a pretty good sci-fi novel about the discovery of the Higgs-Bozon particle.

Helluva life...

his methodical research is legendary