I totally agree. A person who can't read 2nd/4th as it should be with such an insipid voice should not be doing these. I have taught 7th (seventh, not 7 tee aitch) graders who read better.
I bumped into Richard Todd in the mid 2000s in Grantham. A small but immaculately dressed man in a tweed jacket, buff waistcoat (bottom button undone) and tie. I rather towered over him but he was very gracious. I thank him for his service and that I was a fan of his films. He was absolutely charming.
WOW! you lucky thing I adored him he was to me one of the most handsome men I have ever seen if that had been me I would of been a gibbering idiot, thanks for what you said to him he would of been embarrassed about it but pleased all the same, take care.x
Ditto!! I met Toddy in Liverpool, Williamson Square circa 1995. He was appearing at the famous, 'Playhouse' theatre. He was dressed in the exactly the same manner you describe Bryan! Tweed jacket and buff waistcoat. Quality bloke!
How fascinating! Given that Todd was apparently 5 ft. 9 in. (175 cm) in height, you must be very tall indeed, since, as you noted, you "towered over him." It was quite decent of him to be gracious under the circumstances.
I had the honour in 1999 of being caught at Grantham Post Office with him when we were both without umbrellas and it was pouring with rain outside. I felt rather nervous of speaking to him, but he made some throwaway remark about the inconvenience of leaving his umbrella in his car and I agreed but added that it had never happened to me in company with a celebrity before! He smiled modestly and we spoke for about fifteen minutes. I remember the year because this was only a few days after the death of Major John Howard, his friend whom he portrayed in ‘The Longest Day’. I condoled with him, and afterwards I reflected that I had spoken to ‘Major Howard’ about Major Howard. He said, I remember, that my four children would never have heard of him; I disabused him of that notion instantly by telling him that I had exposed them to my taste in film over the years which meant that they were aware of actors and films of which perhaps the majority of their generation were not aware.
Actors like David Niven and James Stewart did not have to join up but did and both served with distinction. Richard Todd's experience adds truth to his appearances in war movies.
I'm just coming back from Normandy on the ferry. We were only talking about him when we were at Pegasus Bridge. He's a. Legend, always loved his films, he had great presence. An officer and gentleman.
My step-great grandad fought at Pegasus Bridge. He was with Richard Todd since the beginning, my grandparents believe that the reason that he was at Pegasus in the first place is just because of Richard Todd, either signing up because he knew about it from him, or being chosen specifically (some of the reports state how good he was as a soldier). He never really liked films, but when The Longest Day came out, he was adamant on seeing it. Now if you need any confirmation on how good and accurate that film is, his first words walking out of the cinema were "Yep, that's what it was like".
Many thanks, wonderful to see Richard Todd given a memorandum of his increadable bravery, he just shrugged it off really and saw it as just a job that had to be done he was only 25 as a lot of them were very young men. I saw him in a play once where he shot at a picture on the other side of the stage not a very big picture either I tell you he shot that thing bang in the middle and the picture smashed to bits, it was only then I remembered he had been in the war!
Watched The Longest Day whenever it was shown on TV.. quite early on I had discovered that he was involved in the Pegasus Bridge Assault in real life and this made the film all the better for it.
He was part of the Second wave of Paratroopers to capture and hold the bridge until the main landing force came to relieve them. Todd plays his Commander Major John Howard. They hired a younger actor to play Richard Todd who has a few lines in the movie talking to the real Richard Todd playing Major Howard.
@@inisipisTV In fact, Todd was in the FIRST wave of paras. Glider troops took the bridges, paras (including Todd) dropped very soon afterwards and crossed country to reinforce the glider troops until Lovat's commandos arrived from the beaches.
@@Jonathanbegg All Para's and Commandos are allowed to keep their berets when they leave, as they have sweated blood to get them in the first place and no bugger is ever going to take them away. I still have mine from when I served in the 70's.
@@Jonathanbegg Red Berets are never handed in, mate. They're never asked for either. I still have mine; every Paratrooper i know still has his. The families of our dead still retain theirs. Good on you for having a critical and questioning mind, though ! Too many of our younger generation (s) are lacking such an attribute.
Does that mean that glider infantry like the Oxford and Bucks also wear the red beret in WW2? My understanding is that Todd was in the Parachute Regiment in WW2. He'd wear the red beret after being jump qualified.
@@aussiepilgrim8620 Well, I stand corrected. But under another hat (!), I don't think it's a good sign for older men to wear military headgear. Germany was full of it in the 1920's, with (defeated) ex-troops turning up in beer cellars wearing odd bits and pieces of uniform, and shouting the odds. I was a rifleman in Mad Mitch's battalion, and wasn't best pleased to see long-demobbed squaddies wearing the glengarry at reunions.
remember seeing an interview with Richard Todd re the longest day. He played major Howard of course but after they have captured the bridge and the paras arrive to report it was an actor playing Richard Todd talking to Richard Todd!!!! He said it was a totally weird feeling.
Jimmy mcardle was a friend of mine (Jim died in 2009) he spoke highly of Richard Todd having served with him in 6 para during the war ( Jimmy is actually captured in a dug out holding a radio during market garden)and in Palestine, he was always there ar regimental gatherings, a tough man in and out of Army, especially regards his two Sons, a british patriot.
Brave men all. I have visited pevauus Bridge and pilaid my respects at the grave of lt Denholme and brotheridge. The 1st Casualty on d day at the bridge
Totally agree....though interested I couldn't listen to the end. The intonation is terrible... An ordinary person with no voice training just reading a script would be infinitely better.
I always considered Richard Todd to be a fine actor. The part that really amuses me about this story, is the name of the C.O., Lt. Col. Pine - Coffin. It just reminds me of the Monty Python's Life of Brian scene and the joke names - Naughtius Maximus, Sillius Sodus and Biggus Dickus.
A Computer reading this and pronouncing things wrong....This man deserves more than this, let WW2TV deal with this and lets make this proud and worthy of the man.
This was very good... seen him in the LONGEST DAY... “ hold till releaved “ and D - Day the sixth of June... Both classic movies... movies Can’t remember the rest of the cast of D-day the sixth of June ??????
My Dad was 6th Airborne with him at Pegasus Bridge. Landed same time. Not well known is that 6th Airborn was named to fool Hitler that there were 2nd,3rd, 4th, and 5th. But they were fictitious.
He was one of many of that generation of actors who had done it for real, Niven, Steiger, Ford, Murphy, Stewart and Marvin to name a few. I even believe Noel Coward did a stint in the Fleet Air arm but it was decided by the powers that be he would be better at producing propaganda films . Somehow I couldn't imagine that happening today.
Just shows how desperate times were for the British. Also, even with the large continent of Indian troops fighting for the British Empire, the British still had a strong sense of duty.
@@AudieHolland out of seven actors named. Two from UK five from the U S. As what you posted is rubbish please refrain from doing so unless you are better informed. Your comment is an insult to those seven named and countless others.
Yes - that was his name , also the General commanding the 6th Airborne division was General Sir Richard " windy " Gale - which was an amusing name for a para commander lol .
LOL his superior officer at para training was a fellow named Geoffrey Pine-Coffin? Also, him mentioning that the noise was so incredibly loud on the plane, they couldn't talk to each other, is always overlooked in movies. Even in "Band of Brothers," one of the American paras leans back and then is startled by the rumbling of distant explosions. Impossible to hear over the din your own transport plane is making. One thing the movie "The Longest Day (1962)" got visually wrong was the arrival of Lovat's commandos. In the movie, the director always has the camera focused on Lovat, his bagpipe player and his personal escort. You see very few of the 1,000 others! So I was rather bemused when the paras at the bridge shouted: "It's Lovat!" It really seems like those dozen or so (in the movie at least) paras were relieved by Lovat, his bagpipe player and two other commandos. In the beach assault scenes, the director and producer went all out and had a few companies of army troops stand in as extras so the contrast with the Pegasus Bridge scene is very stark.
The impression that Major Howard's men had to hold out until Lovat arrived is one of the many inaccuracies in that movie. As mentioned in the narrative to this video, they had already been relieved by the parachute troops, including Richard Todd.
@@renard801 Yeah yeah yeah. But try to explain that to people who think parachutists and airborne infantry are the same thing. Funnily enough, after Normandy, with the airborne infantry having shown just as much mettle and courage in the face of superior forces, the name 'airborne' was quietly stretched untill there was no difference in name between paratroopers and airborne troops. Even in the "Band of Brothers" mini-series, the makers are guilty of rewriting history. Historical lyrics to their fighting song: "Heidy, diedy, Christ almighty, who the hell are we? Bim, bam, goddamn, we're the parachute infantry!" And don't say it sounds better in the newer (airborne infantry) version, the original was *the parachute infantry.*
The computer voice with the British accent reading the text, typos included, is hilarious. My favorite (2:25) is, "His battalion, the two-N-D slash four-T-H …"
@@garethsprack1234 Actually, you need to do a little research instead of just believing BS gossip. John Wayne was coded 4F, because of an injury that caused him to limp the rest of his life. His "limp" was later nicknamed the Wayne Swagger, since he always walked with his hip cocked slightly sideways but from the waist up was straight ahead. If you normally walk bowlegged or "out-toed", with your feet pointed outward, try it. Your feet will naturally straighten out. When ballroom dancing, I have to purposely do that to keep from stepping on my partner's feet (my right leg in between my partner's legs). Oh and, records show he did try to enlist three separate times, but the studio heads kept getting them sidetracked (which was easy since he was already 4F). They thought he could do more good for the war making movies and going on bond drives. His work on bond drives amounted to millions of dollars for the war effort, so maybe they were right.
As Todd evidently knew also, I have found this to be quite true. in obtaining opportunities for advancement, It doesn't matter really what YOU know. What matters is what others THINK you know.
WRONG. He was offered the part. However, he told them he was TOO OLD to play himself, since he was only in is early twenties during WW2. The Major he played in "The Longest Day" was considerably older. Of course, John Wayne's character, and many others, were only late twenties early thirties... but apparently they didn't care... and did it for the $$$.
@@donf3877 - The role of John Wayne, Col. Vandervoort, was supposed to be played by Charlton Heston, but, the Producer decided to cast John Wayne for more Promotional appeal. Wayne, still angry of all the flack he got for those Producers and Directors for his first Directorial debut film "The Alamo", which turned out to be a hit, decided to take revenge and asked them 10X the normal salary. The Producers submits to it.
Apparently he wore the beret in the film that he actually wore on the day. The Longest day as a film was limited . To state everything in one film would have made the Longest film ever. In his autobiography he stated he lived for a while near Toomebridge Northern Ireland.
My Dad was a Para at the Pegasus Bridge he was blown up by a Mortar and was badly wounded loosing part of his calf Muscle and wounded elbow cutting his tendon he could never completely extend his arm after that and got a full war pension but used to get one of his mates to take to take his medicals when applying for jobs his picture is on the wall of the cafe from the day he remembered the Daughter when he visited many years after his name was Sidney Reeves (I believe his nick name was Didge) from Liverpool mum said they had just got married and Dad volunteered for the Paras because it was an extra shilling.
I know the family Richard Todd brother used to live in Farnham Royal ,I used to go there on some occasions,Brian Todd went to St Mary's school but by 1979 the family left ,Brian father used work for a well known soft drinks company which I forgot very nice family I did not know what happened to Brian .
Wow, He plays a part in a major war film. Taking a Bridge in the Longest Day. My Father was in the 1st and my Uncle in the 6th. After a bridge too far. occurred, There was not enough men left, So disbanded into the 6th. That's where Dad and my Uncle went to Palestine. To think Richard Todd was one of those men with them. Dad never mentioned him. But saying that, They never said anything about any of it.
"His father was a medic in the British Army in India?" Well actually his father was a Doctor, because the Son's of medics, did not go to Shrewsbury school in the 1920's!
"Medic" is perhaps being used in this case as a generic term to mean someone involved in medicine in some way. Doctors sometimes use the term themselves to include doctors. Your point about the Public School would probably be correct, though.
I was trying to seeif my dad was mentioned. He was a paratrooper. Has to get to pegasus bridge to hold it during d-day. My dad made it into battle. Hee was shot in the leg. He had a british penny in his pocket and the penny deflected the bullet.
Fun fact: Richard Todd was a battalion commander during the war. He was one of the few British actors who saw heavy combat, unlike the loudmouth Yank, John Wayne. There were couple of actors who participated in the actual D-Day. JAMES DOOHAN, CAN CHARLES DURNING, USA. HENRY FONDA, USN. JOHN FORD, USN. ALEC GUINNESS, RN. DAVID NIVEN, BA. RICHARD TODD, BA.
Yes there is a scene in the film where an actor plays Todd speaking to John Howard who was played by Todd. During the film the Director apparently ignored Todd when he was explaining that certain things didn't happen the way the director was saying. The director was told quietly that Todd had actually been at the bridge on the night in question and things were put right.
I believe the scene is where the actor playing Todd emerges soaking wet after swimming the canal and points out the direction that the German forces are coming from to Major Howard as played by Richard Todd
@@ianjackson8643 apparently John Wayne questioned the fact that Richard todd was in the film as he had no experience of the battle. The charges on Pegasus Bridge were removed by a troop of Royal Engineers from 591 (Independent Para) Sqn AKA "The Antrims"
@@carrickkevin4078 Correct in the film Royal Engineers removed the charges from under the bridge by swinging from charge to charge. However this is a work of fiction too add drama to the film. No charges were fitted to the bridge on the night of the capture. This was because the Germans would not risk the french resistance setting off the charges themselves. The demolition charges were found in a shed next to the pillbox on the bridge. In 1984 I was part of the commemoration of the 40th anniversary (being a serving Sapper at the time) and spoke to a member of 249 field company who under Capt Neilson landed with 5 Sappers in one of the gliders. No soldier is going to swing under a bridge whilst under fire they are not supermen.
@@rows10 I was a member of 74 Engineer Regiment which included the original Squadron 591 (Independent Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers) which was part of 6th Airborne. They were originally coastal defence on Belfast Lough. You can read their history online. I also personally knew some of them.
No, that was actually his real name. There is a line in Stephen Ambrose's book of D-Day where an American soldier actually asks whether "Pine Coffin" is a code word!
I believe that one of the other senior officers in Richard Todd's outfit was called Todd Richards. Which doubtless caused some confusion given the military habit of reversing the order of people's names on documents.
Richard Todd was an extremely famous film star, playing many different roles and personalities with great success. Yet when he died very little was said about it or him. Richard Todd’s problem was that he was not the usual lefty-loon expected of film actors. So he could never be forgiven. Which tells us a lot about British society and politics.
Hi Mate Good video Your English is far better than my Spanish but a few pointers if you don't mind. 1) If you feel your spoken English is not good enough try to get a friend to do it. As the computer generated voice is very unpopular and it gets so much wrong and is very irritating to most people 2) you need to keep an eye on putting in extra words where they don't belong an example would be the banner in the video. "The D-DAY" it sounds wrong as it should be just "D-DAY" 3) you might want to think about adding a list of your reference articles in the description. It would help to cut down some of the detractors. Knowing a little bit about Todd and Pegasus I was surprised by some of the comments you made so did a bit of quick research and found you were right "Out of interest I actually met Major Howard a Pegasus on D-DAY 1984 and he signed the inside of my WWII British Helmet and have a photo of him doing so" Keep it up and I'm waiting on the next Video Shaun
You are a wonderful person, thanks for caring! I know the voice is irritating but I had no other recourse. I'm going to try to get someone to read it, thanks again Shaun 🙏❤️💙
The AI voice id very good, but not perfect. An actual person would automatically realize that 2nd is pronounced "second", and that in Cafe de Paris, Paris is pronounced Paree. Having said that, Richard Todd was my boyhood hero, especially after seeing the Dam Busters..
There’s no better man and actor as John Wayne. He tried many times to enlist (the US military have his Application) but his Studio really barred him from leaving, even suing him him if he does. Even so he wen’t on tour for USO during the war, something he would do to the rest of his life. He was even hired by the Office of the Secret Service to do some surveillance work.
@@inisipisTV No studio could stop anyone from enlisting if they chose to do so. Clark Gable, Henry Fonda, James Stewart and Robert Montgomery were all far bigger stars at the time than John Wayne but they all enlisted and saw active service.
@@inisipisTV What possible Secret Service work could John Wayne, a very dumb actor do? You're sufficiently naïve enough to be a liar for the baby jesus!
He played the part of Howard and another actor played his part. I believe he originally wanted to play himself but of course he was too old to play himself as the movie was made almost 20 years after the event.
Rubbish! Lovat was not at Arnhem. First, he was not a para. But most important, he had to leave the Army after after being severely wounded in Normandy, June 1944. So no way could he have been at Arnhem in September 1944! And he was not portrayed in A Bridge Too Far!
@@renard801 - In the UK film "Theirs was the Glory" made in 1946 and using surviving para troops as actors, who were at Arnhem, a senior officer made his famous speech in the damaged church as his men prepared for further fighting. I thought it was Lovat but I was wrong. I have the DVD of this film.
Shame about the computer generated voice, it ruined a well written and interesting documentary. I had to rewind when I was told he was in the two en dee slash four tee aitch batallion! I think he meant 'second fourth batallion.
The story is interesting but spoilt by the computer generated narration. If you are going to post these videos please get rid of the dreadful computer voice. It mis pronounced many sentences many army units, which insults those brave units.
Sorry, but very little 'Interest Facts' when you stopped your coverage of Richard Todd's outstanding military career halfway through. Nothing about his exploits in Europe; the Pegasus Bridge; one of the pivotal attacks of that battle. Most disappointing. Richard Todd was an exemplary actor and in 'The Longest Day' the absolute accuracy of that role shone through because he was there, at the bridge in real life, involved in the battle. He always had a 'military' way of carrying himself and thanks to clever camera work in all his major screen roles the world didn't truly realise that Todd was a short man. He barely made the height minimum for military service; of course, later in the war these restrictions were pretty much flexible. A great actor and an exceedingly lucky, brave soldier. I miss him still. Regards, Bill H.
Thanks for the video. An actor who did his bit in the war but was modest about it. I always enjoyed his films.
an exemplary man who gave everything for his battalion! thanks🙏♥️
I was just about to say the same.
Absolutely agree
I totally agree. A person who can't read 2nd/4th as it should be with such an insipid voice should not be doing these. I have taught 7th (seventh, not 7 tee aitch) graders who read better.
I bumped into Richard Todd in the mid 2000s in Grantham. A small but immaculately dressed man in a tweed jacket, buff waistcoat (bottom button undone) and tie.
I rather towered over him but he was very gracious. I thank him for his service and that I was a fan of his films. He was absolutely charming.
WOW! you lucky thing I adored him he was to me one of the most handsome men I have ever seen if that had been me I would of been a gibbering idiot, thanks for what you said to him he would of been embarrassed about it but pleased all the same, take care.x
Ditto!! I met Toddy in Liverpool, Williamson Square circa 1995. He was appearing at the famous, 'Playhouse' theatre. He was dressed in the exactly the same manner you describe Bryan! Tweed jacket and buff waistcoat. Quality bloke!
How fascinating! Given that Todd was apparently 5 ft. 9 in. (175 cm) in height, you must be very tall indeed, since, as you noted, you "towered over him." It was quite decent of him to be gracious under the circumstances.
I had the honour in 1999 of being caught at Grantham Post Office with him when we were both without umbrellas and it was pouring with rain outside. I felt rather nervous of speaking to him, but he made some throwaway remark about the inconvenience of leaving his umbrella in his car and I agreed but added that it had never happened to me in company with a celebrity before! He smiled modestly and we spoke for about fifteen minutes. I remember the year because this was only a few days after the death of Major John Howard, his friend whom he portrayed in ‘The Longest Day’. I condoled with him, and afterwards I reflected that I had spoken to ‘Major Howard’ about Major Howard. He said, I remember, that my four children would never have heard of him; I disabused him of that notion instantly by telling him that I had exposed them to my taste in film over the years which meant that they were aware of actors and films of which perhaps the majority of their generation were not aware.
Todd was one of the many to whom we owe thanks for our freedom.
Fantastic man and actor. Not only a serving soldier but a Sandhurst trained officer with battle experience.
Indeed!! 👍
He is buried between his two sons who died in unfortunate circumstances. Always enjoyed Richard Todd films growing up.
Fine Actor, may He R.I.P.
🙌♥️
Actors like David Niven and James Stewart did not have to join up but did and both served with distinction. Richard Todd's experience adds truth to his appearances in war movies.
I'm just coming back from Normandy on the ferry. We were only talking about him when we were at Pegasus Bridge. He's a. Legend, always loved his films, he had great presence. An officer and gentleman.
Great guy. True Airborne. RIP.
I always remember him from "The Dambuster's", such a fine actor, and from hearing this recount, such a fine man ...
My step-great grandad fought at Pegasus Bridge. He was with Richard Todd since the beginning, my grandparents believe that the reason that he was at Pegasus in the first place is just because of Richard Todd, either signing up because he knew about it from him, or being chosen specifically (some of the reports state how good he was as a soldier). He never really liked films, but when The Longest Day came out, he was adamant on seeing it. Now if you need any confirmation on how good and accurate that film is, his first words walking out of the cinema were "Yep, that's what it was like".
What was his name?
"The Dam Busters" leading man himself. As cool as they come. What a hero!
It was a great portrayal of wing commander Guy Gibson who at only 23 led the 617 squadron from R.A.F Scampton on the legendary dambusting raid.
By all accounts Gibson was not exactly a pleasant character.
Many thanks, wonderful to see Richard Todd given a memorandum of his increadable bravery, he just shrugged it off really and saw it as just a job that had to be done he was only 25 as a lot of them were very young men. I saw him in a play once where he shot at a picture on the other side of the stage not a very big picture either I tell you he shot that thing bang in the middle and the picture smashed to bits, it was only then I remembered he had been in the war!
Wonderful story of this great man!! thanks for sharing this memory 🙌
Watched The Longest Day whenever it was shown on TV.. quite early on I had discovered that he was involved in the Pegasus Bridge Assault in real life and this made the film all the better for it.
Todd was not involved in the initial glider assault. He was among the first parachute troops who dropped to relive the men holding the bridges.
@@renard801 thanks for the heads up 👍
He was part of the Second wave of Paratroopers to capture and hold the bridge until the main landing force came to relieve them. Todd plays his Commander Major John Howard. They hired a younger actor to play Richard Todd who has a few lines in the movie talking to the real Richard Todd playing Major Howard.
@@inisipisTV In fact, Todd was in the FIRST wave of paras. Glider troops took the bridges, paras (including Todd) dropped very soon afterwards and crossed country to reinforce the glider troops until Lovat's commandos arrived from the beaches.
the beret Todd wore in the Longest Day was the same beret he wore on D-Day.
I wonder if it really was. Why wasn't it handed in with the rest of his uniform when he got demobbed? Nice anecdote, though.
@@Jonathanbegg All Para's and Commandos are allowed to keep their berets when they leave, as they have sweated blood to get them in the first place and no bugger is ever going to take them away. I still have mine from when I served in the 70's.
@@Jonathanbegg Red Berets are never handed in, mate. They're never asked for either. I still have mine; every Paratrooper i know still has his. The families of our dead still retain theirs. Good on you for having a critical and questioning mind, though ! Too many of our younger generation (s) are lacking such an attribute.
Does that mean that glider infantry like the Oxford and Bucks also wear the red beret in WW2? My understanding is that Todd was in the Parachute Regiment in WW2. He'd wear the red beret after being jump qualified.
@@aussiepilgrim8620 Well, I stand corrected. But under another hat (!), I don't think it's a good sign for older men to wear military headgear. Germany was full of it in the 1920's, with (defeated) ex-troops turning up in beer cellars wearing odd bits and pieces of uniform, and shouting the odds. I was a rifleman in Mad Mitch's battalion, and wasn't best pleased to see long-demobbed squaddies wearing the glengarry at reunions.
remember seeing an interview with Richard Todd re the longest day. He played major Howard of course but after they have captured the bridge and the paras arrive to report it was an actor playing Richard Todd talking to Richard Todd!!!! He said it was a totally weird feeling.
Correct! Great piece of trivia
@@rnstoo1 In fact the actor playing Richard Todd was his own brother.
From my memory he was always a decent man & I'm sure his experiences framed him to firm & fair in good measure. 👍
Thank you for this, a great actor, a better soldier !
What a talented and brave man!! I learned a lot about him from this clip. Thanks for posting!! 👍
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I had no idea. Thank you for sharing.
🙌♥️
I always knew there was more to him than meets the eye
That was a good clip. I never realised that Richard Todd had been in the military service. He was a great actor and certainly a great man.
BRAVE MEN OF THE PAST, WONDERFUL MEN.
it's nice to here something about the Britts during D-Day ..Seems Todd was a bit of a good guy con artist early on ...well done Mr. Todd and thank you
Great movie. Good looking guy.
What an action-filled life! A man of action turned performance artist. May he rest in peace.
BRILLIANT
He appealed to me very much. A nice, attractive man and a gentleman. I think it sad that he had a sad personal life.
Jimmy mcardle was a friend of mine (Jim died in 2009) he spoke highly of Richard Todd having served with him in 6 para during the war ( Jimmy is actually captured in a dug out holding a radio during market garden)and in Palestine, he was always there ar regimental gatherings, a tough man in and out of Army, especially regards his two Sons, a british patriot.
Brave men all. I have visited pevauus Bridge and pilaid my respects at the grave of lt Denholme and brotheridge. The 1st Casualty on d day at the bridge
The electronic voice drives me mad
The Richard Todd video is factually correct, but, alas spoiled by a poor "robotic" narration.
Totally agree....though interested I couldn't listen to the end. The intonation is terrible... An ordinary person with no voice training just reading a script would be infinitely better.
It's a computer generated narration. No problem.
You have to admit that narration is funny, though.
And it will be in the language of where your IP address is.
It wasn’t robotic
I always considered Richard Todd to be a fine actor. The part that really amuses me about this story, is the name of the C.O., Lt. Col. Pine - Coffin. It just reminds me of the Monty Python's Life of Brian scene and the joke names - Naughtius Maximus, Sillius Sodus and Biggus Dickus.
Au moins, lui peut en parler, il y était ce jour là.
Respect sir. 👍👏
Fascinating. A well-researched vid. Todd was quintessentially the British stiff upper lip in his roles, and was convincing in all those roles.
There is an occasional hiccup, but this is one of the better computer generated narrations I've heard.
A Computer reading this and pronouncing things wrong....This man deserves more than this, let WW2TV deal with this and lets make this proud and worthy of the man.
Right. I'm about three minutes in and I can't take anymore. Thumb's down.
One of my favorite actors from the 40s - 60s. I've only seen part of "The Hasty Heart". I may have to pick up a copy.
Todd's later life was full of tragedy when his two sons both committed suicide. A sad end to a much admired man.
This was very good... seen him in the
LONGEST DAY... “ hold till releaved “
and D - Day the sixth of June...
Both classic movies... movies
Can’t remember the rest of the cast of
D-day the sixth of June ??????
My Dad was 6th Airborne with him at Pegasus Bridge. Landed same time.
Not well known is that 6th Airborn was named to fool Hitler that there were 2nd,3rd, 4th, and 5th. But they were fictitious.
What was your dad’s name?
Warrior
He was one of many of that generation of actors who had done it for real, Niven, Steiger, Ford, Murphy, Stewart and Marvin to name a few. I even believe Noel Coward did a stint in the Fleet Air arm but it was decided by the powers that be he would be better at producing propaganda films . Somehow I couldn't imagine that happening today.
Just shows how desperate times were for the British.
Also, even with the large continent of Indian troops fighting for the British Empire, the British still had a strong sense of duty.
@@AudieHolland desperate how. Some nerve!
@@AudieHolland out of seven actors named. Two from UK five from the U S. As what you posted is rubbish please refrain from doing so unless you are better informed. Your comment is an insult to those seven named and countless others.
Not too bad if you watch it with the sound off.
Very interesting. I didn't know that about him; that he had an extensive military record.
Lt Col Geoffrey ....Pine-Coffin? Did I hear that right? I guess better to tell them up front.
Yes - that was his name , also the General commanding the 6th Airborne division was General Sir Richard " windy " Gale - which was an amusing name for a para commander lol .
LOL his superior officer at para training was a fellow named Geoffrey Pine-Coffin?
Also, him mentioning that the noise was so incredibly loud on the plane, they couldn't talk to each other, is always overlooked in movies.
Even in "Band of Brothers," one of the American paras leans back and then is startled by the rumbling of distant explosions. Impossible to hear over the din your own transport plane is making.
One thing the movie "The Longest Day (1962)" got visually wrong was the arrival of Lovat's commandos.
In the movie, the director always has the camera focused on Lovat, his bagpipe player and his personal escort.
You see very few of the 1,000 others! So I was rather bemused when the paras at the bridge shouted: "It's Lovat!"
It really seems like those dozen or so (in the movie at least) paras were relieved by Lovat, his bagpipe player and two other commandos.
In the beach assault scenes, the director and producer went all out and had a few companies of army troops stand in as extras so the contrast with the Pegasus Bridge scene is very stark.
The impression that Major Howard's men had to hold out until Lovat arrived is one of the many inaccuracies in that movie. As mentioned in the narrative to this video, they had already been relieved by the parachute troops, including Richard Todd.
@@renard801 Yeah yeah yeah. But try to explain that to people who think parachutists and airborne infantry are the same thing.
Funnily enough, after Normandy, with the airborne infantry having shown just as much mettle and courage in the face of superior forces, the name 'airborne' was quietly stretched untill there was no difference in name between paratroopers and airborne troops.
Even in the "Band of Brothers" mini-series, the makers are guilty of rewriting history.
Historical lyrics to their fighting song: "Heidy, diedy, Christ almighty, who the hell are we? Bim, bam, goddamn, we're the parachute infantry!"
And don't say it sounds better in the newer (airborne infantry) version, the original was *the parachute infantry.*
The computer voice with the British accent reading the text, typos included, is hilarious. My favorite (2:25) is, "His battalion, the two-N-D slash four-T-H …"
Such a complete contrast to that fake hero, John Wayne.
What do you mean ? He side-stepped the draft and became a tremendous patriot when the fighting was over.
@@michaeldicker4839 Precisely he dodged the draft, he never went on the two way range.
@@garethsprack1234 Actually, you need to do a little research instead of just believing BS gossip. John Wayne was coded 4F, because of an injury that caused him to limp the rest of his life. His "limp" was later nicknamed the Wayne Swagger, since he always walked with his hip cocked slightly sideways but from the waist up was straight ahead. If you normally walk bowlegged or "out-toed", with your feet pointed outward, try it. Your feet will naturally straighten out. When ballroom dancing, I have to purposely do that to keep from stepping on my partner's feet (my right leg in between my partner's legs). Oh and, records show he did try to enlist three separate times, but the studio heads kept getting them sidetracked (which was easy since he was already 4F). They thought he could do more good for the war making movies and going on bond drives. His work on bond drives amounted to millions of dollars for the war effort, so maybe they were right.
Hero 💪🇬🇧🇬🇧👏👏
Fine actor
Richard Todd was basically blind in old age, but could still be seen shopping in Grantham up until his closing days.
The picture 1:47 is of Sandhurst School Catford London. Hit by a bomb 20 January 1943.My wife used to teach there. 38 students and staff were killed.
As Todd evidently knew also, I have found this to be quite true. in obtaining opportunities for advancement, It doesn't matter really what YOU know. What matters is what others THINK you know.
And who was Lord LOO-VAT? Please don't use these awful artificial voice overs they ruin what was otherwise an excellent presentation.
I heard that Richard Todd was offered the chance to play himself, in the "Longest Day". However he replied no thanks, I want a bigger part than that.
WRONG. He was offered the part. However, he told them he was TOO OLD to play himself, since he was only in is early twenties during WW2. The Major he played in "The Longest Day" was considerably older. Of course, John Wayne's character, and many others, were only late twenties early thirties... but apparently they didn't care... and did it for the $$$.
@@donf3877 - The role of John Wayne, Col. Vandervoort, was supposed to be played by Charlton Heston, but, the Producer decided to cast John Wayne for more Promotional appeal. Wayne, still angry of all the flack he got for those Producers and Directors for his first Directorial debut film "The Alamo", which turned out to be a hit, decided to take revenge and asked them 10X the normal salary. The Producers submits to it.
Apparently he wore the beret in the film that he actually wore on the day. The Longest day as a film was limited . To state everything in one film would have made the Longest film ever. In his autobiography he stated he lived for a while near Toomebridge Northern Ireland.
My Dad was a Para at the Pegasus Bridge he was blown up by a Mortar and was badly wounded loosing part of his calf Muscle and wounded elbow cutting his tendon he could never completely extend his arm after that and got a full war pension but used to get one of his mates to take to take his medicals when applying for jobs his picture is on the wall of the cafe from the day he remembered the Daughter when he visited many years after his name was Sidney Reeves (I believe his nick name was Didge) from Liverpool mum said they had just got married and Dad volunteered for the Paras because it was an extra shilling.
I know the family Richard Todd brother used to live in Farnham Royal ,I used to go there on some occasions,Brian Todd went to St Mary's school but by 1979 the family left ,Brian father used work for a well known soft drinks company which I forgot very nice family I did not know what happened to Brian .
Hold until relieved.
Not keen on the robot voice.
Good video spoilt by a "robot" commentary.
Wow, He plays a part in a major war film. Taking a Bridge in the Longest Day. My Father was in the 1st and my Uncle in the 6th. After a bridge too far. occurred, There was not enough men left, So disbanded into the 6th. That's where Dad and my Uncle went to Palestine. To think Richard Todd was one of those men with them. Dad never mentioned him. But saying that, They never said anything about any of it.
"His father was a medic in the British Army in India?" Well actually his father was a Doctor, because the Son's of medics, did not go to Shrewsbury school in the 1920's!
"Medic" is perhaps being used in this case as a generic term to mean someone involved in medicine in some way. Doctors sometimes use the term themselves to include doctors. Your point about the Public School would probably be correct, though.
Stout fellow did his bit for britain
In ww2
Also like Kenny more he divorced
His wife for a younger one
I heard he was a great guy, but apparently performed best when dressed in woman's clothes.
I was trying to seeif my dad was mentioned. He was a paratrooper. Has to get to pegasus bridge to hold it during d-day. My dad made it into battle. Hee was shot in the leg. He had a british penny in his pocket and the penny deflected the bullet.
Fun fact: Richard Todd was a battalion commander during the war. He was one of the few British actors who saw heavy combat, unlike the loudmouth Yank, John Wayne.
There were couple of actors who participated in the actual D-Day.
JAMES DOOHAN, CAN
CHARLES DURNING, USA.
HENRY FONDA, USN.
JOHN FORD, USN.
ALEC GUINNESS, RN.
DAVID NIVEN, BA.
RICHARD TODD, BA.
should have been made a sir
Imagine those Germans at Pegasus Bridge: _Oh mein gott, es ist Richard Todd !_
.
(blame google if that's wrong).
Didn’t Todd actually know the man he played in the Longest Day movie from being in the military?
Yes there is a scene in the film where an actor plays Todd speaking to John Howard who was played by Todd. During the film the Director apparently ignored Todd when he was explaining that certain things didn't happen the way the director was saying. The director was told quietly that Todd had actually been at the bridge on the night in question and things were put right.
I believe the scene is where the actor playing Todd emerges soaking wet after swimming the canal and points out the direction that the German forces are coming from to Major Howard as played by Richard Todd
@@ianjackson8643 apparently John Wayne questioned the fact that Richard todd was in the film as he had no experience of the battle. The charges on Pegasus Bridge were removed by a troop of Royal Engineers from 591 (Independent Para) Sqn AKA "The Antrims"
@@carrickkevin4078 Correct in the film Royal Engineers removed the charges from under the bridge by swinging from charge to charge.
However this is a work of fiction too add drama to the film. No charges were fitted to the bridge on the night of the capture. This was because the Germans would not risk the french resistance setting off the charges themselves. The demolition charges were found in a shed next to the pillbox on the bridge. In 1984 I was part of the commemoration of the 40th anniversary (being a serving Sapper at the time) and spoke to a member of 249 field company who under Capt Neilson landed with 5 Sappers in one of the gliders. No soldier is going to swing under a bridge whilst under fire they are not supermen.
@@rows10 I was a member of 74 Engineer Regiment which included the original Squadron 591 (Independent Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers) which was part of 6th Airborne. They were originally coastal defence on Belfast Lough. You can read their history online. I also personally knew some of them.
Not sure I'd be happy to have a CO called Lt Col Pine-Coffin 5:40 😆. Joke name, like Sillius Soddus or Biggus Dickus?
No, that was actually his real name. There is a line in Stephen Ambrose's book of D-Day where an American soldier actually asks whether "Pine Coffin" is a code word!
He has a Wiki page - Look up Richard Pine-Coffin. He also had two DSO and an MC.
@@arunsharma-dx4yn Thanks. I like how it says his troops called him "Wooden-Box" He certainly saw some action.
I believe that one of the other senior officers in Richard Todd's outfit was called Todd Richards. Which doubtless caused some confusion given the military habit of reversing the order of people's names on documents.
Richard Todd was an extremely famous film star, playing many different roles and personalities with great success.
Yet when he died very little was said about it or him.
Richard Todd’s problem was that he was not the usual lefty-loon expected of film actors. So he could never be forgiven.
Which tells us a lot about British society and politics.
Utter twaddle.
@@davidfiler5414 I second that.
Complete and utter bollocks, were you dropped on your head as a baby ?
Good to have a narrator who can read out simple military terms correctly - eg ‘2nd batallion’ is of course the ‘second batallion’. 1st/4th is…😀
No narrator, merely a text to voice reader app. A very good one though.
Lt. Col. Pine-Coffin! You couldn't make this stuff up.
I can't help but think I would have been reluctant to serve under someone named Lt. Col. Pine-Coffin.
Hi Mate Good video
Your English is far better than my Spanish but a few pointers if you don't mind.
1) If you feel your spoken English is not good enough try to get a friend to do it. As the computer generated voice is very unpopular and it gets so much wrong and is very irritating to most people
2) you need to keep an eye on putting in extra words where they don't belong an example would be the banner in the video. "The D-DAY" it sounds wrong as it should be just "D-DAY"
3) you might want to think about adding a list of your reference articles in the description. It would help to cut down some of the detractors.
Knowing a little bit about Todd and Pegasus I was surprised by some of the comments you made so did a bit of quick research and found you were right
"Out of interest I actually met Major Howard a Pegasus on D-DAY 1984 and he signed the inside of my WWII British Helmet and have a photo of him doing so"
Keep it up and I'm waiting on the next Video Shaun
You are a wonderful person, thanks for caring! I know the voice is irritating but I had no other recourse. I'm going to try to get someone to read it, thanks again Shaun 🙏❤️💙
@@interestingfacts1379 🍺🍻🍺
This features one of the best robot text to voice readers I have ever heard, anybody know what software was used?
A Tory speech writer
The AI voice id very good, but not perfect. An actual person would automatically realize that 2nd is pronounced "second", and that in Cafe de Paris, Paris is pronounced Paree. Having said that, Richard Todd was my boyhood hero, especially after seeing the Dam Busters..
Good information but awful automated voice.
No mention of Pegasus Bridge
The worst thing about "The Longest Day" is the casting of John Wayne, a man who stayed in Hollywood while other (better) actors did their bit.
There’s no better man and actor as John Wayne. He tried many times to enlist (the US military have his Application) but his Studio really barred him from leaving, even suing him him if he does. Even so he wen’t on tour for USO during the war, something he would do to the rest of his life. He was even hired by the Office of the Secret Service to do some surveillance work.
@@inisipisTV No studio could stop anyone from enlisting if they chose to do so.
Clark Gable, Henry Fonda, James Stewart and Robert Montgomery were all far bigger stars at the time than John Wayne but they all enlisted and saw active service.
@@inisipisTV What possible Secret Service work could John Wayne, a very dumb actor do? You're sufficiently naïve enough to be a liar for the baby jesus!
@@inisipisTV OSS surveillance work- John Wayne? 🤣🤣🤣Don't be silly. "No better man"?? Really? He was an actor- that's all.
Cardboard Cowboy - and a racist
He played the part of Howard and another actor played his part. I believe he originally wanted to play himself but of course he was too old to play himself as the movie was made almost 20 years after the event.
I AM A F*CKIN* DALEK!!!
Interesting facts,but why o why use a robot voice just not right for the period or subject who had a fantastic voice and delivery
14:10 Its Lord Lovat (one word) not pronounced Low Vat.
Rubbish! Lovat was not at Arnhem. First, he was not a para. But most important, he had to leave the Army after after being severely wounded in Normandy, June 1944. So no way could he have been at Arnhem in September 1944! And he was not portrayed in A Bridge Too Far!
@@renard801 - In the UK film "Theirs was the Glory" made in 1946 and using surviving para troops as actors, who were at Arnhem, a senior officer made his famous speech in the damaged church as his men prepared for further fighting. I thought it was Lovat but I was wrong. I have the DVD of this film.
@@renard801 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Fraser,_15th_Lord_Lovat
@@adrianjackson2696 could the both of you watch the vid again tis not about Arnhem but D-Day
@@chrisrobinson9178 - Yes you are correct.
I think a parrot could read better. Todd was a fine man and an honorable one.
If you must use 'robot narration, you could at least add some style & spice it up a bit with Yoda's syntax . . . : )
Great man....... but why, oh why use a second rate computer voice?
Shame about the computer generated voice, it ruined a well written and interesting documentary. I had to rewind when I was told he was in the two en dee slash four tee aitch batallion! I think he meant 'second fourth batallion.
The narrator's voice seems automated!
Sound track ruins it. Fourth pronounced 4ST. I mean!
Dreadful robotic commentary
the narration is rediculous , Gawd is pronounced Gowd , obviously the computer generated voice has no soul lol
Why on earth spoil a truly great video with that dreadful computerised voiceover - totally ruined it!
The story is interesting but spoilt by the computer generated narration. If you are going to post these videos please get rid of the dreadful computer voice. It mis pronounced many sentences many army units, which insults those brave units.
7:30 Gawd! is actually God with an UK accent not Gode.
The writing appears to be as robotic as the voice.
Is the narration computer generated? Somebody needs to reach it how to pronounce Catterick, sten, and a bunch of other words.
Sorry, but very little 'Interest Facts' when you stopped your coverage of Richard Todd's outstanding military career halfway through. Nothing about his exploits in Europe; the Pegasus Bridge; one of the pivotal attacks of that battle. Most disappointing.
Richard Todd was an exemplary actor and in 'The Longest Day' the absolute accuracy of that role shone through because he was there, at the bridge in real life, involved in the battle. He always had a 'military' way of carrying himself and thanks to clever camera work in all his major screen roles the world didn't truly realise that Todd was a short man. He barely made the height minimum for military service; of course, later in the war these restrictions were pretty much flexible. A great actor and an exceedingly lucky, brave soldier. I miss him still.
Regards, Bill H.
Enjoyed it apart from the Alexa type voice. Why f"""k up a brilliant video by doing that????