Marine veteran Rob Riggle has expressed skepticism about whether contemporary Hollywood stars would follow in the footsteps of Jimmy Stewart, who famously interrupted an Oscar-winning career to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Stewart enlisted as a private nine months before the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Riggle, who plays Colonel Terrill, Stewart's squadron commander, in the upcoming biopic "Jimmy," stated in a recent interview that he would be surprised if any actor of similar stature today made the same choice.
"He won an Academy Award before the war... It wasn't like he was an up-and-coming actor. He was an established Academy Award-winning actor before the war. And then decided to put on the uniform and not in a safe way," Riggle told Fox News Digital. "He wanted to put on the uniform and serve where he could be used best. And he was a pilot, so he put his hand in the air and went into harm's way. And I don't know if you'd see that today. I mean, I hope you would, but I would be surprised."
Stewart, already a decorated actor, attempted to enlist in late 1940 but was initially rejected for being underweight. He gained the necessary weight and enlisted in March 1941, just 28 days after winning the best actor Oscar for "The Philadelphia Story." Despite the military's initial efforts to keep the famous pilot in stateside roles for publicity, Stewart persistently requested combat duty overseas. He eventually flew 20 combat missions as a command pilot and commander in B-24 Liberators over Nazi-occupied Europe.
By the end of the war, Stewart had risen from private to full colonel and received numerous combat awards, including the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. Riggle noted the significant danger Stewart faced, particularly with aerial combat over Germany.
"I think Jimmy went through a lot harder service than most with the flying over Germany, dropping bombs, having to make those sorties under tremendous stress and loss of his peers," Riggle said. "But I do think when you decide to serve your country, you're kind of writing a blank check with your life and limb and I think it takes a lot to do that."
Stewart experienced severe psychological trauma, now understood as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), following his wartime service. This trauma manifested in digestive issues, insomnia, and nightmares. Biographers suggest that Stewart processed his trauma through darker, more complex acting roles upon his return to Hollywood, including his performance as the struggling George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life."
Riggle, a retired U.S. Marine lieutenant colonel with 23 years of service and deployments in Afghanistan, Albania, Liberia, and Kosovo, drew on his own military experience for his role in "Jimmy." He emphasized the weight of leadership and responsibility involved in commanding troops.
"I myself was a Lieutenant Colonel so I know what it is to be in charge of a group of people," he said. "I was a Marine but I know what it's like to be responsible and in charge and I know the weight of leadership. So I felt for all the characters in the movie that have that responsibility of leading men and making decisions that could affect their lives or end their lives."
Riggle believes that his military background instilled in him tenacity, mental toughness, and the ability to persevere through rejection, qualities he finds essential for success in Hollywood.
"Tenacity, don't quit, never give up, get up and try again," Riggle said. "All those intangible lessons of mental toughness and fortitude, you need to have those if you're gonna be in Hollywood or any life in the arts, really."
He also finds his military service provides perspective on fame, noting that in the Marines, individual status is secondary to completing the mission.
Riggle hopes that the "Jimmy" biopic will illuminate Stewart's full story beyond his acting career, highlighting his dedication to service. He also aims to counter any misconceptions that people join the military solely because they lack other options, stressing that it is an all-volunteer force comprised of individuals choosing to serve something larger than themselves.
"It's an all-volunteer force. No one's making them do anything. So the people that put their hand in the air have made that decision in their mind and that decision is to serve something bigger than themselves. And I think it's quite honorable."