This list is difficult to compile. It isn’t like a Christmas movie list or any other list. It consists of people who worked hard in their craft, and stand out for their contribution. This means, that because they have broken from standard ideology, they are shunned. These bold and unwavering people, never stop fighting for what they believe. They are true to the American spirit of giving. Here is the list.
Ten -Kevin Sorbo
He is known for The Legendary Journeys of Hercules. This long running show put a different spin on the mythical hero. Sorbo could have rested on his laurels, and pursued another project. Kevin Sorbo did find work. He made sure that his Christian faith would be represented. He starred in God’s Not Dead and other movies centering around Christianity. These movies give a positive message and have made money.
Kevin Sorbo has also been outspoken about how the predominant religion in America, has been villified. He defends Christianity, when given the opportunity Sorbo has lived the principles of Christianity, by giving to those less fortunate. He has a charity for inner city youth, called A World Fit for Kids. It allows them to be given life skills through training. Kevin Sorbo through his efforts, has become a real life Hercules.
Nine-Carole Lombard
She was the greatest comedienne of her day. Carole Lombard was also a beautiful and talented movie star. She starred in many films. Lombard helped create screwball comedy with Twentieth Century, My Man Godfrey and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Her most famous and last film was To Be or Not to Be, opposite Jack Benny. She never let success go to her head. She wouldn’t hang with the stars of her films. Carole Lombard preferred the blue collar people; electricians, set designers, and technicians.
Stardom had come to Carole Lombard. While she was one of Hollywood’s biggest actresses, its biggest star came for her. This was the king of Hollywood, Clark Gable. The couple fell in love, and married in 1939. Their marriage made both of them even bigger stars. They gave big parties at their house, inviting nearly everyone in Hollywood to them. Their marriage may have defied the odds in Tinseltown, and lasted a lifetime. Sadly, this was not to be.
Carole Lombard loved America. She was one of the first stars, to lend her efforts, when war broke out. She went on bond drives and sold millions of war bonds. She left to go on one of these drives in her hometown in Indiana. She took a flight home with her mother,after the rally, on January 15, 1942. She never made it home. The plane crashed killing all of the passengers.
The death of Carole Lombard was a tragedy. There are times when good comes out of tragedy. Clark Gable was devastated by the loss of his wife. He could have stayed stateside, and continued his wife’s good work. He did not. He joined the army at the age of forty one. Gable was not content to be a publicity man for the war effort. He volunteered to be part of a bomber crew. Gable of course survived. It was the legacy of the great American, Carole Lombard , that inspired him, to serve his country. The death of Carole Lombard, although tragic, inspired America. Everyday Americans, and movie stars, gave up everything to serve their country, and defeat the axis powers.
Eight- Patricia Heaton
She is best known for her performance as Debra Barone on the long running sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond. She won several emmy awards during the show’s run. Patricia Heaton, after the show, did something that is hard to accomplish. She starred on another show, called, The Middle. She was an Indiana housewife, raising three children with her construction worker husband. The family was nearly as dysfunctional as The Barone’s. The chief difference was everyone turns out alright in the end. Heaton’s character narrated the show. The Middle lasted for several seasons, and gave a comedic take on midwestern life.
Patricia Heaton in between working, embraced the Pro Life cause. Her beliefs put her at odds with many of the Hollywood elites. She has tirelessly campaigned for choosing life over abortion. She has stated that women will experience absolute joy bringing a child into this world. Heaton also stated that this is much better than abortion. Patricia Heaton is a gifted actress, as well as a courageous one for risking her career, defying the liberal status quo of Hollywood.
Seven-Marlene Dietrich
She was a German emigre. She became famous in the German film, The Blue Angel. She spends the next few decades acting alongside, Hollywood legends. They included Gary Cooper, James Stewart and John Wayne among them. She would be considered, along with Greta Garbo; the sound era’s first female star. She usually played femme fatales in her movies. She decided to play a part in World War 2, that not even the best agent could get her.
Marlene Dietrich was happy to be in America. It was during the war, that she showed how much she loved her adopted country. She toured military bases all across the war zones, and criticized Hitler. These efforts might have been enough for a regular citizen. It was not for her. She volunteered her time at The Hollywood Canteen. She would talk to the soldiers, and would perform for them. When she wasn’t greeting GI’s, Dietrich would be scrubbing down the kitchen. After the war, she still praised The United States. She held to the belief that sacrifice is needed, to be a good citizen. Marlene Dietrich is an example of a first generation immigrant, who gave up a good life in Hollywood. She did this for her beloved country and its citizens.
Six-Ernst Lubitsch
He was a student of German expressionism. Ernst Lubitsch was doing well as a filmmaker in Germany. A colleague persuaded him to make the move to Hollywood. There have been many moves to Tinseltown that didn’t work. It was fortunate for Hollywood and film fans, that Lubitsch didn’t remain in his native land. His immigration to America, changed the style of film.
The director came up with storybook kingdoms, that mirrored the wealthy in America. The style of his filmmaking, was known as The Lubitsch touch. It is reflective in movies like The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg, The Shop Around the Corner and To Be or Not to Be, and many others. To Be or Not to Be, looks at how the Nazi’s were destroying his homeland and Europe. One of his achievements was recognizing talent. He discovered Jeanette McDonald. He paired her with French actor, Maurice Chevalier. She later became the queen of early MGM musicals.
Ernst Lubitsch was someone who is deservedly considered an auteur,(author). He proved that America is the land of opportunity. His biggest achievement was making fellow emigre, Billy Wilder, his protégé. Lubitsch died from a heart attack in 1947. His legacy is best summed up by his protégé, Wilder. He stated at the funeral, No more Lubitsch. The director, William Wyler, then added, worse than that, no more Lubitsh films.
Five-James Cagney
This actor has a film that could get him on the list. James Cagney starred in the Hollywood biop of George M. Cohan, Yankee Doodle Dandy.He was a song and dance man, who became The King of Broadway. He wrote patriotic songs like You’re a Grand Old Flag and of course, Yankee Doodle Dandy. Cagney is outstanding in the movie. The academy gave him the Oscar for best actor. This movie about a successful entertainer, who loved his country, is played every Independence Day.
James Cagney, like Cohan, started out as a song and dance man. He moved to Hollywood and carried these skills with him. He got his big break in 1931. He played Tom Powers, an Irish gangster. Cagney was being cast in these roles, and wanted something different. The studio kept giving him gangster roles and he sued and won. He received different roles that led up to his role in Yankee Doodle Dandy.
James Cagney, after receiving his Oscar, decided to produce films on his own. He didn’t have much success. Cagney was forced back into playing gangsters. This revived his career. He played Cody Jarrett in White Heat. The character was a sociopath with an unhealthy mother fixation. This role is one of James Cagney’s finest. The actor had a major resurgence, appearing in films as varied as Mister Roberts and Man of a Thousand Faces. Cagney continued acting until 1961 when he retired. He left behind a legacy on film that any actor would be proud to have. Orson Welles, the director of Citizen Kane praised him. The director stated James Cagney was perhaps the greatest actor to ever appear in front of a camera.
James Cagney had more than a legacy on film. He always remembered his roots in a tough New York City neighborhood. Cagney stood up for the little guy, making sure that everyone on set was treated fairly. He was very active in the Screen Actors Guild, eventually becoming its president. He was a life long democrat, who became conservative in his later years. Cagney supported Ronald Reagan for governor of California and later for president. They both were blue collar guys who were Roosevelt democrats in Hollywood. James Cagney was liked by his contemporaries. This is a rare thing in Tinseltown. He also accomplished a rare feat in Hollywood. James Cagney was married to his wife Frances for sixty four years, until his death in 1986. Cagney, long after his retirement, would show off his dancing skills on television, when he would appear on The Tonight Show. He was entertaining and showed America why a talent and a personality like James Cagney, rarely comes to Hollywood.
Four- Pat Sajak
Game show hosts come and go. A person would be challenged to name more than a few. Pat Sajak would be a person who stands out. This man hosted, until his retirement, Wheel of Fortune. It is a show that is the giant among game shows. Its affable host, along with cohost, Vanna White preside while contestant’s spin a wheel, and solve a puzzle on the board. The participant’s of course win cash and vacations when they solve enough puzzles. The show is filmed in Hollywood, but is famous for filming on location. These locations could be anywhere from New York to Hong Kong. The show has been running daily since 1983 and has a new host.
Pat Sajak will not be going fishing or golfing. He is cementing another legacy. Sajak has for several years, served on the board of regents of Hillsdale college, a small school located in Michigan. He will assume the presidency of the board.The school is very different from many institutes of higher learning. Students can earn a liberal arts degree, in the traditional manner. The courses are taught without anything added unnecessarily.
The curriculum of the college aligns with Pat Sajak’s own values. He is a man who has held on to conservative ideas. This way of thinking, can cost a person work in Hollywood. Pat Sajak, has said that conservatives are not popular in Hollywood. This is sad but true. However most conservatives have also made America a great country. Hollywood has had conservatives with a vision who have fought for American values. Pat Sajak can stand among them, for making sure higher education can mold young minds and hearts.
Three-Chuck Norris
There was a boy who was growing up in Torrance, California. His life was hard. He helped his divorced mother raise his two younger brothers. This boy idolized John Wayne. This was something most kids did. The Duke was the good guy who never wavered. He always beat the bad guys. It was something this little boy with the rough childhood dreamed of being.
The child became a man. He joined the Air Force. It was while serving his country, that a turning point occurred in his life. He began studying karate. The man left the military, and began a new career. He participated in tournaments, and became a six time karate champion. This man who overcame huge obstacles, was Chuck Norris. He began studying other martial arts, attaining black belts in all of them. He later began teaching karate to celebrities like Steve McQueen, Priscilla Presley and The Osmonds. Norris became friends with The King of Cool. He advised him to get into acting.
Chuck Norris took his friend’s advice. He appeared in many successful movies. Among them were Lone Wolf McQuade. The two Missing in Action movies and Code of Silence. He of course displayed his martial arts skills. Chuck Norris became the first action hero in the eighties. He became what he dreamed of as a boy. He was very much like his hero, John Wayne. Chuck Norris was the unbeatable good guy, who put the bad guys in their place.
There comes a time in every actor’s life, where they have to adapt. Chuck Norris made a transition to television in the nineties. He produced and starred in the long running series, Walker, Texas Ranger. Norris carried a gun in the show, but usually dispatched the bad guys with his martial arts skills. The show is entertaining, and is one of the best tv westerns. After the series ended, he used his celebrity status to sell home gym equipment.
Chuck Norris went from humble beginnings to a movie star. He has used his status to give back. He has several martial arts schools. Chuck Norris serves on the board of several charities. He also formed his own charity,Kickstart, that helps children. Norris has been very vocal in his support of the first amendment, and the second.He has also been outspoken about the misinterpretation of the separation of church and state. Chuck Norris is a conservative, and supported George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush for president. He is personal friends with George W. Bush. Norris publicly supported Donald Trump in 2016. Chuck Norris is a man of deep Christian faith. He and his wife serve on the board of The National Bible Curriculum in Public schools.
A successful man like Chuck Norris, could do anything that he wants to in life. He has chosen to promote Christian values. Norris has been an advocate of conservatism. This doesn’t get many cocktail party invitations in Tinseltown. His promotion of the discipline of martial arts, is a great thing. Norris charity for children shows that he hasn’t forgotten his beginnings. Chuck Norris is a one of a kind entertainer, who has given a great deal to this country.
Two-Elia Kazan
This director is known for tackling hard issues in his films. Gentleman’s Agreement deals with anti-semitism. Man on a Trapeze, is about a circus troupe trying to escape communist Eastern Europe. On the Waterfront is about union corruption. He also directed America, America. This was about his family’s efforts to emigrate from Turkey to America. Kazan’s efforts earned him two academy awards. He received them for Gentlemen’s Agreement and On the Waterfront. Marlon Brando starred in A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront. Brando had starred in the Broadway version of Streetcar, which Kazan directed. The performance in the filmed version made Brando a star.
There are many actors, like the previously mentioned Brando, who become social activists. Directors like Kazan, usually do it through their films. There came a time, early in the director’s career, to help America. The industry was infiltrated with communists. Elia Kazan knew that prominent people in Hollywood were actively involved in the communist party. HUAC, (The House UnAmerican Activities Committee), was actively investigating this and calling witnesses. Some were hostile, and some testified freely. Elia Kazan made the decision to testify before the committee. He told the committee what he knew and named names. This was valuable to the committee and some who were named, found employment in Hollywood difficult. The search for communist infiltration in America is often mislabeled as McCarthyism, after Senator Joseph McCarthy. He had a committee that also investigated the infiltration, but in government agencies. His committee did not cause people to lose their reputations and jobs.
Elia Kazan did what Americans should do. He helped shine a light in a dark corner of Hollywood. Many celebrities came forward and admitted to the hold communism had in Hollywood. He was the one who risked his reputation, and some friendships, by naming names. There are still many in Hollywood today, who cringe at the mention of his name. There are those like Martin Scorsese, who recognize Kazan for his skill and legacy as a director. Elia Kazan was a brave man, who did give back to America.
One-Walt Disney
There are many who have tried and failed in Hollywood. The success rate isn’t very high. Walt Disney is an example of pulling yourself up, when you fall, and starting over. He was a struggling animator. Disney thought he had a hit with Oswald the Rabbit. Unfortunately, his financial backer had stolen the rights to the character, and took the animators with him. The only one who was left, was Ub Ewerks, who collaborated with Disney for many years. This could send many into desperation and failure. This wasn’t the case with Walt Disney. He got his creative juices flowing, and created a cute talking rodent. This character appeared in the animated short, Steamboat Willie. His name, now known to the world, was Mickey Mouse. A few years later, Disney brought Donald Duck into the world. He created other characters, later, Goofy, Pluto and Chip and Dale. He also gave Mickey and Donald female companions, Minnie and Daisy, respectively.
Walt Disney was not content to just have these animation icons. He did a cartoon short, called Flowers and Trees. It was the first animated short in color. It won him his first of many academy awards. A few years later, Disney made the first feature length cartoon, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It won several academy awards. Disney followed this success with Pinocchio, Dumbo and Bambi. Walt Disney made Fantasia; a movie starring Mickey, with a classical music score. He later did Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.
Walt Disney, while founding his studio, and becoming the greatest animator, stepped into reality. He decided to do his part for America. Disney testified about the communist menace in America. He didn’t name names, but his testimony did help The House Un-American Activities Committee. This man of unparalleled artistic talent, who was a conservative, did his duty as an American.
Walt Disney was a success, with his own Hollywood studio. When the fifties began, he branched out into live action movies. He made Davy Crockett a household name. This came with the release of Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier. This brought Fess Parker fame, in the title role. America also got a glimpse of former song and dance man, Buddy Ebsen , as his friend and partner, George Russell. This movie was five years before John Wayne put his hero up on the big screen. The movie started a craze. Every boy in America, wanted a coonskin cap.
Walt Disney had a string of successes following Davy Crockett. This included his own television show, The Wonderful World of Disney. His biggest success was a combination of animation and live action, Mary Poppins. It starred Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews. It had wonderful songs and won Julie Andrews an Oscar. This type of film was copied successfully in movies like Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Walt Disney’s greatest legacy was Disneyland. This is a theme park where kids and adults alike are greeted by Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. There are many rides. The most famous being The Pirates of the Caribbean. This ride was, many years later turned into a billion dollar movie franchise. His park later expanded to Florida becoming Disneyworld. This was after his death. Theme parks abound in the United States, but Uncle Walt’s was the first.
Walt Disney was an animator struggling to make his way in Hollywood. He made fame and fortune for himself. He was a groundbreaking animator, who created a studio, that became a media empire. There are various studios that handle live action and animation. Disney studios also owns the Star Wars franchise, ESPN and ABC. This is all due to a man named Walt Disney. This man gave an entertainment legacy to America, that may never be duplicated.
The people on this list, achieved success and wealth through hard work and determination. They understood with great success comes a responsibility. That can be helping those less fortunate. It can be standing up for your beliefs, no matter how unpopular they are in the workplace. There is also the duty of protecting American from a great menace, that could destroy its status and values. These celebrities, blessed by God, with special talent understood the great things that America personifies.