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The Private War of Major Benson ()

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As a disciplinary measure, the Army transfers a heavy-handed Major to a ROTC academy where he must shape-up cadets and improve the school's overall ratings.
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Stars:
Awards:
  • Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.
  • See more »
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Photos and Videos

7 photos

Cast verified as complete

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Major Bernard R. 'Barney' Benson
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Kay Lambert
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John
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Cadet Thomas 'Tiger' Flaherty
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Mother Redempta
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Cadet Sergeant Hibler
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Cadet Colonel Sylvester Dusik
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Major General Ramsey
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Sister Mary Theresa
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Cadet Corporal Scawalski (as Donald Keeler)
Gary Pagett ...
Cadet Lieutenant Molony
Mickey Little ...
Cadet Lieutenant Hanratty
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Mr. Hibler
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Young Lieutenant
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Monsignor Collins
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Sister Mary Thomasina
Butch Jones ...
Cadet Captain Petri
Yvonne Peattie ...
Mrs. Hibler
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
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Truck Driver (uncredited)
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Miss Carter (uncredited)
Steven Benson ...
Cadet (uncredited)
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Woman at Airport (uncredited)
Alfred Caiazza ...
Cadet Lieutenant Morelli (uncredited)
Margaret Campbell ...
Mrs. Corrigan (uncredited)
Taggart Casey ...
Mr. Hanratty (uncredited)
James Conaty ...
R.O.T.C. Drill Observer (uncredited)
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Lieutenant General De Bay (uncredited)
Russell Gaige ...
Colonel Marvin (uncredited)
Jack Gardner ...
Mr. Corrigan (uncredited)
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Nancy (uncredited)
Raymond Giarrusso ...
Ritchie (uncredited)
Marc Hamilton ...
Bus Ticket Clerk (uncredited)
Jimmy Karath ...
Cadet Lieutenant Netcher (uncredited)
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Priest (uncredited)
Mike Mahoney ...
Airline Gate Attendant (uncredited)
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Miss Dunne (uncredited)
Ralph Neff ...
Cook (uncredited)
Robert Nelson ...
Captain Duffield (uncredited)
Voltaire Perkins ...
Colonel Holt (uncredited)
Robert Perry ...
Cadet (uncredited)
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Mrs. Flaherty (uncredited)
Thorpe Whiteman ...
Cadet Lieutenant Walworth (uncredited)
Stephen Wootton ...
Michaels (uncredited)

Directed by

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Jerry Hopper

Written by

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William Roberts ... (screenplay by) and
Richard Alan Simmons ... (screenplay by)
 
Joe Connelly ... (original story by) and
Bob Mosher ... (original story by)

Produced by

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Howard Pine ... producer (produced by)

Music by

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William Lava ... (uncredited)
Henry Mancini ... (uncredited)
Stanley Wilson ... (uncredited)

Cinematography by

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Harold Lipstein ... director of photography

Editing by

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Ted J. Kent

Editorial Department

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William Fritzsche ... color consultant: Technicolor

Art Direction by

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Robert F. Boyle ... (as Robert Boyle)
Alexander Golitzen

Set Decoration by

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Russell A. Gausman
Ruby R. Levitt

Costume Design by

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Rosemary Odell ... (gowns)

Makeup Department

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Joan St. Oegger ... hair stylist
Bud Westmore ... makeup artist

Production Management

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Foster Thompson ... unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Marshall Green ... assistant director

Sound Department

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Glenn E. Anderson ... sound
Leslie I. Carey ... sound
David Janssen ... looping (uncredited)

Music Department

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Joseph Gershenson ... music supervisor
Walter Greene ... orchestrator (uncredited)
Dave Kahn ... music editor (uncredited)
William Lava ... orchestrator (uncredited)
Ethmer Roten ... musician: flute (uncredited)
Herman Stein ... composer: title music (uncredited) / orchestrator (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Adele Cannon ... script supervisor (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Irvin Berwick ... dialogue director (uncredited)

Thanks

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C.A. Schmitt ... acknowledge the cooperation of: commandant of St. Catherine's Miltary School (as C.A. Schmitt Major U.S.A. Ret.)
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

A Major noted for advancing with his mouth before thinking is given a choice: to be drummed out of the Army, or take command of and shape up the ROTC program at Sheridan Academy before it fails its next inspection. At Sheridan he encounters three hundred pre-teen cadets who range from rascally to adorable, and a female doctor who has just the right prescription for him. Written by Martin H. Booda

Plot Keywords
Taglines They're out to bust the Major See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • La Guerre privée du major Benson (France)
  • La guerra privada del mayor Benson (Spain)
  • Majoren på krigsstien (Norway)
  • La petite guerre du major Benson (Belgium, French title)
  • Der Privatkrieg des Major Benson (West Germany)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 105 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $600,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia Charlton Heston received no salary for this movie. He took a percentage of the box-office profits instead. According to his autobiography, it turned out to be a good deal as the film was financially successful and that he received residual checks "for years". See more »
Goofs When Major Benson and Dr. Lambert are speaking to each other in his office immediately after the Tiger potential vomiting incident, Benson's tie is in a different position when he is filmed from the front than when he is filmed from the side. See more »
Movie Connections Referenced in Host: Charlton Heston; Guests: Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, The Marjorie Fields Moppets, Bob Williams & his dog Red Dust (1955). See more »
Soundtracks Toy Tiger See more »
Quotes Major Bernard R. 'Barney' Benson: We've gotta turn these milkshake drinking school boys into whiskey drinking soldiers.
See more »
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