Ike: The War Years 

During World War II, General Dwight D. Eisenhower serves as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe. On a personal level, he has an extramarital affair with his driver Kay Summersby.

Stars:

Robert Duvall, Lee Remick, Dana Andrews

Nominated for 5 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Robert Duvall	...	Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower 3 episodes, 1979
Lee Remick	...	Kay Summersby 3 episodes, 1979
Dana Andrews	...	Gen. George C. Marshall 3 episodes, 1979
J.D. Cannon	...	Gen. Walter Bedell Smith 3 episodes, 1979
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Gen. Charles DeGaulle 3 episodes, 1979
Paul Gleason	...	Capt. Ernest 'Tex' Lee 3 episodes, 1979
Richard Herd	...	Gen. Omar Bradley 3 episodes, 1979
Darren McGavin	...	Gen. George S. Patton 3 episodes, 1979
Wensley Pithey	...	Winston Churchill 3 episodes, 1979
Ian Richardson	...	Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery 3 episodes, 1979
Stephen Roberts	...	President Franklin Delano Roosevelt 3 episodes, 1979
William Schallert	...	Gen. Mark Clark 3 episodes, 1979
Lowell Thomas	...	Self - Narrator 3 episodes, 1979
Lloyd Alan	...	3rd Sergeant 2 episodes, 1979
Terence Alexander	...	Gen. Arthur Tedder 2 episodes, 1979
Jonathan Banks	...	1st Sergeant 2 episodes, 1979
Bonnie Bartlett	...	Mamie Eisenhower 2 episodes, 1979
Whit Bissell	...	Admiral 2 episodes, 1979
William Boyett	...	Gen. Ward Hoffenberg 2 episodes, 1979
K Callan	...	Mrs. Westerfield 2 episodes, 1979
Anne Clements	...	Cockney Mum 2 episodes, 1979
Patrick Culliton	...	Young Lieutenant 2 episodes, 1979
David de Keyser	...	Field Marshall Sir Alan Brooke 2 episodes, 1979
Clifford Earl	...	Mountbatten 2 episodes, 1979
Don Fellows	...	Gen. Carl Spaatz 2 episodes, 1979
Redmond Gleeson	...	Riley 2 episodes, 1979
Charles Gray	...	Gen. 'Freddie' DeGuingand 2 episodes, 1979
Charles H. Gray	...	Gen. Lucian Truscott 2 episodes, 1979
Mitchell Group	...	2nd Sergeant 2 episodes, 1979
Lise Hilboldt	...	Jean Dixon 2 episodes, 1979
Peter Hobbs	...	Admiral 2 episodes, 1979
Robert James	...	Capt. Burns 2 episodes, 1979
Clifton Jones	...	Sgt. Hunt 2 episodes, 1979
James Keane	...	Corporal 2 episodes, 1979
Ronald Leigh-Hunt	...	Gen. Pagel 2 episodes, 1979
Laurence Luckinbill	...	Maj. Rchard Arnold 2 episodes, 1979
Julia MacKenzie	...	Sybil Bryan 2 episodes, 1979
Michael Malnick	...	Gen. Strong 2 episodes, 1979
Maurice Marsac	...	Gen. Henri Giraud 2 episodes, 1979
Vincent Marzello	...	Mickey McKeogh 2 episodes, 1979
Francis Matthews	...	Noel Coward 2 episodes, 1979
Richard McKenzie	...	Col. Offenheim 2 episodes, 1979
Patricia Michael	...	Gertrude Lawrence 2 episodes, 1979
Wolfgang Preiss	...	Field Marshal Alfred Jodl 2 episodes, 1979
Joe Unger	...	Private 2 episodes, 1979
Major Wiley	...	Sgt. Mooney 2 episodes, 1979

Storyline

Miniseries detailing the life of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who commanded American forces during World War II, romanced his driver Kay Summersby and later became President of the United States.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as series title | nickname as series title | dwight d. eisenhower character | george s. patton character | charles de gaulle character | 

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Taglines:

Mightiest Invasion Force in History Fights Its Way to Victory. Led by the Greatest American Hero of the 20th Century. The Man Everyone Called...Ike

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Did You Know?

Goofs

When Ike tells Kay that Roosevelt will let her into the US Army and still owe allegiance to a foreign flag, and says she's the first person in history to be allowed to do that. During the Civil War citizens from several countries came to the US to fight for both sides while still remaining citizens of their home countries.

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Connections

Edited into Ike: The War Years (1980)

User Reviews

The Builder Of Allied Bridges

Of the people that became presidents in the 20th Century, one of the very few who would have had some considerable space in our history books had he not become president was Dwight D. Eisenhower. Ike made his historical bones as the Supreme Allied Commander during World War II where he made decisions that shaped the very world we live in today. He was responsible for sending more Americans into battle than any other in history and it weighed heavily upon his shoulder.

The principal of integrated allied command Americans and the British, Canadians, and various and sundry other allies was not new, but it took special talents to pull it off. Some in a roundabout way of denigrating Eisenhower's military talents said he was a better diplomat than warrior. The diplomacy aspect of his job as well as the military part is brought out very well in Ike though at times Ike was one rough diplomat.

But first and foremost this is a love story, whether a true one is still a matter of speculation. Ike was like the millions of other Americans overseas, missing home and possibly taking comfort. There was considerable speculation of the gossipy underground type about Ike and his British driver Kay Summersby at the time. Summersby wrote one book post World War II about Ike, but the book she wrote on which this TV movie is based was written when she was dying of cancer and heavily in debt because of her medical bills. The physical aspect of the relationship if any is handled oh so delicately.

Robert Duvall and Lee Remick really do become Eisenhower and Summersby, you feel like you're getting a fly on the wall of allied headquarters view of history. All the players are there, military leaders and civilian heads of state and government. Best scenes are Ike with Bernard L. Montgomery played to perfection by Ian Richardson and also with Charles DeGaulle beautifully done by Vernon Dobtscheff.

I'm surprised no one has made a mini-series called Monty. Now that was one controversial general whose ill manners made diplomacy a high art in dealing with him. Richardson captures him beautifully, but also pay attention to Charles Gray as General Francis 'Freddie' DeGuingand, one of the unsung heroes of the war. Note his relationship to Montgomery and how he smooths out many problems caused by his boss's bad behavior. Maybe the British have done a Montt mini-series, hopefully this was emphasized. DeGuingand by all accounts was a man of great class.

Because of Monty's personality he needed one kind of chief of staff. Ike the builder of allied bridges needed an abominable no man, guarding the gate and giving out the bad news. He had that in Walter Bedell Smith played here by J.D. Cannon. He could be really gruff and nasty and having an ulcer didn't help the situation. Later on as president Ike was similarly served by Sherman Adams until Adams was caught up in scandal and resigned as Chief of the White House staff in 1958. I would strongly recommend reading Stephen Ambrose's books on Eisenhower for additional insights.

But for insights into the pressures on our Supreme Commander personal, political, and military don't ever pass up viewing one of television's best TV dramas, Ike.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 May 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ike: The War Years

Company Credits

Production Co:

ABC Circle Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1