God speed Charles Fawcett; there's too few of your kind.

February 13, 2008 2:30 AM

Charles Fawcett. Film maker, adventurer and activist. In his 92 years, Mr. Fawcett rescued English POWs, starred in 100+ movies, and helped show Charlie Wilson why he should fund an army.
posted by phyrewerx (7 comments total)

[Via]
Whoops!
posted by phyrewerx at 2:32 AM on February 13, 2008

I love hearing about people like this. Thanks phyrewerx.
posted by longbaugh at 2:55 AM on February 13, 2008

We've had two links lately to Charlie Wilson type stuff. Have people forgotten that Charlie Wilson's investments have arguably cost us a few thousand lives, several billion dollars and a good chunk of our freedom and democracy?
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 3:17 AM on February 13, 2008

There was a funny comment on another forum about Charles Fawcett. Someone was complaining that his obit left out a mention of his famous daughter, Farrah.
posted by fuse theorem at 5:24 AM on February 13, 2008

In Paris Fawcett also took part in the rescue of a group of British prisoners-of-war who had been placed under French guard in a hospital ward by the Germans. By impersonating a German ambulance crew, Fawcett and a comrade marched in at 4am and ordered the French nurses to usher the PoWs out into the yard. "Gentlemen," he announced as he drove them away, "consider yourself liberated."

"You're a Yank," said a British voice.

"Never," came Fawcett's lilting southern burr, "confuse a Virginian with a Yankee."

They don't make 'em like that anymore. RIP, Charlie.
posted by Rangeboy at 5:51 AM on February 13, 2008

more pics
posted by stbalbach at 8:04 AM on February 13, 2008

He's kind of like an American version of Laurens van de Post, sans the writing.
posted by stbalbach at 8:14 AM on February 13, 2008