From the Stars and Stripes archives
'On location' at Tempelhof
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AIR POLICEMEN TAKE JUST about anything in stride. At any rate, the APs at Berlin's Tempelhof Air Base didn't bat an eye when they were asked to help produce a movie.
One day Lt John Walsh was air provost marshal, the next he was also technical advisor on a film called "Prize of Gold" and giving orders to Hollywood star Richard Widmark.
The cheerful, efficient lieutenant, obviously accustomed to handling a wide range of problems, says with a pleased smile that the movie people were "no trouble at all."
Among the "movie people" were four of the base's air policemen, who, when they joined the Air Force, never expected to be hearing such orders as "lights, camera, action."
It all started when Warwick Film Productions, a British company which produces pictures for release by Columbia, asked USAFE for aid in producing a movie about air police "on location" in Berlin.
Walsh recalls Tempelhof Air Base authorities were requested to give "full cooperation" to " the actors. "We did just that," he adds.
For a month, "locations" in different parts of Berlin were used — a barge canal, bombed-out blocks of ruins near Potsdamer Platz, the elegant avenue of. Kurfuerstendamm and Tempelhof Air Base itself.
"A Prize of Gold," which stars Widmark and Mai Zetterling, is the story of a fortune in gold bars found in a Berlin canal. Air policeman Widmark plans to hijack the treasure for Miss Zetterling, who runs an orphans home and needs money.
Widmark, a handsome blond ex-professor with a friendly grin, was well liked by Tempelhof personnel. The movie star, in turn, was happy to be working on location. To an interviewer, he confided, "This Berlin location is wonderful. It's hard work, but I think we're creating a mood we could never capture in a studio. Hollywood extras always look like extras, but these Germans look like Germans." .
Helping Widmark look like an air policeman was Walsh's job. Widmark, who has played roles representing every other branch of the service, had "never been in the Air Force before" but had definite ideas about the uniform. Elsewhere, he had seen air police with blue caps, and he did not want to wear the white one which is regulation at Tempelhof.
The white cap brought on the only tiff between Walsh and Widmark, who were otherwise "good friends."
"I won't wear it," said Widmark.
"If you're going to be an AP at THIS base you'll wear it," answered Walsh in the tone of voice that settles differences.
The movie people "worked very hard to be authentic," Walsh says, adding he believes that when Widmark faced the camera, "he looked just as air police should look all over the world."
In front of the camera with Widmark were four APs assigned to unusual duty. Within a few months, friends and relatives in the States will see the familiar faces of S Sgt Luther Perry, A/1C Paul E. Boudreaux, A/1C James Ogilsbie and A/3C Robert Ray flash across the screen.
The air policemen played roles for which they had enough experience — they were air policemen.
Perry and Ogilsbie will be seen escorting Widmark to the stockade after his attempted piracy fails..
Boudreaux is a: guard on the plane; he sits sternly holding a machine gun, and watching the gold.
But Ray is way out ahead — he has the only speaking role among the APs. Acting the part of a guard at the air base's main gate, Ray exchanges a few words with Widmark before giving the actor a snappy salute.
As they left Berlin, both Widmark and Miss Zetterling expressed appreciation for the Air Force's permission to use the "fantastic location" of Tempelhof Air Base. To show their gratitude to the APs who helped them, the film crew invited them all to a party.
Walsh was asked whether Widmark's plans to pirate gold bullion would be a bad example to APs all over the world.
.."Oh no," the lieutenant chuckled,."It all comes out all right at the end. Wait'll you see the picture."
