Special Sub-Topic: Midway Click Here To Play: Midway

Much of the main subplot revolves around the love story between two young people, Ensign Thomas Garth and his erstwhile fiance Miss Haruko Sakura. Thomas Garth's father is a captain in the Navy, an advisor to Admiral Chester Nimitz himself. Who plays Captain Matthew Garth?

Charlton Heston. Oscar-winner Charlton Heston gives his usual, intense performance in this film. His name gets top billing in the credits amongst all the big stars!

Speaking of Admiral Chester Nimitz, what classic Hollywood actor plays him in this more than two-hour film?

Henry Fonda. The grand old Hollywood man, Henry Fonda, another Oscar-winner, plays Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the chief of U.S. naval operations in the Pacific.

Another great classic Hollywood actor, Glenn Ford, played the role of what admiral who had command of U.S. naval forces during the Battle of Midway?

Ray Spruance. Glenn Ford did an excellent job playing Ray Spruance, a man so smart, he was often referred to as the 'Electric Brain' by his associates. Glenn Ford is an underrated Hollywood actor who starred in such great movies as 'Gilda' and 'The Big Heat'.

William 'Bull' Halsey was another key figure of the U.S. war in the Pacific. What great Hollywood tough guy of the 50s and 60s played this brief but substantial role?

Robert Mitchum. Robert Mitchum, who chilled audiences with his roles in thrillers such as 'Night of the Hunter' and 'Cape Fear', played a lighter role in this movie. He played Bull Halsey, the commander of the U.S. Third Fleet during World War II. During the Battle of Midway, he was laid up in a hospital with a skin rash.

What popular American television star of the 1980s played a relatively small role as Ensign Ramos, aka 'Chili Bean', in 'Midway'?

Erik Estrada. Erik Estrada has the whitest teeth in Hollywood, and he showed them off well in this film. His part was not very substantial, but he is featured as one of the heroic pilots that made the brave and deadly assaults against the Japanese aircraft carriers during the Battle of Midway.

What popular American actor of both the big and small screen played the key role of Captain Joseph Rochefort, a cryptanalyst who helped discover what the Japanese intended to do just before the Battle of Midway began?

Hal Holbrook. You may recognize Hal Holbrook from some of his other film roles, including: 'Wall Street', 'The Firm' and 'The Majestic'. Rochefort's advice just prior to the Battle of Midway helped turn the tide of the Pacific war in the favor of the Allies.

Which of these popular movie stars is not correctly matched up with the character he played in 'Midway'?

Jeff Bridges - Cmdr. Nelson Perkins. Surprisingly, Coburn, Coleman and Robertson all played very minor roles in this film, which is odd, especially for Robertson, since he was already an Oscar-winner. But this is simply the nature of these epic war films with ensemble casts. Incidentally, Jeff Bridges did not appear in 'Midway', nor was there ever a naval commander (to my knowledge) named Nelson Perkins.

The Japanese were amply represented in this film as well. For example, what popular Asian-American star of the small screen appeared in 'Midway' as Rear Admiral Ryunosuke Kusaka?

Pat Morita. Pat Morita, well-known for his role in TV's 'Happy Days', played Ryunosuke Kusaka, the Chief of Staff of Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet after 1942. In this film he plays a key advisor to Admiral Nagumo.

What key Japanese admiral is portrayed by perhaps Japan's greatest actor, Toshiro Mifune, in this film?

Yamamoto. Though Mifune played the role, his voice was dubbed in this film by popular voice actor Paul Frees, who did Boris Badenov in the Jay Ward cartoons and the Burgermeister Meisterburger in the cartoon 'Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town'. Mifune is best known for his powerful renditions of various Samurai characters in Akira Kurosawa's greatest films.

Finally, what popular football player from the 1970s made a cameo appearance in 'Midway' as Commander Delaney?

Larry Csonka. Larry Csonka is best known as the powerful running back for the Miami Dolphins in the early 1970s. This is one of only two feature films Csonka ever did during his limited acting career. Thank you for playing this quiz, I hope you have enjoyed it!