The Private War of Major Benson is 1955

1955 in film

The year 1955 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* November 3 - The musical Guys and Dolls, starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra, debuts.* June 27 - The last ever Republic serial, King of the Carnival, is released....

 comedy

Comedy

Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...

 film starring Charlton Heston

Charlton Heston

Charlton Heston was an American actor of film, theatre and television. Heston is known for heroic roles in films such as The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, El Cid, and Planet of the Apes...

, Julie Adams

Julie Adams

Julie Adams is an American film and television actress, sometimes credited as Julia Adams or Betty Adams.-Life and career:...

, Sal Mineo

Sal Mineo

Salvatore "Sal" Mineo, Jr. , was an American film and theatre actor, best known for his performance as John "Plato" Crawford opposite James Dean in the film Rebel Without a Cause...

 and Tim Hovey

Tim Hovey

Tim Hovey was an American child actor and later a road manager and an audio engineer for rock bands.He is best known for his first film role as Cadet Thomas in The Private War of Major Benson ....

, about a tough-talking U.S. Army Officer who must shape up the ROTC

Reserve Officers' Training Corps

The Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantly in the United States. It is designed as a college elective that focuses on leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, and professional ethics.The U.S...

 program at Sheridan Academy, a Catholic boys' military school, or be forced out of the Army.

The movie was filmed on St. Catherine's Military School

St. Catherine's Military Academy

St. Catherine’s Academy is a Catholic military school located in Anaheim, California. It was founded in 1889 by The Dominican Sisters of Mission San José. The school offers a challenging academic program for boys in kindergarten through eighth grade, as well as military structure and leadership...

 campus in 1955, with cadets as the actors in all but the three leading roles. Universal-International Studios chose St. Catherine's cadets and location for their humorous comedy about the challenges facing the new commandant of a Military School by the antics of a group of grade school cadets. The picture starred Charlton Heston, Julie Adams, William Demarest

William Demarest

Carl William Demarest was an American character actor. He frequently played crusty but good-hearted roles.-Early life and career:...

, and a full battalion of St. Catherine's finest.

This movie was one of the inspirations for Damon Wayans

Damon Wayans

Damon Kyle Wayans is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, one of the Wayans brothers.-Early life:Wayans was born in New York City, New York, the son of Elvira, a homemaker and social worker, and Howell Wayans, a supermarket manager...

' 1995 film Major Payne

Major Payne

Major Payne is a 1995 comedy film, starring Damon Wayans. The film is a loose remake of the 1955 film The Private War of Major Benson, starring Charlton Heston....

.