On this day in movie history - The Longest Day (1962 movie & book):

The Longest Day

directed by Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton and Bernhard Wicki,

written by Cornelius Ryan, Romain Gary, James Jones, David Pursall and Jack Seddon,

based on the book by Cornelius Ryan,

was released in the United States on October 4, 1962.
Music by Maurice Jarre.

Cast:

Eddie Albert, Paul Anka, Arletty, Jean-Louis Barrault, Richard Beymer, Hans Christian Blech, Bourvil, Richard Burton, Wolfgang Büttner, Red Buttons, Pauline Carton, Sean Connery, Ray Danton, Irina Demick, Fred Dur, Fabian, Mel Ferrer, Henry Fonda, Steve Forrest, Gert Fröbe, Leo Genn, John Gregson, Paul Hartmann, Peter Helm, Werner Hinz, Donald Houston, Jeffrey Hunter, Karl John, Curd Jürgens, Alexander Knox, Peter Lawford, Fernand Ledoux, Christian Marquand, Dewey Martin, Roddy McDowall, Michael Medwin, Sal Mineo, Robert Mitchum, Kenneth More, Richard Münch, Edmond O'Brien, Leslie Phillips, Wolfgang Preiss, Ron Randell, Madeleine Renaud, Georges Rivière, Norman Rossington, Robert Ryan, Tommy Sands, George Segal, Jean Servais, Rod Steiger, Richard Todd, Tom Tryon, Peter van Eyck, Robert Wagner, Richard Wattis, Stuart Whitman, Georges Wilson, John Wayne.

Recommended reading:

The Longest Day: The Classic Epic of D-Day

By Cornelius Ryan.

First published 1959.

Published by Simon & Schuster.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0671890913

ISBN-13: 978-0671890919

Description:

The unparalleled, classic work of history that recreates the battle that changed World War II – the Allied invasion of Normandy.

The Longest Day is Cornelius Ryan’s unsurpassed account of D-Day, a book that endures as a masterpiece of military history. In this compelling tale of courage and heroism, glory and tragedy, Ryan painstakingly recreates the fateful hours that preceded and followed the massive invasion of Normandy to retell the story of an epic battle that would turn the tide against world fascism and free Europe from the grip of Nazi Germany.

This book, first published in 1959, is a must for anyone who loves history, as well as for anyone who wants to better understand how free nations prevailed at a time when darkness enshrouded the earth.

Born on this day – Edmond O'Brien:

Edmond O'Brien

Actor

Director

September 10, 1915 – May 9, 1985

On this day in movie history - White Heat (1949):

White Heat

directed by Raoul Walsh,

written by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts,

based on a story by Virginia Kellogg,

was released in the United States on September 3, 1949.
Music by Max Steiner.

Cast:

James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien, Margaret Wycherly, Steve Cochran, John Archer, Wally Cassell, Fred Clark, G. Pat Collins, Paul Guilfoyle, Ian MacDonald, Robert Osterloh, Ford Rainey, Aline Towne, Jim Thorpe.

On this day in movie history - The Wild Bunch (1969):

The Wild Bunch

directed by Sam Peckinpah,

written by Walon Green and Sam Peckinpah,

based on a story by Walon Green and Roy N. Sickner,

was released in the United States on June 18, 1969.
Music by Jerry Fielding.

Cast:

William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O'Brien, Warren Oates, Jaime Sánchez, Ben Johnson, Emilio Fernández, Strother Martin, L. Q. Jones, Albert Dekker, Bo Hopkins, Jorge Russek, Alfonso Arau, Dub Taylor, Chano Urueta, Elsa Cárdenas, Fernando Wagner, Paul Harper, Bill Hart, Rayford Barnes, Stephen Ferry, Sonia Amelio, Aurora Clavel, Elizabeth Dupeyrón.

On this day in movie history - The Hitch-Hiker (1953):

The Hitch-Hiker

directed by Ida Lupino,

written by Ida Lupino and Collier Young,

was released in the United States on March 21, 1953.
Inspired by the true 1950–1951 Billy Cook murder case.
Music by Leith Stevens.

Cast:

Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy, William Talman, José Torvay, Wendell Niles, Jean Del Val, Clark Howat, Natividad Vacío, Rodney Bell.