Some movie stars actually are as heroic in real-life as their movie roles. Some are not, even over five or ten beers at the local hang-out. So who's hot and who's not? I think this one is hot. He worked "The Pile" with his former engine company after 9/11.
I believe Patrick Dempsey (Greys Anatomy) helped a car crash victim once, using what knowledge he had gained from being on the show.
They're just people like anybody else, some good and some bad, some capable and some useless, but getting to the top of an industry like that one, doesn't exactly endow me with any hope that they are good and decent fellows. That inane lack of character Kate Winslett, said she ran to rescue Richard Branson's mother during the house fire and carried the old lady to safety along with directing her own children out of the building.
Jimmy Stewart. Wonderful human being, excellent actor and retired from the USAF as a major general. During WWII he piloted a B-17 and a B-24 on bombing missions over Nazi Germany. Stewrt also flew in the Vietnam War. He died in 1997.
Before the USA entered the war, Edward Albert Heimberger travelled through Mexico as a circus clown. He also helped keep track of German shipping on the south west Atlanatic. Later, as a Naval Intelligence Officer, he won the Bronze Star while helping to rescue the crew of a stricken vessel under fire at the Battle of Tarawa Atoll.
Josephine Baker Fought racism. Adopted children. Red Cross nurse and underground courier for the French Resistance. "Despite her attachment to Paris, Josephine felt it was her duty to help advance the civil rights movement in America. She wouldn't perform in theaters that discriminated, refusing to go on stage until blacks were allowed to sit in the same areas as whites. Josephine also spoke at the 1963 March on Washington, telling the crowd they looked like "Salt and pepper. Just what it should be." "I did take the blows [of life], but I took them with my chin up, in dignity, because I so profoundly love and respect humanity." "I'm not intimidated by anyone. Everyone is made with two arms, two legs, a stomach and a head. Just think about that." http://www.cmgww.com/stars/baker/about/films.html
Johnny Depp made a surprise visit to the Hospital that had saved his kids life a few months before. He borrowed a Jack Sparrow costume and spent four hours reading stories to the kids, then donating a million or so dollars to the hospital and never talked about it to the press. The guy did good and didn't brag about it, didn't seek PR for it, didn't call the paparazzi to take photos of himself so everyone could see how wonderful he was, he just did the right thing. I don't have a lot of use for most actors, but this one is tops in my book.
John Wayne played a lot of war heroes during the war to shame people into joining up. He, unlike a lot of other actors, decided to use his film career to protect himself from being drafted.
That was like good ol' Steve in the opening post. He didn't tell anyone about going to help out his ol' fire engine after 911. Then Sean Penn, who is an excellent actor, made sure to take about 100 crew down after Katrina so everyone could know what an awesome guy he is.