The Monuments Men was a monumental challenge for George Clooney, who took the mantle of directing, writing, producing, and of course acting in the 2014 war film. The fact he was dealing with the serious subject of World War II only intensified pressure on Clooney, who even decided to push the release date of his movie amid uncertainty over its tone.
However, with so much responsibility came plenty of power in the hands of the Batman & Robin star, who not only got to cast six Oscar winners, including Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett in his movie but also his father, Nick Clooney. However, that decision eventually led to a gaffe that Clooney remembers to this day.
How Credits of George Clooney’s 2014 Movie Confused His Still-Alive Father
George Clooney starred as Frank Stokes in The Monuments Men, a story about a group of around 345 men and women from different nations sent to Germany to protect cultural treasures from Nazi thieves in the midst of World War II. Stokes is given the charge of assembling an Army unit nicknamed the “Monuments Men”, comprising museum directors and art historians for the mission.
After World War II, Stokes is asked by President Truman (Christian Rodska) if his efforts to recover artworks and other culturally significant items were worth the lives of the men he lost. Clooney’s character says they were, which leads to Truman asking if thirty years from then, anyone will remember this sacrifice. The movie approaches its final scene, set in 1977, wherein elderly Stokes replies “Yeah”, as he takes his grandson to see Michelangelo’s Bruges Madonna.
For part of the older version of Stokes in this particular scene, the director didn’t look too far, roping in his father, Nick Clooney to play the part. Despite a brief role, his name appears in the credits. And that’s where the hilarious blunder of the ‘In Memoriam’ message happened.
Speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the 62-year-old recalled: “When the first credit rolled up, I said in loving memory of Nick Clooney. And he was like ‘What the hell are you doing?'”
Despite the gaffe, it was a touching moment for Nick, who got the proposal from George during the movie’s filming in Germany, where he served in the Army in the 1950s.
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How Nick Clooney Reacted to George Clooney’s Idea of Casting Him in The Monuments Men
After his time in the Army, Nick interestingly had a brief stint in Hollywood in the 1950s, making appearances in movies like Handle with Care. He also auditioned for the lead role in I Was A Teenage Werewolf but lost the part to Michael Landon.
When the opportunity to be a part of a feature film arose years later, he wasn’t sure and suggested George to look elsewhere, but his son eventually managed to convince him.
“It was a very small part, and a very small check. I don’t think I’m up for an award,” Nick told USA Today while talking about his experience.
The senior Clooney, now 89, realized he wasn’t made for the big screen very early on and moved to Kentucky in the late 50s to start his broadcasting career, wherein he enjoyed a lot of success.
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