The Private War of Major Benson

The Private War of Major Benson
Directed byJerry Hopper
Screenplay byWilliam Roberts
Richard Alan Simmons
Story byJoe Connelly
Bob Mosher
Produced byHoward Pine
StarringCharlton Heston
Julie Adams
William Demarest
Sal Mineo
Tim Hovey
CinematographyHarold Lipstein
Edited byTed J. Kent
Music byHenry Mancini
Distributed byUniversal-International
Release date
  • August 2, 1955 (1955-08-02)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Private War of Major Benson is 1955 American military comedy film starring Charlton Heston, Julie Adams, Sal Mineo and Tim Hovey, about a tough-talking U.S. Army officer who must shape up the JROTC program at Sheridan Academy, a Catholic boys' military academy, or be forced out of the Army.

The film was shot on St. Catherine's Military School campus in 1955, with cadets as the actors in all but the leading roles. Universal-International 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 featured a full battalion of St. Catherine's students.

The films basic premise was used twice in the following 40 years; Hard Knox (1984) and most notably Major Payne (1995), another Universal picture.