I just had to show these pictures yesterday that were shared by Art O’Neil’s son. Art O’Neil was a Beaufighter pilot in North Africa and in Italy.
There is so much more history in this picture below where actor Dennis Morgan is seen with two recruits.
Terry Phelan, who was Art O’Neil’s friend, is on the left.
Terence Benedict Phelan Missing
I took what’s below on this Website…
THE SECOND WORLD WAR (1939-1945)
HOLLYWOOD’S VIEW OF THE RCAF
Jimmy Cagney signs an autograph for LAC J.R. Ducharme.
Hollywood, which produced thousands of military-themed movies during the Second World War to boost morale and back the war effort, first used the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) as a plot angle in the rather bad film A Yank in the Royal Air Force (RAF), which was released in 1941 and starred Tyrone Power and Betty Grable.
That same year, the dream machine again turned its attention to Canada. Captains of the Clouds starred some big names of the time: James Cagney, Dennis Morgan, Alan Hale, Sr., and Brenda Marshall. Director Michael Curtiz, a prolific and gifted filmmaker, was also responsible for classics like Yankee Doodle Dandy, Robin Hood and Casablanca.
Captains of the Clouds is pure — and sometimes hokey — melodrama, but the cast and crew really did come to Canada to film sequences at North Bay and Ottawa and at a host of Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) stations such as Uplands, Jarvis and Trenton, all in Ontario. The film depicts the transition of bush pilots to military pilots and the work of the BCATP — and the flying sequences are fantastic.
Besides, Billy Bishop is in this movie, playing himself. Even the wings parade, conducted at Uplands, features an actual class from No. 2 Service Flying Training School receiving their wings from Bishop. That’s a piece of history that makes this film worth watching.
A/M Billy Bishop and Jimmy Cagney trade stories while filming Captains of the Clouds on July 21, 1941, at RCAF Station Uplands in Ottawa.
Cast members of Captains of the Clouds with RCAF officers at RCAF Station Rockliffe (left to right): W/C J.L. Hurley, Dennis Morgan, James Cagney, S/L Harold Pearce and Alan Hale, Sr.
DID YOU KNOW…
For the premiere of Captains of the Clouds on February 21, 1942, RCAF pilots flew copies of the film to Ottawa, New York, London, Cairo, Melbourne, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver.
To be continued…
That’s a piece of history that makes this film worth watching.
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan 
More about LAC Phelan
https://stmikes.utoronto.ca/memorial-to-the-fallen/ww2/ww2-fallen/terence-benedict-phelan/
Pierre, I have more COTC photos, what’s your email address?
I just wrote you a personal email.
Hello. I’m Terry Phelan’s grandson, son of Mary Kay. I’m so grateful to have discovered this page and its articles, photos, etc. Thank you!
I will update this post Joe.
Joe, are you in communication with the Phelans in Toronto? My Dad and your grandpa Terry were best friends.
Do you want me to contact him?
I should have his email address.
Hi I am Terence Rodway’s wife. He was named after your Grandfatheré I have just found this so interesting, My grandsons were told about your grandad a few weeks ago as we made them look for his name in Chirk (they live in Bristol ). I often think of him 24 so sad to leave a wife and baby. Hope all is well with you.
Best wishes Denise
Where was LAC Art O’Neil from?
I guess Toronto. Why are you asking?
LAC Art O’Neil from Saint John N.B.
Thanks Paul.
Have just discovered this wonderful site. Thank you for creating such a memorial.
Terrance Phelan was my husband’s Uncle.
Thanks for commenting.
You are the reason I am preserving the past with my many blogs so people can relate to it. Also it’s all about honouring unsung heroes.
I recently learned about this film during research of my family’s role in WW2 propeller design and fabrication. It was thrilling to see the S&S Aircraft Limited logo on the prop visible behind the actors! My grandfather, Leonard Short, one S of S&S Aircraft, designed props for many BCATP planes.
Great comment Suzy. Thanks for preserving the past.