Some soldiers come home from war carrying memories they can never escape.

At just 19 years old, Frank Pierson was leading patrols behind enemy lines in New Guinea during World War II. One mission would change him forever.

Years later, he would become one of Hollywood’s most influential storytellers:
• Academy Award winner for Dog Day Afternoon
• Writer of Cool Hand Luke
• Director of A Star is Born

👉 This is Episode 12 of the Our WWII Dad series.

In this episode, Chris and Ken Cangilla sit down with Mikke Pierson—the son of Frank Pierson—to uncover the deeply personal story behind the Hollywood legend.

CHAPTERS

0:01 — Introduction
0:44 — Meet Mikke Pierson

3:37 — Frank Pierson’s Early Life
11:00 — A Family Story Becomes a Film
13:01 — Enlisting in World War II
14:50 — Infantryman in the Pacific

17:46 — WWII Memorabilia and Artifacts
19:31 — Patrols Behind Enemy Lines

🔥 19:57 — The New Guinea Mission That Changed Frank Pierson Forever

29:19 — Returning Home After the War
32:07 — Entering Hollywood

32:25 — Writing Cat Ballou
32:39 — “Failure to Communicate” — Cool Hand Luke

36:09 — Winning the Oscar for Dog Day Afternoon
38:19 — Directing A Star is Born

40:00 — How War Shaped His Pacifist Beliefs

42:43 — Leadership in Hollywood
43:32 — HBO’s Conspiracy

47:03 — A Father-Son Relationship
49:38 — Working on Mad Men

55:56 — The Connection to Our WWII Dads
56:34 — A Surprising Family Revelation