May 15, 2015

'Avengers' includes Legion members' cameos

By Michael Hjelmstad
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'Avengers' includes Legion members' cameos
Comic book legend and Legionnaire Stan Lee makes a cameo in the new movie, Avengers: Age of Ultron. (Photo by Keven Freedman)

Legionnaire and comic book legend Stan Lee appears in new movie, trying to handle a shot of Thor's special brew.

Stan Lee, the legendary creator of super heroes like Spiderman, enjoys cameo performances and has been seen in many movies based on his comic characters such as X-Men, Hulk, Fantastic Four and many more.

In "Avengers: Age of Ultron," Lee plays a veteran who thinks he can handle a shot of Thor’s special Asgardian brew during a party at Avengers Tower that includes American Legion members wearing their caps. Lee has done many cameos, but this one is a little longer than most and even has a few lines.

“I’m going to start referring to them, instead of cameos, as supporting roles,” Lee joked. “The one in this movie is in two scenes. You see, I’m building myself up. I understand that Robert Downey, Jr. (who plays the role of Ironman) is getting very worried.”

In the second scene of the cameo fellow veterans carry a muttering Lee out after he insists on taking a sip of Thor’s drink. Lee is wearing a World War II Veteran baseball cap provided by the film in the scene, and he is a veteran of the Army Signal Corps. He is also a member of American Legion Hollywood Post 43.

Joe Sinnott, artist and inker on Fantastic Four and many other works, shares the cameo with Lee. Sinnott is a veteran of the Navy who served in the Pacific during World War II.

Members of The American Legion are portrayed in many films and television shows.

“If you pick any war movie - Born on the Fourth of July, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan - you’ll see Legion caps in different scenes,” said Terry Duddy, Hollywood Post 43 adjutant. Post 43 is frequently used as a film location.

In a recent episode of the AMC television show Mad Men, main character Don Draper enjoys an evening at a local American Legion post somewhere in Oklahoma.

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