George Ernest

George Ernest (November 20, 1921 – June 25, 2009) was an American actor and World War II Office of Strategic Services (OSS) combat photographer/cameraman. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1930 and 1942.

Early life

He was born George Ruud Hjorth to a Norwegian mother and Danish father. The family moved to California when he was two and a half years old. His father owned a restaurant in Hollywood.

Acting career

Hjorth began getting small parts in silent films when he was just three years old. He had a successful career as a child actor, being a member of Our Gang in 1931. He also played Roger Jones in 17 Jones Family low-budget films from 1936 to 1940 (named Roger Evers in the first movie, Every Saturday Night). However, as he grew older, roles became scarcer, so he learned from cameramen on his films and became one himself.

World War II

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and the United States entered World War II, he enlisted. At a friend's suggestion, he became a combat photographer and "one of the 17 original movie makers" of a special OSS photographic unit headed by noted film director John Ford. He had to sign an agreement not to discuss his wartime work for 50 years.