A Canadian-American filmmaker is marking the 50th anniversary of the Entebbe rescue with a personal tribute decades in the making.
Andy Halmay, a 98-year-old actor, writer and producer currently in Toronto, said he plans to release a recorded piece in June reflecting on the 1976 Israeli military operation that freed 102 hostages in Uganda. The release is timed ahead of July 4, which will mark both the United States’ 250th anniversary and five decades since the raid.
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Reception for hostages freed in Operation Entebbe
(Photo: IDF Archives, Defense Ministry / Avi Simhoni, Miki Tzarfati)
Halmay, who lived in Hollywood at the time of the operation, recalled staying up through the night following the developments on television. “I said to myself, I must make a film about this story,” he said.
In the days after the rescue, major Hollywood producers quickly announced competing film projects. Halmay said he felt he could not compete with large studios but still wanted to contribute his perspective. He wrote a short piece titled “That Little Bitty Country Showed Us How,” aiming to capture the story from an American viewpoint.
He initially hoped to record it with actor Henry Fonda, but plans were delayed due to Fonda’s health. Fonda died in 1982, and the project remained unfinished for decades.
Only recently, Halmay said, did he realize that 50 years had passed since the operation. He expressed concern that younger generations, including Israeli soldiers currently serving in Gaza and southern Lebanon, may be less familiar with the Entebbe mission. He said he believes Israel should formally mark July 4 as a day commemorating the rescue.
With that in mind, Halmay decided to record the piece himself using his own voice and plans to distribute it digitally. He described the work as both a historical reflection and a personal statement shaped by his long career in entertainment and advertising.
Over the years, Halmay worked across theater, radio, television and film, as well as in advertising on Madison Avenue, where he won several awards for creative work. He also wrote and produced music released on major labels and collaborated with well-known figures including Jackie Gleason, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Leslie Nielsen and John Huston.
His Entebbe piece combines narrative and poetic elements, portraying the rescue as a decisive response to terrorism and a defining moment of resolve.
“I wanted to get my feelings to the public,” Halmay said, describing the project as a long-delayed effort to honor what he called "the greatest military feat in history".