Jim Benedict

Capt. Jim Benedict is the commanding officer of Able Company. He is portrayed by William Reynolds.

Benedict is first seen in the pilot episode as a green commander, questioning his own leadership abilities, fearful and even attempting to flee during a German artillery attack. By the end of the pilot (which spans a few months in time), Benedict appears more comfortable in his role. Subsequent episodes show Benedict supremely confident and mostly comfortable in his leadership role.

Benedict is from New York City, born into an upper-class family. He attended Princeton University, where he was part of the "white shoe/cashmere sweater set" according to a former classmate ("The Crucible"). He belonged to and presided over a social group called "The Gourmet Club." He is not a career Army man; he volunteered for service after the U.S. entered World War II ("And the End of Evil Things").

Jim’s younger brother, Sgt. Griff Benedict, briefly joined Able Company in early 1944. The siblings had a tense relationship rooted in childhood rivalry. Their relationship was strained further by Jim's doubts about Griff's competence and the revelation that Griff became romantically involved with Jim's girlfriend back home. The brothers reconciled moments before Griff died of wounds sustained in a firefight ("And Cain Cried Out").

The captain's closest relationship in Italy is with newspaper correspondent Conley Wright, in whom he confides about personal and professional matters. Wright can give an unvarnished opinion to Benedict and get at least a fair hearing, if not always agreement. Lt. Frank Kimbro and Benedict generally work well together, but occasionally clash over strategy and decision-making. Benedict's principal assistant and driver is Pvt. Roger Gibson, the company's radioman. Theirs is depicted not as a father-son mentor relationship, but as a cordial, professional one defined by mutual respect.

In 1944, Benedict is hospitalized for a gunshot wound and recuperates at a military hospital in Naples. A psychiatrist notes the captain shows classic signs of exhaustion and extreme stress. He is offered the chance to leave his combat post and take an administrative job with the Allied Military Government in Naples ("A Taste of Peace"). Benedict initially accepts and makes a sudden break with Able Company without saying goodbye. Benedict changes his mind when he thinks more deeply about the his role in the company and how much the men depend on his leadership.

In many episodes, Benedict is shown as a man focused on the immediate tasks and goals set by his superiors or dictated by the situation at the front. He is not keen on unorthodox strategy or creative spur-of-the-moment thinking in the field. While that characteristic makes him frustratingly inflexible in the eyes of those who disagree with him, Benedict's decisions are commonly validated by episode's end.

While occasionally admitting he is capable of making mistakes ("The Crucible", "A Taste of Peace"), Capt. Benedict is portrayed as a headstrong man who rarely questions his own judgment. He is at times righteous, and can be outwardly resentful of others who do not share his views or agree with his decisions. Otherwise, he tends to hold his emotions close to the vest, even among those he considers close. He does not evolve much as a character during the series. Though stern and sometimes distant, he does care about the men he commands and values their safety. At times, Benedict lets his guard down enough to tease or gently rib the men under his command ("The Dogs of War"). In turn, the men of Able Company like, trust and respect Benedict.

Benedict's relationships with women are stormy. He is possessive, generally dismissive of women in anything but a subservient capacity, resents displays of intellect ("A Taste of Peace"), and can be petty to the point of cruelty and open hostility ("Tommy"). As with the men under his command, Benedict never gets particularly close to women and remains emotionally distant during his brief, moody dalliances with them.

William Reynolds served in the Army during the Korean conflict -- not in the infantry, as Benedict is, but in the Armed Forces Radio Service. Of playing Benedict, Reynolds said, "There's a lot more danger with this series...I never got shot at when I was in the Army, but now explosive charges are detonated so close they knock me down."