Conversation so far:
What was Burgess Meredith's involvement with cinema?
Early in his career, Meredith attracted favorable attention, especially for playing George in a 1939 adaptation of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men
Was the 1939 film Of Mice and Men with Burgess Meredith successful?
It was nominated for five Academy Awards.
What else did Burgess Meredith star in besides the film Of Mice and Men?
The Story of G.I. Joe (1945)

Question: what was his role in GI Joe?
Self-contained rewrite: What was Burgess Meredith's role in The Story of G.I. Joe?