Needed For the U.S.O. "Hollywood Canteen"

Turner Classic Movies ^ | 15 December 1944 | Delmer Daves

[Yosemitest]

Here's an act of compassion for our soldiers that needs re-doing today!

"Hollywood Canteen"

Plot Summary: Two soldiers on sick leave spend three nights at the Hollywood Canteen before going back to active duty. With a little friendly help from John Garfield, Slim gets to kiss Joan Leslie, who he has been dreaming about while in the Pacific. He meets her later at the Farmer's Market. On the third night, Slim is the millionth man into the Canteen, earning him a date with Joan. Slim thinks he's been duped when she doesn't show up at his train. Slim's buddy Sergant dances with Joan Crawford. Canteen President Bette Davis praises the canteen and the war effort. Virtually everyone Warners could spare entertains.

History: John Garfield was feeling the need for a club for the servicemen who frequented Hollywood. He spoke with Bette Davis about this idea. With much interest she took the idea to a friend of hers. His name was Jules Stein.

It seemed that Davis had been represented by the Music Corporation of America since 1938. Stein was the president.

Bette Davis,

"Jules Stein, up to this time, was seldom ever seen. Few people even knew what he looked like. He preferred to live this way. It was a big decision when he said he would head the financial committee. He would have to alter his way of life. Without his hard work, advice, and investments of our funds the Hollywood Canteen could not have been successful, to say nothing of the work of his wife, Doris, who I asked to be the head of the committee for the hostesses necessary for dancing partners for the servicemen. When the canteen was no longer needed after V-J Day, $500,000 remained in the canteen account. These monies were the result of Jules's ideas. A great source of revenue came from a film he urged Warner Bros. to make called Hollywood Canteen, a large percentage of which was allotted by Mr. Warner to the canteen itself. With the remaining monies a foundation was formed, and to this day contributions are made to worthy projects dealing with the armed forces."

The Canteen, a former livery stable and nightclub, the Old Barn, was located at 1451 Cahuenga Boulevard, off Sunset.

Materials for repairs and decorations and actual labor were donated by members of the fourteen guilds and unions of the industry, which included the board of directors of the Hollywood Canteen, with Davis as president and Garfield as vice-president. Artists and cartoonist painted murals on the walls.

"Chef Milani was in charge of the food at the canteen. Due to his energies a great deal was donated by different organizations, but much we had to pay for. Our average weekly food bill was $3,000."

The Canteen charged $100.00 dollars to sit in the bleachers for opening night, October 3, 1942.

Davis,

"This also was Jules Stein's idea. The canteen made $10,000 that night from the bleacher seats. It seemed thousands of men entered the canteen that night. I had to crawl through a window to get inside."

On opening night Bette Davis made the welcoming speech. She remarked on the people involved, plus her lack of voice on the night,

"All concerned in making the canteen a success, and it would be impossible to name them all, were exhausted by the time we opened, including myself...thus the laryngitis."

[Yosemitest]

Again I say, this really needs to be done again, today, for our troops.

It's also a great movie.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Benny Goodman and Peggy Lee - Why Don’t You Do Right
from “Stage Door Canteen”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6XF4Yf6qNI

Guys, if this doesn’t get you going check your pulse...

[FFranco]

Wasn’t John Garfield a Commie? Probably a lot of the actors involved were Commies then. So you’re right, we could do it today and it wouldn’t be so different with all the Communist actors in Hollywood today.

[fieldmarshaldj]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Garfield

[BuffaloJack]

> Wasn’t John Garfield a Commie?
Probably. Many of the Hollywood actors and actresses were commies. Ther difference then and now is that back then they weren’t traitors bent on seeing America lose to her enemies.