HOLLYWOOD CANTEEN (1944) The films setting is the Hollywood Canteen, a free entertainment club open to servicemen. The Canteen was created as a G. I. morale-booster by movie stars Bette Davis and John Garfield during World War II. Many of those cameoing in the film had previously volunteered to work there or provide entertainment. They include: The Andrews Sisters, Jack Benny, Joe E. Brown, Eddie Cantor, Kitty Carlisle, Jack Carson, Joan Crawford, Faye Emerson, Sydney Greenstreet, Alan Hale, Sr., Paul Henreid, Joan Leslie, Peter Lorre, Ida Lupino, Dorothy Malone, Dennis Morgan, Janis Paige, Eleanor Parker, Roy Rogers (with Trigger), S.Z. Sakall, Zachary Scott, Alexis Smith, Barbara Stanwyck, Jane Wyman, Jimmy Dorsey and The Golden Gate Quartet. The Hollywood Canteen in real life was the inspiration and personal project of Bette Davis and John Garfield and they preside over the film and its many guest stars, mostly from the Warner Brothers lot. The soldiers enjoy a variety of musical numbers performed by a host of Hollywood stars, Ann Sheridan was supposed to have the female lead in this movie. However, Sheridan declined the role feeling the script was too unrealistic. All involved donated their time to the war effort. The Hollywood Canteen operated at 1451 Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood, California, between October 3, 1942, and November 22, 1945 (Thanksgiving Day), as a club offering food, dancing and entertainment for servicemen, usually on their way overseas. Even though the majority of visitors were U.S servicemen, the canteen was open to servicemen of allied countries as well as women in all branches of service. A servicemans ticket for admission was his uniform, and everything at the canteen was free of charge. Today, the site of the Original Hollywood Canteen is occupied by a parking garage for the office building at 6430 Sunset Boulevard. The film was nominated for 3 Oscars. ***AIRS EARLY SATURDAY MORNING ON TCM.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 05:49:02 +0000