Favourite venue for forces entertainment closes down two years after the end of the war. Get in the spirit with a performance from the renowned philadelphia gay mens chorus, then enjoy our collection of photos from the stage. The stage door canteen was an entertainment venue for american and allied servicemen that operated in the broadway theatre district of new york city throughout world war ii with actress nedda harrigan leading the effort, the canteen opened march 2, 1942, by the american theatre wing, and operated seven nights a week in the previously unoccupied little club under the 44th. Some images display only as thumbnails outside the library of congress because of rights considerations, but you have access to larger size images on site.
Stage door canteen what stood a good chance of emerging a big short under less skillful hands than sol lesser proves a sock filmusical of great stature. Excellent footage about dance hostess at stage door canteen club in london. New york city this is the biggest thrill of my life, is the way gloria knight expressed her feeling about being chosen queen of the press photographers ball today. Mary churchill, daughter of the prime minister, speaks to the 381st bomb group at ridgewell, hallstead, uk during the christening ceremonies for b17g stage door canteen, 21 apr 1944. If an image is displaying, you can download it yourself. On friday th october 1944, the crew of b17 stage door canteen and officers of ridgewell airbase, essex, were formal guests of the stage door canteen on picadilly circus in london, for a dinner and stage show.
Movie, broadway and radio stars often stopped by to entertain the troops. She was selected from a group of 14 volunteer stage door canteen hostesses. There are a few missing frames, but otherwise the print quality is good. Media in category stage door canteen the following 8 files are in this category, out of 8 total. Genres photographs type of resource still image identifiers. Heres victory belle hannah paying tribute to this songstress singing white cliffs of dover in well meet again. The forces sweetheart turned 103 today and her songs of hope certainly resonate with us amid our current crisis. Its purpose was to provide a safe, alcohol free place where soldiers, marines, sailors and merchant seamen who had their own specific canteen could come, relax, visit with andor dance with young wholesome women. So lets round things off and call stage door canteen a 4star sentimental journey.
Stage door canteen manufactured on demand on tcm shop. The stage door canteen was a hospitality place in nyc on w. Marlene dietrich and lauren bacall danced the night away. Great story shows a day in the life of windmill theatre showgirl anita dray. The film features many celebrity cameo appearances but primarily relates a simple drama set in the famed new york city restaurant. The price of admission was food supplies for the kitchen, and more than half a ton of sugar was collected. Bbs stage door canteen presents a wonderful weekly series of unique entertainment, showcasing the songs, style, stars, and spirit of this incomparable era. Library locations billy rose theatre division shelf locator. The stage door canteen was a real place located in new york that fed and entertained soldiers before being sent overseas to fight in world war ii. The stage door canteen was in new york and sponsored by the american theater wing.
This delightfully sentimental movie set itself apart from the many other world war ii films of the day, made to boost american morale. Good times roll at the philadelphia stage door canteen. Set in the famous stage door canteen in new york city which provided entertainment and social activities for servicemen prior to their embarkation for points. In 1942 at the age of 17, lucille mann volunteered to talk and dance with soldiers on leave at the stage door canteen, a governmentsponsored social club in philadelphia. Stage door canteen by maggie davis overdrive rakuten. There was a real stage door canteen for allied service men run along the lines of a uso canteen, except that it was entirely staffed by volunteers from new yorks theatrical and music communities, many of whom appear in this film, along with dozens of cameos by radio and film personalities. The original stage door canteen the national wwii museum. More interesting as a time capsule than an example of great filmmaking, stage door canteen 1943 provides a fascinating glimpse of the attitudes, fashions and general mood of the country during world war ii. This b17f fortress, converted to an armed supply aircraft, had a wheel collapse during an emergency landing at tadji field, new guinea and slid into the. Memorable quotes and exchanges from movies, tv series and more.
Sifting through the photographs of the philadelphia stage door canteen, an entertainment center for members of the armed forces during world war ii, one can almost forget there was a war going on. Set in the famous stage door canteen in new york city which provided entertainment and social activities for servicemen prior to their. The stage door canteen dance is a recreation of the wartime allied forces social club providing entertainment for the troops. The national wwii museum in new orleans honors this memorable wartime tradition in our very own bbs stage door canteen, an exciting entertainment and dining destination. The film was produced by sol lessers principal artists productions and directed by frank borzage. Hd stock footage wwii hollywood canteen celebrities 1944 screen.
American theatre wing stage door canteen soldiers museum. Bbs stage door canteen tickets are known to sell out fast, and sameday tickets may not be available. The stage door canteen dance is an authentic recreation of the wartime service mens entertainment center, with the best 1940s music. The film features many celebrity cameo appearances but primarily relates a simple drama set in the. A tribute to the blonde bombshells of wwii hopefully returning soon to bbs stage door canteen. By the way, both canteens were real places servicemen could go and eat, be entertained and even meet some famous performers. The sailor waving the signal flags as his ship left new york harbor that day in 1942 followed his intriguing opening line with the address of a brandnew club for gis. B17 flying fortress photographs world war ii database. It documents via a fictional tale the reallife story of new york citys stage door canteen, an east coast version ofthe equallyfamed hollywood canteen, where soldiers on their way to battle during wwii were entertained by stage and screen stars of. We recommend booking etickets tickets ahead of time to secure your spot.
Wwii stage door canteen party historical society of. Dakota smith william terry, a young soldier on a pass in new york city, visits the famed stage door canteen, where famous stars of the theatre and movies appear and host a recreational center for servicemen during the war. The cameo performances range from just okay to outstanding, earning an average rating of 3 stars. The place was the stage door canteen and the guests were the steady stream of gis headed off to war. Many were leaving home for the first time and the canteens offered a welcome opportunity to forget, if only for a night, their fears. A collection of public domain world war ii books, radio broadcasts, vdiscs, films, and other ephemera. Bette davis and john garfield open the hollywood canteen. The stage door favourite of the forces during wwii closes its doors with a last show. The songs of world war ii various artists on allmusic 1999. A special tribute and salute to the greatest generation and the music of their era. In addition to the featured music, the story of the stage door canteens is woven between the songs. See all 1 bbs stage door canteen tickets and tours on tripadvisor.
Mary churchill, daughter of the prime minister, holding up a bottle of cocacola just before she cracked it over the machine gun barrels of the b17g stage door canteen as a christening, 21 apr 1944 at ridgewell. The stage door canteen was started and directed by the american theatre wing at the beginning of wwii. Alternatively, you can purchase copies of various types through library of congress duplication services. General forces programme is a radio service which began broadcasting on 27 february 1944 and ended on 31 december 1946. Red skelton told the jokes and bing crosby crooned. A young soldier on a pass in new york city finds entertainment and romance when he visits the famed stage door canteen, where famous stars appear and host servicemen during the war. Much of the music was used as the soundtracks of the stage door canteen 1943 and the hollywood canteen 1944 movies. Note the extremely rare armband the photographer is wearing sdc press.
Stage door canteen 1943 more interesting as a time capsule than an example of great filmmaking, stage door canteen 1943 provides a fascinating glimpse of the attitudes, fashions and general mood of the country during world war ii. Audience of service personnel watch performers on stage at armed forces piccadilly night club. Taken at the stage door canteen of new york, september, 1944. Honor flight northwest ohio and 180th fighter wing present. Like the film hollywood canteen an incredible number of major entertainers were packed into a two hour special to boost morale. From stagedoor canteen general forces programme, 23 december 1944 22. From stagedoor canteen general forces programme 23. Good shots of liberated prisoners of war leaving the camp. Bbs stage door canteen new orleans 2020 all you need. The result is a spectacular, moving experience that transports audiences right back to the original stage door canteen. The destruction of monte cassino by the allies in 1944 served mainly to generate headlines and fodder for german propaganda. The film was a world war ii morale raiser, with a principal cast of relatively unknown actors in a fictional story set in new york citys stage door canteen.
Stage door canteen 1943 and hollywood canteen 1944 served a dual purpose. The canteen measured 40 by 80 feet and could accommodate 500 people at a time. With cheryl walker, william terry, judith anderson, kenny baker. They were examples of the entertainment industry supporting the war effort, and they also allowed the entertainment industry to show that it was supporting the war effort. The spring thaw in the mountains found the allies once more on the advance, liberating rome on june 4, 1944, creating brief headlines around the world that would soon be outshined by the june 6 landings in normandy. Stage door canteen is a 1943 american world war ii film with some musical numbers and other entertainment interspersed with dramatic scenes by a largely unknown cast. Frank borzage, freddie rich, constantin bakaleinikoff, and fletcher henderson. If youre in new orleans, believe us, youll want to plan a stop by the national world war ii museum and visit the stage door canteen.
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