Hollywood Canteen

The Hollywood Canteen operated at 1451 Cahuenga Boulevard in the Los Angeles, California, neighborhood of Hollywood 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 US servicemen, the canteen was open to servicemen of allied countries as well as women in all branches of service. A serviceman's ticket for admission was his uniform and everything at the canteen was free of charge.

For the 1944 Warner Bros. motion picture, see Hollywood Canteen (film).

Marlene Dietrich and Rita Hayworth serve food to soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen in 1942

The East Coast counterpart was the New York City–based Stage Door Canteen, which featured Broadway stars and was also celebrated in a film, Stage Door Canteen.[1]

History

Exterior of the Hollywood Canteen c. 1943

The driving forces behind the creation of the Hollywood Canteen were Bette Davis and John Garfield, along with Jules Stein, President of Music Corporation of America, who headed up the finance committee. Bette Davis devoted an enormous amount of time and energy to the project and served as its president.[2] The 1944 motion picture featuring the canteen has Bette Davis introduced to the crowd as the canteen's founder and president. The various guilds and unions of the entertainment industry donated the labor and money for the building renovations. The canteen was operated and staffed completely by volunteers from the entertainment industry. By the time the canteen opened its doors, over three thousand stars, players, directors, producers, grips, dancers, musicians, singers, writers, technicians, wardrobe attendants, hair stylists, agents, stand-ins, publicists, secretaries, and allied craftsmen of radio and screen had registered as volunteers.

Stars volunteered to wait on tables, cook in the kitchen, and clean up. One of the highlights for a serviceman was to dance with one of the many female celebrities volunteering at the canteen. The other highlight was the entertainment provided by some of Hollywood's most popular stars, ranging from radio stars to big bands to novelty acts. On September 15, 1943, the one millionth guest walked through the door of the Hollywood Canteen. The lucky soldier, Sergeant Carl Bell, received a kiss from Betty Grable and was escorted in by Marlene Dietrich. Another lucky soldier, Herman Harney, got a chance to dance with Rosemary Lane of the singing Lane sisters.

A Hall of Honor at the Hollywood Canteen had a wall of photos which honored the film actors who served in the military.

By 1944, the canteen had become so popular that Warner Bros. made a movie titled Hollywood Canteen. Starring Joan Leslie and Robert Hutton, the film had scores of stars, many of whom had volunteered at the real canteen, playing themselves. It was directed by Delmer Daves, who also wrote the screenplay. At the time the canteen closed its doors, it had been host to almost three million servicemen.

Maria Riva, Dietrich's daughter, recalled an anecdote where Marlene Dietrich decided to wash dishes and was joined by Hedy Lamarr. Bette Davis quipped "get those two krauts out of the kitchen!"[3]

References to the Hollywood Canteen often erroneously give it the address of The Hollywood Guild and Canteen, which was located at 1284 North Crescent Heights Boulevard in a home owned by the estate of actor Dustin Farnum. It was here that Anne "Mom" Lehr provided meals and bunk beds for servicemen until the end of the Second World War. When the home was razed in 1948, news articles failed to distinguish between the two "Hollywood Canteens", leading to a lasting confusion.[4]

The building where the canteen was located no longer exists; a parking garage and a building operated by CNN are now located on the site, which is just south of Sunset Boulevard.

Volunteers

Noted celebrities who donated their services at the Hollywood Canteen are listed.

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Iris Adrian Fred Allen June Allyson Brian Aherne Don Ameche Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson The Andrews Sisters Dana Andrews Eve Arden Louis Armstrong Jean Arthur Fred Astaire Mary Astor Roscoe Ates Lauren Bacall Lucille Ball Tallulah Bankhead Theda Bara Lynn Bari Jess Barker Binnie Barnes Diana Barrymore Ethel Barrymore Lionel Barrymore Count Basie Anne Baxter Warner Baxter Louise Beavers Wallace Beery William Bendix Constance Bennett Joan Bennett Jack Benny Edgar Bergen Ingrid Bergman Milton Berle Julie Bishop Mel Blanc Joan Blondell Ann Blyth Humphrey Bogart Mary Boland Ray Bolger Beulah Bondi William Boyd Charles Boyer Clara Bow Eddie Bracken El Brendel Walter Brennan Fanny Brice Joe E. Brown Les Brown Virginia Bruce Billie Burke George Burns & Gracie Allen Spring Byington James Cagney Cab Calloway Rod Cameron Eddie Cantor Judy Canova Kitty Carlisle Jack Carson Adriana Caselotti Charlie Chaplin Marguerite Chapman Cyd Charisse Charles Coburn Claudette Colbert Jerry Colonna Ronald Colman Betty Compson Perry Como Chester Conklin Gary Cooper Joseph Cotten Noël Coward James Craig Bing Crosby Joan Crawford George Cukor Xavier Cugat Cass Daley Dorothy Dandridge Linda Darnell Harry Davenport Bette Davis Dennis Day

Doris Day Yvonne De Carlo Gloria DeHaven Dolores del Río William Demarest Olivia de Havilland Cecil B. DeMille Andy Devine Marlene Dietrich Walt Disney Jimmy Dorsey Tommy Dorsey Irene Dunne Jimmy Durante Deanna Durbin Ann Dvorak Nelson Eddy Duke Ellington Faye Emerson Dale Evans Jinx Falkenburg Glenda Farrell Alice Faye Louise Fazenda Stepin Fetchit Gracie Fields Barry Fitzgerald Ella Fitzgerald Errol Flynn Kay Francis Jane Frazee Joan Fontaine Susanna Foster Eva Gabor Ava Gardner Judy Garland Greer Garson Lillian Gish James Gleason Betty Grable Cary Grant Kathryn Grayson Sydney Greenstreet Paulette Goddard Samuel Goldwyn Benny Goodman Leo Gorcey Virginia Grey Jack Haley Margaret Hamilton Phil Harris Moss Hart Helen Hayes Dick Haymes Susan Hayward Rita Hayworth Sonja Henie Paul Henreid Katharine Hepburn Portland Hoffa Darla Hood Bob Hope Hedda Hopper Lena Horne Edward Everett Horton Marsha Hunt Ruth Hussey Betty Hutton Frieda Inescort Jose Iturbi Harry James Gloria Jean Anne Jeffreys Allen Jenkins Van Johnson Al Jolson Jennifer Jones Marcia Mae Jones Boris Karloff Danny Kaye Buster Keaton Ruby Keeler Gene Kelly Evelyn Keyes Guy Kibbee Andrea King Gene Krupa Kay Kyser Alan Ladd Bert Lahr

Elsa Lanchester Angela Lansbury Veronica Lake Hedy Lamarr Dorothy Lamour Carole Landis Frances Langford Charles Laughton Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy Peter Lawford Gertrude Lawrence Peggy Lee Pinky Lee Mervyn LeRoy Vivien Leigh Joan Leslie Ted Lewis Beatrice Lillie Mary Livingston Harold Lloyd June Lockhart Anita Loos Peter Lorre Myrna Loy Keye Luke Bela Lugosi Ida Lupino Diana Lynn Marie McDonald Jeanette MacDonald Fred MacMurray Marjorie Main Irene Manning Fredric March The Marx Brothers Herbert Marshall Ilona Massey Victor Mature Elsa Maxwell Louis B. Mayer Hattie McDaniel Roddy McDowall Frank McHugh Victor McLaglen Butterfly McQueen Lauritz Melchior Adolphe Menjou Una Merkel Ray Milland Ann Miller Glenn Miller Carmen Miranda Robert Mitchum Maria Montez George Montgomery Grace Moore Jackie Moran Dennis Morgan Patricia Morison Paul Muni Ken Murray The Nicholas Brothers Ramon Novarro Jack Oakie Margaret O'Brien Pat O'Brien Virginia O'Brien Donald O'Connor Maureen O'Hara Oona O'Neill Maureen O'Sullivan Merle Oberon Eugene Pallette Eleanor Parker Harriet Parsons Louella Parsons John Payne Gregory Peck Nat Pendleton Mary Pickford Walter Pidgeon Zasu Pitts Cole Porter Dick Powell Eleanor Powell Jane Powell William Powell Vincent Price Anthony Quinn George Raft

Claude Rains Vera Ralston Sally Rand Basil Rathbone Martha Raye Donna Reed Bill "Bojangles" Robinson Edward G. Robinson Ginger Rogers Roy Rogers Cesar Romero Mickey Rooney Jane Russell Rosalind Russell Ann Rutherford Peggy Ryan S.Z. Sakall Olga San Juan Ann Savage David O. Selznick Hazel Scott Lizabeth Scott Randolph Scott Toni Seven Norma Shearer Ann Sheridan Dinah Shore Sylvia Sidney Phil Silvers Ginny Simms Frank Sinatra Red Skelton Alexis Smith Kate Smith Ann Sothern Jo Stafford Barbara Stanwyck Craig Stevens Leopold Stokowski Lewis Stone Gloria Swanson Elizabeth Taylor Shirley Temple Danny Thomas The Three Stooges Gene Tierney Lawrence Tibbett Martha Tilton Claire Trevor Sophie Tucker Lana Turner Spencer Tracy Gloria Vanderbilt Lupe Vélez Beryl Wallace Nancy Walker Ethel Waters John Wayne Clifton Webb Virginia Weidler Johnny Weissmuller Orson Welles Mae West Bert Wheeler Alice White Paul Whiteman Margaret Whiting Cornel Wilde Esther Williams Warren William Chill Wills Marie Wilson Shelley Winters Jane Withers Teresa Wright Anna May Wong Constance Worth Jane Wyman Ed Wynn Keenan Wynn Rudy Vallee Lupe Vélez Loretta Young Robert Young Darryl F. Zanuck Vera Zorina

See also

• The Mercury Wonder Show

References

1. Aaker, Everett (2013). George Raft: The Films. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-7864-6646-7.
2. "The History of 'The Hollywood Canteen'". Hollywood Canteen Chat. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
3. Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song
4. "Famous Hollywood Landmark Razed". St. Petersburg Times. 65 (93). Associated Press. October 26, 1948. p. 2. Retrieved June 29, 2015.