{Photos} We Salute Hollywood at War!

This photo spread appeared in Modern Screen magazine in 1942.

We Salute Hollywood at War!

In H’wood, morale isn’t just a pretty face. It’s laughs for the homesick–blood for the wounded–millions for guns!

Clark Gable, anxious to shake off old ties, get into the Big Scrap, took 11 months of stiff training and blisters to earn his gold Lieut.’s bars. Jim Cagney succeeded him as Chairman of the actors’ division of the H’wood Victory Comm. And believe us, nobody has to ask what Hollywood is doing in this war! To date, its War Bond sales amount to $838,250,000! Among the things that this sum can buy are 8 battleships for your sons! Or 24 cruisers for your brothers. 670 sub chasers. 120 subs, or tanks, bombers, fighters! Our boys aren’t going to due for lack of equipment, ever again, and we can thank our “stars” for much of the good work!

Dottie Lamour has swept the country like a forest fire in lumber country. If you haven’t bought a band from Dottie, you ain’t lived. She’s sold $37,431,186 worth! Once auctioned off her hankie for $10,000. Similarly, a lock of the famous Lake hair went for $25,000, Don Wilson’s pants for $5,000 more.

Bob Hope’s the stuff that soldiers’ dreams are made of! He’s the guy they’d like to give a Congressional Medal. The way he and the gang–Frances Langford, Professor Colonna–have flown to Alaska and the Aleutians to entertain. The way he’s brought his show into the Canteen, broadcasting from there.

John Payne and Jane Wyman toured, collected a neat $52,000 in Norfolk, Va. And in No. Carolina, John sang a song for each person who bought $15,000 in Bonds! Many stars have left the good old U.S. to spread enjoyment–Jinx Falkenburg and the Ritz Brothers flew; did 60 shows in the Panama Canal Zone.

Bette Davis (above with Joel McCrea) is the lady Bob Hope. She’s the gal who completed a bond tour, ill, sold a can of oil on Okla. for $100,000; worked like crazy to make the Canteen grow! Said Canteen has fed 300,000 boys, used 3,000 lbs of java, 60,000 gals. of orange juice, 150,000 packs of cigs.!

Stars on nationwide tours have traveled one million miles. Two such are Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth. Rita visited 6 camps, autographed by the thousand, came back from Texas with a full-fledged nervous breakdown from over-enthusiasm! Betty’s camp total was 5; she Canteen-queens it every spare second.

To Boening Aircraft Company in Seattle came Walter Pidgeon and Adolphe Menjou to ask workers for bigger, better War Bond sales. Seattle’s famous Victory Square was agog! Since the H’wood Victory Committee’s formation, 608 players have made a total of 2,923 p.a.’s in connection with Bonds, charities!

With Ronnie in the army, Jane Wyman’s been touring, helping any way she can. Stars like Merle Oberon, Martha Raye, Edward G. Robinson and Al Jolson have gone overseas to cheer troops. Others have taken part in 220 special broadcasts for Gov. agencies such as the War and Treas. Depts. and Navy.