1940 Hollywood Career Girls Poll

I am from the wrong era. I just love anything 1930’s and 1940’s. One night I couldn’t sleep and was up until wee hours on YouTube watching random footage from streets in America from that period.

So, I find polls like this particularly fascinating, as it gives a tiny glimpse into life as it was. This poll appeared in Screen Guide magazine in November 1940.

Being a magazine devoted strictly to entertainment, Screen Guide did not question Hollywood’s career girls as to their Presidential preferences. However, at the suggestion of the girls themselves, several vital questions pertaining to this country’s welfare were included. Lack of space makes it impossible to record the names of all actors for whom the one hundred girls cast votes.

1. Films’ finest actor? 1. Spencer Tracy 2. Thomas Mitchell 3. Lionel Barrymore 4. Paul Muni 5. William Powell 6. Clark Gable 7. Ronald Colman 8. Laurence Olivier 9. Mickey Rooney 10. James Stewart

2. Best character actor? 1. Donald Meek 2. John Qualen 3. Gene Lockhart 4. Walter Brennan 5. Akim Tamiroff

3. Most sex-appealing male star? 1. Clark Gable 2. Cary Grant 3. Errol Flynn 4. Spencer Tracy 5. Ronald Colman

4. Can you cook? Yes–51%  No–34% A little–15%

5. Do actors make good husbands? No–77%  Yes–9% It depends on love–8%  It depends on the woman–6%

6. Would you urge your husband to enlist or be drafted? Enlist–43% Be drafted–38% Get a government job–12% Conscientiously object–7%

7. Should this country go to war? If attacked–73% To save England and democracy–22% Under no circumstances–5%

8. What would you do if war were declared? Stick to my job until government decided–61% Become soldiers’ entertainer–19% Enter any branch of service I could–17% Do nothing–3%

9. Should a star support her relatives? Yes–69% No–14% Immediate family only–12% Only if unable to work–5%

10. Have you been divorced? Yes–21% No–67% Unmarried–12%

11. Favorite drink? Wines occaisonally–27% Hard liquor–17% Soft drinks–33% Milk–8% Coffee–9% Tea–6%

12. How many nights do you go out a week? None when working–86% Two when working–14%

13. How many servants have you? Two–81% One–11% Two to six–8%

14. Do you go to church? Yes–61% No–22% Rarely–17%

15. Are you happy in Hollywood? Yes–88% No–9% At times–3%

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I find their responses about war a bit haunting. I wonder how many changed their opinions just a little over a year later. And 81% have two servants?? No surprise that Clark is #1 in sex appeal but I was a bit surprised Robert Taylor wasn’t rated and that Spencer Tracy was!