This is brought to you for free and open access by the university of tennessee honors program at. 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. On star power alone it outshines stage door canteen. Club founders bette davis and john garfield give talks on the history of the place. This musical is best known for featuring over 60 of hollywoods brightest stars as it tells the story of the stage door canteens, outfits. The two movies are no help, with their unintelligibly teeming dance floors. The tale takes place at the first canteen in manhattan and chronicles the romance between. Allstar cameos and 6 big bands abound in this cinema classic filmed in both new york and hollywood. The film was made by rko pathe studios, using a replica of the new york venue on the studios culver city. Hollywood, broadway and the uso united service organizations. Top grossers of the season, variety, january 5, 1944 p. 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.
On the town dancing at new yorks stage door canteen. Hollywood film was made about the bustling nightclub. He turned down the offer of an evening with movie starlet ruth warrick. The west coasts answer to broadways stage door canteen, the hollywood canteen was created as a gi moralebooster by film stars bette. Stage door canteen is a 1943 american world war ii film with some musical numbers and. Probably shows up better now than it did on the small town screen where i first saw it circa 1944. The usos famed stage door and hollywood canteens during world war ii served. Dakota, a young soldier on a pass in new york city, visits the famed stage door canteen, where famous stars of the theatre and films appear. The canteen offered servicemen nights of dancing, entertainment, food and nonalcoholic drinks, and even opportunities to rub shoulders with celebrities. The big bands arent left out, with appearances by five including benny goodman and. Hollywood canteen 1944 ranges more widely, with scenes set on the battlefield.
The east coast counterpart was the nybased stage door canteen, which featured broadway stars and was also celebrated in a film, stage door canteen. 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 unkn. One year later 1944 warner brothers produced a west coast version called hollywood canteen, which is considered by many to be the superior film. The film features many celebrity cameo appearances but primarily relates a simple drama set in the famed new york city restaurant. The stage door canteen was started and directed by the american theatre wing, war service inc.
Like the film hollywood canteen an incredible number of major entertainers. Two soldiers on leave spend three nights at a club offering free of charge food, dancing, and entertainment for servicemen on their way overseas. Stage door canteen is available for free download at the internet archive. This film follows three soldiers as they visit the popular stage door canteen. Their story provides the backdrop for showing the greatest film, stage, comedy, and musical actors. 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. With cheryl walker, william terry, judith anderson, kenny baker. The original stage door canteen inspired a cbs radio series 194245 and a 1943 film. A servicemans ticket for admission was his uniform, and everything at the canteen was free of charge. During world war ii, however, the uso ran two freefoodandmusic clubs that. Best netflix series ranked 200 fresh free movies online binge. The film was produced by sol lessers principal artists productions and directed by frank borzage. 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.
Gracie fields in stage door canteen 1943 merle oberon in stage door canteen. Ms of foreign secretary sir anthony eden on stage of club for servicemen and women. A similar movie, hollywood canteen 1944, followed this movie. Movie, broadway and radio stars often stopped by to entertain the troops. The stage door canteen tennessee research and creative. Even in 1944, the hollywood canteen was mistaken for a uso club.
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