Bette Davis at the Hollywood Canteen

This page from Screen Guide of March 1943 is only a humble notice in a huge and glorious endeavor by Hollywood stars to support not only our military, but the Allied forces on our shores during World War II.   

Started by three liberal Democrats: Bette Davis, John Garfield, and Dr. Jules Stein, and supported by the volunteer work of several industry trade unions, the project was embraced by the Hollywood's film community no matter their political stripe.  Country, in its hour of greatest need, came first.  Not only were the servicemen, including members of the Coast Guard, paid their salary, but they also got doughnuts and autographs.  

Some of your favorite actors and actresses may be on the list of volunteers:

Bud Abbott & 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 Ray Bolger Beulah Bondi William Boyd Charles Boyer Clara Bow Eddie Bracken El Brendel Walter Brennan Fanny Brice Joe E. Brown Les Brown 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 Bette Davis

Doris Day Yvonne De Carlo Gloria DeHaven Dolores Del Rio William Demarest Olivia de Havilland Cecil B. DeMille Andy Devine Marlene Dietrich Walt Disney Jimmy Dorsey Tommy Dorsey Irene Dunne Jimmy Durante Deanna Durbin Nelson Eddy Duke Ellington Faye Emerson Dale Evans Jinx Falkenburg Glenda Farrell Alice Faye Louise Fazenda Stepin Fetchit Gracie Fields Barry 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 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 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 & 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 Virginia O'Brien Donald O'Connor Maureen O'Hara Oona O'Neill Maureen O'Sullivan Merle Oberon Eugene Pallette Eleanor Parker Louella Parsons John Payne Gregory Peck Nat Pendleton Mary Pickford Walter Pidgeon Zasu Pitts Cole Porter Dick Powell Eleanor Powell Jane Powell William Powell Anthony Quinn George Raft

Claude Rains 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 Gene Tierney Lawrence Tibbett Martha Tilton Claire Trevor Sophie Tucker Lana Turner Spencer Tracy Gloria Vanderbilt 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 Esther Williams Warren William Chill Wills Marie Wilson Shelley Winters Jane Withers Teresa Wright Anna May Wong Constance Worth Jane Wyman Keenan Wynn Rudy Vallee Lupe Vélez Loretta Young Robert Young Darryl F. Zanuck Vera Zorina

We'll be discussing Hollywood Canteen (1944), and Stage Door Canteen (1943) next week.