HOLLYWOOD CANTEEN
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Year Published: 1942
Format: 16mm
Description: Here are two shorts from WWII: Hollywood Canteen, and Private Snafu in "The Chow Hound". In 1942, Hollywood legends John Garfield, Bette Davis and Jules C. Stein opened the Hollywood Canteen. Located at 1451 Cahuenga Blvd. in Los Angeles, the club offered food, dancing and entertainment for servicemen, usually on their way overseas. The canteen was open to USA servicemen and women, as well as members of the military from allied countries. A serviceperson's ticket for admission was his or her uniform and everything at the canteen was free of charge. The Hollywood Canteen closed on November 22, 1945. Title: Hollywood Canteen - Overseas Special (:06-10). Hollywood Canteen. Servicemen file in. People dance and eat inside the Canteen. Dinah Shore speaks (:11-1:13). Lana Turner, Marlene Dietrich, and Deanna Durbin. Xavier Cugat plays music as couples dance. Judge and Mrs. Hardy behind the snack bar. Eddie Cantor sings a song onstage (1:14-2:10). Hedy Lamarr signs autographs. Red Skeleton tells jokes and drinks. Jimmy Durante. Service men clap. Dinah Shore talks (2:11-3:35). Dinah Shore sings (3:36-5:35). "The Chow Hound" cartoon was directed by Frank Tashlin and first released in June, 1944. It features Private Snafu and is one of a series of cartoons produced between 1943 and 1945. The films were designed to instruct service personnel about security, proper sanitation habits, booby traps and other military subjects, and to improve troop morale. Primarily, they demonstrate the negative consequences of doing things wrong -- in this case, the toon rails against food waste. The main character SNAFU's name is a play on the military slang acronym SNAFU, "Situation Normal: All F*cked Up." The cleaned-up version of that phrase, usually used on radio and in print, was "Situation Normal: All Fouled Up." The voice of Private Snafu was performed by Mel Blanc. Title: Private Snafu in the Chow Hound (A bonus Cartoon) (5:36-5:45). A bull whistles at a cow. The bull marries the cow. Just as he is going to have alone time with his new bride, the Nazis and Japan declare war. Soldiers march. The bull sees a picture of Uncle Sam. He enlists and is waving goodbye on a train. The bull is on a train. Submarine periscopes see the U.S.A. coming and huddle together (5:46-7:06). The ship lands and the food supply takes a craft to shore. Trucks. A camel carries the food. Food must go on to Snafu. Trucks go down winding roads.American bombers head east. Food supplies are dropped. Snafu, the star, must eat. He is called to dinner and gets lots of food (7:07-9:12). Snafu eats and eats, he is full. He then rests against a tree. The bull is there and he hits Snafu from behind and sends him high into the sky. The bull speaks to the viewer, he signed up to be food but is now waste, he slams a trash can lid shut (9:13-9:58)
Complete Record:
Transcription
If you've ever been to Hollywood, one thing you're sure to remember is this converted barn in the heart of the city. Here, under the leadership of Betty Davis and John Garfield, all the guilds and unions in Hollywood have collaborated in creating and maintaining the Hollywood canteen. More than a million servicemen of the United Nations have been entertained here by almost everybody in motion pictures. Most of its earlier guests are scattered all over the world by now. From the South Pacific, the Illusions, the Middle East, ETO, Italy. Well, let it go at all around the world. And to them, here's a message from one of the canteen's favorites, Miss Dina Shore. Hello, fellas. We had some guests of honor here the other night. convolescent men from an army hospital and they seem so darn glad to see the canteen again that we thought maybe you'd like to take a look especially you fellas who are so far away from home. So let's let's look around. You be our honored guest tonight. Okay. You're greeted at the door by Lana Turner, Deanna Durban, and Marina Dietrich. And you grab yourself a partner for some music by Xavier Kuga. Probably you'll find Judge and Mrs. Hardy behind the snack bar. That's Lewis Stone and FA Holden with Jenny Sims and Virginia Widen. On stage, a song from Eddie Caner. on a roll tonight. We're snug as can be. Being alone is just a blind. You know, her coffee could be sweeter, but I'm not in the dumps. Cuz every time she hugs me, it's like two extra lumps. We're staying home tonight. While Hetty Lamar hands out autographs or some rough house with red skeletons. No upsetting nerves, no badas, a nice smooth drink. Pour a little in your glass and drink it right down. But be sure and ask for Guzzler's Jin. A nice smooth drink. Drink a little after dinner. Drink some before. You won't have to eat any dinner. or more rough house with Jimmy Durant. What a racket he's got with that stick. That's a politician's job. I wonder what he'd do with the stick if the band didn't show up. Fellas, many people from Hollywood are visiting the men at the front, but it isn't possible for all of us to get over there at once. So tonight, I'd like to dedicate a song to some men who are fighting and sweating this war the hard way. The men of the China, Burma, India Theater of Operations. Here's some special lyrics to one of your favorite melodies. I'm singing this straight to you guys of CBI. Night and day we think of you. All you mighty men who serve the red, white, and blue. Weather near to us aart. Please believe no matter where you are. We think of you night and day, day and night. Surely you know that this feeling for you follows wherever you go. From the deserts burning sands to the frozen cold of northern lands, we think of you. Night and day, night and day, we say a prayer for you. And we're praying that heaven above will watch you and care for you. And when this affair is through, may we not forget the debt that we owe to you day and night and day. It was down in the panhandle valley when I was king bull of them all that my eye fell on sweet Angelina. And I sounded my bold waiting call. She said yes. On our honeymoon, she and I sauntered through the glamorous Grand Hotel door. And believe it or not, at that instant, the Nazis and Japs declared war. From here, from there, from everywhere. The beat of drums, the bugles blare, the guns and men were passing through. Look. Holy smoke. There goes Snafu. I saw my duty. I waved her goodbye. If Snafu could make it, by gosh, so could I. I made it. And boy, was I processed. Wherever he fought, on whatever far shore, I'd follow Snafu and I'd feed him, I swore. Damn the torpedoes, I cried to the crew. Full speed ahead with a food for snafoo. Snapoo must eat. He cannot win unless he has his might. Through ice and snow and sleep they crunch. They must get through with Snafoo's lunch. I can't make it. I'm pooped. I'm all through. Food for snafoo. Through rain and mud and jungle heat. One only thought. Let Snafoo eat. Snap who must eat. He shall not fast. In spite of bomb and shrapnel blast, the precious food arrives at last. Come and get it. More. More. Come on. Give me a little more. And a boy. You're a good guy. Come on. Give me a little more. That's it. Come on, Lola. That's more like it. Nice meal, but guess I ain't as hungry as I thought. Yes, I joined up the first day of war, but now I'm regretting my haste. I joined up as food for Snafu, but all I became was just waste.
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