When the Stars Went to War : Hollywood and World War II

Interweaving the reminiscences of numerous actors, actresses, studio heads, and others, an account of Hollywood during World War II chronicles USO tours, bond drives, and combat experiences

This vastly entertaining book covers the WWII activities of Hollywood's best-known stars. Hoopes identifies those who received legitimate deferments, those who had strings pulled on their behalf by studio heads and those who joined the armed forces and saw action. But the bulk of the book deals with the experiences of stars who took part in war-bond drives and USO tours, and describes the acts performed by such troop-entertainers as Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper and Edward G. Robinson. Hoopes explains that the Hollywood Canteen came into being largely through the initiative of John Garfield and Bette Davis and developed into a much-appreciated club where the lowest-ranking GI could drop in for a chat with-and be served refreshments by-a "real live movie star." The book is jammed with breezy quips, one-liners and polished show-biz anecdotes. Hoopes is Washington bureau chief of Modern Maturity. Photos. First serial to Modern Maturity.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In this fascinating look at Hollywood at war, Hoopes examines the roles the stars played and the effect they had both overseas and on the home front. From the moment the bombs dropped on Pearl Harbor, Hollywood answered the call with what Hoopes calls "equal measures of patriotism and egotism." Naturally, the book has a star-studded cast: Gable, Hope, Hepburn, Crawford, Davis--they're all here, more stars than there are in the heavens, as MGM publicity used to say. Some of the stories are familiar, such as the ill-fated war bond drive that ended with the death of Carole Lombard, but some are virtually unknown, such as the intense anti-Nazi campaign led by Edward G. Robinson (born Emmanuel Goldenberg). Hoopes also brings to light the appalling treatment of black entertainers, who endured the same second-class treatment as black servicemen. At one stop, Lena Horne was giving a separate show for black soldiers when she noticed a group of white men seated in the front row. Who were these VIPs? German prisoners of war. Both movie fans and military history buffs will enjoy this rare combination of nostalgia and substance. Ilene Cooper