Two Hollywood actors were awarded the Bronze Star military decoration for their heroic actions on the Japanese held island of Tarawa during the Second World War. US Marine Corps Captain Louis Hayward and US Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade Eddie Albert.
HOLLYWOOD CANTEEN
Eddie Albert played alongside one of the Gabor sisters in a show called Green acres. A fabulous series showing Eddie as a perplexed businessman living a country life with a high maintenance , high fashion city girl played by Eva Gabor
Yes, and World War II coincided with the big band era in America. The bands of Glenn Miller, the Dorsey Brothers, Artie Shaw and others were very popular throughout the war years, and dominated Armed Forces Radio. Even the German troops listened in on American music.
Yes. Also the jazz big-bands of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman (all of them were already well known since 1930s of course) and Johnny Otis. Also, the 1940s (after WW2 ended) were known as the be-bop jazz era, around 1945. Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Thelonious Monk ... and and and ....
Yah, I forgot Benny Goodman !! Meant to put him with the rest. He came to mind right away. Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman were top of the charts.
Eddie Albert was also memorable for his performance as the press photographer in that wonderful film ROMAN HOLIDAY starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn.
The film's setting is the Hollywood Canteen, a free entertainment club open to servicemen.
The Hollywood Canteen was created as a G. I. morale-booster by movie stars Bette Davis and John Garfield during World War II. Many of those cameoing in the film had previously volunteered to work there or provide entertainment for the war effort.
They include: The Andrews Sisters, Jack Benny, Joe E. Brown, Eddie Cantor, Kitty Carlisle, Jack Carson, Joan Crawford, Faye Emerson, Sydney Greenstreet, Alan Hale Sr., Paul Henreid, Joan Leslie, Peter Lorre, Ida Lupino, Dorothy Malone, Dennis Morgan, Janis Paige, Eleanor Parker, Roy Rogers (with Trigger), S.Z. Sakall, Zachary Scott, Alexis Smith, Barbara Stanwyck, Jane Wyman, and Jimmy Dorsey. Wikipedia