Stage Door Canteen
| Stage Door Canteen | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Frank Borzage |
| Produced by | Frank Borzage Sol Lesser |
| Written by | Delmer Daves |
| Starring | Cheryl Walker William Terry Marjorie Riordan Lon McCallister Margaret Early |
| Music by | James Monaco Fred Rich Richard Rodgers |
| Cinematography | Harry Wild |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | June 24, 1943 |
| Running time | 132 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Stage Door Canteen (1943) is a musical film produced by Sol Lesser Productions and distributed by United Artists. It was directed by Frank Borzage and features many cameo appearances by celebrities, and the majority of the film is essentially a filmed concert although there is also a storyline to the film.
Stage Door Canteen is presently in the public domain in North America and for this reason is widely available in many DVD and VHS releases of varying quality.
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[edit] Background and production
The film, made in wartime, celebrates the work of the "Stage Door Canteen", created in New York City as a recreational center for both American and Allied servicemen on leave to socialize with, be entertained or served by theatrical celebrities. It was made under the auspices of The American Theatre Wing.
The real Stage Door Canteen on 44th Street could not be used for the filming as it was too busy receiving real servicemen. It was recreated in New York and at the RKO Radio Pictures studio in Culver City. There also was a Stage Door Canteen in the Academy of Music Building in Philadelphia.
The West Coast counterpart was the Hollywood Canteen that was also celebrated in a film Hollywood Canteen.
[edit] Plot
The storyline of the film follows several women who volunteer for the Canteen and who must adhere to strict rules of conduct, the most important of which is that while their job is to provide friendly companionship to and be dance partners for the (often nervous) men who are soon to be sent into combat, no romantic fraternization is allowed. One volunteer who confesses to only becoming involved in the Canteen in order to be discovered by one of the Hollywood stars in attendance, ultimately finds herself falling in love with one of the soldiers.
Star appearances range from momentary cameos, such as Johnny Weissmuller, seen working in the canteen's kitchen, to more substantial roles such as Katharine Hepburn, who helps advance the plot.
Most of the cameos were filmed at the studio, but a number of spots -- Benny Goodman's, for example -- were filmed in New York City.
[edit] Cameos (alphabetical order)
(featured performer) means either they performed a number or had extended dialog in the plot
- Judith Anderson
- Henry Armetta
- Kenny Baker
- Tallulah Bankhead
- Ralph Bellamy
- Jack Benny
- Edgar Bergen (with Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd) (featured performer)
- Ray Bolger (featured performer)
- Helen Broderick
- Ina Claire
- Katharine Cornell (featured performer - her only film appearance)
- Lloyd Corrigan
- Jane Darwell
- William Demarest
- Gracie Fields (featured performer)
- Arlene Francis
- Virginia Grey
- Helen Hayes
- Katharine Hepburn (featured performer; Hepburn's only co-starring effort in a musical, even though she doesn't sing)
- Hugh Herbert
- Jean Hersholt
- Sam Jaffe
- Allen Jenkins
- George Jessel (featured performer)
- Otto Kruger
- Gertrude Lawrence
- Gypsy Rose Lee (featured performer)
- Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne
- Bert Lytell
- Aline MacMahon
- Harpo Marx
- Elsa Maxwell
- Helen Menken
- Yehudi Menuhin (featured performer)
- Ethel Merman (featured performer)
- Peggy Moran
- Alan Mowbray
- Paul Muni
- Merle Oberon
- Franklin Pangborn
- Brock Pemberton
- George Raft
- Selena Royle (featured performer)
- Lanny Ross
- Martha Scott
- Cornelia Otis Skinner
- Ned Sparks
- Bill Stern
- Johnny Weissmuller
- Dame May Whitty
- Ed Wynn (featured performer)
Orchestras: (all featured performers)
- Count Basie (with Ethel Waters as featured vocalist)
- Xavier Cugat (with Lina Romay as featured vocalist)
- Benny Goodman (with Peggy Lee as featured vocalist)
- Kay Kyser
- Guy Lombardo
- Freddy Martin
[edit] See also
- Follow the Boys
- Hollywood Canteen
- Hollywood Canteen (film)
- Star Spangled Rhythm
- Thousands Cheer
- Thank Your Lucky Stars
- Stage Door Cartoon
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Stage Door Canteen |
- Stage Door Canteen at the Internet Movie Database
- Stage Door Canteen is available for free download at the Internet Archive [more]
- Stage Door Canteen at AllRovi
- Big band from Massachusetts area that plays music from the era of the movie.
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