Strike up the band... Big star showcases were a staple of the World War Two era, and one of them was 1943's Thousands Cheer. MGM's trade paper, The Lion's Roar, declared, "On all the Broadways of America, there’s a milling to get into the most extravagant extravaganza in years entitled “Thousands Cheer”." On one hand, Lion's hyperbole is … Continue reading For the Boys
During World War Two: My Little Pin-Up Girl
Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth weren't the only stars who sat for pin-ups during the war; their photos were simply the most popular. The idea of pin-ups (technically, they were just photos of women) were nothing new by the Second World War. Victorians and Edwardians, of course, had French postcards, which ranged from fully-clothed women … Continue reading During World War Two: My Little Pin-Up Girl
Let’s Put On A Show
Escapism can take some funny shapes, and in 1944's Broadway Rhythm it literally does. It was meant to be the latest installment in the Broadway Melody series, but L.B. Mayer decided to change it to a vehicle for up and coming singer Ginny Sims. It was also an adaptation of a Kern and Hammerstein musical called Very Warm … Continue reading Let’s Put On A Show
Taking Up Room 