Episode 71: Stage Door Canteen #2

This is another of our salutes to the music and service that the Stage Door Canteens provided to military personnel during World War II. The Stage Door Canteen refers to the famous World War II-era Times Square social club for soldiers temporarily stationed in New York City awaiting deployment, usually to the war in Europe. It opened March 2, 1942, in a space underneath the 44th Street Theatre. The canteen was open seven nights a week and offered servicemen dancing, entertainment, food and nonalcoholic drinks, and even opportunities to rub shoulders with celebrities. And it all was FREE.

The New York acting community did everything. They would perform songs, comedy, and short versions of the plays and musicals that were playing on Broadway. Actresses also served as hostesses and dancing partners.

The New York Stage Door Canteen was immediately popular. The space was 40-by-80 feet and could accommodate 500 people, but it was filled to capacity from the start. Seven other canteens were later located in Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Cleveland, San Francisco and Newark and Los Angeles.

In 1943 the success of New York’s Stage Door Canteen prompted a movie about the popular service men's center and featured stars of the big screen and popular Big Bands. One of the many praiseworthy qualities of the canteens was their credo. They were open to all servicemen of every Allied nation, and without any form of segregation. As the war dragged on, the popularity of the canteens never wavered. By November 1945, Stage Door Canteens were operating in eight US cities and London and Paris. Together, they entertained and fed 11 million Allied servicemen.

The only canteen to rival the original’s fame was the Hollywood Canteen in Los Angeles, thanks to its proximity to the country’s biggest stars. Instead of theater people, movie stars and crew members did the work. Hollywood Canteen, the movie, was the fourth highest grossing film of 1944. Watch both movies. You’ll be entertained and hear some great music. If you ever visit the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, you’ll see a replica of the Stage Door Canteen.

We hope you enjoy this music of the Stage Door Canteens. Please accept this as a tribute to the Greatest Generation. To all our service members past and present, thank you from the bottom of my heart, for your service.

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You’ll hear:
1) When Johnny Comes Marching Home by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (with Marion Hutton, Tex Beneke & The Modernaires, vocals)
2) Comin' In On A Wing And A Prayer by The Song Spinners [The only song with a war connection to appear in the top twenty best-selling songs of 1943 in the US]
3) I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You) by Harry James & His Orchestra (with Dick Haymes, vocal) [Reached #1 on the Juke Box chart on 6/10/44 - Lasted 6 wks]
4) They're Either Too Young or Too Old by Bette Davis [From Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943), a film made as a World War II fundraiser, with the stars donated their salaries to the Hollywood Canteen, which was founded by John Garfield and Bette Davis]
5) Jingle, Jangle, Jingle by Kay Kyser & His Orchestra (with Julie Conway and Harry Babbitt & The Group, vocals) [A fan favorite from the Stage Door Canteen (1943) era]
6) Rosie The Riveter by Four Vagabonds [Rosie the Riveter was the star of a campaign aimed at recruiting female workers for defense industries during World War II]
7) She's a Bombshell from Brooklyn by Xavier Cugat [From the original film soundtrack of Stage Door Canteen (1943)]
8) Somebody Else Is Taking My Place by Benny Goodman & His Orchestra (with Peggy Lee, vocal) [Featured in the movie, Stage Door Canteen (1943)]
9) Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me) by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (with Marion Hutton, Tex Beneke & The Modernaires, vocals) [Featured in the movie, Stage Door Canteen (1943)]
10) Till The End Of Time by Perry Como [Spent 19 weeks on the Best Seller chart, 9 weeks at #1 and a million seller]
11) V-Day Stomp by The Four Clefs (Johnny Green, Adam Cato, Melvin Chapman, Jack Martin) [A World War II classic]
12) Saturday Night (Is The Loneliest Night In The Week) by Frank Sinatra [Featured in the movie, Stage Door Canteen (1943)]
13) Mairzy Doats by The Merry Macs [Reached #1 on the Juke Box chart on 3/18/44 - Lasted 5 weeks]
14) Don't Worry Island by Freddy Martin & His Orchestra [From the original film soundtrack of Stage Door Canteen (1943)]
15) Why Don't You Do Right? by Benny Goodman & His Orchestra (with Peggy Lee, vocal) [Featured in the 1943 film, Stage Door Canteen and sold 1 million records]
16) Corns for My Country by The Andrews Sisters [From the original film soundtrack of The Hollywood Canteen (1944)]
17) Now Is The Hour (Maori Farewell Song) by Bing Crosby (with The Ken Darby Choir, vocals) [Became known as Po Atarau and was used as a farewell to Māori (the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand) soldiers going to off War]
18) Katharine Hepburn’ advice. [A clip from the original film soundtrack of Stage Door Canteen (1943)]
19) We Mustn't Say Goodbye by Lanny Ross [From the original film soundtrack of Stage Door Canteen (1943)]
20) Goodnight, Sweetheart by Ray Noble & His Orchestra (with Snooky Lanson, vocal) [A best seller from the WWII era]
21) I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen by Jan Garber & His Orchestra [From the Broadway All-Soldier Show "This Is The Army" (1942) written by Irving Berlin]