September 4, 1943
On September 4, 1943, the Hollywood Bond Cavalcade departed
to raise money for America’s Third War Loan. It began in Washington DC and went through 16 American cities before ending in San Francisco 21 days later. Millions of Americans flocked to these events buying war bonds as their tickets, with seat prices ranging from $18.75 to $1 million. After crossing 10,091 miles, the campaign raised a total of $40,110,000 and pushed America’s War Loan over the $2 billion mark.
The Hollywood Victory Committee was an organization founded on December 10, 1941 during World War II to provide a means for stage, screen, television and radio performers that were not in military service to contribute to the war effort through bond drives and improving morale for troops. It was associated with the Screen Actors Guild. The Committee organized events between January 1942 until August 1945. Its first chairman was Clark Gable.
This was not the first such event. In 1942, Desi Arnaz participated in the Hollywood Victory Caravan. He was joined by stars Joan Bennett, Joan Blondell, Charles Boyer, James Cagney, Claudette Colbert, Jerry Colonna, Bing Crosby, Olivia de Havilland, Cary Grant, Charlotte Greenwood, Bob Hope, Frances Langford, Laurel and Hardy, Bert Lahr, Groucho Marx, Frank McHugh, Ray Middleton, Merle Oberon, Pat O’Brien, Eleanor Powell, and Risë Stevens.
The Caravan show played in 12 cities and netted over $700,000 for Army and Navy relief funds. [Note that in the above Minneapolis welcome sign, Desi’s surname is mis-spelled!]
Along with Lucille Ball, some of the celebrities involved included:
James Cagney ~ had just opened his film Johnny Come Lately on September 3, 1943.
Judy Garland ~ won a 1940 special Oscar for her contributions to film. In September 1943, she released Thousands Cheer (co-starring Lucille Ball) and two months later, Girl Crazy with Mickey Rooney.
Mickey Rooney ~ was also in Thousands Cheer with Garland and Ball, as well as premiering Girl Crazy with Judy Garland in November 1943. Rooney won Oscars in 1939 and 1940. In 1966 he played himself on an episode of “The Lucy Show.”
Kay Kyser ~ was a bandleader who made his film debut with Lucille Ball in That’s Right – You’re Wrong. He made four films in 1943, including Thousands Cheer.
Paul Henreid ~ was most known for playing Victor Laszlo in Casablanca (1942). His name was mentioned on “I Love Lucy” in “The Adagio” (ILL S1;E12) when Ricky lights two cigarettes at once, just a Paul Henreid did for Bette Davis in 1942′s Now Voyager.
Greer Garson ~ won Oscars in 1940, 1942, and 1943, for Mrs. Miniver, her most recent success at the time. She had a film in release called The Youngest Profession and was about to debut another hit, Madame Curie.
Betty Hutton ~ was an actress and singer who was seen that summer of ‘43 in Let’s Face It, starring Bob Hope.
Kathryn Grayson ~ was yet another Cavalcade member starring in Thousands Cheer.
Harpo Marx ~ is best known for the act he developed with his brothers that was a hit on Broadway and screen. He was a silent clown in an over-sized raincoat and fright wig. Lucy and Harpo had appeared together in Room Service in 1938. In 1955, he guest-starred on “I Love Lucy” (S4;E28) as himself.
Fred Astaire ~ was one of Hollywood’s most legendary dancers. In July 1943 he released The Sky’s The Limit with Joan Leslie. In 1943, he had already done three musical films with Lucille Ball, and was about to film a fourth – Ziegfeld Follies. His name was mentioned on two episodes of “I Love Lucy.”
Olivia DeHavilland ~ was a two-time Oscar nominee at the time of the Cavalcade. She memorably played Melanie Wilkes in Gone With The Wind in 1939.
Martha Scott ~ was a 1940 Oscar nominee for the screen version of Our Town. Her film Hi Diddle Diddle was in release during the summer of 1943.
Dick Powell ~ was preparing to premiere Riding High with Dorothy Lamour in November 1943. He was about to start filming Meet the People with Lucille Ball, which opened in 1944.
The stars participated upon behest of the US Treasury Department.
A special 11-car Union Pacific Railroad train carried the stars from Los Angeles, to Washington DC for the kick-off.
Union Pacific Railroad provided access to their new Domeliner for location and second unit footage on “I Love Lucy” during “The Great Train Robbery” (S5;E5).
Tour Schedule:
- Sept 4 – Depart Los Angeles
- Sept 8 – Washington, DC
- Sept 9 – Philadelphia
- Sept 10 – Boston
- Sept 11 – New York
- Sept 12 – Pittsburgh
- Sept 13 – Cleveland
- Sept 14 – Detroit
- Sept 15 – Cincinnati
- Sept 16 – Chicago
- Sept 17 – Minneapolis
- Sept 18 – St Louis
- Sept 20 – New Orleans
- Sept 21 – Dallas
- Sept 22 – San Antonio
- Sept 25 – San Francisco
- Sept 26 & 27 – Los Angeles
A Typical Cavalcade Performance (depending on celebrity availability)
Kay Kyser served as master of ceremonies and started the show with his band’s theme “Thinking Of You”. James Cagney came on to read a poem – “What Do We Do When We Buy A Bond” – and did two numbers and a dance from Yankee Doodle Dandy, for which he had recently won the Academy Award. Dick Powell then crooned some of his hits: “Don’t Give Up The Ship,” “Let’s Get Lost,” “In My Arms,” and “Happy Go Lucky”.
Harpo Marx would intermittently chase a blonde across the stage. He eventually settled down to play two harp solos, bang on the piano, wheeze on the harmonica, and finally played a pantomime poker game with Lucille Ball, who had appeared with Harpo in Room Service in 1938 and learned physical comedy at his knee. Harpo ended the game by cutting the cards with an ax!
After Fred Astaire danced, Kyser brought down the house with a burlesque imitation of his style. Mickey Rooney did imitations of Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Wendell Wilkie, and then played the drums.
Betty Hutton performed some hot boogie-woogie. Judy Garland sang “The Man I Love,” “Embraceable You,” and “Blow, Gabriel, Blow.”
Greer Garson urged continued bond purchases, saying, “If we relax, if we don’t back the attack, the war will go on indefinitely.”
Upon arrival in Washington DC on September 8, Lucille Ball and the stars paraded through the streets in military jeeps, waving to the assembled crowds on their way to the Washington Monument. A similar parade was held in most all subsequent cities.
After departing DC, the stars embarked on a 15 city ‘barn-storming’ tour of American cities.
September 9 ~ the Cavalcade played Philadelphia’s Convention Hall…
…and moved to play Boston on September 10.
September 11 ~ at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was here that Betty Hutton announced her engagement to camera manufacturer Ted Briskin. They tied the knot in 1945 but the marriage ended in divorce in 1951.
September 12 ~ Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The newspapers promoted its arrival with this photo from their Los Angeles departure.
September 13 ~ the Cavalcade rolled through Cleveland, Ohio the stars spoke to an assembly of Defense Workers. That night, at the Civic Auditorium, Kay Kyser auctioned off an American flag for $10,000,000 and two pounds of butter and a three pound steak for $100,000 each!
September 14 ~ Detroit, Michigan
September 15 ~ Cincinnati, Ohio.
Stars rode into town on chartered Cincinnati Street Railway buses kicked off at Union Station. Lucille Ball is 8th from the right, next to Harpo Marx.
September 16 in Chicago’s Soldier Field.
September 17 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
September 18 in St. Louis, Missouri at the Kiel Auditorium. Most of the stars lodged at the Hotel Jefferson, where police had to chase 300 autograph hounds out of the lobby. They also had to drag a high school girl out from beneath Fred Astaire’s bed. In another incident, surging fans shattered a plate glass window, which tore Judy Garland’s dress to shreds.
September 19 was left as an ‘open’ day in New Orleans, Louisiana, before their official performances on September 20 at the Tad Gormley Stadium.
Variety reported the crowd at 50,000, The States stated it was between 65,000 and 75,000, while The Item claimed 100,000 showed up, despite the actual venue only seating 35,000!
September 21 in Dallas, Texas at the Cotton Bowl…
…and in San Antonio, Texas on September 22.
September 25 in San Francisco to perform…
…and on September 26 went home to Los Angeles to conclude the 10,000 mile tour. A crowd of 6,000 greeted them at the station in Glendale as the Navy Band played “California, Here I Come."
The song would memorably be sung on “I Love Lucy” to launch the Hollywood episodes in 1955.
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