By Marilyn Turk
In my next book, Shadow of the Curse, one of my characters plays in a band at The Stage Door Canteen. I thought you might like to know a little bit about the place ahead of time.
The first Stage
Door Canteen opened on March 2, 1942, in the basement of the 44th
Street Theatre in the heart of New York‘s theater district. Started and
directed by the American Theatre Wing, War Service, Inc., the canteen offered servicemen
entertainment, refreshments, and dancing. The canteen provided civilians in the
entertainment industry with a way to “do their part” for the war effort and
repay servicemen for the sacrifice they were making.
Capacity
for the Canteen was 500, but tickets were issued to servicemen for one hour
each, so in one night, as many as 2000 servicemen might pass through the doors.
On opening night, entertainers included a comedian, ballet dancers and several
popular actors of the era. The canteen was so popular, servicemen, many who had
left home for the first time, stood in long lines outside the building waiting
for their turn to enter.
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| Bette Davis serving at the Stage Door Canteen |
The G.I.’s
were allotted one sandwich, one dessert, and one drink (tea, coffee or milk).
No alcoholic beverages were allowed. The main draw was the entertainment, not
only on the stage, but the servers were often stars from the theatre or movies.
Only at the Canteen could a serviceman see someone like Red Skelton, Marlene
Dietrich or Bette Davis in person for free.
Another
attraction of the canteen was the young hostesses. These young women were
selected to socialize and dance with the servicemen. They were identified by
the red, white and blue aprons worn over their sensible dresses.
Hostesses were
not allowed to date any of the servicemen and were supposed to ration their
time with each, not spending too much time with one man. They were also expected
to be friendly and dance with any serviceman who asked, regardless of age,
rank, or race, showing equal treatment to all.
The Stage
Door Canteen received favorable publicity in newspapers and magazines across
the United States as the place where stars of stage and screen did their humble
best to support servicemen.
 |
| Stage Door Canteen, U.K. |
Other Stage
Door Canteens opened in Hollywood, Boston, Washington D.C., Philadelphia,
Cleveland, San Francisco and Newark. Before the war ended, Canteens also opened
in London and Paris.
 |
| Stage Door Canteen Radio Showwith Shirley Temple |
The Canteen
was also the subject of a popular radio variety show, and a successful musical
film in 1943, “Stage Door Canteen.”
The
Canteens closed at the end of war, but the National WWII Museum in New Orleans
has revived their tradition with a replica Stage Door Canteen, with food and entertainment
of the era.
Have you ever heard of the Stage Door Canteen? Did you have any relatives who either went to them or worked at them? I'd love to hear your story.
Marilyn
Turk loves to study history, especially that of lighthouses and the coast of
the United States. She is the author of Rebel
Light, a Civil War love story set on the coast of Florida, The Gilded Curse, a historical suspense
novel set on Jekyll Island, Georgia, in 1942, and Lighthouse Devotions - 52 Inspiring Lighthouse Stories, based on
her popular lighthouse blog. (@ http://pathwayheart.com) Shadow of the Curse, the sequel to The Gilded Curse, will be published in 2018.
