ADVERTISING: American Theater Wing, Stage Door Canteen - WWI & WWII - Broadway for Sale

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ADVERTISING: American Theater Wing, Stage Door Canteen - WWI & WWII - Broadway For Sale

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ADVERTISING: American Theater Wing, Stage Door Canteen - WWI & WWII - Broadway:
$9.00

ADVERTISING: American Theater Wing, Stage Door Canteen - WWI & WWII: The Stage Door Canteen was located in the Broadway theater district. And if early response was any indicator, the nightspot where GIs could enjoy premium entertainment free of charge was a huge hit. Run by a volunteer organization that called itself the American Theatre Wing, the canteen offered servicemen nights of dancing, entertainment, food and nonalcoholic drinks, and even opportunities to hobnob with celebrities. Bette Davis served the desserts. Marlene Dietrich and Lauren Bacall danced the night away. Red Skelton told the jokes and Bing Crosby crooned. 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 American Theatre Wing, best known today for sponsoring Broadway’s Tony Awards, traces its origins back to World War I, when playwright and director Rachel Crothers and six other theater women formed the Stage Women’s War Relief in 1917. Recruiting members from all aspects of the theater community, the organization sold almost $7 million in war bonds, collected nearly 2 million articles of clothing for distribution, and provided entertainment for US troops. This WWII advertising view shows in a signed artist drawing by Barney Tubey an interior view of the club with a GI and a Marine each chatting up a hostess as a waiter who looks a little like FDR carries a try of plates. The card\'s reverse importunes \"Tune In! Stage Door Canteen\" on Friday night \"10:30 to 11:00 Eastern War Time\" to a broadcast by the Columbia Network of the entertainment offered at the club sponsored by the Corn Products Refining Company, producers of Dextrose sugar, Karo syrup, Mazola salad oil, Linit starch and Kre-mel dessert. The card also notes in the place for the stamp that a 1¢ stamp was required \"These cards cannot be mailed free.\" This was unlike most GI correspondence during the war, perhaps because the card was used to advertised sponsors of the club. The card is in good condition.