During World War II, Hollywood was more than a source of entertainment – it was a powerful tool in the war effort. The Hollywood Victory Committee (HVC) was a group of film industry figures who used their influence to help the war effort. Let’s look at the history and impact of the HVC and how they helped the Allied forces.
President Roosevelt Asked Hollywood For Help
President Franklin Roosevelt delivered a speech on December 18, 1941, just weeks after the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. In his address, the president called on Hollywood to help transform average Americans into war supporters. Noting the tremendous influence that Hollywood celebrities had on the public, Roosevelt asked stars to set a good example by complying with war rations, paying taxes, and purchasing war bonds.
Formation of the Hollywood Victory Committee
The Hollywood Victory Committee was formed in 1942 by a group of influential movie industry figures, including Walt Disney, Charlie Chaplin, and Darryl Zanuck. The Committee’s purpose was to raise money for the war effort and promote patriotic films. They also worked to recruit celebrities for wartime propaganda and entertainment tours and produced films and posters to promote the war.
The HVC’s work was essential to the Allies’ success in World War II. Their efforts raised millions of dollars for the war effort, and their propaganda films and posters had a positive impact on public opinion.
The Hollywood Victory Committee’s First Chairperson
Clark Gable, star of the blockbuster film Gone with the Wind, served as the HVC’s first chairperson. As chair, he recruited his wife, Hollywood actress Carole Lombard, to help sell war bonds. A true patriot, Lombard excelled at this task. She traveled around the country selling war bonds at rallies. In Indiana, she sold more than $2 million worth of war bonds before she boarded a plane to return to California and to Clark Gable. Tragically, her plane crashed outside Las Vegas. Determined to continue on with the cause that was so dear to his wife, Clark Gable worked to promote the HVC and recruited his good friends and fellow actors, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Stewart, and Hattie McDaniel to join.
The Hollywood Victory Committee in Action
The HVC was active in many aspects of the war effort. They organized and funded entertainment tours, which included celebrities such as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, to perform for the troops. In fact, during its four years in existence, the HVC arranged for Hollywood stars to clock a combined total of more than five million miles in travel to entertain American troops. That amounted to 56,037 free concerts and shows performed by 4,147 entertainers.
A Push For Patriotism on the Silver Screen
The Hollywood Victory Committee also advocated for the production of films and posters to promote the war effort. The HVC’s most famous production was the 1943 feature film This Is the Army, which was released in theaters across the United States and raised over $2 million for the war effort. James Cagney, a member of the HVC and one-time chair of the committee, lobbied to star in the 1942 patriotic musical, Yankee Doodle Dandy, which he always claimed was his favorite film of his career. Casablanca, Why We Fly, Mrs. Miniver, and The Purple Heart were among the list of patriotic films of the early 1940s.
Appealing to Movie Goers
The HVC’s appeal to movie goers to help with the war effort extended beyond mere rhetoric. Under the HVC’s guidance, movie theaters around the country became collection centers for scrap metals to be recycled to help supply the troops with the equipment they needed. At one such cinema scrap metal drive, glamorous actress Rita Hayworth famously donated her car’s bumper to the collection center.
Cinemas also hosted blood drives and even sold war bonds alongside movie tickets at the box offices.
The Legacy of the Hollywood Victory Committee
Though the Hollywood Victory Committee disbanded after the war ended in 1945, their legacy lives on. They were instrumental in promoting the Allied cause and raising money more than $20 million for the war effort. Their films, posters, and bond drives had a significant impact on public opinion and the war effort.
In addition, the HVC’s entertainment tours provided a much-needed morale boost for the troops. The celebrities who volunteered for these tours—including Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Lucille Ball—became icons of the war effort and their work was recognized and appreciated by the troops.
Conclusion
The Hollywood Victory Committee played an important role in World War II. Through their films, posters, entertainment tours, and bond drives, they helped to promote the Allied cause and raise money for the war effort. Their efforts were essential in helping to secure victory for the Allied forces. Today, the legacy of the Hollywood Victory Committee lives on. Their work is remembered and appreciated by classic movie fans and war veterans alike.