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INETEEN t hous~nd American soldiers saw a single performance N by a troupe of Hollywood players just before hopping off from Sicily to the shambles of Salerno. Less than two weeks later some of those soldiers were cheering the arrival of a famous star on the mainland of Italy. At the same time 10 other Hollywood players were overseas or . .• for a division preparing to take off . .. for G reenland, the South Pacific, Panama, England, Africa and the Middle East. troupers have entertained Through the Hollywood Victory Committee 49 actors and actresses in Quonset huts, outdoors under the desert sun and in tropical rain. On occasion players have OVERSEAS HONOR ROLL - 1943 been shot at, bombed and chased by submarines. A Harry Akst Mary Elliott Johnny Marvin male star fle w to Cairo and Judith Anderson Gracie Fields Mitzi Mayfair Morey Amsterdam Errol Flynn Joel McCrea back, reporting to the Vic­ Desi Arnaz Kay Francis Fay McKenzie tory Committee on his re­ Don Barclay Billy Gilbert Florine McKinney turn: "There is one thing I Jack Benny Ella Gilbert Adolphe Menjou forgot to tell you before I Edgar Bergen Jascha Heifetz Una Merkel Phyllis Brooks Bob Hope Mayo Methot left: I don:t like airpla,nes Humphrey Bogart Allan Jenkins Martha O 'Driscoll and I won't fly. " Joe E. Brown Al Jolson Pat O'Brien Overseas entertainment is Ray Bolger Hank Ladd Luise Rainer the top job of the Hollywood Martha Raye James Burke Carole Landis Victory Committee and of Gary Cooper Frances Langford Marjorie Reynolds .•. for a handful Paul Draper Anna Lee Edward G . Robinson any player who can be Ann Dvorak Joe E. Lewis Mabel Todd made a v a i l a b 1 e for the Andy Devine Francetta Malloy Bert Wheeler eight weeks or more needed Fredric March to visit a combat zone. Fifteen are overseas today, with 25 others scheduled to leave following current film commitments. Co-operation of film studios has been volunteered to make available the outstand­ ing stars who ordinarily would rarely be free from picture-making have traveled nearly a million miles in the past year on USO-Camp long enough for a trip abroad. Several radio celebrities are sched­ Shows tours to visit soldiers, sailors and marines on duty abroad. uled for tours during their layoff period next summer. Journeying b y jeep, b y bus, by boat, b y train, by plane and by dog Reports b y overseas commanders and men, from Gen. Dwight sled, they have gone to New foundland, Labrador, Greenland, Eng­ Eisenhower down to Private Second Class Joe Doake, emphasize the land, Ireland, Africa, Sicily and Italy, the Middle East, India, China, value and need of the sight of well-known faces among the troops. Australia, the South Pacific and Hawaiian Islands, Alaska and the The overseas troupers are also credited with serving a valuable Aleutians. And this year far more of them are scheduled to go than function on the home front. They have brought the war back with have gone before. them, given the American public a closer view of "the high cost A famous comedian gave shows from truck platforms in jungle of living on the beach of Salerno." They have given direct reports clearings all over the South Pacific islands; a troupe of actresses to war plant workers. Said an Air Corps general: "They do a job played on top of a General Sherman tank in North Africa; in Alaska coming and going." 40 men w atched players perform on a broad tree stump. These