Hollywood Fan Mail During Wartime REGIS HOFFMAN & THOMAS RICHARDS Purpose of Talk…. Social history – even in times of war, people tried to maintain some sense of normalcy. Interest in Hollywood stars was universal. Will see letters from soldiers, POWs, internees and civilians. Learned much about obscure areas of military postal history. World War I – Charlie Chaplin • “I Am Well” card from British FPO. • U.S. not in war – assessed postage due. • Sent to Essanay Studios, Chicago. • Essanay hired Chaplin from Mack Sennett Studios in 1914. • He left after one year – too cold • Forwarded to Hollywood. World War I – French Soldier • International appeal of “America’s Sweetheart”, Mary Pickford. • Simple address. • Sender was from the French 122nd Infantry Regiment of the 31st Infantry Division. • Mailed in July of 1919 from Valenciennes, France. Interestingly, mailed through a civil post office, and not a military post office World War I – GB Civil Censorship • To Warner Oland (aka Charlie Chan). • Major role in “The Jazz Singer” – first “Talkie” produced. • Played as Charlie Chan in 1931 for 15 movies. • Had no Oriental heritage. • UK censor tape. World War I – Antipodes Civil Censorship Australia to Mary Pickford at Lasky Studios. New Zealand to Mary Pickford at Photoplay Magazine in Chicago – forwarded to Artcraft Studios in Hollywood. Between the Wars • Double registered cover to Deanna Durbin from Alexis Holmansky on Route de Grouchy in Shanghai in French Concession. • Many Russian Jews in the early 20th century who were fleeing pogroms in Russia moved to China, especially Shanghai. No visa required. • Found in a box of miscellaneous China covers. The Finnish “Winter” War • Mail from MGM Helsinki to Liisa Rahola at the Finnish Legation in London. • March 12, 1940 - Peace with Russia. • March 24, 1940 - Treaty ratified. • March 29, 1940 – letter sent. • Finnish censor tape (In Swedish and Finnish). • Ms. Rahola made only one film with MGM. • “Dollari Miljonna” – “One Million Dollars” in 1942. WWII – Allied Forces – Dorothy Lamour • Boxed “Poste Militaire – No. 101” • Registration label (lower left) reads RPM 101 MEF – No. 711.” • British crowned “PASSED BY CENSOR” mark. • “CENSURE CONGO BELGE” mark. • Censored in the United States (most likely Miami, Florida). • British Middle East Command provided Congolese troops with a military post office assigned the code “101”. This office was located in Cairo, Egypt. 40,000 in number. World War II – Gene Autry • Was never at Alliance Air Base. • Forwarded to Republic Studios. Gene Autry went through USAAF basic training at the Santa Ana Army Air Base, and then later served at Luke Field in Phoenix, Arizona WWII – Axis Allied Forces -> Deanna Durban • 19th Italian Quartermaster Service Company attached to US Army. • A total of 192 Quartermaster Service Companies of 33,000 men working at 67 military installations in 25 states. • The Italian soldiers were no longer POWs, as Italy had surrendered and joined the Allies • The Italian soldiers were permitted to volunteer for non- combat duty in special service units of the US Army. World War II – French Trainees • To Yvonne De Carlo • 5000 members of Free French air crew and ground support trained by U.S. Army Air Forces. • Nearly 1,400 French recruits learned to fly over the piney woods of the American South World War II – Yugoslav Trainees • Not addressed to a particular star. – not uncommon. • Royal Yugoslav Air Force destroyed in 1941. • 62nd Bombardment Group formed in 1942. • Pilots escaped to Greece, Russia and Egypt. • Partisan Yugoslav Air Force formed. • Lt. was probably sent to US for training – similar to French pilots in previous slide. World War II – Chinese Trainees The 8th Chinese Bomber Group trained in Pueblo from August 3, 1944 to May 5, 1945 with B-24 Liberators. Peak of 520 Chinese trained at Santa Ana Army Air Base (SAAAB). Note “Free” franking. Allowed? World War II – Italian Internee • To Deanna Durbin. • From an interned Italian seaman. Ansaldo Benedetto a deck hand on the Italian ship “Ida Z.O.” • Fort Missoula, Montana camp. • Red “S” indicates censorship by Serena Fauste. • Free mail started on Nov. 6 1942 but not many found before 1943 World War II – Italian POW • To Deanna Durbin • From POW at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri • During World War II Italian and German POWs were interned at the fort. • U.S. censor marking. • “UNCALLED FOR AT METRO- GOLDWYN-MAYER” marking. She was at Universal Studios at this time. (Type MGM-1 marking) World War II – German POW • December 30, 1942 from German POW Oscar Preti at Crossville Internment Camp in Tennessee. • To Elyse Knox at Universal. • Made “Follow the Boys”, one of the World War II morale-booster films in 1944 • The usual request – send some photos • POWs limited to 3 letters per month – use one to send fan mail? World War II – German POW Camp • From guard at Camp Alva, OK to Deanna Durbin • The Allies captured large number of German and Italian soldiers from Erwin Rommels’s famed Afrika Korps. • Only German POWs were confined in Oklahoma. • Sent by Pfc. Ronald Campbell, 455th Military Police Escort Guard (M.P.E.G. ) • Was to get 5x7 photo but was upgraded to 6x10! German in Canadian POW Camp • Sent to Gracie Fields. • From German civil internee • Only German in Canadian Camp movie star mail that we have seen. • Forwarded from studio to her home. Hunt Idaho Internee to Robert Paige • From the Minidoka Relocation Center, aka Hunt Camp. • Mainly Japanese Americans. • In use – August 10, 1942 – October 28, 1945. • December 1944 – Supreme Court ruled illegal to hold US citizens – freed soon after . • Return Address – “44-7-C” 44 = Block 7 = Barracks C = Apartment • 5 Japanese American Internees were in that apartment Deanna Durbin Censored Fan Mail • Deanna Durbin’s short career spanned the WWII years. • Most popular star during the time. • Many of our examples are to her. • APO 759 – Casablanca, Morocco - Camp Don B. Passage Aug 43. • Middle East POW marking. • Camp Passage reported to be staging area – POW probably on way to NY. World War II – Allied POW • From member of Royal Canadian Air Force • Sergeant at Stalag Luft III (Sagan, Germany) to the wife of actor Ronald Colman. Card asks for aid. • Camp made famous as the location of the “The Great Escape”. • Held by censor and released after the war Post WWII - Mail to Ann Rutherford • Fan Mail to Actress Ann Rutherford – played Scarlett’s sister in “Gone With the Wind”. • From British FPO 746 on January 21, 1946. • Has “UNCALLED FOR AT METRO- GOLDWIN-MAYER” marking. • NOTE: “GOLDWIN” spelling. • Type MGM-1a marking. Post World War II - RAF • To Maureen O’Hara • From a member of the Royal Air Force (RAF) in India in 1946 Post World War II – RAF - -> Lauren BacallRAF Japan RAF Colombo (Ceylon) Post World War II – British Forces • To Anne Blyth at Warner Brothers Studios. • British Forces in Egypt. • FPO 461 - March 25, 1947 (Port Said) • Mail was handed over to the Egyptian civil Post Office where a quicker delivery would result, rather than send the mail to England. Post World War II – British Forces • To Doris Day at Warner Brothers Studios. • FPO 791 – August 15, 1954 • British Forces in Germany assigned to the British Army of the Rhine. What Do You Get ? Hopefully this But Maybe This From Star – Jack Oakie Conclusions Fascinating area – illustrates how people coped during times of war. Both have been collecting movie related material for almost 20 years. 10+ years of writing “Stars & Strife” column. Thought we would run out of material at least 3 times – but now have over 30,000 pieces of fan mail and other movie related covers. Have at least a 2 year backlog of articles. 2016, 2018 - Articles in The Congress Book on the development of the philately of the Hollywood movie industry. Thanks For Your Attention. Any Questions?.