Tony West performs on vaudeville in a group with his father Nick and sister Kitty, The decline of vaudeville forces the group to split up and Tony goes to Hollywood to try to make it in movies. He works at Universal Pictures, where he becomes screen partners with, and then the husband of, star Gloria Vance. When World War II breaks out, Tony tries to enlist but is refused because of his knee. Tony finds himself organising the Hollywood Victory Committee, a consortium of motion picture, theatrical and radio personalities dedicated to help the war effort. He puts on a show that includes performances from Donald O'Connor and Jeannette MacDonald. Tony and Gloria have a big fight and she doesn't tell him that she is pregnant. Tony organizes another show, where Orson Welles performs magic tricks including sawing Marlene Dietrich in half. Tony goes overseas and is killed during an attack by a Japanese submarine. Gloria takes Tony's place entertaining the troops.
The film was announced in June 1943. It was produced by Charles K. Feldman and was inspired by the success of Stage Door Canteen at Warner Bros. The original title was Three Cheers for the Boys. George Raft signed in July 1943. It was his first movie after leaving Warner Bros. The cast featured several Universal contract stars, including Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan, as well as some actors who had just recently made films for Universal, such as Raft and Marlene Dietrich. The film was shot at the Naval Training Center San Diego. It was WC Fields' first movie since 1941. He performs an old pool playing job he first developed in vaudeville in 1903. The movie features a speech at the end about "soldiers in greasepaint", a tribute to those who entertained the troops during World War II. It features an "honor roll" which lists those entertainers who died in the war, including Carole Lombard, Leslie Howard, Roy Rognan, Tamara, Charles King and Bob Ripa.
Reception
The New York Times called a "sentimental tribute... cheap screen entertainment – and hardly a tribute to the players it presents."
Songs and acts
George Raft – several dance numbers
Vera Zorina – dances to "A Better Day is Coming" and "I Feel a Song Coming On"
George Raft and Zorina – dance to "Tonight"
Delta Rhythm Boys – "The House I Live In"
The Andrews Sisters – "Shoo Shoo Baby" and a medley of their hits including "Bei Mir Bist Du Schön", "Hold Tight, Hold Tight ", "The Beer Barrel Polka", "The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B", "I'll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time", "Pennsylvania Polka", "Victory Polka"
Sophie Tucker – "The Bigger the Army and the Navy" and "Some of These Day"
Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan – "Kittens With Their Mittens Laced"
Jeanette MacDonald – "Beyond the Blue Horizon" and "I'll See You in My Dreams"
Orson Welles – performs a magic show including sawing Marlene Dietrich in half
Dinah Shore – "I'll Get By", "I'll Walk Alone", "Mad About Him Blues"
Arthur Rubenstein – performs "Liebestraum No. 3 "
Louis Jordan – "Is You Is or Is You Ain't Ma' Baby", and "Sweet Georgia Brown", with Raft performing the charleston
W. C. Fields – performs a comedy routine involving a billiard table
