Stage Door Canteen
| Stage Door Canteen | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Frank Borzage |
| Produced by | Frank Borzage Sol Lesser |
| Written by | Delmer Daves |
| Starring |
Cheryl Walker William Terry Marjorie Riordan Lon McCallister Margaret Early |
| Music by | Fred Rich |
| Cinematography | Harry Wild |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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132 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $4,350,000 (US/Canada rentals) |
Stage Door Canteen is a 1943 American musical film produced by Sol Lesser Productions and directed by Frank Borzage. The film features many celebrity cameo appearances as it relates a simple drama set in the famed New York City restaurant and nightclub for American and Allied servicemen during World War II. Six bands are featured. The score and the original song, "We Mustn't Say Goodbye", were nominated for Academy Awards.
Stage Door Canteen is in the public domain in North America and for this reason is widely available in many DVD and VHS releases of varying quality.
The film, made in wartime, celebrates the work of the Stage Door Canteen, created in New York City as a recreational center for both American and Allied servicemen on leave to socialize with, be entertained or served by Broadway celebrities. The storyline follows several women who volunteer for the Canteen and must adhere to strict rules of conduct, the most important of which is that their job is to provide friendly companionship to and be dance partners for the (often nervous) men who are soon to be sent into combat. No romantic fraternization is allowed. Eileen (Cheryl Walker) is a volunteer who confesses to only becoming involved in the Canteen in order to be discovered by one of the Hollywood stars in attendance. She ultimately finds herself falling in love with one of the soldiers (William Terry).
Stage Door Canteen was made under the auspices of the American Theatre Wing. The actual Stage Door Canteen in New York City was a basement club located in the 44th Street Theatre, and it could not be used for the filming as it was too busy receiving servicemen. The settings were recreated at the Fox Movietone Studio in New York and at RKO Pathé Studios in Los Angeles. Stage Door Canteen was in production from November 30, 1942, to late January 1943.
Star appearances range from momentary cameos, such as Johnny Weissmuller working in the Canteen's kitchen, to more substantial roles. In a June 1943 feature story titled "Show Business at War", Life magazine counted a total of 82 performers in Stage Door Canteen, and provided total screen time for some of them:
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