110-649: The United Service Organizations Inc. ( USO ) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed Forces and their families. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of War , and later with the Department of Defense (DoD), relying heavily on private contributions and on funds, goods, and services from various corporate and individual donors. Although it
220-485: A Yiddish tune, the lyrics of which Sammy Cahn had translated to English and "which the girls harmonized to perfection." They followed this success with a string of best-selling records over the next two years and, by the 1940s, had become a household name. Instrumental to the sisters' success over the years were their parents, Olga and Peter, their orchestra leader and musical arranger, Vic Schoen (1916–2000), and Jack and David Kapp , who founded Decca Records. In
330-527: A "Bob Hope Follies" USO show, which included actress Ann-Margret , Miss America, football star Rosey Grier , and others. According to Kerry biographer Douglas Brinkley, "When the Swift finally made it back to the My Tho River, the crew confronted the heartbreaking sight of a huge Navy landing craft ferrying the troops back. The USO show was over." Kerry later wrote, "The visions of Ann Margret and Miss America and all
440-521: A "serious" opera song to troops in Burma , "an applause erupted that stunned even the most seasoned performers." She later wrote in a letter, "Every woman back home wears a halo now, and those who represent her had better keep theirs on, too." Author Joeie Dee pointed out that "for women entertainers, traveling with the USO made it possible to be patriots and adventurers as well as professionals." She adds, however, that
550-564: A New York City-based touring group, performs both the popular tunes sung by the Andrews Sisters and some of the more obscure tunes such as "Well Alright" and "South American Way". In 2008 and 2009, the BBC produced The Andrews Sisters: Queens of the Music Machines , a one-hour documentary on the history of the Andrews Sisters from their upbringing to the present. The North American premiere of
660-512: A USO troupe in the South Pacific during World War II. Unfortunately, he died a week later as a result of physical exhaustion from his tour. According to Emily Yellin, many of the key foot soldiers in the USO's mission were women who were "charged with providing friendly diversion for U.S. troops who were mostly men in their teens and twenties." USO centers throughout the world recruited female volunteers to serve doughnuts, dance, and just talk with
770-425: A cease-and-desist order was sent to Skelton. The sisters' private relationship was often troubled, and Patty blamed it on Maxene: "Ever since I was born, Maxene has been a problem, and that problem hasn't stopped," she said. The trio reunited in 1956 and signed a new recording deal with Capitol Records , for whom Patty was already a featured soloist. By this point, however, rock-and-roll and doo-wop were dominating
880-651: A daughter. "There was no such thing as being married at that time," she said. "During her lifetime, there was no such thing that existed for us." Maxene died October 21, 1995, at age 79. The ashes of LaVerne and Maxene Andrews are interred in the Columbarium of Memory of the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California , close to the ashes of their parents. Patty Andrews married agent Marty Melcher in 1947 but left him in 1949, when he pursued
990-462: A day while also providing facilities for the wounded and convalescent who were on leave. They went to black businesses and fraternal organizations in order to find sponsorship for their USO group, and later expanded to fulfill the needs of soldiers during the Korean War. Moreover, they worked to merge black and white USOs into one desegregated unit. As black historian Megan Shockley noted, "Their work for
1100-520: A few brief private encounters, they remained somewhat estranged for their remaining years, with Maxene dying in 1995. Shortly after her Off-Broadway debut in New York City in a show called Swingtime Canteen , Maxene suffered another heart attack and died at Cape Cod Hospital on October 21, 1995, making Patty the last surviving Andrews Sister. Not long before she died, Maxene told music historian William Ruhlmann, I have nothing to regret. We got on
1210-542: A free cup of coffee and an egg. The USO also brought Hollywood celebrities and volunteer entertainers to perform for the troops. According to movie historian Steven Cohan, "most of all ... in taking home on the road, it equated the nation with showbiz. USO camp shows were designed in their export to remind soldiers of home." They did this, he noted, by "nurturing in troops a sense of patriotic identification with America through popular entertainment." An article in Look magazine at
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#17328584971701320-495: A haven for spending a quiet moment alone or writing a letter home, while others offered spiritual guidance and made childcare available for military wives. But the organization became mostly known for its live performances called Camp Shows , through which the entertainment industry helped boost the morale of its servicemen and women. USO Camp Shows, Inc. began in October 1941, and by that fall and winter 186 military theaters existed in
1430-542: A hillside and many sitting in the trees. ... We've played to audiences in small units of 500 or so, and much oftener to audiences of 8 to 10,000. Every night we play a different place. Singer-actress-dancer Ann Miller described performing for badly wounded soldiers. She did forty-eight shows for "broken soldiers," who were mostly lying on stretchers in the lobbies of hotels, watching as she entertained them. Yellin writes, "During her last show she collapsed and had to be taken home on an Army airplane." Afterwards, Miller described
1540-593: A large collection of Andrews Sisters memorabilia. Patty, Maxene, and LaVerne appeared in 17 Hollywood films. Their first picture, Argentine Nights , paired them with another enthusiastic trio, the Ritz Brothers . Universal Pictures , always budget-conscious, refused to hire a choreographer, so the Ritzes taught the sisters some eccentric steps. Thus, in Argentine Nights and the sisters' next film, Buck Privates ,
1650-470: A medley of Andrews Sisters hits for the Andrews Sisters Fan Club reunion. Lucy played LaVerne, Kim (Lucie Arnaz) played Maxene, and Craig (Desi Arnaz Jr.) played Bing Crosby . She also had a cameo as herself along with many other stars in the 1970 film The Phynx . Patty and Maxene's careers experienced a resurgence when Bette Midler covered " Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy " in 1973. The next year,
1760-606: A reported suicide attempt by Maxene in December 1954 put a halt to any further tours (Maxene spent a short time in the hospital after swallowing 18 sleeping pills, an occurrence that LaVerne told reporters was an accident). Maxene and LaVerne did appear together on The Red Skelton Show on October 26, 1954, singing the humorous "Why Do They Give the Solos to Patty" as well as lip-synching "Beer Barrel Polka" with Skelton in drag filling in for Patty. This however did not sit well with Patty, and
1870-538: A romantic relationship with Doris Day . She then married Walter Weschler, the trio's pianist, in 1951. Patty died of natural causes at her home in Northridge, California , on January 30, 2013, at the age of 94. Weschler, her husband of nearly 60 years, had died on August 28, 2010, at the age of 88. Joyce DeYoung Murray, who replaced LaVerne from late 1966 to 1968, died in March 2014 at the age of 87. The Andrews Sisters were
1980-900: A segment which featured animated characters Johnny Fedora and Alice Blue Bonnet ; and " Melody Time ", in the segment Little Toot (both of which are available on DVD today). The Andrews Sisters were the most sought-after singers in theater shows worldwide during the 1940s and early 1950s, always topping previous house averages. The trio headlined at the London Palladium in 1948 and 1951. They hosted their own radio shows for ABC and CBS from 1944 to 1951, singing specially written commercial jingles for such products as Wrigley's chewing gum , Dole pineapples, Nash motor cars, Kelvinator home appliances, Campbell's soups, and Franco-American food products. The western-themed "The Andrews Sisters' Show" (subtitled "Eight-to-the-Bar Ranch"), co-hosted by Gabby Hayes, began in 1944 and featured
2090-623: A series of stereo albums until 1967, both re-recordings of earlier hits which incorporated up-to-date production techniques as well as new material, including " I Left My Heart in San Francisco ", " Still ", " The End of the World ", " Puff the Magic Dragon ", " Sailor ", " Satin Doll ", " Mr. Bass Man ", the theme from Come September , and the theme from A Man and a Woman . They toured extensively during
2200-409: A special guest every week. They recorded 47 songs with crooner Bing Crosby , 23 of which charted on Billboard , thus making the team one of the most successful pairings of acts in a recording studio in show business history. Their million-sellers with Crosby included " Pistol Packin' Mama ", " Don't Fence Me In ", " South America, Take It Away ", and " Jingle Bells ". The sisters' popularity
2310-493: A star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame , even singing a few bars of " Beer Barrel Polka " for the Entertainment Tonight cameras. The 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake had shaken the area that morning and the ceremony was nearly cancelled, which caused Patty to joke, "Some people said that earthquake this morning was LaVerne because she couldn't be here, but really it was just Maxene and me on the telephone." Besides this, and
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#17328584971702420-557: A veteran who asked her to sign a photo he took of her performing in Vietnam. Although the book's publishing representative for the signing event would not allow her to sign anything other than her book, the veteran's wife recalls: She took one look at the photo, tears welled up in her eyes, and she said, 'This is one of my gentlemen from Viet Nam and I most certainly will sign his photo. I know what these men did for their country and I always have time for 'my gentlemen.' In November–December 1968
2530-488: A welcome retreat for servicemen where the trio often performed, volunteering their personal time to sing and dance for the soldiers, sailors, and Marines (they did the same at New York City 's Stage Door Canteen during the war). While touring, they often treated three random servicemen to dinner when they were dining out. They recorded a series of Victory Discs ( V-Discs ) for distribution to Allied fighting forces only, again volunteering their time for studio sessions for
2640-575: A year, and its end marked the last time the sisters would ever sing together. Patty continually distanced herself from Maxene, until her death, and would not explain her motives regarding the separation. Maxene appealed to Patty for a reunion, personally if not professionally, both in public and in private, but to no avail. Maxene suffered a serious heart attack while performing in Illinois in 1982 and underwent quadruple bypass surgery , from which she successfully recovered. Patty visited her sister while she
2750-512: Is congressionally chartered , it is not a government agency. Founded during World War II , the USO sought to be the GI 's "home away from home" and began a tradition of entertaining the troops and providing social facilities. Involvement in the USO was one of the many ways in which the nation had come together to support the war effort, with nearly 1.5 million people having volunteered their services in some way. The USO initially disbanded in 1947, but
2860-515: Is not good for morale as it implies that there are no showers or other comforts for soldiers in military camps." The film starred Ronald Reagan , then a captain in the Army Air Force . Fundraising was also aided by non-USO entertainment groups. Soldier Shows, which troops – often experienced actors and musicians – organized and held their own performances, were common. The army formed a Special Services unit that organized such shows and supervised
2970-756: The Army Emergency Relief Fund. The following year the show was made into a film by the same title, again starring Ronald Reagan. The This Is The Army stage production toured worldwide until it closed in October 1945 in Honolulu . The USO was also supported by the National War Fund . War correspondent Quentin Reynolds , wrote in an article for Billboard magazine in 1943, that "Entertainment, all phases of it – radio, pictures and live – should be treated as essential. You don't know what entertainment means to
3080-489: The Boswell Sisters , who had been popular until their breakup in 1936. After singing with various dance bands and touring in vaudeville with Leon Belasco (and his orchestra) and comic bandleader Larry Rich, they first came to national attention with their recordings and radio broadcasts in 1937, most notably via their major Decca record hit, " Bei Mir Bist Du Schön " (translation: "To Me, You Are Beautiful"), originally
3190-615: The Mantan Moreland & Ben Carter duo. One female entertainer wrote about conditions while performing: We've played to audiences, many of them ankle deep in mud, huddled under the ponchos in the pouring rain (it breaks your heart the first two or three times to see men so hungry for entertainment.) We've played on uncovered stages, when we, as well as the audience, got rain-soaked. We've played with huge tropical bugs flying in our hair and faces; we've played to audiences of thousands of men, audiences spreading from our very feet to far up
3300-702: The United States Marine Corps and elements of the United States Sixth Fleet which operated out of the Mediterranean Sea . Carrying on a tradition he had begun in World War II of spending Christmas with U.S. forces overseas, Bob Hope and his troupe of entertainers gave a show on board the battleship USS New Jersey on December 24, 1983. Four hundred Marines stationed in Beirut attended
3410-418: The swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews (1911–1967), soprano Maxene Anglyn Andrews (1916–1995), and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie Andrews (1918–2013). The sisters have sold an estimated 80 million records. Their 1941 hit " Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy " can be considered an early example of jump blues . Other songs closely associated with
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3520-608: The 1930s to the 1950s, was one such example. Most of the Andrews Sisters' music has been restored and released in compact disc form. Over 300 of their original Decca recordings, a good portion of which was hit material, has yet to be released by MCA /Decca. Many of their Decca recordings have been used in such television shows and Hollywood movies as Homefront , ER , Agent Carter , The Brink's Job , National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation , Swing Shift , Raggedy Man , Summer of '42 , Slaughterhouse-Five , Maria's Lovers , Harlem Nights , In Dreams , Murder in
3630-544: The 1960s, favoring top nightclubs in Las Vegas , California , and London, England . Eldest sister LaVerne died in 1967 at the age of 55 after a year-long bout with cancer , during which she was replaced by singer Joyce DeYoung (May 24, 1926 – March 7, 2014). DeYoung fulfilled concert appearances, including an appearance on The Dean Martin Show on November 30, 1967, but she did not record with Patty and Maxene. LaVerne had founded
3740-640: The Andrews Sisters and their songs in the same way the Allied Forces adopted Lili Marlene ." Along with Bing Crosby , separately and jointly, The Andrews Sisters were among the performers who incorporated ethnic music styles into America's Hit Parade , popularizing or enhancing the popularity of songs with melodies originating in Brazil , Czechoslovakia , France , Ireland , Israel , Italy , Mexico , Russia , Spain , Sweden and Trinidad , many of which their manager chose for them. The Andrews Sisters became
3850-606: The Andrews Sisters dance like the Ritz Brothers. Buck Privates , with Abbott and Costello , featured the Andrews Sisters' best-known song, " Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy ." This Don Raye - Hughie Prince composition was nominated for Best Song at the 1941 Academy Awards ceremony. Universal hired the sisters for two more Abbott and Costello comedies and then promoted them to full-fledged stardom in B musicals. What's Cookin'? , Private Buckaroo , Give Out, Sisters (in which they disguise themselves as old women as part of
3960-730: The Andrews Sisters include their first major hit, " Bei Mir Bist Du Schön (Means That You're Grand) " (1937), " Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out the Barrel)" (1939), " Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar " (1940), " Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (with Anyone Else but Me) " (1942), and " Rum and Coca-Cola " (1945), which helped introduce American audiences to calypso . The Andrews Sisters' harmonies and songs are still influential today and have been copied and recorded by entertainers such as Patti Page , Bette Midler , Christina Aguilera , Pentatonix , and others. The group
4070-822: The Apple Tree (with Anyone Else but Me) ", " A Hot Time In the Town of Berlin " and " Rum and Coca-Cola ". The sisters performed their hits in service comedy films, such as Buck Privates and Private Buckaroo . During the war, they entertained the Allied forces extensively in Africa and Italy , as well as in the U.S., visiting Army , Navy , Marine , and Coast Guard bases, war zones, hospitals , and munitions factories. They encouraged U.S. citizens to purchase war bonds with their rendition of Irving Berlin 's song " Any Bonds Today? ". They also helped actress Bette Davis and actor John Garfield found California 's famous Hollywood Canteen ,
4180-566: The Dean of Women at Tahoe Paradise College, teaching acting, drama, and speech, and working with troubled teens; and Patty was once again eager to be a soloist . In 1969, Patty appeared in Lucille Ball 's third series Here's Lucy , in the sixth episode of the second season, titled "Lucy and the Andrews Sisters". The episode has Patty enlisting the help of Lucy, her daughter Kim (played by Lucie Arnaz ), and her son Craig ( Desi Arnaz Jr. ) to perform
4290-705: The First , L.A. Confidential , American Horror Story , Just Shoot Me , Gilmore Girls , Mama's Family , War and Remembrance , Jakob the Liar , Lolita , The Polar Express , The Chronicles of Narnia , Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front , Memoirs of a Geisha , and Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!) . Comical references to the trio in television sitcoms can be found as early as I Love Lucy and as recently as Everybody Loves Raymond . In 2007, their version of " Bei Mir Bist Du Schön "
4400-477: The First World War. Roosevelt said he wanted "these private organizations to handle the on-leave recreation of the men in the armed forces." According to historian Emily Yellin, "The government was to build the buildings and the USO was to raise private funds to carry out its main mission: boosting the morale of the military." The first national campaign chairman was Thomas Dewey , who raised $ 16 million in
4510-445: The G.I.s in the USO audiences "tended to see these women in a different light – as reminders of and even substitutes for their girls back home, as a reward for fighting the war, as embodiments of what they were fighting for." Edward Skvarna remembers 1943, when he met Donna Reed at a USO canteen and asked her to dance. "I had never danced with a celebrity before, so I felt delighted, privileged even, to meet her. ... But I really felt she
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4620-621: The Music Branch, Special Service Division, of the Army Service Forces, and they were dubbed the "Sweethearts of the Armed Forces Radio Service " for their many appearances on shows such as "Command Performance", " Mail Call ", and " G.I. Journal." The sisters' 1945 hit " Rum and Coca-Cola " became one of their most popular and best-known recordings, but also inspired some controversy. Some radio stations were reluctant to play
4730-451: The Rat Pack. George Peppard, successful star of stage, TV and motion pictures, arrived in Vietnam for a USO HANDSHAKE TOUR in 1970 to visit the military in the hospitals and out in the "boonies."... He showed a keen interest in the men's mission while they were hungry for news of life back in the "World."... Polaroid pictures were taken by Mr. Peppard's escort officer, autographed, and given to
4840-622: The Sig Sakowitz troop from Chicago performed over 36 shows in South Vietnam with the USO in: Pleiku, Dalat, Danang, Cam Ran Bay, Phu Bai, Phu Loy, Hue, Natrang, Tan Son Nhut Airbase, Saigon and places in the boonies known only to military intelligence and the lonely soldiers yearning for a taste of home. The troop consisted of Doublemint Twins Terrie and Jennie Frankel, Gaslight Club singer Sara Sue, Comedian Tony Diamond and personality Sig Sakowitz. Shows were also performed with comedian Joey Bishop of
4950-568: The USO had more than 3,000 clubs, and curtains were rising on USO shows 700 times a day. The USO's fundraising efforts were controversial. An MGM film, Mr. Gardenia Jones , created to assist the USO in its fundraising campaign, was nearly withdrawn from theaters due to objections by the War Department, mainly because of scenes showing soldiers jumping with joy at the opportunity to shower in canteens and rest in overstuffed and comfortable USO chairs. The Army, noted The New York Times , "feels this
5060-578: The USO maintains over 200 locations in 27 U.S. states and 13 foreign countries. During a gala marking the USO's 75th anniversary in 2016, retired Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. , the chairman of the USO Board of Governors, estimated that the USO has served more than 35 million Americans over its history. The USO was founded on February 4, 1941 by Mary Ingraham in response to a request from President Franklin D. Roosevelt to provide morale and recreation services to U.S. uniformed military personnel. Roosevelt
5170-564: The USO providing services somewhere in Korea. At home or overseas, in 1952 it was serving 3.5 million in the armed forces using much the same methods of operation as it did in World War II. Many stars, both well-known and new, came to perform, including Bob Hope , Errol Flynn , Debbie Reynolds , Piper Laurie , Jane Russell , Paul Douglas , Terry Moore , Marilyn Monroe , Danny Kaye , Rory Calhoun , Mickey Rooney , Linda Coleman, Al Jolson , Pérez Prado , Evita Muñoz and many others. Jolson
5280-581: The USO was disbanded, due partly to lack of funds. In 1951, when the United States entered the Korean War, Secretary of Defense George Marshall and Secretary of the Navy Francis P. Matthews requested that the USO be reactivated "to provide support for the men and women of the armed forces with help of the American people." According to war historian Paul Edwards, between 1952 and 1953, not a day went by without
5390-577: The USO, and the experience from the Soldier Shows led to Irving Berlin 's Broadway show This Is the Army . Performers and writers from throughout the army were recruited for the production; they remained soldiers and continued drills. Berlin, who had written and produced the similar Yip, Yip, Yaphank during World War I, took the entire 165-person cast on tour in Europe in 1942, raising nearly $ 10 million for
5500-512: The USO. During his show, he said, "This is the most privileged moment of my life, the opportunity to be here with you." The following month, Camp Shows began in Normandy. Until fall 1944 overseas units contained five performers or fewer; The Barretts of Wimpole Street , using local theaters in France and Italy, was the first to use an entire theater company, including scenery. At its high point in 1944,
5610-592: The United States. Overseas shows began in November 1941 with a tour of the Caribbean. From Laurel and Hardy Central : The Flying Showboat, was the first revue. The troupe of show business professionals toured U.S. military bases in the Caribbean. It included comedians Chico Marx , Laurel and Hardy , singer Jane Pickens, dancer Ray Bolger , and actor John Garfield , who acted as master of ceremonies. These stars performed under some extremely trying conditions, as
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#17328584971705720-522: The armed services in their Stage Door Canteens. Funds from the sale of film rights for a story about the New York Canteen went toward providing USO tours of shows for overseas troops. Following the Invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, Edward G. Robinson was the first movie star to travel to Normandy to entertain the troops. He had already been active back home selling war bonds, and donated $ 100,000 to
5830-620: The biggest enterprise American show business has ever tackled. The audience was millions of American fighting men, the theatre's location: the world, the producer: USO camp shows" Performances continued after the end of the war in 1945. 60 new units went to Europe after V-E Day , and 91 new units went to the Pacific after V-J Day . The USO dissolved in December 1947, after having spent $ 240 million in contributions on Camp Shows, canteens, and other services. Special Services productions grew in number as replacement. In 1991, 20th Century Fox produced
5940-597: The carousel and we each got the ring and I was satisfied with that. There's nothing I would do to change things if I could...Yes, I would. I wish I had the ability and the power to bridge the gap between my relationship with my sister, Patty. Upon hearing the news of her sister's death, Patty became distraught. Several days later, Patty's husband Wally fell down a flight of stairs and broke both wrists. Patty did not attend her sister's memorial services in New York City , nor in California . Bob Hope said of Maxene's death, "She
6050-417: The charts, and older artists were left by the wayside. The sisters recorded a dozen singles through 1959, some of which attempted to keep up with the times by incorporating rock sounds. None of these achieved any major success. In addition, they produced three hi-fi albums, including a vibrant LP of songs from the dancing 1920s with Billy May 's orchestra. In 1962, they signed with Dot Records and recorded
6160-428: The clubs. According to Westheider, "The young women wore miniskirts – no slacks were allowed." Each club had a snack bar, gift shops, a barbershop, photo developing, overseas phone lines, and hot showers. When providing entertainment, the USO did its best to attract known stars from back home to help relieve the stresses of war. Senator John Kerry recalled how important this kind of diversion would become. He remembered
6270-452: The copyright issue or of the implications of the lyrics. An ad in the 1951 'Radio Annual' showed photos of the Andrews as children, as contemporary singers, and as old women in the then-future year of 1975, although the act would not make it that long. In the 1950s, Patty Andrews decided to break away from the act to be a soloist. She had married the trio's pianist, Walter Weschler, who became
6380-415: The critical acclaim her sister had for her performances, even though Patty was considered to be the "star" of the group for years. The critics' major complaint was that Patty's show concentrated too much on Andrews Sisters material, which did not allow Patty's own talents as an expressive and bluesy vocalist to shine through. The two sisters did reunite, albeit briefly, on October 1, 1987, when they received
6490-487: The desegregation of USOs had begun during World War II, and it finally paid off." Women were also key entertainers who performed at shows. Stars such as Marlene Dietrich , Judy Garland , Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth had traveled over a million miles. Yellin notes that on one tour, Hayworth visited six camps, gave thousands of autographs, and "came back from Texas with a full-fledged nervous breakdown from over-enthusiasm!" Opera singer Lily Pons , after she had performed
6600-401: The experience: We went from ward to ward to ward, singing and dancing and trying to boost the morale of these men. It was just hell. ... I just fell apart and I think the shock of seeing those men with their arms and legs blown off – it was just frightening. But when you do it, you do it. You try to help them, try to sing and dance. You try to keep their spirits up. It's heartbreaking. In 1947,
6710-485: The film For the Boys , which told the story of two USO performers, and starred Bette Midler and James Caan . It covered a 50-year timespan, from the USO's inception in 1941 through Operation Desert Storm , in 1991. Another movie was planned in 1950 but never made. Just 10 days after Al Jolson returned from entertaining troops in Korea, he agreed with RKO producers to star in a new movie, Stars and Stripes for Ever , about
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#17328584971706820-625: The finest talents Hollywood had to offer. Within five months 36 overseas units had been sent within the Americas, the United Kingdom, and Australia, and during 1942 1,000 performed as part of 70 units. Average performers were paid $ 100 a week; top stars were paid $ 10 a day because their wealth let them contribute more of their talents. These overseas shows were produced by the American Theatre Wing, which also provided food and entertainment for
6930-699: The first USO club opened in Saigon in April 1963. The 23 centers in Vietnam and Thailand served as many as a million service members a month, and the USO presented more than 5,000 performances during the Vietnam War featuring stars such as John Wayne , Ann-Margret , Sammy Davis Jr. , Raymond Burr , Phyllis Diller , Martha Raye , Joey Heatherton , Wayne Newton , Jayne Mansfield , Redd Foxx , Rosey Grier , Anita Bryant , Nancy Sinatra , Jimmy Hawkins , Jimmy Boyd , Lola Falana , George Peppard and Bob Hope . Philip Ahn ,
7040-452: The first actor of Korean descent to become a Hollywood star, became the first Asian American USO performer to entertain troops in Vietnam. In addition, the USO operated centers at major U.S. airports to provide a lounge and place to sleep for American servicemen between their flights. Vietnam historian James Westheider noted that the USO "tried to bring a little America to Vietnam." Volunteer American civilians, who did 18-month tours, staffed
7150-516: The first year. The second chairman was future senator Prescott Bush . The USO was incorporated in New York on February 4, with the first facility erected in DeRidder, Louisiana, 1941. More USO centers and clubs opened around the world as a "Home Away from Home" for GIs . The USO club was a place to go for dances and social events, for movies and music, for a quiet place to talk or write a letter home, or for
7260-592: The group's manager and demanded more money for Patty. When Maxene and LaVerne learned of Patty's decision from newspaper gossip columns rather than from their own sister, it caused a bitter two-year separation, especially when Patty sued LaVerne for a larger share of their parents' estate. Patty attributed the breakup to the deaths of their parents: "We had been together nearly all our lives," Patty explained in 1971. "Then in one year our dream world ended. Our mother died (in 1948) and then our father (in 1949). All three of us were upset, and we were at each other's throats all
7370-734: The group, was 7 when the trio was formed, and 12 when they won first prize at a talent contest at the local Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis , where LaVerne played piano accompaniment for the silent film showings in exchange for dancing lessons for her and her sisters. Following the collapse of their father's Minneapolis restaurant, the sisters went on the road to support the family. All three attended Franklin Junior High School and North High School , both in Minneapolis. They started their career as imitators of an earlier successful singing group,
7480-472: The guys who do the fighting until you've been up there with the men yourself. ... You can quote me as saying that we should use entertainment as an essential industry so long as it's for the boys in service. Anybody who has been there would insist on it. ... Hell, you should have seen how happy the G.I.s were when they heard the ballplayers were coming over. And John Steinbeck , just back from a chore as war correspondent, ... also applauded show business as part of
7590-403: The leads. It launched the careers of many now notable theater, film, and television stars, including John Travolta , Marilu Henner , Treat Williams , and Ann Reinking . It was the last major tour for the sisters and was cut short owing to a conflict with the show's producers over pay for the sisters, resulting in the cancellation of an extensively scheduled road tour. Over Here! lasted only
7700-519: The men could forget they were soldiers at war. After the show, they returned to the fighting in the hills. Some in that audience never made it back." By the end of the war, over 113,000 American USO volunteers were working at 294 centers at home and abroad. And 126 units had given 5,422 performances to servicemen in Korea and the wounded in Japan. The USO was in Vietnam before the first combat troops arrived, with
7810-399: The men. In 1983, a bloody civil war was raging in Lebanon. In an effort to stop the violence in the region a Multinational Force of peacekeepers composed largely of U.S., Italian and French armed service members was created and sent to the region to attempt a restoration of order. As part of the multinational force the United States mobilized an expeditionary force composed of members of
7920-877: The most imitated of all female singing groups and influenced many artists, including Mel Tormé , Les Paul and Mary Ford , the Four Freshmen , the Supremes , the Beach Boys , the McGuire Sisters , the Lennon Sisters , the Pointer Sisters , the Manhattan Transfer , Barry Manilow , and Bette Midler . Their style was even emulated internationally; the Harmony Sisters, a popular Finland group that performed from
8030-406: The original group and often acted as the peacemaker among the three during the sisters' lives, more often siding with her parents, to whom the girls were extremely devoted, than with either of her sisters. Their last appearance together as a trio was on The Dean Martin Show on September 29, 1966. After LaVerne died, Maxene and Patty continued to perform periodically until 1968, when Maxene became
8140-401: The other titillating personalities who would have made us feel so at home hung around us for a while until we saw three Chinook helicopters take off from the field and presumed that our dreams had gone with them." But for GIs who saw the show, it was worth it: "We turned to watch Ann perform, and for about two minutes of American beauty, the war was forgotten. Everyone fully understood just what
8250-601: The pair debuted on Broadway in the Sherman Brothers ' nostalgic World War II musical : Over Here! , which premiered at the Shubert Theatre to rave reviews. This was a follow-up to Patty's success in Victory Canteen , a 1971 California revue. Over Here! starred Maxene and Patty (with Janie Sell filling in for LaVerne and winning a Tony Award for her performance) and was written with both sisters in mind for
8360-444: The record because it mentioned a commercial product by name, and because the lyrics were subtly suggestive of local women prostituting themselves to U.S. servicemen serving at the naval base on Trinidad . The song was based on a Trinidadian calypso , and a dispute over its provenance led to a well-publicized court case. The sisters later told biographers that they were asked to record the tune on short notice and were unaware either of
8470-536: The recording studios, producing Top 10 hits with the likes of Bing Crosby (the only recording artist of the 1940s to sell more records than The Andrews Sisters), Danny Kaye , Dick Haymes , Carmen Miranda , Al Jolson , Ray McKinley , Burl Ives , Ernest Tubb , Red Foley , Dan Dailey , Alfred Apaka , and Les Paul . In personal appearances, on radio and on television, they sang with everyone from Rudy Vallee , Judy Garland , and Nat "King" Cole , to Jimmie Rodgers , Andy Williams , and The Supremes . Some of
8580-426: The show by going to the microphone, looking at his large audience, and shouting, "Who's holding back the enemy?" The GIs roared with laughter. We were thrilled to have Kaye and his entertainers in our area. We especially liked the young women in the show. Danny was okay, with his stories and jokes, but after all, we knew what American men looked like. Author Linda Granfield in describing the show, writes, "For two hours,
8690-499: The show was June 21, 2009, in their summer vacation enclave of Mound, Minnesota. In 2008, Mound dedicated "The Andrews Sisters Trail". The sisters spent summers in Mound with their uncles Pete and Ed Solie, who had a grocery store there. Maxene Andrews always said that the summers in Mound created a major sense of "normalcy" and "a wonderful childhood" in a life that otherwise centered on the sisters' careers. The Westonka Historical Society has
8800-507: The show. United States Armed Forces Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.226 via cp1108 cp1108, Varnish XID 763401303 Upstream caches: cp1108 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Fri, 29 Nov 2024 05:34:57 GMT Maxene Andrews The Andrews Sisters were an American close harmony singing group of
8910-402: The sisters specialized in traditional pop , swing , boogie-woogie , and novelty hits with their trademark lightning-quick vocal syncopations, they also produced major hits in jazz , ballads , folk , country , seasonal, and religious titles, being the first Decca artists to record an album of gospel standards in 1950. Their versatility allowed them to pair with many different artists in
9020-434: The song " Pistol Packin' Mama ", where the sisters perform a duet with Bing Crosby . The sisters were again featured in a Fallout game in 2015, when their songs "Pistol Packin' Mama" and "Civilization" were featured in the game Fallout 4 . Christina Aguilera used the Andrews Sisters' "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" to inspire her song " Candyman " (released as a single in 2007) from her hit album Back to Basics . The song
9130-599: The song was originally a Yiddish song " Bei Mir Bistu Shein ", and had been popularized within the Jewish community before it was recorded as a more successful "cover" version by the Andrews sisters. Edward Habib in the CD program notes for Songs That Won the War Vol. 2 The Hollywood Canteen states that the Andrews Sisters' radio transcription of Elmer's Tune was "so popular it even played on German radio," noting that "the opposition embraced
9240-495: The songs, the dances, and the laughs they had back home." USO promotional literature stated its goals: The story of USO camp shows belongs to the American people, for it was their contribution that made it possible. It is an important part in the life of your sons, your brothers, your husbands, and your sweethearts. In 2011, the USO was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama "for contributions to lifting
9350-421: The spirits of America's troops and their families through the arts". After being formed in 1941, in response to World War II, "centers were established quickly ... in churches, barns, railroad cars, museums, castles, beach clubs, and log cabins." Most centers offered recreational activities, such as holding dances and showing movies. And there were the well-known free coffee and doughnuts. Some USO centers provided
9460-457: The time, stated, "For the little time the show lasts, the men are taken straight to the familiar Main Street that is the goal of every fighting American far away from home." Maxene Andrews wrote, "The entertainment brought home to the boys. Their home." Actor George Raft stated at the beginning of the war, "Now it's going to be up to us to send to the men here and abroad real, living entertainment,
9570-458: The time." In 1951, they recorded " The Windmill Song " which is an adaptation of the French song "Maître Pierre" written in 1948 by Henri Betti (music) and Jacques Plante (lyrics). The English lyrics were written by Mitchell Parish . The Andrews Sisters formally broke up in 1953. Maxene and LaVerne tried to continue the act as a duo and met with good press during a 10-day tour of Australia , but
9680-404: The tours made a "deep impression" on the stars as well. Singer and actress Connie Stevens remembered her 1969 tour with Bob Hope, when she decided to go despite the fact she had two children both under the age of two. Today, she claims that "veterans were still stopping her and thanking her for visiting Vietnam over 30 years later." Similarly, Ann-Margret during a book signing was approached by
9790-484: The trio's late-1930s recordings have noticeable Boswell Sisters vocal influences. LaVerne Andrews married Lou Rogers, a trumpet player in Vic Schoen 's band, in 1948. The two remained together until LaVerne's death from liver cancer on May 8, 1967, at the age of 55. Lou died in 1995. Maxene Andrews married music publisher Lou Levy in 1941, separating in 1949. They adopted a girl and a boy, Aleda Ann and Peter. Levy
9900-477: The troops. She later married the co-pilot who saved her life in that crash, and her story was made into the 1952 film With a Song in My Heart , with Froman providing the actual singing voice. Others, such as Al Jolson , the first entertainer to go overseas in World War II, contracted malaria , resulting in the loss of his lung, cutting short his tour. One author wrote that by the end of the war "the USO amounted to
10010-419: The troops. USO historian Julia Carson writes that this "nostalgic hour," designed to cheer and comfort soldiers, involved "listening to music – American style" and "looking at pretty girls, like no other pretty girls in the world – American girls." African-American women scrambled to rally the community around the soldiers and create programs for them. By 1946, hostesses had served more than two thousand soldiers
10120-492: The war effort and its importance as a morale builder." According to historian Paul Holsinger, between 1941 and 1945, the USO did 293,738 performances in 208,178 separate visits. Estimates were that more than 161 million servicemen and women, in the U.S. and abroad, were entertained. The USO also did shows in military hospitals, eventually entertaining more than 3 million wounded soldiers and sailors in 192 different hospitals. There were 702 different USO troupes that toured
10230-462: The weather was brutally hot and many of the camps were not equipped to host theatrical performances. Chico, whose "shoot the keys" piano solos were the heart of his act, often had to do without a piano at all. Thankfully, Laurel and Hardy's Driver's License sketch needed only a few simple props. In any event, even the most ramshackle shows brought loud cheers from the troops, overjoyed that anybody had come to perform for them, let alone some of
10340-577: The world, some spending up to six months per tour. In 1943, a United States Liberty ship named the SS U.S.O. was launched. She was scrapped in 1967. Twenty-eight performers died in the course of their tours, from plane crashes, illness, or diseases contracted while on tour. In one such instance in 1943, a plane carrying a USO troupe crashed outside Lisbon , killing singer and actress Tamara Drasin , and severely injuring Broadway singer Jane Froman . Froman returned to Europe on crutches in 1945 to again entertain
10450-471: The years just before and during World War II , the Andrews Sisters were at the height of their popularity, and the group still tends to be associated in the public's mind with the war years. They had numerous hit records during these years, both on their own and in collaboration with fellow Decca Records artist Bing Crosby . Some of these hits had service or military related themes, including " Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy ", "Three Little Sisters", " Don't Sit Under
10560-622: The zany plot) and Moonlight and Cactus were among the team's popular full-length films. The Andrews Sisters sing the title song as the opening credits roll and also perform two specialty numbers in the all-star revue Hollywood Canteen (1944). They can be seen singing "You Don't Have to Know the Language" with Bing Crosby in Paramount's Road to Rio with Bob Hope , that year's highest-grossing movie. Their singing voices are heard in two full-length Walt Disney features: " Make Mine Music ", in
10670-455: Was Greek and his wife was of Norwegian ancestry raised in the Lutheran faith. The Sollie family disapproved of Olga's marriage, but the relationship was repaired once their first child, LaVerne, was born July 6, 1911. Their second daughter, Anglyn, died at eight months of age on March 16, 1914. Maxene arrived on January 3, 1916, and Patty was born February 16, 1918. Patty, the lead singer of
10780-660: Was among the inaugural inductees to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame upon its opening in 1998. Writing for Bloomberg , Mark Schoifet said the sisters became the most popular female vocal group of the first half of the 20th century. They are still widely acclaimed today for their famous close harmonies. They were inducted into the Minnesota Rock/Country Hall of Fame in May 2006. The sisters were born to Olga "Ollie" (née Sollie) and Peter Andreas. Peter Andreas (later "Andrews")
10890-630: Was co-written by Linda Perry . The London-based trio the Puppini Sisters uses their style harmonies on several Andrews Sisters and other hits of the 1940s and 1950s as well as later rock and disco hits. The trio has said their name is a tribute to The Andrews Sisters. The National WW2 Museum's Victory Belles are proud to pay tribute to the Andrews Sisters performing their music daily in the Stage Door Canteen in New Orleans . The Manhattan Dolls,
11000-405: Was eager to show its patriotism, and many celebrities joined the ranks of USO entertainers. They went as volunteers to entertain, and celebrities continue to provide volunteer entertainment in military bases in the U.S. and overseas, sometimes placing their own lives in danger by traveling or performing under hazardous conditions. In 2011, the USO was awarded the National Medal of Arts . Currently,
11110-547: Was elected as its honorary chairman. This request brought together six civilian organizations: the Salvation Army , YMCA , Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), National Catholic Community Service , National Travelers Aid Association and the National Jewish Welfare Board . They were brought together under one umbrella to support U.S. troops, as opposed to operating independently as some had done during
11220-429: Was hospitalized. Now sometimes appearing as "Patti" (but still signing autographs as "Patty"), she re-emerged in the late 1970s as a regular panelist on The Gong Show . Maxene had a successful comeback as a cabaret soloist in 1979 and toured worldwide for the next 15 years, recording a solo album in 1985 entitled "Maxene: An Andrews Sister" for Bainbridge Records. Patty started her own solo act in 1980 but did not receive
11330-486: Was included in the game BioShock , a first-person shooter that takes place in an alternate history 1960, and later in 2008, their song "Civilization" (with Danny Kaye ) was included in the Atomic Age -inspired video game Fallout 3 . The 2010 video game Mafia II features numerous Andrews Sisters songs, with "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", " Strip Polka " and "Rum and Coca-Cola". The 2011 video game L.A. Noire features
11440-526: Was like a girl from back home." Jay Fultz, author of a biography of Reed, states that soldiers "often wrote to her as if to a sister or the girl next door, confiding moments of homesickness, loneliness, privation and anxiety." Like much of American society and its World War II military, USOs were segregated. In Riverside, California a Negro USO was established to serve the March Field service population. Celebrities visiting this USO included Clarence Muse and
11550-684: Was more than part of The Andrews Sisters, much more than a singer. She was a warm and wonderful lady who shared her talent and wisdom with others." They found instant appeal with teenagers and young adults who were engrossed in the swing and jazz idioms, especially when they performed with nearly all of the major big bands , including those led by Glenn Miller , Benny Goodman , Buddy Rich , Tommy Dorsey , Jimmy Dorsey , Gene Krupa , Joe Venuti , Freddie Slack , Eddie Heywood , Bob Crosby (Bing's brother), Desi Arnaz , Guy Lombardo , Les Brown , Bunny Berigan , Xavier Cugat , Paul Whiteman , Ted Lewis , Nelson Riddle , and Gordon Jenkins . While
11660-500: Was really worth fighting for. ... The show was fantastic, but the escape the Bob Hope tour provided us in expectation for days before, and after, helped us keep in touch with what we were there for – God, Country, apple pie ... and Ann-Margret!" The visits by the stars meant a lot to the men and women in Vietnam. "It was not just the entertainment; it meant that they were not forgotten that far away from home," writes Westheider. He adds that
11770-463: Was revived in 1950 for the Korean War , after which it continued, also providing peacetime services. During the Vietnam War , USO social facilities ("USOs") were sometimes located in combat zones. The organization became particularly known for its live performances, called "camp shows", through which the entertainment industry helps boost the morale of servicemen and women. In the early days, Hollywood
11880-492: Was such that after the war they discovered that some of their records had actually been smuggled into Germany after the labels had been changed to read " Hitler 's Marching Songs". Their recording of Bei Mir Bist Du Schön became a favorite of the Nazis , until it was discovered that the song's composers were of Jewish descent. Still, it did not stop concentration camp inmates from secretly singing it, this being most likely since
11990-464: Was the first to volunteer, but due to lack of USO funds traveled to Korea at his own expense (he was also the first to entertain troops during World War II). Veterans have recalled many of the USOs events, sometimes in vivid detail: On that cold, overcast day, there were more than five thousand troops in the audience. They sat on the ground or up on the hillside. When everyone was settled, Danny Kaye opened
12100-504: Was the sisters' manager from 1937 to 1951. Later in life, according to her adopted daughter, Maxene entered a thirteen-year relationship with her manager Lynda Wells and they later spent many years as life partners. "To me, being gay was not a central focus of Maxene's life at all," Wells told radio station The Current ( KCMP ) in a 2019 interview. "Her art was. Her singing was." But Wells says that their status as companions, and Maxene's health issues as she got older, led Maxene to adopt her as
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