Back to Golden Days

Three of my greatest passions are writing, history and the Old Hollywood era. When I created Back to Golden Days almost 11 years ago, I wanted to share my love for the films and stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, hoping to find people with the same interests. Learning more about this fascinating period of time and having people taking the time to read my articles has been an absolute joy.   Another one of my biggest passions is World War II. I have been completely fascinated by it ever since I learned about it in history class when I was in 9th grade. On this blog, I have written about some male actors who served in the armed forces and actually saw combat during World War, as well as some of the contributions made to the war effort on the homefront, such as the creation of the Hollywood Canteen . But I wanted to learn more, and I wanted to write more. So, I decided to start a new blog, which I named  Hollywood at War , where I will be writing about Hollywood during...

On December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy led a surprise military strike against the American naval base stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  Commencing at 7:48 a.m. Hawaiian Time, the attack was carried out by 353 Japanese fighter planes, bombers and torpedo planes in two waves, launching from six aircraft carriers. All eight U.S. Navy battleships stationed at the base were damaged, with four sunk. All but the USS Arizona , which exploded beyond repair after being hit by four armour-piercing bombs, were later raised, and six were returned to service for the remainder of the war. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship, and one minelayer. In addition, 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed, 2,430 Americans were killed, and 1,178 others were wounded. The following day, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared war against Japan, which fully plunged the United States into World War II. After the attack on Pea...

On December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy led a surprise military strike against the American naval base stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The following day, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared war against Japan, which fully plunged the United States into World War II. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, thousands of American men enlisted in the various branches of the armed forces to help their country in the fight against the Axis Powers. Some of these men were established Hollywood actors, while others became recognizable movie stars in the post-war period. Here are five (more) male actors who served in World War II before or after they became famous. Walter Matthau (1920-2000) | United States Army Air Forces, 1942-1945 Matthau enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1942 and was assigned as a radio operator and gunner with the Eighth Air Force. In 1943, he was shipped out to England and was stationed at RAF Old Buckenham in Norfolk, where he served with the 453rd Bomb...

On December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy led a surprise military strike against the American naval base stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The following day, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared war against Japan, which fully plunged the United States into World War II. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, thousands of American men enlisted in the various branches of the armed forces to help their country in the fight against the Axis Powers. Some of these men were established Hollywood actors, while others became recognizable movie stars in the post-war period. Here are five male actors who served in World War II before they were famous.   Paul Newman (1925-2008) | United States Navy, 1943-1946 After graduating from high school in June 1943, Newman volunteered for the U.S. Navy and enrolled in the V-12 pilot training programme at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut. When his colourblindess was discovered, he was sent to a traditional boot camp in Newport, Rhode ...

On May 8, 1945, Nazi Germany signed the unconditional surrender of the Wehrmacht, thus ending World War II in Europe. The event came to be known as VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) and is celebrated every year in several European countries. Due to time differences, several former Soviet republics, including Russia and Belarus, celebrate VE Day on May 9. At the outbreak of the war, thousands of men from all Allied nations enlisted in the armed forces to join in the fight against the Axis Powers. Some of them were established Hollywood stars, who decided to put their careers on hold to serve their country in its time of need. Others were young men who became screen legends after the conflict. Here are 5 (more) male actors who served in World War II, before and after they were famous. Robert Montgomery (1904-1981) | United States Navy, 1941-1946 After World War II broke out in Europe, Montgomery volunteered his services as an ambulance driver with the American Field Service, moving wounded ...

When the United States entered World War II, so did Hollywood. Studios began churning out films that emphasized patriotism and a large contingent of male stars sacrificed their careers to join the armed forces. Women at the time were obviously excluded from combat duty, so they used their celebrity status to raise funds or even to work in the underground. Here are five female stars that contributed to war effort.     Myrna Loy (1905-1993) With the outbreak of World War II in Europe, Myrna Loy was one of the many Hollywood celebrities that lent her presence and name to raising money for overseas relief. After the attack on Pearl Harbor forced the U.S. into the war, she joined the Screen Actors Division of the Hollywood Victory Campaign and coordinated talent for hospital tours, bond rallies and camp shows. In April 1943, she took an unpaid full-time job with the American Red Cross as assistant to the director of the Military and Naval Welfare Service for the North Atlantic Are...

September 2, 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of VJ-Day, the day on which the Empire of Japan finally signed the surrender document, officially ending World War II in Asia. Future film star Tony Curtis, then a sailor in the United States Navy, actually witnessed much of the formal surrender activities in Tokyo Bay from his ship's signal bridge about a mile away. But Tony Curtis was not the only Hollywood celebrity who took up arms against the Axis Powers. Here is a list of 10 stars of the silver screen who served during World War II, either before or after they were famous.    James Stewart (1908-1997) | U.S. Army Air Forces, 1941-1968 Stewart enlisted in the U. S. Army Air Forces in February 1941. He had tried to join up in November 1940, but had been rejected for low weight. Already an experienced pilot, he received basic training at Moffett Field, California, and later served as flight instructor at Kirtland Army Air Field in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and at Gowen Field in B...