Stars and Strife: Mail to Hollywood Movie Stars · PDF file• WWII ‐Dutch East Indies...
Transcript of Stars and Strife: Mail to Hollywood Movie Stars · PDF file• WWII ‐Dutch East Indies...
Stars and Strife:Mail to Hollywood Movie Stars
Dr. Thomas Richards
Regis Hoffman
Movie Fan Mail Motto
Neither snow, nor rain, nor “The Winds of War” can stop the sending of movie star fan mail……
FAN MAIL – Roy RogersHe received over 1.5 million pieces of fan mail in 1948
Background• Authors have approx. 20,000 covers• Viewed thousands more• Early Period – 1910 – 1930 includes WWI• “Golden Age” – 1930s – 1955 – WWII, Korea• Later Period – 1955 present• Used to measure star’s popularity• Based on articles in Military Postal History Society (MPHS) Journal
• Generally in chronological sequence
Importance of Fan Mail
• Fans connected to the stars. Offered advice and asked questions about their lives.
• Hollywood studios monitored the content of fan mail, and crafted the stars persona based on fan mail.
• The amount of fan mail gauged a star’s popularity and could lead to better contracts.
• Even during wartime, fans (some in extreme conditions) continued to write to their favorite stars.
• Fan Mail Memo
1920s –one studio sent out 1.5 million photos a year
30s and 40s – 18,000 –35,000 letters per month
Betty Hutton Memo
• Feb 21 1945
• Received and answered 2,220 pieces of mail that week
WWI
• Not as much mail to stars during this period
• Movies just starting to get popular
• Sent mainly to BIG stars
• Pickford
• Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
• WWI – England FPO
June 1916
“I am well” card.
To Chaplin at Essanay Studios (Chicago).
Forwarded to Hollywood
US not yet in the war
Postage due
Friend or fan?
Mary Pickford
• WWI ‐ England
April 15 1919
Sent to her in London
Forwarded to Hollywood
Hand‐written forwarding marking
New York May 22 1919 cancel
British Censor tape
Mary Pickford
• WWI – Philippines – c 1916
No date
Pickford Studios only existed from 1916 to 1919
Circular PASSED BY CENSOR – 1814
(Stich type A8A)
Ginger Rogers
• Between the Wars
Aug. 17 1935
Soldier in Hawaii – Pvt. Alex Daisy
Hand‐drawn picture of Ms. Rogers
Mid‐30s – teamed with Fred Astaire in 10 romantic musicals
WWII POW Mail
• American, British, Belgium and Italian POWs mail to Stars
• Limited mailing privileges – yet mailed to stars
• Asked for photos and correspondence
Deanna DurbinWWII ‐ Sgt. William Greenwood
1940 LetterShot down on flight to Aalborg, Denmark
All twelve planes shot down
POW at Stalag Luft III
Scene of the “Great Escape”
Writing from Hospital
Asks for “another snapshot”
Wants “bi‐weekly or monthly letters”
Wishes her mother and father the “best of luck”
Looks like personal relationship ?
Mrs. Vaughn Paul (Deanna Durbin)
WWII ‐ Sgt. William Greenwood
Feb. 6 1943
“... old Friend Bill ....”
“Wedding Anniversary ...”
“...send some ‘stills’ from Forever Young .”
“... Enclosed some photos ...”
“ ... Please continue to write ...”
Fan letter?; personal note?
Restricted to 3 letters per month
Still alive in 2006
Had contact with his son‐in‐law
Mrs. Ronald Coleman
• WWII – British POW Mail
Sept. 18 1942
From RCAF Sergeant at Stalag Luft III (Sagan, Germany)
To wife of actor Ronald Colman.
She organized relief efforts.
Card asks for aid.
Held by British censor until after the war???
Deanna Durbin• WWII – Belgian POW Mail
No date
Belgian POW In Stalag XIIC
Written in French
POW Camp at Weibelsheim
Asks for Care Parcel
Deanna Durbin
• WWII ‐ Italian POW Mail
1943
Italian POW in British Camp ‐
Written in Italian
British POW marking (StichA30)
Faint British “Crown over PASSED” marking (Stich type H2D)
From Camp #92 – Tiverton, England
Deanna Durbin• WWII ‐ Italian POW Mail
Oct. 13 1943
Italian POW – Cpl. Angelo Garazani
Written in Italian
Circular US Censor Marking (Stich A12)
Boxed PW Censor Mark
From POW # 95869
POW Camp #217
Deanna Durbin• WWII – Italian POW Mail
Nov. 1943
Same as previous sender
Italian POW – Cpl. Angelo Garazani
Written in Italian
He read an article in newspaper about her latest movie.
Could not go into the city to see it.
Wanted to Know “…..how you are and what you are doing now….”
Alice Faye
• WWII Internee Mail: Ft. Missoula, Montana
Dec. 9 1942
Italian Sailor Detainee
“Detained Civilian
Entitled to Free Postage” marking
But paid postage
Detainees received free franking in mid 1943
Betty Grable
• WWII Internee Mail: Ft. Missoula, Montana
Jan. 30 1943
Italian Sailor Detainee
Still paid postage until mid‐1943
Deanna DurbinWWII Internee Mail: Ft. Missoula, Montana
• Ft. In
Feb. 24 1943
Italian Sailor Detainee
“FREE Prisoner of War Mail” marking
From Emilio Bologna
1942 – about 1,000 Italians there
Mainly seamen, some musicians
Released after Italy surrendered (1943)
Sonja Henie
• WWII Internee Mail: Ft. Missoula, Montana
Mar. 17 1943
Italian Sailor Detainee
“FREE Prisoner of War Mail” marking
“Detained CivilianEntitled to Free Postage” marking
U. S. I & N. S. marking on reverse
Janet Blair• WWII – V‐Mail
Feb. 41944
Valentine Greeting
Special drawings and graphics were created for the Holidays
At 20th Century Fox during this period
Leading actress during the war years
Career diminished in the late 40s
Moved to the stage and became a “torch singer” in nightclubs
Gloria Jean• WWII ‐ V‐Mail
May 24 1944
From Anzio Beachhead
Requests a “box of chocolates” …. “five pounds would be good”
Groomed as new child successor to Deanna Durbin
Successful in early 40s but faired poorly in transition to adult roles
Music Department –Universal Studios
• WWII – V‐Mail
July 15 1944
From Sub Chaser PC 1229
Not all complimentary !!
“2 cents for a Snap Shot”
“…you people don’t miss a shot….”
“I wonder what Miss Foster was like before she became a Star – Or whatever you want to call it”
Music Dept. – Universal Studios
• WWII – V‐Mail
Sept. 10 1944
APO 711 – New Guinea
Requests “music in your production of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ ”
August 1943 movie – so they got them fairly quickly
Starred Nelson Eddy and Susanna Foster
Universal Studios
• WWII – V‐Mail
Oct. 15 1944
Music interest in letter
“…name of Russian song that Deanna Durbin sang in ‘His Butler’s Sister’”
Sent from the Marianas
Jane Bryan• WWII ‐ Denmark
April 9 1940
German Invasion of Denmark
Danish Govt. capitulated by 0720 on 9th
Torrance, Morenweiser Type 1 “interim” censor label
Manuscript number
Only used between April and Mid May 1940 ‐ Less than 15 known
She played “girl‐next‐door” roles
Ms. Bryan married the president of Rexall Drug Co.
Tyrone Power
• WWII – Finland
April 15 1940
During the “peace” period with Russia
“Examined by war censorship” in Finnish and Swedish (Stich type S3)
Franked with a special War Tax stamp
Resealing tape in Finnish and Swedish on reverse
Handsome leading man in the 30s and 40s
Deanna Durbin
• WWII ‐ Dutch East Indies ‐Java
July 11 1940
GENCENSUREERD
9
Stich N15 Marking
Stich N13 Resealing label
Stich N16 censor marking
Stich N18A censor marking
Deanna Durbin
• WWII – Australia
Nov. 12 1940
From Tasmania
Australian censor tape ties Lady Gowrie 1 pence Red Cross seal
Also boxed “Passed by Censor V82” marking
No US censor markings yet
Deanna Durbin• WWII ‐ Bohemia & Moravia
April 3 1941
German Censor
From Mahrisch‐ Budwitz
Stich type G10A German censor
tape on reverse
Deanna Durbin• WWII ‐Malaysia
May 20 1941
From 21st H.A.A. Battery
Stich 20B censor mark
Air Mail marked out
O.A.S marking
FPO #33 (on reverse)
Raised at Lucknow – Dec 12th 1940
Left Calcutta – Dec 29th 1940
Arrived Singapore ‐ Jan 5th 1941
Destroyed/captured – about Feb 14th 1942
Deanna Durbin • WWII ‐ Egypt May 26 1941
British Field Post Office #20
Two days after General Rommel’s “Afrika Korps” began its first
offensive in Egypt
Circular “Deputy Chief Field –Censor” marking
No U.S. censorship – did not begin until June 1941
Deanna Durbin • WWII ‐ Spain Dec. 9 1941
Just after Pearl Harbor
Malaga to Hollywood
Seville censor marking
US Tape (Broderick, Mayo, type L 1.4.3)
Spanish label on reverse (not tied)
Deanna Durbin • Spain ‐ 1942Jan. 8 1942
Patriotic Card
Stich M3C Spanish censor marking
Broderick S.3.1.2. examined marking
Requests a photo “free of charge” due to “obstacle of foreign money”
Deanna Durbin • WWII – Great Britain
June 18 1943
Sent to MGM
Received:
UNCALLED FOR AT
METRO‐GOLDWYN‐MAYER
Sent to Fox
Received:
NOT AT
20th CENTURY‐FOX FILM CORP
“This is the Army” Movie • WWII – MiscellaneousJuly 2 1943
Toured country to raise money
$8M raised for Army Emergency Relief Fund
Produced with cooperation of Armed Forces
Starred Lt. Ronald Reagan, Sgt. Joe Louis, Alan Hale, Kate Smith and others
Irving Berlin musical
Admission ticket to “This is the Army” showing in Hamilton, Ohio
Sgt. Gene Autry • WWII – England
Sept. 8 1943
Served in Army Air Force (as did other stars)
British censor tape
Forwarded to Luke Field, Ariz.
Mary Pickford • WWII ‐ EnglandOct. 30 1944
From Red Cross & Order of St. John Of Jerusalem
Addressed to “Everybody’s Sweetheart”
Thanking her for donation of clothing – including a wedding dress
British censor tape
Note address: “Mary Pickford Film Star”
Dale Evans • WWII – New GuineaJan. 12 1945
Sent from Bougainville, Solomon Islands
US postage stamp – not “free mail”
Married Roy Rogers in 1947
Australian Military Forces censor marking (Stitch 36A)
Ginger Rogers • WWII – Chinese Air Force
April 7 1945
Pueblo, Colorado
Members of Chinese Air force began B‐24 training in 1943.
Starred in 30s, 40s, and 50s
Gained fame as Fred Astaire’s dancing partner
Vivian Blaine • WWII – China‐Burma‐India (CBI) TheaterMay 23 1945
APO 219 – Shamshernagar, India at this time
US Army Examiner marking
Played lively leads in musicals and light films of the 40s
Greatest success – “Guys and Dolls” on Broadway and later in the film version
Notice a Trend?A lot to Deanna Durbin
• WHY?
• Most popular star during this time period
• Worldwide appeal
• Limited career span ‐ covered WWII
• Collector had access to her fan mail ?
• Obviously a benefit to fan mail collectors
Tyrone Power • Post WWII – Austrian Civil CensorshipNo Date
Civil mail censored by military authorities in Vienna, Austria.
With supplemental “C” censor mark
Romantic lead – very popular in 30s and 40s
Served in WWII
Career waned after return from service
Jane(t) Leigh • Korean WarNo date
Note: misspelled name
606th Air Control & Warning Squadron
At Kimpo, AFB in Korean War
Most known for her role in “Psycho”
Mother of actress Jamie Lee Curtis
Hubba Hubba marking – collectible marking
Doris Day • Post‐war BAOR GermanyAug. 15 1954
British Army of the Rhine (BAOR)
British Field Post Office (FPO) 791
Early 40s – she sang with Bob Crosby and Les Brown bands
1948 ‐ began her film career
Later appeared on TV
Post War ‐ Korean War, etc
• Covers exist
• But not as extensive
• TV began to take over
• We drew a line at WWII in our collecting
• Screen Actors Guild (SAG), United Fan Mail –and others took over fan mail handling
Summary
• During times of strife – attempt to remain normal
• Movie stars were popular
• Mail to them was popular
• Created many philatelic items
• Continued for many years
References• Shelley, Ronald, The Postal History of the Spanish Civil War, 1974.• Roth, Steven M. The Censorship of International Civilian Mail During World
War II.• Stich, Dr.H.F., Stich, W., and Specht, J., Civil and Military Censorship During
World War II.• Stich, Dr. H.F. and Stich, W., Prisoners of War, Internees and Refuges in the
European Theatre of World War II.• Torrance, A.R. and Morenweiser, K., British Empire Civil Censorship
Devices.• Broderick, Wilfrid N. and Mayo, Dann, Civil Censorship in the United
States.• Richards, Thomas J., Philatelic Movie Props, American Philatelist, p. 890‐
897, October, 2002.• Hoffman, Regis and Richards, Thomas J., Movie Star Mail, American
Philatelist, p. 314‐323, April 2001
Thanks ‐ Have a Good Day