"You forgot Hollywood and you forgot everything but the need of making those soldiers smile. They need smiles. I hope I can sing and joke for them again." ~ Carole in Four Jills In Jeep
In October of 1942 Carole took a break from her acting career to go on a U.S.O. tour with Kay Francis, Martha Raye, and Mitzi Mayfair. All of the women were eager to entertain the solders fighting in World War 2. During their five month tour they traveled more than 50,000 miles, made 150 personal appearances, and performed 125 shows. They made stops in Bermuda, Africa, England, and Ireland. One of the highlights was a Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth and the Royal Princesses in London. When they performed Kay served as the emcee, Martha told jokes, Mitzi danced, and Carole sang for the boys. Her specialty was the song "Strip Polka". The four women became close friends while traveling together. Kay, who was bisexual, developed a crush on Carole. Their life during the tour was not easy. Carole wrote "It was too cold to sleep most nights. There wasn't enough water to take a bath. I had to do my own washing. I ate more sand and fog than food."
Mitzi Mayfair, Martha Raye, Kay Francis, and Carole
They survived more than a dozen air raids and their plane was attacked by a German aircraft. Carole had her appendix removed, nearly died from an infection, and lost fifteen pounds. She had written several magazine articles about her experiences during the war. Random House asked her to write a book about the U.S.O. tour. The title was Four Jills In A Jeep and it was dedicated "To the Officers and Enlisted Men Who Made Our Tour So Inspiring". Much of the book was about her romance with her husband Major Tommy Wallace whom she met in London. Carole had the help of ghostwriter Edwin Seaver but she wrote the majority of it herself. She said "The studio gave me two ghost writers but they stunk it all up. I finally decided to talk it to a steno typist. Naturally with some Scotch and soda under my belt." In December of 1943 Four Jills In A Jeep was serialized in The Saturday Evening Post.
Carole wearing a dress designed by Yvonne Wood
Kay Francis and Carole
When the book was published in the spring of 1944 it sold very well and got rave reviews. Before Four Jills In A Jeep had come out 20th Century Fox decided to turn it into a movie. Carole, Kay, Martha, and Mitzi all agreed to play themselves. Filming began in Los Angeles on October 18, 1943. The movie was directed by William A. Seiter. Carole's onscreen romance with John Harvey was based on her real-life relationship with Tommy. The all-star cast included Phil Silvers, Dick Haymes (in his film debut), Betty Grable, Jimmy Dorsey, Carmen Miranda, Alice Faye, and George Jessell. Yvonne Wood designed the costumes. Carole was furious when the censors refused to let the actresses wear sweaters like they had on the tour. In one scene she wore her own wedding dress. The film includes many songs including "How Blue The Night", "You'll Never Know", and Carole's only solo number "Crazy Me".
The book Four Jills In A Jeep
John Harvey and Carole
All of the musical numbers were staged by Carole's close friend Don Loper. Several songs, including In The Old Army Game, were deleted from the final cut. Unfortunately Carole and the other actresses had no creative control over the making of Four Jills In A Jeep. The plot made their journey seem easy and completely ignored all of the struggles they went through. Many of the scenes in the movie were not based on real events. Carole was very unhappy that it turned out to be just a fluffy musical. Four Jills In A Jeep was released on March 17, 1944. The movie was not a hit and most of the critics panned it. Carole told a friend "I'm afraid the picture hasn't had as good a press as I hoped". Although the movie was a disappointment she would always consider the U.S.O. tour one of the highlights of her life. She wrote "If I had to do it all over again - I'd probably never come back."
All of the musical numbers were staged by Carole's close friend Don Loper. Several songs, including In The Old Army Game, were deleted from the final cut. Unfortunately Carole and the other actresses had no creative control over the making of Four Jills In A Jeep. The plot made their journey seem easy and completely ignored all of the struggles they went through. Many of the scenes in the movie were not based on real events. Carole was very unhappy that it turned out to be just a fluffy musical. Four Jills In A Jeep was released on March 17, 1944. The movie was not a hit and most of the critics panned it. Carole told a friend "I'm afraid the picture hasn't had as good a press as I hoped". Although the movie was a disappointment she would always consider the U.S.O. tour one of the highlights of her life. She wrote "If I had to do it all over again - I'd probably never come back."
Carole and Kay Francis
Four Jills In A Jeep is available on DVD
Martha Raye & Costars In Hollywood includes two of Carole's songs - It's The Old Army Game & S.N.A.F.U.
