5. Command Performance included some of the most famous entertainment stars in the world
The list of performers who appeared on Command Performance during the Second World War reads like a Who’s Who of American radio and film stars of the day. Bob Hope appeared as both host and guest, as did Bing Crosby, Jack Benny, and Fred Allen. Some of the “acts” requested by servicemen included the sounds of foghorns in San Francisco Bay from an obviously homesick Californian. Another, slightly more cynical perhaps, requested to hear the sound of a slot machine hitting the jackpot. Judy Garland was a popular guest, as were Ann Miller, Ginger Rogers, and the famed trio of the World War II era, the Andrews Sisters. Command Performance appeared before the creation of the AFRS, first produced by the Office of War Information. Its success, and the support of entertainers, led in large part to the creation of the AFRS months later.
Eventually, similar programs were created to meet the perceived desires of the troops they were designed to entertain. Mail Call, offering many of the same stars as Command Performance, proved immensely popular with the troops overseas, and the civilians in Great Britain, New Zealand, and Australia who heard the broadcasts. Both Mail Call and Command Performance became major hit programs in England, to the point the BBC recognized them as among the most popular enjoyed by its domestic audience. Frank Sinatra enjoyed a burst of renewed popularity in Britain, as did Judy Garland, and Lena Horne. For both the stars who performed on the programs and the troops who appreciated their efforts, the AFRS radio programs boosted morale and contributed to the war effort for the English-speaking allies.