Recently our good friend Author Richard J. Shmelter included Yesteryear Hub in a fantastic project of memorializing one of Hollywood’s beautiful World War II era stars, Carole Landis.
Rich wrote a book titled Hollywood’s Glamorous Patriot: Carole Landis.
Rich also wrote a script and has pictures, videos and stories shared by Carole’s family and CaroleLandis.Net that we were able to help compile in a tribute documentary to the Yesteryear starlet.
Hollywood’s Glamorous Patriot: Carole Landis | The GI Goddess Who Gave Everything Dive into the inspiring true story of Carole Landis, the stunning blonde bombshell Hollywood nicknamed “The Ping Girl” and WWII fighting forces adored as “The Blond Bomber” and “GI Goddess.” This documentary traces her meteoric rise from 1939 and her immediate, tireless dedication to the war effort, which quickly established her as one of Hollywood’s most influential patriots. Author Richard J. Shmelter narrates his tribute to this lovely Hollywood icon as he prepares to launch his new book: “Hollywood’s Glamorous Patriot” Landis became famous not just for her stunning looks, but for her relentless commitment to serving the troops. She worked with the Red Cross, donated blood, and visited an unprecedented 250 military bases stateside. Inspired in part by the tragic death of her namesake, Carole Lombard, Landis vowed to go overseas. She became one of the famed “Four Jills” (alongside Kay Francis, Martha Raye, and Mitzi Mayfair)—the only all-female troupe to tour during the war. They endured air raids, enemy fire, and rough conditions across Europe and North Africa, even performing for troops near the front lines after getting approval from General Dwight D. Eisenhower himself. The film then details her most grueling mission: a 10-week, 30,000-mile tour of the South Pacific with the Jack Benny troupe. Performing up to three shows a day in remote, dangerous, and sweltering jungle territories like Guadalcanal and New Guinea, Landis brought laughter, singing, and her famed “jitterbug” dance sessions to over a million troops. Her dedication didn’t stop there; she meticulously journaled soldiers’ names and addresses, writing hundreds of letters to their families after her return. By the war’s end, Carole Landis had covered over 125,000 miles—the most by any Hollywood actress—leaving an enduring mark on American history. As Jack Benny himself noted, “You soon forgot she was Carole Landis, the Hollywood star, because she was a real human being with a warm heart.”
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