Timelines for year 1945
Chantal Akerman
Biography in John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume Two, 1945-1985," pp. 3-8. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1988.
Charles Fawcett
In 1945 he joined the French Foreign Legion and fought for 6 months in Alsace until stricken by tuberculosis.
John Ford
Ford was disgusted by John Wayne's refusal to enlist in 1941. When Ford filmed They Were Expendable (1945) after World War II he included every actor's former military rank and branch (Ford himself was a Navy officer and combat photographer). Of course, there were no credentials behind Wayne's name, which the actor took as a real slap.
Alice Faye
Feeling she had given one of the best dramatic performances of her career, Faye was so upset by Darryl F. Zanuck's editing hack job on her last film, Fallen Angel (1945), that she literally walked away from the studio and didn't return for 16 years.
Robert Altman
Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume Two, 1945-1985". Pages 29-39. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1988.
Dr. Seuss
During World War II, Geisel joined the US Army and was sent to Hollywood. Captain Geisel would write for Frank Capra's Signal Corps Unit (for which he won the Legion of Merit) and do documentaries. Geisel recieved an Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Documentary (Short Subject) in 1945 for his writing and production of the propaganda piece Hitler Lives (1945) (a/k/a Your Job in Germany (1945) and in 1947 for Best Documentary (Feature) for Design for Death (1947)).
Laraine Day
At MGM she was told that if she did Keep Your Powder Dry (1945) that she would be rewarded with the female lead in Undercurrent (1946) with Robert Taylor. When the role was given to Katharine Hepburn Laraine left MGM and never returned.
Joseph Losey
Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume Two, 1945-1985". Pages 597-605. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1988.
Robert Easton
Began his young career on radio as a teenager in 1945 when he was heard on "Quiz Kids".
Jeanne Crain
Long-time husband, Paul Brooks, was an RKO contract player at one time, briefly appearing in the movie Those Endearing Young Charms (1945). He went by the stage name of Paul Brooks, but gave it all up to become a highly successful businessman.
John Indrisano
He was the stunt coordinator for The Great John L. (1945) and later was featured in a 1953 episode of "You Asked for It" (1950) in which he portrayed the champion boxer John L. Sullivan in a recreation of the Sullivan/La Savant fight in Paris.
John Colton
Suffered his first stroke on August 14th, 1945 (VJ Day) and spent the next year or so in the hospital. Was recuperating in Gainesville when he suffered a second stroke and soon died.
Heller Halliday
In May 1945, at age four, she was bitten very badly by a dog. This caused her pregnant mother Mary Martin to go into shock. Martin was rushed to the hospital, suffering a miscarriage.
Richard Rodgers
Won eleven Tony Awards: three in 1950 for "South Pacific" for his music as part of the Best Musical win; as Best Composer; and as Best Producers (Musical), shared with Oscar Hammerstein II, Leland Hayward and Joshua Logan; one in 1952, for his music with Hammerstein's book and lyrics as part of a Best Musical win for "The King and I"; two in 1960, for his music as part of a Best Musical win for "The Sound of Music" in a tie with "Fiorello!, and as Best Composer, in a tie with Jerry Bock for "Fiorello!"; two in 1962, as Best Composer for "No Strings" and a Special Tony Award "for all he has done for young people in the theatre and for taking the men of the orchestra out of the pit and putting them on stage in 'No Strings';" one in 1972, another Special Tony Award; and one in 1979, the Lawrence Langner Memorial Award for Distinguished Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. He was also Tony-nominated five other times: in 1956, for his music and as a co-producer of Best Musical nominee "Pipe Dream"; in 1959 for his music for Best Musical nominee "Flower Drum Song;" in 1962 for his music and lyrics and as co-producer of Best Musical nominee "No Strings;" in 1972 for Best Composer and Lyricist with collaborator Stephen Sondheim for "Do I Hear a Waltz?;" and in 1996, posthumously, for Best Original Musical Score, music only for designated songs that were original and not in the previous film version of State Fair (1945).
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Pictured on a memorial series of 4 US postage stamps, issued 27 June 1945 (3¢ face value), 26 July 1945 (1¢), 24 August 1945 (2¢), and 30 January 1946 (5¢).
Stanley Kubrick
Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume Two, 1945- 1985". Pages 544-552. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1988.
Curly Howard
During a visit to The Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara in January, 1945, he was diagnosed as having extreme hypertension, a retinal hemorrhage and obesity thus explaining his ragged appearance in all of the shorts released in 1946-1947, his last year with the group.
