Martha Raye, Mitzi Mayfair, and Carole Landis Are Stellar in This Fun Song from 1944

These girls sing it out loud and sweet, but they have a question they’d like to know the answer to.

As members of what Variety dubbed the “Feminine Theatrical Task Force,” Martha Raye, Mitzi Mayfair, and Carole Landis (with Kay Francis not shown in the video below), these talented women did multiple U.S.O. tours during WWII to entertain the troops in Europe and North Africa. These phenomenal women would continue to entertain audiences for years, especially Martha Raye AKA “The Big Mouth,” who was known for her incredible singing and boisterous stage presence and entertained troops in Vietnam as well. This song is from the 1944 film Four Jills in a Jeep and the girls beg to know, “what’s the meaning of SNAFU?” because they have no idea. Have a look at this wonderful clip from a film that was based on the actual experiences of these four incredible actresses on their U.S.O. tours. And, you can watch the Andrews Sisters performing an old favorite here!

Subscribe to Dusty Old Thing