This Is the Army

Principal Cast
George Murphy, Joan Leslie, Ronald Reagan, George Tobias, Charles Butterworth, Dolores Costello, Rosemary DeCamp, Ruth Donnelly, Ross Elliott, Alan Hale, Frances Langford, Herbert Anderson, Joe Louis, Gertrude Niesen, Dorothy Peterson, Stanley Ridges, Kate Smith, Irving Berlin

Synopsis
Adapted from Irving Berlin's Broadway production similarly titled This Is the Army, the big screen version employs Jerry Jones (George Murphy) as an entertainer in a show called Yip Yip Yaphank, which is performed entirely by soldiers during World War I. In an unfortunate turn of events, Jerry is wounded in battle, and his dance career is sadly cut short. Wanting to remain in show business, he turns to producing. Then when the U.S. becomes involved in World War II, Jerry decides to put on his own all-soldier revue entitled This Is the Army.

A highlight of the film is an appearance by Irving Berlin himself, singing his version of "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning" and an all-star cast including guests Kate Smith, who sings "God Bless America," and boxing great Joe Louis. Another notable fact about This Is the Army is that all of the box-office and stage production proceeds were donated to the Army Emergency Relief Fund.