A large new Winter program of shows for Army camps and naval stations will start Friday when an Army transport plane leaves Mitchel Field, filled with motion-picture, stage and radio performers, and flies to Puerto Rico, going from there to other Caribbean bases.
    Brig. Gen. Frederick Osborn, chief of the morale branch, said that those booked for the first trips were John Garfield of the screen; Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel, screen comedians; Chico Marx of the former Four Marx Brothers; Mitzi Mayfair, musical comedy dancer, and Jane Pickens and Benay Venuta, singers.
    The plane will cover the Atlantic bases as far as Panama and return to New York on Nov. 13.
    The venture is sponsored by Camp Shows, Inc., a non-profit agency formed by the Citizens Committee for the Army and Navy In collaboration with the United Service Organizations and approved by the War and Navy Departments.
    Camp Shows is headed by Eddie Dowling as president, Clarence G. Michalis is treasurer and Lawrence Phillips executive vice president and secretary. Lee Shubert, Bert Lytell, Mr. Dowling, Y. Frank Freeman, Walter Hoving, Harper Sibley and Mr. Michalis are directors.
    The new program, financed by U.S.O. funds, will continue and enlarge upon the basic program of the Summer. Entertainers will be recruited from the movies, the stage and radio. All will receive full scale wages.
    The Screen Actors Guild, the Association of Motion Picture Producers and the Actors Equity Association are cooperating with Mr. Dowling in assembling talent.
    The avowed purpose is "to produce, direct and send on the road a continuous flow of variety units, musical comedies, streamlined shows and first-class Broadway hits." The circuit will take in 186 camps and naval stations so as to guarantee to each a show at least once every two weeks.
    Since June 9, the U.S.O. program has made possible the presentation of 1,043 shows in Army camps.

—The New York Times
    (October 29, 1941)