Video: 'The Talk of the Town' (clip)
(Thursday, August 20, 1942) — The Talk of the Town, a film about an escaped prisoner and a stuffy law professor who vie for the hand of a spirited schoolteacher, opened today in the U.S.
Directed by George Stevens, the film stars Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, Ronald Colman and Rex Ingram.
Video: Dieppe Raid (at 1:58)
(Wednesday, August 19, 1942, 5 a.m. local time, part of the North West Europe Campaign of World War II) — An Allied force of 7,000 men today carried out a large daytime raid against German positions at the French seaport of Dieppe, suffering more than 50 percent casualties. Continue reading Allies launch disasterous raid on Dieppe 70 years ago this hour (1942)
Video: 'Bambi' trailer
(Thursday, August 13, 1942) — Bambi, an animated film about a young deer growing up in the wild after his mother is shot by hunters, premiered in the U.S. today at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, five days after its world premiere in London.
Directed by David Hand, the fifth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series stars Bobby Stewart, Donnie Dunagan and Hardie Albright.
Video: 'The Pied Piper' clip
(Thursday, August 12, 1942) — The Pied Piper, a film about an Englishman on vacation in France who is caught up in the German invasion of that country, premiered today at the Roxy in New York City.
Directed by Irving Pichel, the film stars Monty Woolley, Roddy McDowall and Anne Baxter.
Video: 'Churchill and Stalin in Moscow August 1942'
(Wednesday, August 12, 1942, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Moscow today and met with Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin in the Kremlin, informing him that there would be no D-Day in 1942. But he did say that the British and the Americans were preparing for a “very great operation” in 1943. Stalin reportedly looked “very glum.”
Video: 'Wake Island' trailer
(Tuesday, August 11, 1942) — Wake Island, a film about the United States military garrison on Wake Island and the onslaught by the Japanese following the attack on Pearl Harbor, opened today in the U.S.
Directed by John Farrow, the film stars Brian Donlevy, Robert Preston and William Bendix.
Video: Churchill in Egypt Aug. 9, 1942 (at 0:24)
(Sunday, August 9, 1942, part of Western Desert Campaign of World War II) — Cheering troops lined the road today to welcome British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during his tour of armoured units at Tel-El-Kebir, Egypt, about two weeks after the First Battle of El Alamein ended.
(Sunday, August 9, 1942) — British officials imprisoned Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi and all his principal collaborators in the Indian National Congress party today, hoping to suppress a civil disobedience program intended to free India from colonial rule. Continue reading Gandhi’s arrest sparks “Quit India” movement 70 years ago today (1942)
(Monday, July 27, 1942) — Benny Goodman and his Orchestra and vocalist Peggy Lee recorded Why Don’t You Do Right today in New York for Columbia Records.
Video: Germans enter Rostow (at 4:47)
(Thursday, July 23, 1942, during Case Blue, the German summer offensive of 1942, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — With heavy air support from the Ju 87s of Sturzkampfgeschwader 77, Germany’s Army Group A today recaptured Rostov, the “gate to the Caucasus,” without much resistance.
