Mail Call

Mail Call was an American radio program that entertained American soldiers from 1942 until 1945, during World War II. The program featured popular entertainers of that day, such as Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, and Dinah Shore, performing musical numbers and comedy skits to boost the morale of soldiers stationed far from their homes.

Lt. Col. Thomas A.H. Lewis, the commander of the Armed Forces Radio Service, wrote in 1944 that "Mail Call was a morale-building half hour which brought famed performers to the microphone to sing and gag in the best American manner." The initial production of the Armed Forces Radio Service, Mail Call aimed to provide American servicemen “a touch of home” through the broadcast of American news and entertainment.

The Stars

The stars of Mail Call were the popular entertainers of the era who volunteered their time and talent to perform on the program. This included comedians and vocalists such as Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, and Dinah Shore, who lent their star power to boost the morale of troops stationed overseas.

The program also featured behind-the-scenes personnel with experience in the entertainment industry, such as Meredith Willson, who served as the first musical director for the Armed Forces Radio Service.

Key Dates

• Mail Call debuted on August 11, 1942 and continued broadcasting until 1945, providing entertainment to American troops throughout World War II. While the program was primarily produced in Los Angeles, California at the headquarters of the Armed Forces Radio Service, there were periods when production shifted to the East Coast to feature talent from that region.

• The end of Mail Call and several other AFRS programs came in 1950 when the organization’s budget was cut by the Secretary of Defense, leading to the discontinuation of shows that required outside talent.

Other Information

The success of Mail Call and other AFRS programs was due in large part to the cooperation of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), which provided broadcasting facilities in Great Britain so that American troops stationed in Europe could enjoy the programs. A 1945 survey found that 20 million adults in Britain had recently listened to AFRS programs, with Mail Call having a listening percentage of 22.9%.

This international exposure helped to make many of the entertainers who appeared on Mail Call and other AFRS shows, particularly the popular female vocalists and comedians, internationally famous. The programs also introduced American music to a new global audience beyond just the troops.

When the need for morale-boosting programs like Mail Call diminished after the end of World War II, the AFRS budget was cut, leading to the discontinuation of the show and several other popular AFRS productions in 1950.