 The Cavalcade of America sponsored by DuPont, maker of Better Things for Better Living True Chemistry, presents Joey Brown and Anne Sovereign in GI Circuit. Before we begin our play, here's a tip of special interest to those who work with their hands. To protect your hands from grime and paint, before you start work, rub on DuPont Protec Hand Protective Cream. Protec is a greaseless cream which dries quickly and acts as an invisible glove. After work by washing your hands and running water, the protective film is dissolved and the grime is quickly carried away, leaving your hands free from stains. Try Protec, P-R-O-T-E-K, the hand protective cream made by DuPont. Probably no one can speak with more authority of the part played by American show people in the war than Joey Brown. One of America's best beloved comedians in Vaudeville, radio and films, he has already made three trips overseas bringing solace and cheer to men who daily face death in remote battle fronts. Mr. Brown's third trip from which he returned a few weeks ago took him over 50,000 miles from Casablanca to Chongqing. And now our radio play called GI Circuit, which was written especially for the DuPont Cavalcade by Paul Peters. DuPont presents GI Circuit with Anne Sovereign as Lily Valentine and Joey Brown as the narrator on The Cavalcade of America. You've all read and heard how Bob Hope, Carol Anders and Frederick March, not to mention yours truly and many others, have gone out to the faraway battle zones to entertain our soldiers. But a few of you have ever heard of the little people, the rank and file entertainers, who've left the bright lights of Broadway and terror hut to put their shows on in the dripping heat of the jungle or in the blizzards of Alaska, who give five and six performances a day dressed in GI uniforms, living on Army rations, crouching and slit trenches under the enemy bombs. These are the people I want to tell you about, and I want to tell you particularly about one. Her name is Lily Valentine. She plays the accordion, you know. She also makes with the feet. Yes, that's her. Lily Valentine, accordion player and tap dancer. A girl I helped get a spot in a nightclub, and then all of a sudden she disappeared. One month later I got a letter with an Army post office address, kind of a battered letter, as if it had come a long way when I opened it and said, Dear Joe, two cents you never expected to find me in a place called... That word was censored. But Joe, you know this joint, you've been here a million miles from nowhere, and when it didn't rain it is 135 in the shade. You'd die laughing if you could see me sloshing around in the GI uniform with a pair of GI shoes to keep the kangaroos from the side swiping machines. Every morning when I get up I have to wipe the mildew off of Stakowski. Stakowski, by the way, is the name she calls her accordion. But what you want to know is how I got here. Well, Joe, it all came from listening to you. One day the telephone rang. Hello? Miss Valentine? Yes? This is Mr. Wolfson of the USO camp shows. How'd you like to make an overseas tour to entertain the soldiers? You mean London? Not London, Miss Valentine. Oh, I bet it's Alaska. No, not Alaska either. Joey Brown mentioned your name and thinks you're just with the boys out on the tropics we'll want. The tropics? Well, that means... We can't tell you where, Miss Valentine. And to be perfectly frank, it will mean tough traveling and rough living. But from what I've heard of you from Mr. Brown... Oh, sure, I'd love it. When do I start? Why don't you come over and talk to me about it? How's 11 a.m. tomorrow? And that's how Lily and her accordion, Mr. Kowsky, got to a place called... Sensored. Where it's either raining or it's 135 in the shade, and where you wear GI boots to keep the kangaroos from sideswiping your shins. Oh, yes, I forgot. There was a PS. Joe, honey, will you do me a favor? Remember Virginia Blanca? She used to sing with me when we were the Valentine Sisters. Catch her act for me sometime, will you, Angel, and dish me the dirt? She's teamed up with Nicky Del Rio to think I used to like him once. But even then, I had more sense than to think he could play the accordion. I did catch Virginia's act, and I wrote Lily what I knew she wanted to hear about it. But long before she'd have gotten my news, I had another letter from her. Joey, dear, I'm right smack out in the middle of the jungle. You know how it looks. And you'd die laughing if you'd seen his crossing from Milnebade or Waggy Waggy in the amphibian. That's one laugh at Lily's expense. I'm afraid I can't enjoy. Because when I made that crossing practically lashed down in that so-called boat, that was where I learned that even an entertainer in uniform is just like anyone else in uniform. Brother, you're expendable. Well, getting back to Lily, she had another lesson to learn when she reached camp. That night, Lily gave her first jungle performance. But even for a seasoned trooper that first night on the coconut tree circuit must have been an experience. I can imagine. Sammy Walsh, the emcee, was doing his job. Yes, to that last night we made an army jeep. Boys, I want to tell you that jeep is the real secret weapon. Yes, sir, it has all the latest gadgets, including a Superman special by way of spenometer. When you go over 20 miles, that's spenometer blinks on a white light. When you go over 30, it blinks a red light. And when you go over 32, it plays don't give up. The ship? It brings all the girls. All right, soldier, that's just what I was thinking. So here's one of them, Lily Valentine, the one woman orchestra. Lily, you better hold on to the stop. No rain. The rain stopped, just as suddenly as it began. And after Lily had changed her dress and fixed her dripping hair, she danced with the boys. That's one experience that I didn't have. Well, as usual in Lily's letters, there was always that... P.S. Joe, honey. Were you ever able to catch up with Ginny Blanca? Is she still singing with Niki Del Rio? How can she stand that guy? Oh, yes, Joe. P.P.S. Give her my APO and tell her to make for the words, will ya, honey? Would she go crazy to have an audience like this? They kept coming regular now, those little girls being brave letters from Lily. Almost one a week, Lily had gone to... censored by Jeep and then to censored by truck and then across censored day to censored by censored. Then came news that bothered me. The lady accordion player and tap dancer ain't feeling so hot, Joey. I wake up in the morning cold all over and me with that iron Valentine Constitution. But this is show business, honey. Besides, you don't have the heart to disappoint these kids. They're so wonderful, Joe. Sometimes in the middle of the show, I feel like I want to jump off the stage and hug them, every last one of them. Now, take this morning's show, the breakfast review, we call it. At the hospital it's... Censored, Lily. Censored. We each took award and just after I'd given them the words where this time goes by... ...but there's a boy in this other room who would like to see you. A boy? Yes, he's very sick. Do you mind, Miss Valentine? Don't stay more than a minute. Right over here, Miss Valentine. Hi there, soldier. How's everything? I heard you're playing out there. Awful, wasn't it? It's awful pretty. Will you do me a favor? I'll bet I know what it is. Quit playing the squeeze-box and let you get some shut-eye, huh? No, no, certainly not. But when you get back... ...what do you call up my mother? Oh, of course I will. Chicago. Mrs. Alfred Klassen. 1730 Cottage Grove Avenue. Can you remember that? Sure, I'm writing it down now. Just tell her. Tell her you saw me. I think you'd better go now, Miss Valentine. Oh, please. Play the jersey bounce for me. Not now, Walter. She'll come back later. You let me know when he's ready, nurse. I'll stick around in the ward. I'll let you know, Miss Valentine. See, Miss, play some more, boys. How about Mickey Dickie, Farley Boo? The second lieutenant carries a pack, Farley Boo. The second lieutenant carries a pack, Farley Boo. The second lieutenant carries a pack. Well, Lily finished playing for the boys in the ward. Then she went back and found that nurse so she could make good her promise, play for Walter. That's one promise that Lily didn't keep. Walter was dead. Her next letter came two weeks later. Bad news. I knew it the minute I saw the handwriting. Shaky as if it had taken all of Lily's strength to write it. Dear Joey. You'd die laughing if you could see me now. I'm in the hospital, honey, flatten my back. Knee with a temperature of 102 and even staccowski's wheezing. I said to the doctor, now you just quit poking and thumping. I'm all right, I tell you. I showed her play tonight. But he just looked at me with a fishy eye and said, Miss Valentine, you're going to bed. Oh, now, Dr. B, yourself, I can't leave my unit. Who's going to play for Evelyn? Young lady, you haven't been wearing your G.I. uniform and boots, have you? Well, gee, Doc, they want to see a girl. The way they used to remember them back home. Not a fugitive from the... Nurse, put Miss Valentine to bed. And so Lily went to bed. For three weeks she stayed there. Then late one morning, a nurse mysteriously propped her up on her pillows and did what she could to arrange Lily's hair. A moment or two later, the door to the room opened and a bunch of the boys walked in, burying a cake, all gooey with frosting and topped with one tiny little candle. Come on, bring it in. What's that? It's a cake, Miss Valentine. Yes, ma'am, we baked it. For me? Who do you think? All right, Frank, light it. People pinging white frosting? Oh, you silly lugs. But what's the candle for? You ready, guys? Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, Miss Valentine. Happy birthday to you. Birthday, but I... Yes, Sammy Walsh, the master of ceremonies, told us it's your birthday. It is your birthday, innit? Why, yes, of course it is. I could have killed that fool, Sammy Walsh, for playing that joke. But the idea of those kids getting up at the crack of dawn would bake a cake for me. Joes, they helped me. I was touched. I just broke down and cried. The nurse told me not to, but after they left, I nibbled at it. Jeepers, it was good. I even liked the taste of the candle. Honey, not even wild horses can keep me from doing my act tomorrow night. I'll die before I ever disappoint these kids again. You are listening to Joey Brown as the narrator and Anne Southern as Lily Valentine in G.I. Circuit on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by DuPont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. Lily Valentine is one of that numerous and anonymous band of show folk now serving in this war through the U.S.O. Lily, a member of the troupe bringing song, fast pattern, nifty steps to the encampments of the South Pacific, reports her days and doings and letters to Joey Brown. As our DuPont Cavalcade play continues, Joey Brown is reading about Wash Machine Charlie, a lone Japanese writer in another exciting letter from Lily, played by Anne Southern. As Lily says, you'd die laughing if you could hear her letter about Wash Machine Charlie. I had some experiences in Guadalcanal with Wash Machine Charlie myself, but let Lily tell about him. Dear Joe, the boys out here are so hungry for entertainment, they die laughing at your jokes even before you tell them. Sometimes it's pretty gruesome, too, because all the time you're performing, there's a line of soldiers in the rear facing the other way. Well, as the sergeant explained it to me... Oh, them? Well, they're gods, miss. They're there to keep the Japs from jumping out of the bush and cutting our throats. Out of the bush? You mean they're that close? Lady, you're playing to an audience that's like an iceberg. Their biggest part is out of sight. I played to that audience. That boy was right. Even though the Japanese are so close, they managed to keep out of sight. Well, according to Lily's letter, Walsh was just finishing his introduction. And so here they are, boys, Miss Evelyn Priestley and the girl who liked to squeeze you besqueezes her accordion instead, Lily Ballantyne. Coming in on top of me. Where's your old friend? Nobody gave me one. Jesus. A girl. Hey, who are you? Where'd you come from? I'm with the USO camp show. Oh, yeah. Which one? The accordion player or the singer? Accordion. Oh, I heard about you. Well, didn't you see the show? Well, I was on duty, but I hear you're cute. Do you? Well, just now I'm scared. Don't let that worry everybody is. Do you mind if I hang on to you a bit? Are you kidding? If it's all right with you, take that spike peel out of my... What's that? Mom? Anti-aircraft. I don't like it. It's tighter. It'll get worse when Wash Machine Charlie, let's go. Who's Wash Machine Charlie? The chap flyer. You ever hear his motor? Like a wash machine? That's why they call him Wash Machine Charlie. He takes a trot over here almost every night and lets fly with a few choice Daisy cutters. Usually about 2 a.m. Just when you settle him down to a good, even snore. It's early tonight. What's a Daisy cutter? And a personnel bomb. It blows down the grass on a 100 foot radius. Here it comes. Scared? Don't ask. All tight. Get used to it. Feel better now? No. Guess Charlie's done his washing for the night. Gosh, I'm shaking all over. Sure, everybody is. You too. Feel my hand. What's your name? Higby. Uh, Ben Higby. You're a lieutenant, aren't you? How do you know? Well, when I was, uh, holding, I felt the bar. You're a funny kid. You know, I'm just thinking. What? You and I are going to get acquainted. What are we doing now? Oh, honey, this is just the appetizer. And then he kissed me. Yes, he kissed me right then and there, helpless as I was. Well, Joey, you'd die laughing if you knew the way I reacted. I shook all over. Just like when washed machine Charlie was dropping bombs. Only I wasn't scared. And of course, no letter from Lily was complete without that p.s. Joe, you're a honey for right me. You know, out here in morale is spelled M-A-I-L. But can you picture that Nicki trying to crab Ginny's ass? But Pete's saying tell it a ditch him. What a work, huh? Gee, that's a shame. Well, Joe, then... More jungles, more camps, more jeeps, more amphibians. And now and then, don't ask me how Lily managed to see Lieutenant Higbee. Either he turned up at Port Sensored to catch her show or she found a way to get to Sensored at all to catch an hour with him. I gather they got, well, acquainted. And then one day at a port of Sensored. Guys, grab your equipment off that pile there. Get up that game plank and get on board now. Come on. Gosh, Lily, it's a little rugged. Well, you stop wasting sympathy on me and look for him. Lily, look here he comes. Hey, we're coming over here. Here she is. Gee, Lily. Gee, I never thought you'd get up at this hour and come down to see me off. Although I was hoping. Oh, Ben? Ben? Hey, boys, huh? Well, I... Okay, Lieutenant, I guess I can take an order. Sammy, hang me back, accordion. Here you are, honey. Thanks, Sammy. Now, Lieutenant, what'll it be? Oh, anything. Just... Just, uh, honey, the way you always do. And, uh, don't look at me. Watch the kids on board. Sammy, keep her playing. Don't let her see me getting on board. Right, Ben. Luck, fella. Sammy? It's Ben, Sammy. He's gone. There he is. Baby's up there at the rail. Even though Lily was a real trooper at heart, but even for someone in show business, isn't that an awful way to have to leave your husband of just one hour? Oh, yes, I almost forgot. That letter ended with the usual... He asked. So she finally up and left him her ray for Ginny. I knew she'd come to her senses sometime. Tell her I'll look her up the minute I arrive. I'm coming back out here, Joey, and she's coming with me. The Valentine's sisters, vaudeville and nightclub stars and a medley of new and old-time favorites. They will these soldiers eat that number up. Joey, we're just gonna wow him. And you know, I believe Lily will. Thank you, Joey Brown and Anne Southern. Now before Mr. Brown returns to the microphone with a personal message, here's Gaine Whitman speaking for DuPont with this week's story of chemistry at work. The freon refrigerants which cool your refrigerator quietly and safely are handling a surprising number of war jobs. Not just protecting military food supplies, although they do that too. I mean war jobs you'd never expect a refrigerant to do. For example, freon is used by the army and navy in the war on malaria mosquitos. When freon is mixed with an insecticide, such as pyrethrum, it serves as the propellant. That is, it throws the insect-killing chemical into the air. It is also used in the air-conditioning systems of submarines. They chill stratochambers to 70 degrees below zero so that scientists can study the conditions flyers will meet at strato-sphere heights. They cool mammoth wind tunnels. In industry, they find many, many uses. Shrink-fitting metal parts, stabilizing gauge blocks, speeding the heat treatment of steels and alloys. But these safe freon refrigerants will return to their peacetime tasks after the war. And here's some news for you. The refrigerants used in almost all late-model home refrigerators are the freon family. Now, another freon refrigerant has been developed by Kinetic Chemical Incorporated, which is jointly owned by the DuPont Company and General Motors. This is freon-22. Like all freon refrigerants, freon-22 is a chemical compound which flows through the refrigerating machinery either as a liquid or a gas. Like all freon refrigerants, when this liquefied gas changes its form from a liquid to a gas, it must take up heat. And it takes that heat from the food stuffs and water in your refrigerator, cooling them. But this new freon refrigerant lowers the temperature by many more degrees. Makes it much colder than any other practical refrigerant so far. So after the war, using smaller and less costly compressors, manufacturers will be able to offer you an entirely different kind of refrigerator. For instance, a day may come when you will have in your kitchen a low-temperature refrigerating cabinet divided into two insulated sections. One section will be a compartment in which you will be able to quick freeze at low temperature, even as low as 40 degrees below 0. Fresh vegetables, fruits and meats. Merely by turning a dial like a radio dial to a point marked green beans or strawberries. The other section may be a storage compartment in which you will be able to keep a year's supply of quick frozen foods at say 10 below. This new refrigerant that holds such interesting possibilities for your future freon 22 is a fine example of DuPont better things for better living through chemistry. And now here is Joey Brown, co-star of tonight's DuPont Cavalcade. Thank you ladies and gentlemen. Tonight's Cavalcade has brought home to you just one story of the hundreds of grand people comparatively unknown who are bringing your boys, sweethearts and husbands in the armed forces a touch of home sweet home. I know for I've seen them all over the world. These little known people of show business who are the hand clasp between you at home and the men and women overseas. I wish I had time to tell you the many individual experiences and sacrifices of the entertainers that I've met personally. Wonderfully brave, hard-working boys and girls such as Bobby Gilbert, Edith Delaney, Johnny Marvin, Harry Barris, Norma Squires and so many others. America owes them all a debt of gratitude which can never be fully repaid. Miss Southern and I, all of us here on Cavalcade tonight, pay our tribute to these deliverers of good cheer and laughter. And you can share it too because U.S.O. Camp shows, supply, entertainment to our fighting men are financed by the contributions you make to the National War Fund. Thank you. DuPont presents Pat O'Brien in So Sorry, No Mercy the story of the American foreign correspondent Royal Arch Gunnison who foresaw the war with Japan and warned the world who escaped the March of Death in the Philippines and later in China and came back to tell his story. Royal Arch Gunnison will also be on hand with a message of hope for those still under Japanese domination. DuPont invites you to join Cavalcade's audience again next Monday evening when Pat O'Brien will be starred in So Sorry, No Mercy a stern eyewitness account of the nature of the Japanese enemy as reported by Royal Arch Gunnison one of America's distinguished foreign correspondents. Cavalcade is pleased to remind its listeners that Anne Southern appeared through the courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer producers of the technical or musical Broadway Rhythm, and Joey Brown appeared through courtesy of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation and may soon be seen in Pin-Up Girl. Tonight's Cavalcade score was composed and conducted by Robert Armbrister. This is James Spannon sending best wishes from Cavalcade sponsor, the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. The Cavalcade of America came to you from Hollywood. General Broadcasting Company.