74 years ago: V-J Day

I'm behind on my summer anniversaries. After the grandeur of the moon landing, we go to the end of World War II, V-J Day (Victory in Japan), August 15, 1945. Though the European war had ended a couple months earlier (V-E day was May 8), between May and August, much fierce fighting was still happening, in addition to Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Above is an ad for a chain of newsreel theaters in New York City. In the pre-TV days, radio told people the news, and newspapers let us read the news, but we had to rely on newsreels for film of historical events. Here, the Trans-Lux chain lets everyone know that plenty of important information will be conveyed in the coming weeks, and they need to come to their theaters to see it--and by implication, to live through it.

This is an ad for a newsreel theater in Louisville, Kentucky. The week of V-J day, they were showing newsreels from action in Japan and Europe. But in general, I was hard pressed to find much in the way of war dramas.

Also in Louisville was Christmas in Connecticut (back in the 40s, Christmas movies came out any time the studios had room for them on their release schedule) and a triple horror bill with a live act. And notice the note at the bottom of the ad--segregated seating was still in effect. More V-J movie ads tomorrow.