1943 War Bonds Rally Air Warden

This home movie from the Ellwood F. Hoffmann (1885-1966) Collection, filmed in 1943 in Philadelphia, PA, captures a vibrant War Bonds Parade and Rally during WWII’s Third War Loan Drive. Shot in Kodachrome, the silent footage showcases Hollywood stars like Mickey Rooney, Lucille Ball, and Harpo Marx rallying crowds to buy bonds. The parade rolls through Philadelphia’s streets—possibly near City Hall—with celebrities waving from open cars, greeted by cheering locals waving flags. Rooney might mime a drumroll, Ball flash her comedic charm, and Marx chase a blonde in his signature antics, echoing their Hollywood Bond Cavalcade tour. A dramatic highlight features a big fire—perhaps a staged blaze for effect—tied to civil defense training, where air wardens in helmets demonstrate firefighting or blackout drills, emphasizing their homefront role. Hoffmann’s dashboard-mounted camera likely pans across bond booths, banners urging “Back the Attack,” and a festive yet purposeful crowd, blending star power with wartime urgency in this lively Philadelphia snapshot.