Keeping Fit

Wartime short starring Robert Stack and other actors under contract to Universal, such as Broderick Crawford, Dick Foran, Andy Devine, Ralph Morgan, Anne Gwynne, Don Porter, and Lon Chaney, Jr. Each actor's character shares the name of the actor, but they aren't really playing themselves. Unless Ralph Morgan had a medical license that I'm unaware of. The gist of the short is to remind civilians working in factories that it's their duty to their country to stay in shape and take care of themselves so they can do their part in the war effort. Of interest today to classic film fans and WW2 buffs, I suppose. I always like seeing these types of things because of the curiosity factor and because they have a neat 'window into the past' appeal. For example, I had no idea the government ran cooking schools during the war to teach wives how to properly cook for their husbands. I need to see if that's still a thing today.

During his five years under contract at Universal from 1941-45, Lon Chaney became their new horror star, essaying roles that had already been made famous by others, while being the 'Master Character Creator' of his Wolf Man (coupled with the invaluable yak hair artistry of makeup wizard Jack Pierce). Among the other, lesser known genres where he worked were a pair of one reel wartime shorts, 1942's "Keeping Fit" and 1943's "What We Are Fighting For," appearing with a host of other contract players familiar to studio buffs. "Keeping Fit" may be considered the better of the two, as Robert Stack faints during factory duty, and learns that he must stay in shape to keep up the war effort. Chaney shares his scene with good buddy Andy Devine, playing themselves basically, and discussing sports like bowling as being ideal as well as inexpensive. Dick Foran and Irene Hervey make a charming husband and wife, Russell Hicks and Louise Allbritton supply most of the narration.