This Depression Era silent black & white, silent promotional film is about an annual charity benefit called ‘The Night of Stars’ held in Chicago, Illinois in mid December to help those children in need of basic necessities, the “Largest Charity Event of Its Kind”. The clips in this movie are from 1936, the fourth benefit, as this is an advertisement for the fifth which is upcoming. The 1939 Chicago’s Own benefit lasted 7 hours and had forty acts; according to the Chicago Tribune it raised $375,000 to clothe 75K needy children.

Opening title: Chicago’s Own Xmas Benefit (:08). Title: Annual Chicago Championship Football Game played at Soldier Field on November 27, climax to high school football season (:23). A packed Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. (:35). Shoulder to shoulder people watch a football game (:53). Player runs with a football is tackled (1:17). Chicago Mayor Edward J. Kelly watches the game (1:29). Football game continues (1:37). Title: A Night of Stars – Million Dollar Stage Show at the Chicago Stadium, Wed, Dec. 15) (2:04). A sign for the Night of Stars Third Annual Stage Spectacular; some women head inside the venue (2:15). Inside the crowded facility (2:26). Title: Eddie Cantor. Eddie is an “illustrated song” performer, comedian, dancer, singer, actor, and songwriter, and he entertains the crowd (2:42). Title: Henry Busse and Chez Paree Show. Henry leads the orchestra; then sings for the crowd (3:00). Men in cowboy garb play instruments (3:33). Title: Paulist Choir. The young boys of the Paulist Choir of Chicago sing (3:35). Title: Fibber McGee and Molly. Fibber McGee and Molly come onto the stage and make the crowd laugh

(4:11). Title: Joe Lewis, Lewis was a comedian, he takes the stage (4:26). Title: Gus Van, a musician takes the stage, some dancing girls and Gus dances with a woman (4:46). Some fake snow is poured onto certain segments of the crowd (5:45). Title: Walter Huston. Huston was a Canadian actor and singer, he takes the microphone; performs a bit with a man in a tutu (6:20). Title: Amos and Andy. The two comedians take the stage (6:50). All of the talent on stage at one time (7:09). Mayor Kelly expresses his thanks to the crowd (7:44). Title: The benefit show has clothed more than 213,000 needy children. A man boxes up goods for the needy (8:14). Each child receives a complete wardrobe which is packaged and tied up (9:08). People package things for the needy (9:45). Boxes are ready to go to those in need (10:20). Labels are placed onto each box (10:50). Boxes and boxes for those in need according to the age of the child (11:27). End titles and announcement of the next Benefit show (11:51).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com