Glenn Miller

On 28th August, 1944, Major Glenn Miller and his American Band of Allied Expeditionary Force appeared at tthe Odeon Cinema in Frankfort Street, Plymouth. It was reported that Bing Crosby would also be appearing and large queues started forming at 9 pm in readiness for the concert at 10.15 pm. Crosby was unable to attend because of other commitments but Glenn Miller appeared and played to a packed house of military and naval personnel (civilians weren't permitted). The police and military police controlled the crowds outside. Miller and his 52 piece orchestra played all the music that he had become famous for. Sergeant Johnny Desmond was the lead vocalist and the Crew Chiefs also appeared on stage. Previous to his appearance, Miller had been given a tour of the city.

The top photo shows Miller meeting Sam Donohue. This photo wasn't taken in Plymouth although these two did meet up in the city. Sam led the Artie Shaw Naval Band based at the Vicarage Road USN Camp. Sam and several of the band members were in films and backed Frank Sinatra post war. The dance hall was next door to the Cornwall's Gate Inn.
Miller had arrived earlier by plane at Harrowbeer. He gave two other concerts, one at Shapter's Field in Cattedown (where there was a US base) and the other at the US Navy Field Hospital at Manadon.

On December 15, 1944, while flying to Paris from England to give a concert, Glenn Miller's plane, a single-engined UC-64 Norseman, disappeared over the English Channel. No trace of the plane, the crew or Glenn Miller were ever found. 

The Odeon was also used by Field-Marshall Montgomery who briefed officers prior to the D-Day landings.
The cinema survived the war and remained in the newly built New George Street until it was demolished in 1963 so that the Littlewoods store could be built. Today, Littlewoods has been replaced by TJ Hughes. It's interesting when walking by the building to think that the likes of Glenn Miller and Field Marshall Montgomery once passed this way.