This Day in WWII 28 April 1940 - 1945 *1946

[Donster]

Tide Water Associated Ad - April 1944

1940: Allied reinforcements arrive in Andalsnes, Norway.

1941: The British evacuation of Greece is completed.

**Ingrid Bergman

1941: A clampdown is made in Norway against degenerate literature, with large-scale book burnings being held.

1942: Coastal "dimouts" go into effect along a fifteen-mile strip on the Eastern Seaboard, in response to German U-boat activity of the U.S. Atlantic coast.

Ingrid Bergman - YANK Pin-up Girl

1942: At what turns out to be its last meeting, the puppet Nazi Reichstag passes legislation proclaiming Hitler "Supreme Judge of the German People," formalising the Fuhrer's position as being above the reach of the law.

1943: British forces repulse a last, desperate Panzer counter blow in Tunisia.

Ingrid Bergman

1944: The South African and Rhodesian Prime Ministers arrive for the imperial Conference.

1944: Chinese forces retreat in central China.

Ingrid Bergman

1945: German U-boats sink 8 Allied ships, 3 destroyers and 2 corvettes in the English channel.

1945: The Canadian First Army captures Emden and Wilhelmshaven, while the U.S. Seventh Army takes Augsburg and reaches the Austrian border to the South. Hitler marries his mistress, Eva Braun, and dictates his political testament in which he justifies the political and military actions of his 12-year-rule, blaming the war on international Jewry and exhorting the German people even after defeat to adhere to the principles of National Socialism, especially its racial laws. Grossadmiral Dönitz is appointed as his successor.

Ingrid Bergman

1945: The U.S. Fifth Army take Brescia, 30 miles East of Milan. The British Eighth Army reaches Venice.

1945: Italian Partisans capture Mussolini, his mistress Clara Petacci and 12 of his cabinet members in a German convoy trying to reach Switzerland. All are shot in nearby village.

Ingrid Bergman

1945: Russian forces are fighting in the Wilhelmstrasse and reach the Anhalt Station which is just half a mile of the Führerbunker.

*1946: The Allies indict Tojo with 55 counts of war crimes.

Ingrid Bergman

**Ingrid Bergman was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on August 29, 1915. The woman who would be one of the top stars in Hollywood in the 1940s had decided to become an actress after finishing her formal schooling. She had had a taste of acting at age 17 when she played an uncredited role of a girl standing in line in the Swedish film "Landskamp" (1932) in 1932 - not much of a beginning for a girl who would be known as "Sweden's illustrious gift to Hollywood." Her parents died when she was just a girl and the uncle she lived with didn't want to stand in the way of Ingrid's dream. The next year she enrolled in the Swedish Royal Theatre but decided that stage acting was not for her. It would be three more years before she would have another chance at a film. When she did, it was more than just a bit part. The film in question was "Munkbrogreven" (1935), where she had a speaking part as Elsa Edlund. After several films that year that established her as a class actress, Ingrid appeared in "Intermezzo" (1936) as Anita Hoffman. Luckily for her, American producer David O. Selznick saw it and sent a representative from Selznick International Pictures to gain rights to the story and have Ingrid signed to a contract. Once signed, she came to California and starred in United Artists' 1939 remake of her 1936 film, "Intermezzo: A Love Story" (1939), reprising her original role. The film was a hit and so was Ingrid. Her beauty was unlike anything the movie industry had seen before and her acting was superb. Hollywood was about to find out that they had the most versatile actress the industry had ever seen. Here was a woman who truly cared about the craft she represented. The public fell in love with her. Ingrid was under contract to go back to Sweden to film "En enda natt" (1939) in 1939 and "Juninatten" (1940) in 1940. Back in the US she appeared in three films, all well-received. She made only one film in 1942, but it was the classic "Casablanca" (1942) opposite the great Humphrey Bogart.

Ingrid was choosing her roles well. In 1943 she was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (1943), the only film she made that year. The critics and public didn't forget her when she made "Gaslight" (1944) the following year--her role of Paula Alquist got her the Oscar for Best Actress. In 1945 Ingrid played in "Spellbound" (1945), "Saratoga Trunk" (1945) and "The Bells of St. Mary's" (1945), for which she received her third Oscar nomination for her role of Sister Benedict. She made no films in 1947, but bounced back with a fourth nomination for "Joan of Arc" (1948). In 1949 she went to Italy to film "Stromboli" (1950), directed by Roberto Rossellini. She fell in love with him and left her husband, Dr. Peter Lindstrom, and daughter, Pia Lindström. America's "moral guardians" in the press and the pulpits were outraged. She was pregnant and decided to remain in Italy, where her son was born. In 1952 Ingrid had twins, Isotta and Isabella Rossellini, who became an outstanding actress in her own right, as did Pia. Ingrid continued to make films in Italy and finally returned to Hollywood in 1956 in the title role in "Anastasia" (1956), which was filmed in England. For this she won her second Academy Award. She had scarcely missed a beat. Ingrid continued to bounce between Europe and the US making movies, and fine ones at that. A film with Ingrid Bergman was sure to be a quality production. In her final big-screen performance in 1978's "Höstsonaten" (1978) she had her final Academy Award nomination. Though she didn't win, many felt it was the most sterling performance of her career. Ingrid retired, but not before she gave an outstanding performance in the mini-series "A Woman Called Golda" (1982) (TV), a film about Israeli prime minister Golda Meir. For this she won an Emmy Award as Best Actress, but, unfortunately, she didn't live to see the fruits of her labor. Ingrid died from cancer on August 30, 1982, the day after her 67th birthday, in London, England.

TRIVIA:

Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m)

Measurements: 34-24-34

Her famous love affair with the war photographer, Robert Capa was the basis for Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" (1954).

During the making of "Casablanca" (1942), Humphrey Bogart's wife Mayo Methot continually accused him of having an affair with Bergman, often confronting him in his dressing room before a shot. Bogart would come onto the set in a rage.

Swedes are very proud of Bergman. They even have "Ingrid Bergman Square" with a statue of the screen goddess looking out over the water to her former home. Her ashes were scattered over the sea nearby.

Received a fan letter from James Stewart on his way to combat duty for World War II (1943).

One day at the studio she hooked bumpers with another car. A studio policeman found her tugging and heaving with all her might. The policeman said, "Darndest thing I ever saw. First film star I ever knew that didn't mind getting her hands dirty".

Enjoyed working with Gary Cooper, for she did not have to take off her shoes.