IT'S NOT HOLLYWOOD, BUT ...
By Mitch McKay

"It's not Hollywood, but..." tells of an incident that took place at Laurieton in New South Wales on 14 August 1944 when a US Navy Catalina Flying Boat, or PBY as it was more commonly known, with a group of American entertainers on board, encountered mechanical problems and landed unexpectedly on the Camden Haven River much to the delight of the locals.

The entertainers were comedians Bob Hope, Jerry Colonna, Frances Langford, Tony Romano, Barney Dean and dancer Patty Thomas.

"It's not Hollywood, but..." not only tells of the search for the last surviving member of the troupe, Patty Thomas, but also the search for the crew and the aircraft.

The Foreword has been written by Patty Thomas and the Back Cover by Australian adventurer Dick Smith.

"Bob Hope's Plane forced to crash-land in Australia"   New York Times 15 August 1944

The PBY experienced mechanical problems and the pilot ordered the passengers to jettison everything they could. Among the items thrown out were the entertainer's wardrobes and several crates of whisky!

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This page first produced 21 June 2011

This page last updated 04 March 2020