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Thanksgiving Day is observed in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November” (above)—making this year the second earliest date on which it can fall.

“In 1621 the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as the first Thanksgiving celebration,” according to the National Day Calendar. So clearly the Pilgrims {uncovered in Part 1 earlier today} had a leg up on the competition.

Yet it wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War—and just 4 months after the decisive Battle of Gettysburg—that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national holiday to be held each November as Thanksgiving Day.

As England’s Daily Mail put it precisely 150 years later: “Celebrities arguably have a lot more to be thankful for than the average mortal on America’s national celebration of gratitude, Thanksgiving, and many of them have not been shy about putting their holiday spirit on display.

Why, by the dirty ’30s it had become a flesh feast !

And not just for the struggling starlets summoned by the studios for stills … but rather most of the major movie stars of that decade.

Here are five of the most surprising … paired with even more shocking finds where these tasty and rare ‘Birds’ forgot to be ‘dressed’:

BETTE DAVIS

Matching ‘giblets’ with busty blonde bombshell Joan Blondell

Not to be outdone

JOAN BLONDELL

‘Axe’ not what your country can do for you … {shaven while streaking a film set}

JOAN CRAWFORD

Unlike that other Joan, ‘Mommy Dearest’ chose carving over shaving

JUDY GARLAND

With a turkey instead of Toto, the rising starlet found an audience among foot fetishists

After MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer “put a hand on her left breast” [the one slipping out above right!}, he told his young star: “You sing from the heart.” Joked Judy: “I often thought I was lucky I didn’t sing from another part of my anatomy.”

RITA HAYWORTH

Every man I ever knew went to bed with Gilda {her most famous role},” lamented lovely Rita, “and woke up with me.” And every man’s wish•bone hoped for a morning shower break (above right).

Which is why she never did on screen … only on the diving board by her backyard pool!

Can you envision a more ‘elegant’ END to a ‘certain’ celebration?