Impact of Pop Culture and Media on Society 1917-1980 Flashcards
What was the first sound movie ever and what year was it released?
The Jazz Singer, 1927
How many US cinemas were there in 1925?
20,000
How many movie-related fan magazines were there in the late 1930s and what was the average circulation
20, with a circulation of about 200,000 to 1 million each
What was the impact of moviestars and give an example
People idolised the way movie characters act and wanted to replicate it in real life - for example, a woman named Clara Bow often acted in roles as flappers or more promiscuous women which encouraged many women to adopt a similar style
In the 30s and 40s, what % of all films worldwide were made in Hollywood?
90%
What was the range for Hollywood movie budgets around 1940
$50,000 - $500,000
What rules were placed upon the daily lives of actors
They were expected to behave somewhat similarly to their characters to keep the star appeal going, and some attractive male actors weren’t allowed to marry because it would put off their female fans
What was the pay of actors comparatively to normal people
High profile actors were very rich - Shirley Temple made $5,000 a week whereas the average American only made $2,000 a year. However ordinary actors made similar to or less thanthe average wages for people
Why did some people find the film industry controversial in the 1920s and 1930s?
They thought female characters were too scantily dressed and badly behaved (drinking and smoking) and they disliked the glorification of crime in gangster films which were popular at the time
What music rapidly rose in popularity in the 1920s and 1930s?
Jazz Music
Why was jazz music somewhat unpopular with more conservative Americans
The dances associated with jazz were considered too provocative and a lot of jazz players were black which racists didn’t like
How many grammophone records were sold in the following years:
1900
1929
1935
and explain why
1900: 3 million
1929: 150 million
1935: 25 million
It increased from 1900 to 1929 as music became popular and grammophones became more affordable, but after 1929 it declined massively, in part to both the rise of the radio which played songs for free, and the great depression which meant luxury items like music were not affordable
What month did the first commercial radio station start and what was it called
KDKA started in November 1920
What did KDKA do which showed the power of the radio
They were able to broadcast the results of the 1920 Presidential Election before newspapers could print and distribute them
When was the first on radio advertisement (month)
August 1922
