Pop Culture of the 1930s

1930s Film By the end of the 1930s, close to 65% (75m people) of the United States would attend the movies once a week. Movies varied in genre in a similar fashion to modern day box office hits. “Talkies” saw an end to an era of silent films (such as works from Charlie Chaplin) and led to a new rise of Hollywood stars… Movie stars were celebrated for their works. Some of the more prominent included: Clark Gable, Shirley Temple, Fred Astaire, James Cagney, and more.

Gone With The Wind Scarlett Meets Rhett

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Snow White Eats the Apple

Somewhere Over the Rainbow The Wizard of Oz Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Frankenstein "It's Alive!"

1930s Radio During the 1930s, radio sales tripled from 10m early in the decade to 30m by the time the 1940s rolled around. 90% of all households in the United States had at least one radio. Outside of President Roosevelt’s “Fireside Chats”, radio programs often drew large audiences and would see several stars rise from radio stars to television stars in the 40s and 50s. Music Swing music becomes very popular during the 1930s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zbUcp9vcR8

War of the Worlds Broadcast by Orson Welles

1930s Sports Baseball? Night games begin to be played under floodlights to combat falling crowd turnouts Joe Dimaggio starts his career with the Yankees in 1936 The Baseball Hall of Fame opens in 1939 in Cooperstown, New York. First inductees to be chosen include Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth among others. Basketball? The NCAA hosts the first college championship tournament in 1939. The Final Four would include Villanova, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Ohio State… Who would win? Oregon (First and only NCAA title) Football? The NFL draft begins and we see field goal posts moved to the back of the end zone. Soccer? The first World Cup is played in Uruguay. Uruguay would win its first of two World Cup titles. Argentina would finish runners up. The United States would defeat Yugoslavia in the bronze medal match.