Even at the Depression's depths 60 to 80 million Americans attended the movies each week, and, in the face of doubt and despair, films helped sustain national morale. Although the movie industry considered itself Depression- proof, Hollywood was no more immune from the Depression's effects than any other industry.

Why did people go to the movies in 1930s?

At an average price of $. 27 a ticket, movies offered a relatively inexpensive way to vacation from reality. Always popular, this sort of diversion was especially sought-after during the Great Depression. Audiences gloried in spectacular fantasies of high society and easy living that they would never know.

Why did so many Americans go to the movies in the 1930s?

In fact, the years of the 1930s are considered the golden era of Hollywood cinema. Eighty-five million people a week crowded movie theaters across America to escape their sometimes desperate financial situations.

What was the attendance at the movies in the 1930s?

In 1930 (the earliest year from which accurate and credible data exists), weekly cinema attendance was 80 million people, approximately 65% of the resident U.S. population (Koszarski 25, Finler 288, U.S. Statistical Abstract).

Why did many people go to the movies in the late 1920's into the 1930's?

Cinema in the 1920s

For a quarter, Americans could escape from their problems and lose themselves in another era or world. People of all ages attended the movies with far more regularity than today, often going more than once per week.

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How much did movie tickets cost in the 1930s?

During the Great Depression, the financially bruised and battered everyman could temporarily escape his woes by paying 25 cents to go to the movies. Ironically, some of the most popular movies depicted the superrich, clothed in satin gowns, and top hats and tails.

Why was 1930s considered the golden age of Hollywood?

During the 1930s, the entire film industry transformed and “Hollywood” became synonymous with big studio pictures and became the standard for movies around the world. Films became cheaper to produce as studios vertically integrated the production process, which allowed the price of film attendance to go down.

How often did people go to the movies in the 1940s?

During the 1930s and 1940s, cinema was the principal form of popular entertainment, with people often attending cinemas twice a week.

Was entertainment available to everyone in the 1930s?

The most accessible form of entertainment in the 1930s were radio programs and radio broadcasts. Listening to the radio could be a social experience within families or even across small groups of people in community and the broadcasts were free.

How often were Americans going to the movies in the 1940s?

Back in the Golden Age of the cinema (1930-1945), most Americans went to the movie theater every week. In the early 1940s households averaged over two trips to the movie theater per week. Things have changed drastically since then.

What did people do for fun in the 1930s?

Many who could not afford books or periodicals spent time reading in libraries. Inexpensive amusements included backyard games, puzzles, card games, and board games such as Monopoly, which was introduced in 1935. Even the national pastime, baseball, changed profoundly during the Great Depression.

How many people went to the cinema in the 1930s?

Millions of people went to the movies then. The high point was between 1929 and 1932. In '33 and '34 it declined a lot, then it picked up a little again. In the peak years about 88 million people would go to the movies every week.

What was the 1930s era called?

The subsequent economic downfall, called the Great Depression, had traumatic social effects worldwide, leading to widespread poverty and unemployment, especially in the economic superpower of the United States and in Germany, which was already struggling with the payment of reparations for the First World War.

How many Americans went to the movies in the 1930s?

Even at the Depression's depths 60 to 80 million Americans attended the movies each week, and, in the face of doubt and despair, films helped sustain national morale.

Did people go to the movies in the 1920s?

During the 1920s, movie attendance soared. By the middle of the decade, 50 million people a week went to the movies - the equivalent of half the nation's population. In Chicago, in 1929, theaters had enough seats for half the city's population to attend a movie each day.

Why did people living during the depression attend the movies?

Hollywood played a valuable psychological role during the Great Depression. It provided reassurance to a demoralized nation. Even at the deepest depths of the Depression, 60 to 80 million Americans attended movies each week.

What did kids do for fun in the Great Depression?

Entertainment. 1930s: The greatest form of entertainment for most children was their own imagination! Kids used whatever was laying around to create their own games and toys. Girls made rag dolls and kids played school yard games like tag and jump rope.

What did people do to survive the Great Depression?

To save money, families neglected medical and dental care. Many families sought to cope by planting gardens, canning food, buying used bread, and using cardboard and cotton for shoe soles. Despite a steep decline in food prices, many families did without milk or meat.

What was family life like in the 1930s?

Economic hardship caused family breakdowns.

Marriages became strained, though many couples could not afford to separate. Divorce rates dropped during the 1930s though abandonments increased. Some men deserted their families out of embarrassment or frustration: This was sometimes called a “poor man's divorce.”

How long was the average movie in 1930?

It's true that in the first decades of cinema movies were shorter, they were on average 90 minutes long in early 1930s and reached 100–110 minutes in mid-'50s.

When did Hollywood decline?

Even in comparison to major releases seen today, hundreds of more films were made and released in the 1930s. Genre films were big hits, especially westerns, gangster and crime movies, and musicals. The Golden Age of Hollywood began to falter by 1948 and fully came to an end by the 1960s.

How much did it cost to go to the movies in 1940?

In 1940, a movie ticket cost a quarter.

What ended the Golden Age of Hollywood?

Hollywood's Golden Age finally came to an end due to two main factors: antitrust actions, and the invention of television. The iconic Hollywood sign. Reprinted from Hollywood 1940 – 2008 by Marc Wanamaker (pg. 19, Arcadia Publishing, 2009).

Are movies losing popularity?

The rise of streaming services has contributed to the decline of turnout in theaters. Going to the movies is a beloved experience for many, but has become less popular as of late. In 2021, a notably high 61% of Americans skipped out on the moviegoing experience.

What were the two most popular movies in the 1930s?