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.

How many people went to the movies during the Depression?

60-90 million people went to the movies every week during the Depression, making in one of America's greatest past times. The average movie ticket price during this period was 25 cents, but Americans were willing to spend the money.

Why did the movies remain popular during the Great Depression?

Providing a place of escape for the public allowed the film industry to survive the hardships of not only 1932, but the unparalleled unemployment level of 1933.

How many movie theaters closed during the Great Depression?

Within this context, the nation's film exhibition sector experienced tremendous losses and closures. Film historian Kathryn Fuller-Seeley emphasizes that small town theaters were hit especially hard; she estimates that “by 1932, about 8,000 of the nation's 23,000 movie theaters were closed.

Did people go to the movies in the 1930s?

The American people in the 1930s and 1940s were no exception. They enjoyed many forms of entertainment, particularly if they could do so inexpensively. With the addition of sound, movies became increasingly popular. Comedies, gangster movies, and musicals helped people forget their troubles.

Did people watch films during The Great Depression? - Going to the Movies - 1930 to 1940

What did people do for fun during the Great Depression?

Radio programs, music, dancing and dance marathons, and cinema were popular forms of entertainment during the Great Depression. Many people affected by the economic downturn sought inexpensive ways to pass the time and distract themselves from the challenging circumstances.

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.

How much did it cost to see a movie during the Great Depression?

Average Price of a Movie Ticket

Going to the movie theater provided a brief escape from the crisis of the Great Depression. Popular genres included musicals, comedies, gangster films, westerns, and thrillers. The average cost for a movie ticket in 1931 was 35 cents.

What movie was popular during the Great Depression?

The Invisible Man (1933)

A science fiction/thriller was perfect for The Great Depression. People needed an opportunity to suspend disbelief. As the stock markets crashed around them, having a movie that provided thrills was what people needed.

What movies were people watching during the Great Depression?

What ended the Great Depression?

Mobilizing the economy for world war finally cured the depression. Millions of men and women joined the armed forces, and even larger numbers went to work in well-paying defense jobs. World War Two affected the world and the United States profoundly; it continues to influence us even today.

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.

How long were movies in the 1930s?

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.

What did kids do for fun during 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.

How did the Great Depression affect Theatre?

The Great Depression had an enormous impact on theatre across the United States. Productions decreased dramatically, audiences shrank, and talented writers, performers, and directors fled the industry to find work in Hollywood.

Who was famous in the Great Depression?

Who did the best during the Great Depression?

Was there TV during the Great Depression?

Although those who had enough money to buy the $200 to $600 TV receivers clamored to place their orders, TV did not become a popular medium until after World War II (1939–45). After the war, the economy had rebounded and Americans had more cash for luxuries.

How much were movie tickets in 1985?

A trip to the movie theater in 1985, perhaps to see "The Breakfast Club" or "Back to the Future," cost $3.55 per ticket, on average, according to the National Association of Theatre Owners. Nowadays, you'll have a difficult time finding anything at the concession stand -- let alone an actual movie ticket -- for $3.55.

How did artists react to the Great Depression?

Artists created idealized visions for the future and experimented with abstraction in response to the changing world around them. Under Roosevelt's government programs, artists found meaningful work in making art for ordinary Americans and publicizing the WPA's accomplishments.

How often did many Americans go to the movies by 1929?

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.

How often did people go 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. Although the movie industry considered itself Depression- proof, Hollywood was no more immune from the Depression's effects than any other industry.

How much did movie tickets cost in 1948 in dollars?

Check out the evolution of the price of a single movie ticket, according to the National Association of Theatre Owners: 1948: $0.36.

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

Movies had become a cultural institution as well as a cultural necessity. No other form of entertainment had come to play as important a role in American's everyday life, not even radio. Sixty million to 75 million people still faithfully attended even if the price of a seat was too much for them to pay.