The Entertainment Industry
- Often the 1920s are described as the "Roaring 20s"
- This suggests a time of fun, loud music and wild enjoyment where everyone was having a good time
- However, for some Americans, this was not true
- The growing prosperity gave many Americans the spare time and money to enjoy themselves
- The average working week dropped from 47.4 -> 44.2 hours
- Whilst the average wages grew by 11%
- This led to growth in the entertainment industries
Movies/Cinema
What were the names of famous silent film stars?
- Buster Keaton
- Charlie Chaplin
- Clara Bow
- Rudolph Valentino
What made the movie industry larger?
- Became a bigger part of American culture when films started to incorporate sound and colour from the old films that were slient black and white films
What were they known as?
- The new films were known as "talkies"
How many cinemas were visted per week?
- In Hollywood, the film industry was developing which included thousands of cinemas
- These cinemas were visted by many Americans weekly
- Movies became a multi-billion dollar business, by the end of decade, atleast a hundred million tickets were being sold each week
Sport
Who did sports appeal to most?
- American Citizens from all parts of the country came to see top athletes of the day compete in arenas and stadiums
Who was Henry Seagrave and what did he achieve?
- He drove his car, "The Golden Arrow" at a record speed of 231.44mph
What became a big money sport?
- Baseball became it with teams such as the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.
- Prominent figures such as Al Capone were fans of baseball
Who was Babe Ruth?
- George Hermann Ruth (Babe Ruth) was a star of the New York Yankees
Music
What is the 1920s considered as?
- The "Jazz Age" as jazz was popular in America, especially young people
- Jazz was played on the radio with dance marathons and crazes like the Charleston
Why was Duke Ellington famous?
- Duke Ellington was America's greatest composer
- One of his songs was Soda Fountain Rag
- He travelled round the world, making his music known all over the world
- During his tours, he had composed thousands of songs
Who was Bessie Smith?
- Known as the "Blues Empress"
- She is considered the most famous Blues singer
- Started her musical career out of a very small working in tiny tents to make money
What was she most known for?
- Her first recording was "Down Hearted Blues"
- Even though she was rarely known, this album amassed 2 million copies sold in its first year
Radio
Who made it possible for the public to hear the same programmes, music and news?
- The National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and Columbia Broadcast System (CBS) transmitted signals nationwide, reaching nearly every area in the US
- Made it possible for the public to all hear the same programmes, music and news allowing people to share the same experiences
Why was radio so good for business?
- Nationwide broadcasting allowing for national brands of products to be aired, exposing everyone to their advertising
How many radio stations were there by 1922?
- In August 1921, there had only been one licensed radio station
- By the end of 1922, there was 508 of them
Book, Magazine and Cartoon Characters
When did Mickey Mouse come about?
What authors became famous?
- Lots of writers and poets became famous such as:
- Ernest Hemingway
- T.S Elliot
- Robert Frost
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
- F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote a famous novel depicting upper class life in the roaring 20s called "The Great Gatsby"
- Showed glamerous women and handsome men attending glittering parties and dancing