1930s Culture

Who were the most influential people in 1930's popular culture? 

Orson Welles: for his radio broadcast “The War of the Worlds”, and his ability to act, direct, produce, and write such a broadcast. His movies: Citizen Kane and Touch of Evil. Showing he is able to all those things, to bring up a form of entertainment for people as a one man crew.

Woody Guthrie: American songwriter and singer. He was able to write about how the Dust Bowl and Depression affected him and how we on a search for a better life. He was able to influence people through music to not give up, and to have hope. He was able to use experiences he went through, and saw others go through to help them. He was also doing something he loved, not giving up on his dream.

What books, movies, and other entertainment programs were popular during the Great Depression? 

Movies: Gone With the Wind, Flying Down to Rio, The Wizard of Oz, Duck Soup, Little Caesar, and The Public Enemy.

Books: Native Sone by Richard Wright, showing how how hard of a life an African-American has in a racist world. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, talking about how he had to move from his hometown in order to make a living, and then not having much luck for so long with all the difficulties at hand, and it took a long time for some success to start showing.

Other: Comedians, war news, and such over radios.
Soap operas and children’s shows were played on T.V. throughout the day for homemakers. The Lone Ranger

Art is paintings, murals, and teachings at school to show the depth of the depression through a creative way. Most commonly portraying sad and serious features, or hopeful uplifting messages. Like the American Gothic.

Music, such as singing and playing an instrument to give words a tune to live by. Such as Guthrie’s, “This Land is Your Land”.

Plays like Our Town was able to catch the beauty of a small town during these hard times, and Waiting for Left brings out the struggles of labor.

How did the entertainment of the Great Depression reflect what was going on at the time? 

It either talked about how awful it really was and how it effected everyone somehow. Wether it was good or bad. It also gave it a more meaningful touch so people won’t forget about it. When something bad happens we like to look back upon it, and think of how far one has come from that hard time. It gives a person a little boost knowing how strong and how hopeful they had to be to get through those times, and how it impacted them as a person. It could have made them a better person, or worse, just depends on how they took it.

What part of 1930's entertainment did you find most important and why? 

I think the songs and song writers. These people were really well known for what they did, but seeing This Land Was Your Land, I instantly new what song it was and what it was talking about. It’s simply something put into music and it gets stuck in our heads. Music is one of those things that grabs our attention and we can easily remember it. It also has such a strong impact when it comes to the lyrics and understanding what someone is saying. Most commonly the music made either seemed like it was a sad story or a happy story. Depending on how someone listened to was the key, it could have more then one meaning, but had one the most powerful reasonings in the world.