1. Chapter 13 Section4
Culture of the 1930’s

2. Section Focus
How did men and women of the depression find relief from their hardships in the popular culture?

3. Movies and Radio Large Radio Networks Film Companies CBS NBC
20th Century Fox
MGM
Warner Brothers
Paramount
1935 2/3 houses own radios
1939 2/3 of people go to at least 1 movie/week

4. Escapism Going to movies = escapism Wizard of Oz
Good over evil
Wizard of Oz
Snow White 7 Drawfs (Disney)
Frankenstein
Top Hat (musical)
Gone with the Wind

5. Social Commentary
Films reflect public distrust of big business and gov’t
Gangster movies very popular at begining
People lose faith in cops/gov’t
Public Enemy (1931)
Turn to crime to survive depression
As New Deal takes effect, movies reflect change
Gov’t officals become heroes
Mr. Smith goes to Washington (1937)
Frank Capra

6. Golden Age of Radio As big as the movie industry Popular Shows
Shows (like TV without picture)
Popular Shows
The Lone Ranger
The Shadow
Green Hornet
Comedians
Bob Hope
Will Rogers
Jack Benny

7. War of the Worlds
Oct 30, 1938
Radio program about Alien Invasion of Earth
People believe actually happening!!
Towns panic
Orson Wells

8. Big Band Big Bands Swing Woody Guthrie Pop music
Duke Ellington
Glen Miller
Woody Guthrie
Folk music about Dust Bowl
African Americans sing the Blues

9. New Deal and the Arts Federal Art Project Murals
Special branch of the WPA
Plays
Writers record US history and folklore
Murals
Public buildings
Celebrate accomplishments of workers
Photographers
Dorothea Lange

11. Literature Novels feature working class heroes The Grapes of Wrath
Most famous novel of 1930s
Dust bowl family moves west
John Steinbeck

12. Superman Comic Strips/books hugely popular Art = good overcoming evil
Flash Gordon
Dick Tracy
Superman
Art = good overcoming evil

13. Section focus
How did men and women of the depression find relief from their hardships in the popular culture?
They enjoyed escapist activities such as going to the movies, listening to radio shows, and dancing to the music of swing bands