Movies were an art form that had universal appeal. Their essence was entertainment. Their success, financial and otherwise, was huge. They entertained and made people laugh, making the world a happier place to live in after the horrors of WW1.
The early silent movies were often accompanied by live piano or organ music and provided enormous entertainment value to audiences everywhere. Although various attempts had been made to introduce sound, it wasn't until 1923 that a commercially distributed film contained a synchronized sound track that was photographically recorded and printed on to the side of the strip of motion picture film.
The 1920s represented the era of greatest output in the US movie market. An average of 800 films were produced annually. Although developments in color and sound were still in the experimental stage a strong demand for movies encouraged production of "talkies" for commercial release. The huge Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio was founded by Samuel Goldwyn and Louis B. Mayer in 1924. Rudolph Valentino and Charlie Chaplin rose to stardom in this era, which also saw the premier of the first Walt Disney animated cartoon and the debut of Mickey Mouse.
An invention, which soon after became a popular fad, is the radio. Because of no invention of the TV, the radio was their TV. And, it really did do pretty much everything the TV does for us. If you tuned in at the right time, you could catch comedy shows, news, live events, jazz, variety shows, drama, opera, you name it, the radio had it! Discovered in the 1920's were penicillin and discovery of insulin for diabetic.This decade had some major breakthroughs in medicine and science.
The early silent movies were often accompanied by live piano or organ music and provided enormous entertainment value to audiences everywhere. Although various attempts had been made to introduce sound, it wasn't until 1923 that a commercially distributed film contained a synchronized sound track that was photographically recorded and printed on to the side of the strip of motion picture film.
The 1920s represented the era of greatest output in the US movie market. An average of 800 films were produced annually. Although developments in color and sound were still in the experimental stage a strong demand for movies encouraged production of "talkies" for commercial release. The huge Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio was founded by Samuel Goldwyn and Louis B. Mayer in 1924. Rudolph Valentino and Charlie Chaplin rose to stardom in this era, which also saw the premier of the first Walt Disney animated cartoon and the debut of Mickey Mouse.
An invention, which soon after became a popular fad, is the radio. Because of no invention of the TV, the radio was their TV. And, it really did do pretty much everything the TV does for us. If you tuned in at the right time, you could catch comedy shows, news, live events, jazz, variety shows, drama, opera, you name it, the radio had it! Discovered in the 1920's were penicillin and discovery of insulin for diabetic.This decade had some major breakthroughs in medicine and science.
Citations: Walt Disney. Photograph. Web. 19 Apr. 2011. <http://www.disneyanimation.com/aboutus/images/walt_drawing.jpg>.
"1920's Movies." The 1920's - Roaring Twenties - The Nineteen Twenties in History. Web. 19 Apr. 2011. <http://www.1920-30.com/movies/>.
"The 1920's." Kyrene School District - Redirect. Web. 19 Apr. 2011. <http://www.kyrene.org/schools/brisas/sunda/decade/1920.htm>.
Alicia Stevens