Golden Age
Remembering The Golden Age of Hollywood
The Golden Age of Hollywood is said to have begun in the late 1920′s, during the end of the silent film era, and continued through the late 1950′s. The 1927 release of The Jazz Singer signaled an end to silent films and box office receipts started to climb. This new surge in film popularity gave Hollywood enough momentum for three decades of successful filmmaking.
During this magical era the big time studios MGM, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, and RKO Pictures gave birth to dozens of new stars. Many of these stars would go on to become Hollywood legends. A few of these familiar names would be Clark Gable, Bette Davis, Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, and Ingrid Bergman.
At the very beginning of Hollywood’s Golden Age things were a little slow to start due to the financial troubles caused by the Great Depression, However, Hollywood still managed to produce outstanding movies. These films had a very positive effect providing an escape for audiences who were struggling with the tough times caused by the Depression.
American movie goers reveled in the entertainment of Hollywood’s new found stars who lit up the screen with great flairs of passion and glamour; they laughed with comedic actors W.C. Fields, Bob Hope and the Marx Brothers, and fell madly in love with a dancing, singing curly haired little girl by the name of Shirley Temple.
Some of Hollywood’s most memorable classics were created during this Golden Age and included “Gone With The Wind“(1939), “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) John Steinbecks “The Grapes of Wrath“(1937), and the debut of Walt Disneys “Snow White and Seven Dwarfs” (1937). In fact, it is a common opinion that 1939 was the greatest year in movie history.
The War Effort
After the outbreak of World War II, 1940′s Hollywood did their part for the war effort by producing documentaries, film shorts, news reels, and by holding a great many fundraisers in an effort to help Americans through such this tough and fearful time. Movies also began to take on more of a patriotic theme helping to lift the morale on the country.
Wartime stars like Jimmy Stewart, Elizabeth Taylor, Ronald Reagan, Ingrid Bergman, Judy Garland, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, and Bob Hope all made major contributions during this period and are some of the most patriotic and memorable performers of the era.
The 1950′s
By the early 1950′s, with most post-war American households having a television in their living rooms, the impact on the Hollywood movie industry was significant. It was time for Hollywood to get creative concerning their target audience.
One such creative was to satisfy the enormous appetite of the new teenage market. This was successfully accomplished with the producing of rebellion movies, younger leading actors and actresses, and the opening of a new way to go to the movies…the Drive In Movie Theater.
However, this was not the only notable adjustment made to filmmaking. Hollywood also became more edgy when it came to sexuality on the silver screen, with stars like Marilyn Monroe, the most infamous and legendary sex symbol of Hollywood, putting the essence of raw, yet playfully seductive sexuality back into film just as Jean Harlow did in the 1930′s prior to the censorship codes.
Once again the film industry was able to change with the times allowing the Golden Age of Hollywood to continue a little longer.
About the Author
Carl DiNello is a Blog Owner whose passion is Hollywood history and those movies from the 1920s – 1950s that make up this rich history.
Hollywood Movie Memories…Movies to Remember and Discover!
Enjoy reading more Hollywood Movie Memories Hollywood History Articles.
The Golden Age
|
|
Golden Age of Paris Drink Coaster Set of 4 $11.99 … |
|
|
Set of 4 Absorbent Coasters – Golden Age of Paris – Bronze $14.49 We’ve taken pride in offering customers unique designs with a commitment to excellence since 1991. We start with the highest degree of laser cutting technology available and combine the talent of published artists to create a cost effective piece of art to enjoy for generations to come. We strive to provide superior customer service and prompt shipment because we owe our continued growth and suppo… |
|
|
NBA Cork Screw and Wine Bottle Topper Set An Officially Licensed Stainless Steel Wine Set… |
|
|
Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Vol. 1 $41.94 What’s up, Doc? Well, how about a four-disc boxed set packed with 56 of the funniest cartoons in Warner Bros. history? Get ready to laugh yourself silly with salutes to Bugs Bunny (“Baseball Bugs,” “Long-Haired Hare,” “Wabbit Twouble,” “The Rabbit of Seville,” and more); Daffy Duck and Porky Pig (“Duck Amuck,” “Dough for the Do-Do,” “Scaredy Cat,” “Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2th Century,” and more);… |
|
|
Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Vol. 6 $24.36 Sufferin’ Succotash! It’s the final collection of “Looney Tunes” and “Merrie Melodies” in this series, featuring 60 more unforgettable cartoons, some never before released on home video. Bugs, Daffy, and the other “All-Stars” appear in “Hare Trigger,” “Birth of a Notion,” “Dog Gone South,” “Heaven Scent,” and others; the Stars and Stripes are saluted in patriotic favorites such as “Meet John Dough… |
|
|
Madeline $3.86 The schoolgirl adventures of Madeline, a flame-haired orphan, are lovingly adapted from Ludwig Bemelmans’s classic children’s books. His sly and witty writing is transferred to this first-rate film, one that should not be thought of merely as childhood entertainment. Spunky Madeline is most adept at finding trouble. She is also a quick-witted and likable child who can solve almost any problem. Her… |
|
|
Steve Allen’s Golden Age of Comedy [VHS] $9.99 Re-live the wonderful days of live T.V. laughs in this program highlighting some of the best comedy appearances ever. Features Johnny Carson, Mel Brooks, Bob Hope, Jimmy Durante, the Muppets and footage from Allen’s shows of the 50′s and 60′s…. |
|
|
Deadly Mantis [VHS] $9.98 Beware of global warming! After an arctic glacier undergoes a sudden mysterious thaw, the world faces the wrath of a not-so-jolly green giant in this moderately diverting big bug movie. Although the handsomely produced film follows the standard ’50s monster movie playbook–plentiful stock footage, tired characterizations, a lengthy intro documenting the wonderfulness of a newfangled gizmo named ra… |
|
|
Thin Ice [VHS] $19.98 … |
|
|
Space Chase (Wall – E Hologramatic Sticker Book) $3.99 As he pursues his dream across the galaxy a little robot named WALL E learns about the values of loyalty and friendship. Touching and memorable film moments are captured in this collection of coloring and activity pages along with cool hologramatic stickers. Format: Trade Paperback 48 pages… |
Tags: age, art, comics, golden, golden age, golden age lyrics, golden age of athens, golden age of hollywood, golden age passport, history
This entry was posted on Friday, June 26th, 2009 at 7:21 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.