1 / 49

Culture in the 1930s: Movies, Radio, Art, and Literature during the Great Depression

Explore the vibrant entertainment provided by motion pictures and radio, the famous films and artists of the New Deal era, and the impact of the Federal Writers' Project and Federal Art Project during the Great Depression. Relevant

dannr
Download Presentation

Culture in the 1930s: Movies, Radio, Art, and Literature during the Great Depression

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Standard Addressed: 11.6 Students analyze the different explanations for the Great Depression and how the New Deal fundamentally changed the role of the federal government. Learning Objectives: Section 4 - Culture in the 1930's 1. Describe the entertainment provided by motion pictures and radio. 2. Identify some of the artists and writers of the New Deal era. CH 15-SEC 4

  2. QUIZ! First & Last Name Fill in your ID NUMBER! CH-15-4

  3. A BULLDOG ALWAYS Commitment Attitude CARES Respect Encouragement Safety

  4. Section 4 Culture in the 1930s Motion pictures, radio, art, and literature blossom during the New Deal. NEXT

  5. THE NEW DEAL AMERICA GETS BACK TO WORK

  6. SECTION 4: CULTURE IN THE 1930s MOVIES: • By the late 1930s, 65% of Americans were attending the movies at least once per week at one of the nation’s 15,000 movie theaters     Movies provided an escape from the hardships of the Great Depression

  7. SECTION 4: CULTURE IN THE 1930s MOVIES: • Comedies, lavish musicals, love stories and gangster films dominated the movie industry     Movies provided an escape from the hardships of the Great Depression

  8. MOVIE STARS • A new era of glamour in Hollywood was launched with stars like Clark Gable, Marlene Dietrich and James Cagney 1930s

  9. FAMOUS FILMS OF THE 30s • One of the most famous films of the era was Gone with the Wind (1939) • Other notable movies of the era included The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

  10. Guided Reading: Films and Radio Drama

  11. FAMOUS FILMS OF THE 30s

  12. Guided Reading: Films and Radio Drama

  13. Shirley Temple (Black) • Most popular artist 1935-1938

  14. NEXT

  15. RADIO: THE ORIGINAL ENTERTAINMENT • Sales of radios greatly increased in the 1930s, from 13 million in 1930 to 28 million by 1940 • Nearly 90% of American homes owned a radio Families spent hours listening to the radio

  16. ROOSEVELT’S FIRESIDE CHATS • FDR communicated to Americans via radio • His frequent “Fireside Chats” kept Americans abreast of the government’s efforts during the Depression

  17. POPULAR RADIO SHOWS Benny Hope • Popular radio shows included comedies with Bob Hope, Jack Benny, and the duo of Burns and Allen Burns Allen

  18. POPULAR RADIO SHOWS • Soap operas (named because they were sponsored by soap companies) ran in the mornings, kids shows in the afternoon and entertainment at night

  19. Radio Entertains

  20. FAMOUS RADIO MOMENTS • Orson Welles created a radio special called War of the Worlds • It was an epic drama about aliens landing in America • Unfortunately, many thought it was a news broadcast and panicked

  21. Guided Reading: Films and Radio Drama

  22. Radio Entertains

  23. Guided Reading: Films and Radio Drama

  24. WRITERS DEPICT AMERICAN LIFE • The Federal Writers’ Project (branch of WPA) paid writers to write • Richard Wright’s acclaimed Native Son was written for the project • Deals with issues of growing up black

  25. Guided Reading: Art and Literature

  26. JOHN STEINBECK RECEIVES ACCLAIM • American writer John Steinbeck received assistance from the Federal Writers’ Project • He published his most famous book, Grapes of Wrath (1939), as part of the program • Portrays the struggles of a family from the dust bowl.

  27. Guided Reading: Art and Literature

  28. LIVE NEWS COVERAGE • Radio captured news as well as providing entertainment • One of the first worldwide broadcasts was the horrific crash of the Hindenburg, a German Zeppelin (blimp), in New Jersey on May 6, 1937 • Such immediate news coverage became a staple in society The Hindenburg caught fire and was utterly destroyed within a minute Of the 97 people on board, 13 passengers and 22 crew-members were killed

  29. The Arts in Depression America • Artists Decorate America • Federal Art Project pays artists to make art, teach in schools • Aim to promote art appreciation, positive image of America • Murals typically portray dignity of ordinary people at work • Many outstanding works painted by artists, including Grant Wood • Federal Theater Project hires actors, artists Continued . . . NEXT

  30. ART DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION • The Federal Art Project (branch of the WPA) paid artists a living wage to produce art • Projects included murals, posters and books • Much of the art, music and literature was sober and serious

  31. PLAY – OUR TOWN

  32. Guided Reading: Art and Literature

  33. ARTISTS HERALDED • Painters like Edward Hopper, Thomas Hart Benton, and Iowa’s Grant Wood were all made famous by their work in the WPA program • Photographer Dorothea Lange gained fame from her photos during this era (featured throughout this presentation) Wood’s American Gothic is perhaps the most famous piece of the era (1930)

  34. Artists Decorate America • Federal Art Project pays artists to make art, teach in schools • Aim to promote art appreciation, positive image of America • Murals typically portray dignity of ordinary people at work • Many outstanding works painted by artists, including Grant Wood • Federal Theater Project hires actors, artists

  35. Grant Wood’s Fall Plowing, 1931

  36. Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks (1942)

  37. Edward Hopper, Railroad Sunset (1929)

  38. Mabel Dwight, In the Crowd (1931)

  39. Thomas Hart Benton, Mine Strike

  40. Thomas Hart Benton, Lord, Heal the Child (1934)

  41. Nicolai Cikovsky, On the East River (c. 1934)

  42. Guided Reading: Art and Literature

  43. GUTHRIE’S MUSIC CAPTURES ERA Singer Woody Guthrie used music to capture the hardship of the Great Depression • Guthrie traveled the country singing about America • Singer, songwriter Woody Guthrie sings of plight of poor Woody Guthrie

  44. The Arts in Depression America • Woody Guthrie Sings of America • Singer, songwriter Woody Guthrie sings of plight of poor Continued . . . NEXT

  45. QUIZ! First & Last Name Fill in your ID NUMBER! CH-15-4

  46. Chapter 15: Section 4 MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS A – Why did you think movies were so popular during the Depression? • Movies provided realistic portrayals as well as escapist comedies and romances, all of which helped people to cope with the Depression reality

  47. Chapter 15: Section 4 MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS B – Why did the New Deal fund art projects? • New Deal officials believed • -that art played an important role in the life of the American people. • -that artists deserved work relief just as other unemployed Americans did

  48. MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS C – In what ways did the New Deal deliver art to the public? • The Federal Art Project paid to produce public art. • It also promoted the teaching of art in schools and poster and mural paintings. • The Federal Theater Project assisted producing theater productions.

  49. Chapter 15: Section 4 MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS D – How did the literature of the time reflect issues of the Depression? • Writers depicted the difficulties of the Depression Era, such as the Dust Bowl, working class life, racism, and hardships in America.

More Related