Change In Entertainment
One of the many big changes that took place in the 1920s was in Entertainment. Music, Dance, and films were some of the twenties main types of entertainment. Music started to have a new sound and new ways to listen to it as well. Phonographs were very common in working class and middle class homes. Listening to the radio became part of American’s daily life. Songwriters started to approach songwriting in a different way. Therefore, songs became more popular for people to listen to. The “Tin Pan Alley” songwriters composed some of the most popular music during this era. Tin Pan Alley was an office building on West 28th street in Manhattan. This was the home for some of the most creative songwriters in the 1920’s. George M. Cohan was a well-known writer; he wrote, “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and a well known WWI one tune “Over There.” Irving Berlin was also a very well known songwriter in the twenties, writing “Blue Skies.” Collaborations were also done; George and Ira Gershwin brothers produced many musicals like “I Got Rhythm.” Music in the twenties was also referred to as “The Jazz Age,” being born in New Orleans. The choice in music for many Americans, especially the youth, was Jazz. People enjoyed the swing and rhythmic sound it brought. Many young people danced to jazz in nightclubs.
Songwriting and music was a huge part of the 1920’s entertainment, but was not the only source of entertainment. Film became a very popular source of entertainment for Americans. In the early twenties, every town had its local theater, ticket sales averaged at around 100 million a week in a country of 123 million. In the earlier years of the twenties, silent films were watched. Silent films starred many actors/actresses like Lillian Gish, Clara Bow, and Charlie Chaplin. Charlie Chaplin was a very favored comical actor that played in many silent films. Harold Lloyd was another comedian that acted in a popular film in 1923, where he dangles from a clock hand high above a city. Later on in the twenties, movies were taken to a whole new level. In 1927, Hollywood released “The Jazz Singer.” This particular film was the first featured-length film with spoken dialogue. In other words the first film with sound. This film stared Al Jolson. The Warner brothers recorded the singing in the film. This was recorded on phonographs, which was synchronized to the picture projector. Not long after this historical film, technology improved and moviemakers started to print sound information into the film itself. Because of this, theaters started to install sound equipment. As 20th Century Fox movie studio stopped making silent films and began producing sound films, other studios followed.
One of the many big changes that took place in the 1920s was in Entertainment. Music, Dance, and films were some of the twenties main types of entertainment. Music started to have a new sound and new ways to listen to it as well. Phonographs were very common in working class and middle class homes. Listening to the radio became part of American’s daily life. Songwriters started to approach songwriting in a different way. Therefore, songs became more popular for people to listen to. The “Tin Pan Alley” songwriters composed some of the most popular music during this era. Tin Pan Alley was an office building on West 28th street in Manhattan. This was the home for some of the most creative songwriters in the 1920’s. George M. Cohan was a well-known writer; he wrote, “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and a well known WWI one tune “Over There.” Irving Berlin was also a very well known songwriter in the twenties, writing “Blue Skies.” Collaborations were also done; George and Ira Gershwin brothers produced many musicals like “I Got Rhythm.” Music in the twenties was also referred to as “The Jazz Age,” being born in New Orleans. The choice in music for many Americans, especially the youth, was Jazz. People enjoyed the swing and rhythmic sound it brought. Many young people danced to jazz in nightclubs.
Songwriting and music was a huge part of the 1920’s entertainment, but was not the only source of entertainment. Film became a very popular source of entertainment for Americans. In the early twenties, every town had its local theater, ticket sales averaged at around 100 million a week in a country of 123 million. In the earlier years of the twenties, silent films were watched. Silent films starred many actors/actresses like Lillian Gish, Clara Bow, and Charlie Chaplin. Charlie Chaplin was a very favored comical actor that played in many silent films. Harold Lloyd was another comedian that acted in a popular film in 1923, where he dangles from a clock hand high above a city. Later on in the twenties, movies were taken to a whole new level. In 1927, Hollywood released “The Jazz Singer.” This particular film was the first featured-length film with spoken dialogue. In other words the first film with sound. This film stared Al Jolson. The Warner brothers recorded the singing in the film. This was recorded on phonographs, which was synchronized to the picture projector. Not long after this historical film, technology improved and moviemakers started to print sound information into the film itself. Because of this, theaters started to install sound equipment. As 20th Century Fox movie studio stopped making silent films and began producing sound films, other studios followed.