Comments on: How was Hollywood still booming during the Great Depression? http://www.open-windows.net/hollywood/how-was-hollywood-still-booming-during-the-great-depression/ Open Windows Gossip Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:14:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: pao d historian http://www.open-windows.net/hollywood/how-was-hollywood-still-booming-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-25 pao d historian Sat, 23 Jan 2010 03:34:45 +0000 http://open-windows.net/hollywood/how-was-hollywood-still-booming-during-the-great-depression/#comment-25 i agree with the other answerers. Hollywood gave the people some kind of a "moral support." and i think that Hollywood gives entertainment to people at that time so people go there to forget the hardships they face. i agree with the other answerers. Hollywood gave the people some kind of a “moral support.” and i think that Hollywood gives entertainment to people at that time so people go there to forget the hardships they face.

]]> By: ididin1990 http://www.open-windows.net/hollywood/how-was-hollywood-still-booming-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-24 ididin1990 Sat, 23 Jan 2010 03:12:54 +0000 http://open-windows.net/hollywood/how-was-hollywood-still-booming-during-the-great-depression/#comment-24 Boy, that is an excellent question. Yes, folks really needed to escape, be entertained, believe in the silver lining. But the does that answer your question? I'm going to have to over simplify and say, supply and demand. Supply and demand is the reason they prospered. Folks were willing to save for and splurge on a night at the movies. Hollywood figured out how to give them what they wanted. Let's not forget that they exploited children in the process. They turned out product over and over; some good, some mediocre to pathetic. Boy, that is an excellent question. Yes, folks really needed to escape, be entertained, believe in the silver lining. But the does that answer your question?

I’m going to have to over simplify and say, supply and demand. Supply and demand is the reason they prospered. Folks were willing to save for and splurge on a night at the movies. Hollywood figured out how to give them what they wanted. Let’s not forget that they exploited children in the process. They turned out product over and over; some good, some mediocre to pathetic.

]]> By: Tarheelboi http://www.open-windows.net/hollywood/how-was-hollywood-still-booming-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Tarheelboi Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:41:23 +0000 http://open-windows.net/hollywood/how-was-hollywood-still-booming-during-the-great-depression/#comment-23 During the Great Depression, Hollywood played a valuable psychological and ideological role, providing reassurance and hope to a demoralized nation. Even at the Depression's depths 60 to 80 million Americans attended the movies each week, and, in the face of doubt and despair, films helped sustain national morale. Although the movie industry considered itself Depression- proof, Hollywood was no more immune from the Depression's effects than any other industry. To finance the purchase of movie theaters and the conversion to sound, the studios had tripled their debts during the mid- and late-'20s to $410 million. As a result, the industry's very viability seemed in question. By 1933, movie attendance and industry revenues had fallen by forty percent. To survive, the industry trimmed salaries and production costs, and closed the doors of a third of the nation's theaters. To boost attendance, theaters resorted to such gimmicks as lower admission prices (cut by as much as 25 cents), double bills, giveaways of free dishes, and Bank Night--in which customer who received a lucky number won a cash prize. During the Great Depression, Hollywood played a valuable psychological and ideological role, providing reassurance and hope to a demoralized nation. Even at the Depression’s depths 60 to 80 million Americans attended the movies each week, and, in the face of doubt and despair, films helped sustain national morale. Although the movie industry considered itself Depression- proof, Hollywood was no more immune from the Depression’s effects than any other industry. To finance the purchase of movie theaters and the conversion to sound, the studios had tripled their debts during the mid- and late-’20s to $410 million. As a result, the industry’s very viability seemed in question. By 1933, movie attendance and industry revenues had fallen by forty percent. To survive, the industry trimmed salaries and production costs, and closed the doors of a third of the nation’s theaters. To boost attendance, theaters resorted to such gimmicks as lower admission prices (cut by as much as 25 cents), double bills, giveaways of free dishes, and Bank Night–in which customer who received a lucky number won a cash prize.

]]> By: leathersmiths http://www.open-windows.net/hollywood/how-was-hollywood-still-booming-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-22 leathersmiths Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:30:51 +0000 http://open-windows.net/hollywood/how-was-hollywood-still-booming-during-the-great-depression/#comment-22 Everyone needed a distraction from the tragedy of the depression. A good story, be it in a book, on the stage or in the screen, gets your mind of your trouble. Even if just for a little while. Everyone needed a distraction from the tragedy of the depression. A good story, be it in a book, on the stage or in the screen, gets your mind of your trouble. Even if just for a little while.

]]> By: robe http://www.open-windows.net/hollywood/how-was-hollywood-still-booming-during-the-great-depression/comment-page-1/#comment-21 robe Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:42:03 +0000 http://open-windows.net/hollywood/how-was-hollywood-still-booming-during-the-great-depression/#comment-21 America needed fantasy and heroes more than ever to instill hope into daily life, a role a more responsible Hollywood fulfilled pretty well in that day. America needed fantasy and heroes more than ever to instill hope into daily life, a role a more responsible Hollywood fulfilled pretty well in that day.

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