What Is The Role Of Hollywood In The 1920's

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The City of Angels, La-la land, Tinseltown, The Entertainment Capital of the world, the city that has always been associated with glitz and glamour, cameras clicking and lights flashing– Hollywood. Harvey, Daeida Wilcox and H.J. Whitely purchasing areas of land in southern California combined with the new aesthetic and culture of the 1920’s, the creation of Hollywood and its “Golden Age” changed the film industry forever. The Golden Age of Hollywood is the leading cause as to why it is now known for its role in propelling the fame and success in the film industry. In the 1920’s, Hollywood started taking the lead in the film industry by hiring some of Europe’s most skilled actors and actresses of the time. Hollywood recruited actors like Greta …show more content…

Movie attendance skyrocketed in the 20s as well. By the middle of the decade, 50 million people, half of the nation’s population, went to the movies every week. By 1929, Chicago theaters had enough seats for half of their population to attend. These attendance numbers contributed to more films being produced faster. When Warner Brothers was struggling and new to the industry, they turned to sound to compete with their bigger opponents, In 1926, they released a film Don Juan, the first movie with synchronized film score. All of these components, from theater attendance, to sound production, to the new glitz and glamour aesthetic of the 20’s, all had the impacts that gave birth to the Golden Age in Hollywood (Mintz & McKnight). The Big Five studios hold a large part of responsibility, as well as Harvey and Daeida Wilcox and H.J. Whitely for the flourishing of Hollywood. The Big Five (Warner Brothers, RKO, Fox, MGM, and Paramount) dominated the industry throughout its history and are responsible for creating films that are still well known to this …show more content…

Movies that were shot in Washington or depicted it, showed that Hollywood used Washington for its scenic beauty and breathtaking outdoors. Washington residents used the presence of Hollywood in their state to promote their recreational culture of arts, and to stimulate more economic development after the depression. Hollywood had six big films and three documentaries shot in Washington during the depression (Keeler). The six box office films are MGM’s Tugboat Annie (1933), Warner Bros.’ Here Comes the Navy (1934), 21st Century Pictures’ The Call of the Wild (1935), and Paramount Pictures’ The Barrier (1937), Warner Bros. God’s Country and the Woman (1937), and 20th Century Fox Pictures’ Thin Ice (1937). Another film, Paramount Pictures’ Tugboat Annie’s reviews and release demonstrate how Washington used Hollywood to boost the recognition of their state. Keeler: The relationship between Hollywood and Washington proved to be highly beneficial to both, and without the beautiful and diverse scenery for films, the films that gave Hollywood such a boost wouldn’t have been nearly as successful. The culture of the 1920’s and the impact of World War I aided Hollywood’s quick

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