After the War, Television and Music save the day! Entertainment of America 1945 - 1970

After the Great War with the Axis powers of World War two, life in the United State attempted to return to normal, and what better way to return to normal for any american household then to go to the movies, watch the various new shows on television, or visit your favorite sports team stadium, but this wasn't all anymore. The end of the war marked a new era in entertainment, new attitudes and personalities arose across america, including the 50's suburban dream, the rise of teenagers, the hippie lifestyle, and a sudden boom of protest movements for many separate causes, and it is with these changes in America that bring new light to what entertains the people, what they want to see vs what they grew out and away from.

Consumerism grew in the time from the 30s, where it became important to the household to have the newest of an appliance, and this was especially true when it came to television. In the 1940's television became more widely spread and used across the nation and by 1945 there was one in nearly every home. This is when the popularity television shows began to take hold, as a way to keep people in front of the tube, advertising companies help fund the production of weekly shows that lasted shorter periods than movies and came out with a new installment every week just like radio had done in past decades, through radio wasn't dead yet, much of the focus on radio shows was redistributed by the companies that sponsored and ran them to be aired on television as visual episodes instead.
In the 1950s, suburban life began to spread, and create a sort of blueprint for proper american family lifestyle. Starting with the Nuclear Family

which included a stay at home mom who takes cares of the chores and the kids, kids who had a weekly allowance of money to spend on whatever they wished for the first time, and Husbands who went to work and brought home the money to pay for this living; all of which lived in a suburban home, in a house much like many other duplicate houses.  And what helped set this tone of life in american's minds was none other than television. Sitcoms of suburban families living stereotypical lives but dealing with a new problem every week, leading to comedy and lessons learned, and boy did the families of the 50s love these shows.

One for example was "I Love Lucy", wich alone became majorly important to wife's specifically each week, where they couldn't bare to miss a single episode. but not all shows advertise this lifestyle and instead were directed to the younger generations, such as westerns, shows that showed life as it was or use to be in the west, with rough and tough heroic cowboys/sheriffs, standing up for the American way like the serious western "Gunsmoke" or the comedic western "Bonanza!". For the times these shows weren't on, the space was filled with game shows with quiz questions for cash prizes, which were both entertaining and educational(depending on the show).
The 60s brought a new era of television as the suburban lifestyle america began to break away into many new factions. new shows began to air focusing on different age groups and lifestyles. with new shows the attempts to be different by having new themes other than suburban life. like the comedy "Andy Griffith", about a sheriff, his boy, their Aunt, and an array of comedic townsfolk in their small town of Mayberry, like the popular Don Knotts. Then there was the "Beverly Hillbillies", where a family of deep mountain country folk who aren't use to city life strike oil and become millionaires, leading the family to move to Beverly Hills California of all places. Sci fi shows like the "Twilight zone" made people think about their individual lives and question reality, as well as provide enthralling stories of "what if" questions to spook, terrify, and thrill their audiences.

Another Sci Fi, which would become the gateway series to the future boom of what would be called fandoms was the popular space show called "Star Trek", taking place many years into the future, with a crew of explorers searching the vast regions of outer space and meet new lifeforms, building off the principle idea of manifest destiny. This show would bring millions of viewers together in this common interest and create what would be known as a convention. a gathering of fans to discuss and enjoy thier favorite show/movie/book series. not so surprisingly "I Love Lucy" also became a convention gathering fandom, though not as large as Star Trek.
From the 1950s to today one other form of television show dominated viewers interests and filled the remaining evening and morning timeslots where news, game shows, and other various shows previously mentioned did not take place, and that would be cartoons.

They were family shows but aimed to the younger demographics, with some parodying sitcoms with "The Flintstones" or "The Jetsons" being like the suburban life but in different eras of history, while others stared mischievous animals with human like personalities being smart and tricky to beat thier adversary, like "Tom and Jerry", which also usually took place in a suburban home but was about a mouse named Jerry outsmarting his feline enemy Tom. Originally cartoons began in the early 40s like with superman (based on the action comics) using his unstoppable strength and speed to overcome challenges but it wasn't until the 50s that cartoons really took root in society. it was in the 60s though that cartoons really began to branch out like the rest of society, with action shows with superheros, and other unique characters like He-Man and the masters of the universe, or Thundercats.

Even with all these wonderful shows, there was more to entertaining america then television, as it should be. Music for example really began to evolve as the post war lifestyle of america began to give birth to the term teenagers, who were much different than their parents in most cases, enjoying different music and art and wanting to be their own person, and music was one of the major catalysts for this effect, with the creation of Rock and Roll. Originally brought to life by African Americans, white musicians and singers soon took center stage and the style of music enticed teenagers with it's beat, rhythm, freedom of lyrics including sexual innuendos, and the enthralling artists who brought it to fans. it of course outraged many parents with its new style, the innuendos, and the strange attraction it had on their sons and daughters, like Elvis Presley who was to be known one day as the King of Rock and Roll, who particularly upset parents with his physical movements while on stage, but the teens didn't care as it was what they liked and its how they could express themselves happily. Elvis wasn't the only major hitter though in the rock and roll scene. in 1964, The Beatles came to america and was even introduced as 'the next Elvis" they were a huge sensation, with their peace and love filled music as well as thier hit rock and roll songs, they stole more of the hearts of teenage girls and like elvis, upset parents with their connection to the hippie lifestyle and oddly enough thier hair, for being completely un-American, and strange.

This era in American Entertainment extends far forward from here like each previous one, sometimes evolving, sometimes slowing down, and others speeding up way past all explanations, and every show, every spoken line or lyric, every piece of information brought to americans through these media of entertainment shaped the minds of those who lived in this era and through straight to today still. it would be criminal to not recognize there important in shaping our country, because it is from the influence of these mediums that shape our personalities, opinions, and morals; and for the most part, despite the protest of those concerned (however generally just and understandable worry) was a great thing for our society.

Americans Smile in the face of Darkness: Entertainment of 1914 - 1945

Its only natural to look back at this time and wonder how any american could possibly keep a smile going with all that occurred during these four decades. Between racial injustices, the unpopular 18th amendment and the crime it created, the first world war which rocked the world, the stock market crash and it's great depression, then another world war. Thankfully though Americans found ways of living with these hanging over their heads, they adapted, found new forms of personal entertainment, and showed the world that americans can survive through these horrors and distressful times.

The 20s all together would come to be know, even still today, as the roaring twenties, as a new style and mindset for women emerged and people began to look at visual appeal and thier own conditions of living more than anything. A new form of music sprung from the African American culture called Jazz and brought many inspiring musicians into their time like Louis Armstrong and his Hot 5.
With prohibition in 1919 came the illegalization of alcohol, which of course came to a skyrocketed use of alcohol to both spite this unpopular lar and because many couldn't live without it, so this brought on speakeasies, which would be "underground" bars and clubs that served alcohol and entertained their customers with new or hit music and shows.

Radio had already made its move upon american lives in 1910, but it wasn't until 1922 that its mass use and production skyrocketed and lead to every american household having one. it provided not only news and information for consumers, but had stories, adventures, music, and even talk shows. You could listen to the local baseball game if you missed it or live to far to go, which alone was a fantastic reason for a radio for many homes. The main reason for its production as not sales of the radio, but for the ad-campaigns they can push into every home. The radio shows where what americans mostly wanted to listen to though, as every day a the same times, families would get together in front of the radio and listen to stories acted out by voice and sound effects alone. It was like having a story read out to you every day, with voices that you could actually place to the different characters. This device alone was a major distraction for americans to get away from their troubles, and it was the popularity of these shows that would one day lead to the development and popularity of television shows, which is obvious that even today, still affects our lives immensely.

Hollywood 1923

Cinema came to a whole new era as well in the 20s, as major film companies moved to hollywood for the cheap land and proceeded to push out over 700 films a year, though they began as silent films, in 1927 the first full length movie with speaking actors was released called "The Jazz Singer" which fit in well with the times and open the gateway and demand for more speaking films.
Broadway's plays was no different from cinema in it's popularity, pushing out entertaining plays written by talented playwrights all the time, and attracting the upper and middle class across states to see some of them. many plays were good enough to one day be remade into films.
These both still impact today's media as inventions for cinema eventually lead to the creation of home television in 1939 when Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first televised president. following this event small picture tubes began to sell out across america. though most of what appeared on the television was scenes captured by an early mobile motion picture camera and two 15 minute news shows a day broadcasted from new york.

(Click Here for the first Televised Broadcast)

These three inventions were the forefathers of modern day digital media, whether it be the music we listen to, the weekly shows that still bring families and friends together to watch, or the feature length movies on the big screen that we take our children, our parents, our friends, and our dates to see. these drove the masses, distracted them from their troubles, and affected how they think and dressed, just as today's media does.


Of course with these new media, came the growth of advertisement, though many could argue the need for companies to advertise their products created the mass production of these inventions, and what better way to sway people's decisions on products then using the heroes of their time. In most cases, these were the athletes. the sports stars who excited fans with their accomplishments, and who wouldn't want to use the same appliances and eat the same food as these famous athletes they looked up to so much! many athletes would be offered contracts, where they would help advertise products for pay, or sometimes, to join a team, they must sign one of these contracts, with the condition being that for playing and earning the pay they would advertise for the sponsors of that team. Baseball was of course the biggest one of these, and today is wildly know for it, though now you can see the same from auto racing and other sports.

Through the Depression. came inspiration, as artists expressed themselves and what the depression had done to them through their art. musicians played their hearts out at clubs and painters drew what they felt. families on the other hand found other ways to cope with the depression, even if they were not fortunate enough to own a radio, which had suddenly become a bit of a luxury for this time. home-made games were created, kid used what they had on hand to make their own sports as they always did, families and friends would get together for card games. High school sports like american football or baseball became a larger pastime for families, as towns rooted for their young aspiring athletes to beat the teams from other schools in other towns, and today that still stands, shaping the culture and social interactions of teens  and families.
Comics were cheap and sometimes came with the newspaper, which sparked a whole new genre for kids and later adults; superheroes! What would the action genre today be without superheroes. Superman was the first as kids read about a man from the stars who grew up with american values as a true boy-scout, was a professional reporter half the time and the other half a superhero who could withstand bullets, lift trains, and leap over buildings. his heroics and messages inspired the youth to be the best they could, inspired artists to create their own comic book superheroes, and ran the wheels of many young imaginations, rather than have them think of the hardships their families now dealt with.

The nation had hit dark times but with these inventions, ideas, and works of art, it wasn't hard for anyone to find the bright side of life, and life would be much different if these never came around. Our society is so driven by the search for a better quality of life and entertainment today its unbelievable and fascinating. if the ideals of americans is the heart of the nation, and the government structure the bones, entertainment and the happiness and quality of life it creates is the rest of the body and soul, and most importantly, the face, and is how our culture and ideals are influenced and set. the economy and government can go down the the deepest depths of the ocean and americans will still find ways to smile.

Baseball, and the Entertainment of the Gilded Age!

It was the late 1860s, the war that devastated our nation from within and changed how most Americans felt about what it means to be an American, and with the end of this devastating war came progress. reconstruction was being debated upon and the nation as a whole was changing but there was one constant that every worker needed, and what would help hold our nation together in common interest; ENTERTAINMENT!

This was an opportune time for all the old leisure pastimes and new ones to spring up and make a difference in the nation's culture and this was the moment when one of the greatest widely believed American pastimes would get its largest growth burst! If you haven't figured it out, I’m talking about Baseball of course. It wasn't the only way someone could spend their free time happily, but baseball was one of the pillars of national entertainment, and still holds ground today! Though it is unclear when baseball began, but before 1860s it was for the most part a game for gentlemen, a small leisurely activity for after working hours. During the 1860s and definitely after the civil war it began to rise. What began as small sandlot games to pass the time grew into forms of entertainment, whether you played it, or simply wanted to watch. Set regulations and rules began to form, and organized matches between separate teams began to take place. most workers only had 66 working hours a week that would leave plenty of free time to enjoy yourself, and relax, maybe have a meeting with your work friends our bring your family. This didn’t just apply to baseball of course, but it was definitely becoming incredibly popular amongst each of the states.

Baseball wasn't without its flaws, but not originating from itself. the civil war had only just ended and though African Americans were now free, and slavery has been outlawed, it was still a very racist country and when the national league of baseball started in 1876, color barriers were obvious and definitely a problem. Because of these barriers, not all athletes, no matter how talented they were then others who got the positions on the team, were passed on because of their race. Moses Fleetwood Walker would be the first African American Major League Baseball player, in 1887, eight years after the Major League was born, and broke the barrier for more African American organized baseball players. In many ways this helped the country better itself and he will always be remembered for this.

Of course baseball wasn't the only form of entertainment that grew in the upper 1800s. There were sports such as Football which today has in some ways become equal and other ways overshot the popularity of baseball, basketball, which was invented in 1881, which enabled athletic competition in winter months, boxing which became more respectable and honorable to the public with the invention of boxing gloves, and croquet and tennis. with faster travel came traveling shows and fairs, where families can go and have a great time and see the most amazing talents, like "The Greatest Show on Earth!" the Ringling bros circus! A historical landmark in entertainment history to say the least.

Vaudeville theaters began to pop up starting with the first in 1881, where audiences can watch many different talented acts for three hours each night. There were at least one in every city! And of course who can forget Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show! It was a show run by William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, where people could see cowboy's in the same admiration as he did. Of course being amongst that time (in the late 1800s) it was a lot more authentic in the beginning, with real buffalo, recruited cowboys and cowgirls, and if it wasn't for his entertaining

shows and vision of the cowboy, we may never have seen them the same way we do today. by the end of the 19th century, he had given respect to the term Cow-boy from all those he entertained.

What is truly amazing is how much these sports and shows have driven our nation's early economy. Massive stadiums built for the sole purpose of giving people a view of our favorite teams going toe to toe with each other in competitive athletic sports! The Vaudeville theaters were one of America's first Chain industries. Supporting people's talents and entertaining the masses while driving the economy further still! Let us not forget the

Railroads though, who boomed further in business once they were complete as people wanted to travel to see these shows and games! It is from this era that i believe entertainment has begun to shape our economy and culture in a bran new way!

Not all advances in recreational activities and entertainment were huge flashy shows or big events of any sorts. For example one of the most used non electrical inventions to date was born in this gilded era of history, the modern Bicycle. Though "it's not possible to attribute the invention to any one person" it has wildly changed the course of history. The original design was called the Velocipede and was invented long before this era, and while allowed for much greater speeds, the larger wheel in the front and the small ones in the back proved to be a dangerous method of travel. In 1863 the design was improved in a workshop in Paris and the owner of the designs (though who really constructed them is up for debate) moved to the state of Connecticut where he received the patent for the plans and in 1868, two brothers improved the plans once more. At this point they were not worth the trouble yet due to bulkiness and so it wasn't until 1870s when the design was improved again in England this time that Americans gained full interest, importing the machines and mass producing them in factories. Riding schools began to form and paths were made specifically for bicycles. Sadly adults didn't have enough interest and they became the playthings of children for the next many decades

any one of us could look around today and tell that all of these things have shaped our lives and continue to! Hundreds of people still pile into those large stadiums to watch their favorite sports, with as much loyalty to their favorite teams as they have for their own country. For some even more so! It's just so amazing to see people this way! Talent shows on television and entertainment in clubs would be much different if it wasn't for the Vaudeville theaters that dotted our countries map at one time! Also think about bicycles, which allow for a way for us to get around without the need of gas money, exercise, and even compete with one another. Imagine hundreds of people, each on their own bike, covered in professional gear, and in the best shape of their lives, racing to the same destination. Now imagine if the bike was never created, and all of these things were gone. Where would we be now if theater, sports, and recreational vehicles were never formed!

But also, let us not forget the economic advantages these seeds in our nation's entertainment history had sparked. Being a professional entertainer or athlete now meant a new thing since this gilded age, with people earning money just from these talents and of course all the money earned by the owners and sponsors of these teams, stadiums, theaters, and competitions. Entertainment drives our economy and it’s not a bad thing at all. This was by far one of the most influential times of American History and I’ll back that statement up even in the grave.

Fenway Park:  The first Major League Baseball Stadium. Built 1912