The Big, Brave New Ara- 1920's
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The 1920's were a spectacular new age to be different and more rebellious with life and have an upcoming boom in economic prosperity.It was a time for fun and for woman, to take a stand considering it was time to start over and re-new the outtake on life. After War World I ended, Civilization had felt disturbed that millions of young boys had just been killed and things weren't the same. The "Younger Generation" then had started to begin, they stopped obeying the rules, went out drinking and smoking, going to movies and fancy shows, and wearing shorter skirts than ever. Thus began, The "Roaring Twenties"
Sports
Sports grew in popularity during the 1920's because an increase of coverage in newspapers, magazines, radio, and movies. The 1920's was a transition period for many sports. Sports was different back then unlike today. In today's time athletes make big money, use steroids, and promote a medifast diet. The professional football league, golf tours, and tennis tournaments were all started in the 1920's. Publicity from the media ensured large crowds and financial success. This allowed for newer and bigger stadiums to be built and increasing salaries for the athletes. One of the most well know athletes from the 1920's is Babe Ruth. Babe was a very successful baseball player that played on The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox's. He was the reason for why New York and Boston is still a huge rivalry to this day. Some of the 1920' sports highlights include, In 1920, the National Football League is formed, Baseball's Negro National League is formed, Babe Ruth is sold to the New York Yankees, The Cleveland Indian's shortstop Ray Chapman is killed by a pitch from Carl Mays. In 1924, The first winter Olympics is played, and in the summer Olympics Paavo Nurmi wins 5 gold medals in track and field. In 1925, The French Open tennis tournament is open to non-french players for the first time. These are just some of the many great highlights from the 1920's sports era. The 1920's was a huge growing year for professional sports and grew more and more each year.
1920s It People
The 1920s were full "it" people that influenced many trends from then and now in the present day. A few include Charlie Chaplin, Coco Chanel, F. Scott Fitzgerald and many more.
Charlie Chaplin:
Arguably one of the most famous people to ever live Charlie Chaplin impacted the movie industry greatly with his work. He was born on April 16 1889 in Walworth London England. Both his parents were entertainers. His father was a vocalist and his mother was a singer and actress. He first toured the U.S from 1910-1912. He returned home to England but 5 months later he returned on another tour and while his partner returned home Charlie stayed and began to make a name for himself in the U.S by appearing in a film called Making a Living. The director felt hiring was a mistake but was given a second chance. His next film appearance was in the tramp which was debuted in the silent film era. In 1919 he founded the United Artist film distribution company which secured his artistic freedom as a film maker and producer. When movies with sound arrived he continued making silent films however he used music and sound effects in them as well. He refused to make talking motion pictures all trough the 1930s saying actions are better understood than words. In 1940 he made his first talking film "The Great Dictator" which was a satire based on Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime in Germany. He continued to make films all the way up to 1976 with his final being a short called Sunny Side in 1974. He died on Christmas Day 1977 in Switzerland.
Coco Chanel:
Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel was born on August 18 1883 in Saumur France. Her father was a marketstall holder and her mother was a laundrey woman. When she was 12 her mother died of tuberculosis. After this her father left the family and she was sent to live in an orphanage. There she learned how to be a seamstress and summer vacations were spent with relatives who taught more about sewing than the nuns at the orphanage. She later met Etienne Balsan who was a wealthy textile heir. She became involved with him and kept a day job at a tailors. There she designed hats which later became a passion. In 1909 she began having an affair with a friend of Balsan, Captain Arthur Edward Capel. He financed her first shops. In 1919 Capel died in a car accident which was the most devastating event in her whole life. She became a licensed hat maker is 1910 and oped her first boutique in Paris called "Chanel Modes". Her designs took hold when actress Gabrielle Dorziat modeled her hats the play "Bel Ami" in 1912. In 1924 she met the Wertheimer brothers and agreed they would finance the production and distribution of her perfume "Chanel No. 5". However it meant she would have to give up 10% of her stock and remove herself from the operation entirly. This angered her and she worked there after to have full control over the company. At the start of World War 2 she closed all her shops. However she used her position as an Aryan to take full control of her shop as the Nazis were seizing Jewish owned businesses which the Wertheimer brothers were and used it as a claim to regain to control over Chanel No. 5. However the 2 came to an agreement and redrew the original contract from 1924 and she was given all wartime profits. In 1945 returned she moved to Switzerland but returned in 1954 were she met aging with the Wertheimer brothers who offered to pay for her work again in Paris and her boutiques but also for ownership of "Chanel Perfum". She agreed but her new fashions were not as big in Paris due to her affiliation with the Nazis. Whoever they were big in the U.S. and Britain. She died on Januray 10 1971 in her sleep.
F. Scott Key Fitzgerald:
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was an American writer and had one of the most influential roles of 1920s literature. He is widely known for his novels "This Side Of Paradise" "The Beautiful And Damned" "Tender Is The Night" and most famously "The Great Gatsby". He was born September 24 1886 in Saint Paul Minnesota. His family were upper middle class Irish Catholics. He spent his early years in Buffalo New York. His Parents sent him to Catholic schools. There it became apparent that he was a fairly smart child who was very interested in literature. When he was 11 his dad was fired from Procter & Gamble and the family was forced to return to Minnesota. In 1913 he got into Princeton but due to being a poor student he left to join the army and fight in WW1 but the war ended shortly after he enlisted. The 1920s were where his most success would come from as in 1925 he published he masterpiece "The Great Gatsby". His wife Zelda was diagnosed with schizophrenia and they tried to live a very flashy lifestyle. This however made life hard for them as they constantly struggled with finances. He started his fourth book but was distracted by financial issues and his wifes degrading mental health. He rented and estate in Maryland to finish work on his novel. He felt movie work was degrading financial issues found him working as a commercial script righter in the 1930s. He suffered 2 heart attacks in 1940 and on December 21 1940 he suffered his second and fatal one.
Movies and Broadway:
In the 1920's it was very popular to go to New York City, Time Square to see the new broadways showing.A lot of people often flocked there and also had went for Theaters, night clubs, movie palaces, and nice restaurants to have a nice time out. a very popular broadway was "Keep the Sun Smilin' Through" by John Kenrick and was one of the busiest decades making millions due to all these Broadway
shoes. People often critiqued them as " cheap and tawdry" but many people also really enjoy them.
The first movie theaters in the 1920's were called Nickelodeons, and were very basic and had just a plain screen and piano to the side of the main area. Some movies were silent, there fore the music had created a whole another emotion to add into just watching these motion pictures. The 1920's represented a big opening of the greatest output of the movie market and had made new stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Rudolph Valentino rise to fame. It had created a new way to escape from reality and have fun.