It's hard to imagine a day passing without most Americans enjoying some form of entertainment, whether it's going to a football game, watching television at home, or listening to the radio on the way to work. At the start of the 20th century, however, the only form of entertainment was live theater. With the advent of radio, television, and ultimately the internet, entertainment could be found in our homes, quite literally at our fingertips. As American society changed and the economy grew over the 20th century, the entertainment industry evolved from vaudeville theater to big screen movies to DVDs playing in the living room. This book focuses on popular American entertainment that both appeals to and is accessible to the masses. Six forms of entertainment are covered: vaudeville, recorded sound, radio, movies, television, and spectator sports. Some forms of entertainment have changed considerably throughout the years, while others have disappeared all together as technology allowed new ones to take their place, but the desire of people to be entertained has not waned.
Concepts, organizations, and individuals such as the jukebox, the Screen Actors Guild, Ted Turner, satellite television, free agents, Charlie Chaplin, made-for-TV movies, iPod, Superbowl commercials, vaudeville circuits, Columbia, FCC, Hollywood, Title IX, Amos and Andy, MTV, and the Palace Theater, among many others, are discussed. Ideal for students and general readers interested in the development and history of one of the largest and most lucrative industries today. Biographies of notable individuals in the entertainment industry and suggestions for further reading are included.